Looking for a 964, need advice.

[mrsimpson]

As it looks like my 69 resto will be going on hold for a while I thought I'd look at buying a 964. If anyone has had one and has any tips or any links to buying guides, or owners clubs/forums that would be a great help.

Cheers

Darren

[Berny]

Hi I was told about a low mileage I think one owner C4 I can find out about! have you checked the 964 fourm on the PCGB web site there are sometimes cars for sale there, If you need a PPI on one in this area give me a call 01449 777911 Berny.

[Andy102]

I would recommend a C2 manual, the C4 can have more problems with high miles.
The 964 is a great car, but very costly if it go's wrong.

http://www.gtpurelyporsche.com/buyingguide.asp

[Sam]

It's harder to find a good 964 than it is an early prototype these days.

Look out for rusty windscreens, leaky engines at *any* mileage, worn and wobbly suspension, dicky electrics, broken heater motors that mean you get hot and your passenger gets cold. Basically anything Porsche fitted that wasn't on a 3.2 can and mostly does go wrong.

Paying £300 to a specialist to inspect a potential purchase *will* be the best £300 you ever spend on the car.

This one :

http://www.paul-stephens.com/Porsche-91 ... et/car3290

Has done 67k miles and the chap we bought it from described it as a good one. We've spent close to £12k on it since it arrived...

But if you can get a good one they are an absolute delight, with a good heap of the delicacy and pointiness that the 993 dialled out and still a decent level of modern comfort and ease of use.

If you find two decent C2 manuals, put me down for the other one.

[Bruce M]

I think there is potential for someone to develop a c4 to c2 kit. Using the same process the Subaru crowd uses (a machined cup that locks the main shaft together), then remove the prop shaft /front diff/ cvs. The shift linkage would need some more work and ideas but it seems possible to me.

Then you have a c2 with the RS power brakes and an electronic rear LSD.

[Burma-Shave]

I think I am DDK's biggest 964 fan.. I have an 89 C4 on 130k miles, bilstein suspension, cat and secondary silencer bypass, and lately have shod her with some very saucy Ruf 17s. She leaks a little oil but pulls super hard, the engine's never been out in mine, but most people recommend looking for a top end and re-seal - although they often leak a little even after this. Its funny as the rebuilds almost always are for oil leaks and the other stuff is done while your in there - rather than because they are smoking, using oil or low on power etc. Its also good to have that stuff done too because other expensive bits that have just got old should have been done too - particularly the twin plug ignition components and the eleventy billion oil lines that they have.

I cant get enough of my 964 to be honest, great balance between classic and modern, between delicacy and plantedness, between special and useable. The bassy fruity noise from the errm, chambered exhaust (thanks Sam, or were you just bluffing when you told me that?) isnt to be found anywhere else in the 911 lexicon.

They need the suspension - the original was set to understeer and is 20 years old now anyway, most now seem to have KW coilovers or Bilstein/Eibach and it transforms them. The C4 benefits from a nice aggressive geometry set up, and grips and twitches very satisfyingly. The purists always say C2, but a well set up C4 will have a long list of fans including me - and you have heaps more choice on the market. The main AWD issues arent with the mechanicals which seem really strong, but the ABS/PDAS doohickeys (brain, wheel sensors, accelerometers) and because the brake pump is involved with the high pressure awd circuit stuff. Sorry that really shows up that I don't fully understand it, just make sure all the right warning lights come on and then go out when the motor is running. There is a fair bit of bulb-take-outery that goes on.

Rust, albeit cosmetic, is now a real issue in Uk cars. Under rubber glass seals mainly (where it then leaks in) but also both rear quarters where there is no obstruction to mud being thrown and sitting (so remove a rear light by undoing the single screw and have a butchers), and hidden under the sharkfin sill trim can be really horrible too. I think my main concern buying one now would be the rust - so look for evidence that it has been cut out not glooped over. I had mine done lately.

Get one that someone has done the bodywork to and a top (or bottom) end - all properly - and you should be laughing. Rennlist has a very active and helpful 964 forum, to be recommended.

Grrr..

[964RS]

I think I am DDK's biggest 964 fan..

Wanna bet?

[classicgarage]

http://www.reallymeansounds.com/reports ... entPic=107 , out for a saturday drive , regards mervyn , Hi link didnt work , no i dont drive a mr2 escort , its the next photo , mervyn

[paul284pt]

Hi Darren,

Some good advice here particularly from Sam and Johnny.

I have driven many Porsches from the 911S in the '70's (through to the new 991), owned a 1982 SC and one of the last 3.2 Carreras and I think the 964 is the pick of the later '80's - '90's models before the 993.

As Sam says, a manual C2 coupe is becoming extremely hard to find and certainly top of the wish list (save an RS ha!).

Betty is a 1990 C2 manual with sun-roof and A/C, with 73k miles now on the clock. I have been doing bits and pieces over the last 18 months or so since I bought her (to re-live my youth). The original plan was to find a good one for a back date project possibly via PS Autoart. However, after a lot of reflection and advice (threats) from other enthusiasts I decided to keep her with only slight mods which could be reverted, if required. Sorry Sam.

Fortunately Betty had been very well maintained and she was in excellent condition, although with another nod to Sam, the windscreen pillars needed some attention and a new rubber seal was fitted. Some minor bubbling was repaired where the rear wings meet the rear bumpers on the wheel-arches, also the front wings were taken off and minor corrosion dealt with where they meet the scuttle and new seals fitted.

Oil leaks can be an issue but mine was cured (so far) with a new oil-thermostat, pipes and clips. Phew!

The A/C wasn't working, but it tried, so the gas was converted to modern equivalent and apart from a slightly noisy fan, it now works great. I had planned to put a little thread up detailing this stuff and all the rest in case there were any 964 fans on this brilliant site. So now I know there are one or two of you around I'll have to get cracking. But for now if your interested there's a more arty photo on page 20 of Post A Photo Of Your 911 on this site.

Good luck Darren, once you find a good one you won't regret it!
Paul.

[74rsman]

I love 964s

Great cars. Get an early on thats had a top end
It will last you years. Get a late 92 car in rs colors
If you want the pick of the crop. Rare things

C4 for a year round driver
C2 for a year round driver

3.6 is an awesome engine. Great on power
Great with a remap and great mpg

Proper suspension, hydr clutch abs and psteer
Make these cars every bit the modern porsche

Bodys are good as they have the lined arches, screennpillars get nibbled
Exhausts can be siplified with cup n cat bypass

Super super cars

Makes my 3.2 feel agricultural as a daily
Drive

Go for it!

[hot66]

where in N. Yorks is that ?

[paul284pt]

Hi James,

Sunny Osmotherley, where are you?

Cheers,
Paul

[hot66]

thought I recognised the hills

I'm in the Bedale area

[smallspeed]

i miss mine

[paul284pt]

Hi James,

I'll flick the light switch on and off

Thought I recognised your S.

Lovely motor and in the perfect colour. I must have seen you around at events. We did Croft and Raby Castle and Silverstone (twice) last year. Are you going to the Big Breakfast Sun. 8th Apr? PCGB R3 meeting in Stokesley High Street at 08:00 for it.

I'll look out for you in the future.

Cheers,
Paul

Here's another photo for Darren's thread, more 964's please!