Buy the Best Porsche Available or a Collectible Porsche with Needs?
Do you buy a collectible Porsche with needs or a production Porsche in top shape?
As regular readers of the Air Brigade news know, I am in the market for a 1993 Porsche RS America with needs so I can buy it at half the going top collectible price. I want to pay $65,000 - $70,000 versus a top collectible one at $130,000.
The real question though is should I really be looking at the best available Porsche 964 as opposed to a 964 RS America with needs at the same price. This question came to mind when I looked at a white RS America while I was in Miami for DRT2020 that has a hood that is different shade of white from the fenders, the incorrect RS America Spoiler and driver seat bolsters that are worn. These are just some of the cosmetic issues but overall it is a solid RS America in my price range, but with needs.
I asked the salesman why he thought the Porsche had been at the dealer for several months and the answer he gave me forms the basis for today’s article. He said they have to find someone who really wants an RS America as opposed to someone who can buy a perfect 1993 964 for a comparable price.
I didn’t buy and it left me leaving the dealership on my way to Das Renn Treffen (DRT) Miami with that thought: should I really be looking at a clean no-needs, Porsche 964 instead of a half-price collectible RS America?
At DRT I came across this red on red on red 964. I love red so the uniqueness of this car appealed to me. All the red is not for everyone but it had attraction to me and it had a price tag of $77,500. It fit right into the price range I was looking at for a RS America with needs.
It gave me pause for thought; do I buy a shiny red pretty production 964 or do I buy a Porsche collectible, but one that you look at and say, “Boy, this is a little rough, and you paid how much?” Thinking in particular when I pull it into the driveway and Linda looks at it for the first time while not understanding how collectible an RS America is.
I was tempted on the shiny red over red 964, but then caught myself and said: “What am I really looking for to add another Porsche to the garage?”
My goals when I started the search/consideration for another air-cooled Porsche 911 were very clear:
1. An air-cooled stable mate to my stock 1986 Carrera that I could thrash and drive and enjoy that was designed for performance driving.
2. A unique Porsche that may have long-term appreciation capabilities.
3. Something I could hot rod without worrying about it being too nice to change from stock.
Yes, I would enjoy the shiny red Porsche but I know I would be left wanting and a year into ownership I would say, this just doesn't meet my needs. I need my original goal of a RS America.
Why would I want the RS America?
A piece of Porsche history
It is Porsche designed for performance driving
It qualifies me among Porsche aficionados that “I know” the right Porsche to own
It allows me to have fun with the car rather than babying it
I made my decision to keep looking for the RS America that is a driver with needs instead of the clean, perfect defect-free model. I’ll be honest, after seeing the white RS America that was less than perfect I need to remind myself of my goals because the tendency is to buy a garage-pretty car instead of a driver car.
My search continues. Maybe I can find the balance of pretty car that has other needs such as the Midnight Blue one I am following now at $88,000 but they’ve modified it with power steering and added Bilsteins so it brings the value down. The original steering is available though so I can return it to the way it was designed, if I can get it for the right price.
Time will tell…
Tags: Porsche RS America, Porsche Air-cooled Garage Queen, Air-Cooled Porsche Collectible
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