TTownThomas

I bought my first Porsche 20 years ago. It was a Guards red 1987 951 M030. Loved that car. I drove it as my daily driver for several years and then it became an occasional use vehicle. I loved its incredible balance. We had our first child 15 years ago and the 951 was not a great family car so I sold it. I went through several BMW's. Performance Package 330i, Sport Package 540i and then a multi year stint with a sport package 335i. All with back seats that could accommodate car seats. As the kids got older and my finances gained a little flexibility I bought a 1985 911 Targa. I kept that car for several years but I missed the boost. Then about 5 years ago I bought a family members 930. It was a nearly perfect low mileage car and I found myself worrying about the car more than enjoying it. A couple of years ago I sold the 930. I miss Porsches. I liked the BMW's but they never spoke to me the way a turbo Porsche did. I think I want a 951 again. I'm pretty sure it was my favorite to drive of all of them.

I need a re-education. What do I need to look for mechanically that is different from 20 years ago?

Any P-car needs meticulous records and probably a PPI
Obviously belt service is paramount
Motor mounts were problematic
The hatches rattled like crazy 20 years ago. Have we figured out how to address that yet?
If I end up with a major issue, like an internal engine problem, how much does it cost to replace or rebuild a motor? Are savage yard motors often available? Or are they scarce enough that they are getting rebuilt now?

Thanks in advance
Chris
Cary NC

autosea

Welcome back. Nothing has changed since you were gone. a good car will bring $25K
Here is a good example of the cars as they sell at the well maintained state.
https://mart.pca.org/ads/41383

harveyf

Hi Chris,
First of all, I live one city and a crossroads over from you, in New Hill. I'm always happy to help out a local enthusiast.

Specifially regarding engine replacement (which I think is down my list of things that can go wrong) I think the days of dropping in junk yard motors, and transmissions, for that matter, are over. That said, DC Automotive in Rocky Mount is most likely to have something available, either now or eventually. I do all my own work. If you read my articles on rebuilding an engine to a high standard (https://newhillgarage.com/2018/04/27...ebuild-part-1/) you can see what approximately $3000 in parts and machine shop labor will get you. Probably a fraction of what you would think of if doing so to an 80's 911. And there is not a whole lot I would do different in rebuilding a 951. So that should at least give you an idea of costs. I don't know what labor would be if you hired the job out but a wild *** guess would be 60 hours at $100/hr.

One issue that is a little bit of a sleeper with the 951 is the ceramic coating inside the cylinder head exhaust ports. It can crack, slough off, and lodge in the Cat. Not catostrophic but something to be aware of. Very hard to spot in a PPI. I would think the main thing with these engines is to just assume all the rubber hoses in the engine are baked to a nice rock hard consistancy and would need to be replaced, even on a well cared for low mileage car.

Go for it. You'll be glad you did.

Harvey

harveyf

Also, prices on good 951's are rising as with most classic Porsches. Check out the sales history on Bringatrailer to get a feel for where the market is at.

TTownThomas

Any chance you can tell me where this car is located? I'm not currently a PCA member

TTownThomas

Yes. I've noticed. The low mileage cars have been creeping up but the cars with over 50k are still pretty reasonable. Great to see your shop is just in New Hill.

mwc951

That car is in Pittsburgh. It has been for sale for quite some time.

Dan Martinic

For me, the 951 was a great family second car; I would drive the kids in it all the time. The car seats are factory built-in units.

Seems you and Jerry Seinfeld share a common view on the 951. I don't know the answer to most of your Qs, but I can tell you the Delrin inserts solved my hatch rattle and have been working for over a decade:

https://www.only944.com/partscatalog...hatchpinseats/

PorscheDude1

I've been looking at 951's again too.
I tried to track down my last 951 and have no luck yet.
We will see what the future holds....

Tom R.

Living at altitude, my stock 89 951 is the one car I dont miss as a DD. If I had not moved from 2 feet above sea level to a mile above with the S2 and felt the loss of power I probably would still have the S2.

Glue Guy

I’m not too far away, myself. There was a nice, well sorted 951, though a little higher mileage car in the Raleigh area when I was looking about a year ago, though that’s surely gone by now.

I don’t have the length of history as the OP, but can agree on the 951. I share the Porsche obsession, and have had a couple of 911s. 951 is the most recent Porsche for me. Although it took some sorting out to get it to the state of dependable, my car is a lower mileage car that had been neglected for a few years, once it was sorted, it’s a lot of fun and lower key than a 911. I like that. A 911-owning friend was telling me I needed to get another 911. Yeah...Maybe... but there’s definitely something about the 951 that ticks off the fun box for me.