Mike Murphy

EDIT: PRICE REDUCED from $20,400 to $19,400 OBO.

Well, it's time to sell, unfortunately. I'm getting married and we have 2 cars in the city and one parking spot. And I have to save for the wedding, not to mention buy a larger place for us.

This is an all original, completely stock, non-modified Carrera 3.2. The previous owner put over $10,000 into the car, and then I put another $6,000 into the car in less than 9 months. Here‘s what was done:

Previous Owner: Full top-end engine rebuild at 90,228 miles. This included the removal of all cylinder heads and pistons for new valve job, cleaned & replaced piston rings, polish work done on the heads, rear main seal, shift rod seal, shift seal, crank seal, timing chain tensioner. The previous owner also put in a new windshield, rebuilt alternator, new targa top, oxygen sensor and a 930 S Center console (I still have the original one; it comes with the car), new cap & rotor, new spark plugs.


My repairs: New clutch & tires, 300 miles ago. The clutch repair includes a new clutch disc (993TT), pressure plate, throwout bearing, bearing guide tube replacement, clutch fork bushing, rear main seal, trans input shaft seal, trans shifter rod seal, trans oil change, and slave cylinder replacement, replaced the timing chain cover gaskets. PPI 10 months ago included a valve adjustment, tightened the chain tensioners, new cap & rotor, new spark plugs, adjust E-brake, adjust heater valves, replaced fresh air blower motor, replaced both footwell blower motors, replaced rear engine compartment heater motor, alignment, gas door cable replacement, new gas fuel filler protective flap, spare DME relay in glove box, new glove box light socket & bulb, new v-belt, new fuse kit, clean all fuse boxes & replaced fuses, new fuel filter, new air filter, new front & rear brake hoses, flush brake fluid, repair driver’s side window & regulator, and pass side sway bar welded.


Oil & Filter changes were performed routinely every 3,000 miles with Shell Rotella T 15W-40.


This definitely is a nice car, excellent in every respect. The paint is original, no resprays. There are a few rock chips that come standard with a car this age, but obviously no rust or scratches. The car leaks zero oil and doesn't smoke at all.

I have full documentation of the work that was mentioned above in paper & digital format. I have a clean Carfax report on the car and previous PPI. I’ve had 4 different mechanics drive the car and 2 PCA driving instructors. All have commented that the car is “very solid.” This car has always been garaged kept and you can tell.

The interior is a unique red & black combination color and the dash and door panels look almost new. The seats are in great shape and have some normal wear as shown in the pictures. The original factory Blaupunkt stereo was replaced by a Sony CD unit with 4 new Polk Audio speakers.

I do not use the AC, so I disconnected the belt to the compressor. As far as I know, there is nothing wrong with the AC system other than lack of Freon.

123,242 miles

See this link for more pictures and more details: http://michaelmurphy.cc/1988%20Porsc...ra%20Targa.htm

84_Carrera

Helpin' Murph out here... $20,400 per linked page.


Sharp looker man. Hope all works out well & you end up in that Turbo someday.

Mike Murphy

Oh, right, thanks, Fred! The price sure would help, wouldn't it?! Someday, I don't know when, but someday I will get another Porsche

Amber Gramps

Murph, send the car back to your parents or find a friend that can store it for you or send it to me, but please don't sell. A wedding is one day of your life and there are other ways to say I love you than to blow another 20K on a wedding. our wedding was $500 on dress, $500 on rings, $500 on food. We were dirt poor and paid for it all ourselves. 17 years later I don't remember anything but my wife and the drive to Idaho. she still loves her ring even though it was $24,500 less than her sisters.

Mike Murphy

Douglas, I hear ya. The good news is that I will come back to Porsche, but in the meantime, she has agreed to a stick M3. If I realize that I made a mistake, I will just have to buy another one

Amber Gramps

we can just buy a new wife if we make a mistake?

84_Carrera

Yeah, you gotta love the "two months' salary" commercials. Our rings were around the same Doug. Wedding, not so much. Honestly, the photos, band, & bar tab are about the most-worth-it items. I would have been happy with a backyard BBQ.

In all honesty, if the wife needs a $25k ring to make her happy with you for the rest of your life, it's a great investment. Chances are, if she needs a $25k ring, it's merely a down-payment on what it's really going to cost to be married to her.

We just clocked 14 years hitched, still going. May not always be fun, but all in all it's been better to "be" than "be-not".

Best of luck with the sale AND with the wedding man.

Amber Gramps

what if we all just sent him $25.00? we could pool our money and he could keep the car. I am a big murph fan and don't want to loose him.

to give you an Idea on cost saving measures and weddings....I sewed every bead, and spangly thing on my wife's dress to the horror of her mother and sisters. For 2 weeks I drove to her mothers every night and pricked my fingers for 4 hours. the dress must have 10,000 additional spaklies that I did to save money....I even got to see her in it a fiew times along the way.

keep the car! an M3 is not a good sub for your porsche. you will never find as beautiful a replacement.

d_p_bender

Sorry to hear you're selling. As a recovering city dweller, I know the challenges of managing the parking situation. Shortly before my marriage, I sold my 3 series coupe, townhouse in oldtown and lot's of other stuff (but held on to the motorcycle). I few short years later, budget allowed for a Porsche and I was back in business. While it was a tough set of decisions at the time, I'm happily married and it all seems like water under the bridge.

Separately, I know a guy in Chicago looking for a Porsche, I will contact him to see if he's interested. You may also want to post on the chicagoporsche board in yahoo groups.

-db

theiceman

Sorry to see you go Murph .. First Loaded, then you .. holy crap whoes next .. ! lots of guys come and go but it is tough to see one of the "core team" go

flatsixnut

Sorry but you must really not like the car if you can let it go that easy. If your wife to be really loved you, and you "really" loved your 911, she would find a way to compromise.

Well in the end I hope the car gets a loyal owner.

theiceman

obviously his future wife is forcing him to choose ... :-)
Mine is not foolish enough to force me to decide ..

Mike Murphy

Thanks for all the support, guys. What I love most about the Porsche is the people, for sure, then the cars.

Truth is, it's my idea to sell the car. I remember selling my pristine TR6 to save up enough money to buy my first piece of real estate. Now that I've done 3 properties, I was able to buy a Porsche, diamond ring, and pay cash. The plan is to sell the car for now and buy a better one in the future. I will never totally be away from Porsche, but no one ever got rich investing in Porsches. Many people got rich buying real estate.

I am still a PCA member and will continue to hang out. After we sell our 2 cars, and pickup the M3, I plan on doing DE events with that car.

Regarding the car, yes, I really do like it, but I'm not attached to it. I dropped more than $5000 into it for the 9 months that I owned it. It's in much better shape than I found it. Truth is, someone will love it more than I will and probably drive it less. I also like to experience other cars because I get bored with the same things over and over. So I will definitely want to look at a 993 or 996, possibly even an older 2.7.

jago

yeah, but it's the trade-in that kills you.

Amber Gramps

Murph, if that is you and future wife pictured in the targa you look great togeather and are doing the right thing.

what happened to Ed Hughes?