Ageing SCs - What's your opinion?

[RSGulp]

There has been much talk of rust bubbles on SCs for sale putting off potential buyers.

What is your opinion on this issue?

Would you rather buy a car which looks good but has potential problems hidden under shiney new paint, or would you rather see what is required when buying an honest car, and pay the right price bearing in mind what you will have to spend to bring the car up to scratch?

I'd also like to know people's opinions on part exchanging such a vehicle when buying from a Porsche Independent. Obviously the dealership will offer you a lower p/x price than on a 'concours' car, but would taking the lower price be a better option than investing in restoring the bodywork before parting with the car?

 

[engleflick]

It didn't put me off. My car has an amount of rust on the front wings and under the windscreen and a few bubbles elsewhere, and whilst it annoys me intently that they are there I would rather they were there for me to see, so I know what I have to repair instead of having a nasty shock on a buying a more expensive car which has been 'restored' only to find that it hasn't been done very well.

Also in my case I got my car for a good price because of the rust work needing 'tidying' as the original advert had said, and two and half years later thanks to being in a garage, it has hardly got any worse. And I have been able to enjoy using the car, knowing that I can have the rust sorted when money (and my wife) allows.

All the SC's are a minimum of 21 years old, mine is 25 years old I think you have to expect some rust on a vehicle of this age, unless your very very lucky. I think it is far more dangerous to buy a 20 odd year old 'rust free' car with unless it has had a restoration that can be proved, or is a truly outstanding example, with a history to prove its condition - in which case it will be priced accordingly and you will paying for that fact.

To sum up, Beware of rust free cars at bargain prices - I don't believe they exist.

 

[bones]

Buy on condition that is ascertained through a thorough inspection, even if a car has shiny polished paintwork, strip everything off it and out of it and shine a light into every nook and cranny along with the magnet test, you can't do much more. If nothing shows up after that you may have a car with quite a few years of bodyshop free motoring in front of you. As Dan says cars of this age often have minor bubbles that seem to get no worse, mine does. I know there is rust in the two front wings, it is minor and I have no intention of touching them until they become unsightly.

 

[Guest]

It depends on where the rot is. Rot on the wings, flitches, door shuts wouldn't upset me all that much and would factor the work into the price anyway, so would ultimately be paid for. Rot in other places would seriously put me off - floorpans, rear of 'boot' floor, rear inner arches, a-posts. I think if you see it there then walk away, there are some great SC's out there for no money with little or no bodywork required.

I went for an ex-California car from the get go deliberately, in order to minimise my rot worries. It didn't cost me a huge amount extra to buy a rust-free example. I would be quite happy to take on a few RHD rust bubbles if the price was right, but I am talking seriously cheap, so the likelihood is that my next one will be another west-coast car. The pleasure of living in a rot-free zone should not be underestimated!

Part-exchange is something I would never even consider doing, so can't help you on that one Rich

 

[bruceb]

I would always prefer an untouched car that show honest defects. It is very unlikely to find a car without some paint having been added in the past but old or even dull paint with no rust must be the best plan. I brought my red SC seven years ago with small bubbles on the wings below the headlights and they have got no worse. However small bubbles on the drivers door shut ended up with major expense and surgery.

It is always a difficult call but I thinks its is really important to get a car with good door, engine lid and bonnet shut lines. Porsche spent a lot of time getting these even and well fitting. Any uneven gaps almost certainly means a crash repair at some point.

So a car with good shut line and minor bubbles on the wings, front scuttle would not put me off at all.

Bruce
83SC

 

[Paul Dunster]

I'm with Bruce. When I was looking for my car I looked at a really nice shiny car. the owner said the previous owner had the paint work done but within months of him buying it, large blisters came up on the front wings. He did at least manage to get them to repair the wings properly and repaint them but not everyone will be so lucky. If you can see the bubbles you know where the problems are.
Make sure the 'kidney bowls' behind the 'B pillar' are OK though, I believe that is very expensive to repair!!

Paul.

 

[bruceb]

Paul, yep that whole kidney bowl repair is expensive. When I brought my car I missed that one rear wing had been replaced very early in the cars life. When the new wing was welded on the galvanising was lost down at the wing/sill/door shut panel join. Eventually this area rusted, the other side of the car is still perfect. Luckily the rust on my car was just on the wing and door shut with only minir work on the sill. It still cost around £1300 to repair.

I learnt that you can sometimes check if a car has been crash repaired as often the underwing area is painted black and not the original porsche body colour over the underseal.

Bruce