May 10, 20212 min read

Buying an Air-Cooled Porsche at a Porsche Dealer

Air Brigade regularly scans the Porsche dealer pre-owned sites in the area to see what is for sale. Only a select few dealers seem to sell air-cooled Porsches, but once in a while one pops up.

Buying a Classic Porsche — 12 Porsche Classic Partner Dealers are Available Nationwide | Photo Courtesy Porsche Classic

That was the case with spotting this 1995 Midnight Blue Porsche 993 Coupe with a six-speed manual transmission that Porsche Hickory (North Carolina) is selling for a list price of $79,950. The Sports Car Market price guide states the median price for such a model as $70,500. Once you negotiate the price down you are probably just over the median price.

It is rare for a “normal” Porsche dealer to sell an Air-Cooled Porsche unless they are a Porsche Classic Partner dealer who has been qualified by Porsche to service and sell Porsche Classics. There are currently 12 Porsche Classic Partner Dealers nationwide.

Porsche defines a classic different than an Air Brigade member might as a classic in Porsche’s world is any model that has been out of production for ten years or more. Based on this definition, Classic Porsches include water-cooled models such as the 996 911, the 986 Boxsters, 924, 944, 928 and the specialty models of the 959 and 980. In another year (2022) the 997 911 will fall into the Classic Porsche definition.

The benefits of buying an Air-Cooled Porsche at a Porsche dealer are similar to buying any pre-owned car at a dealer. There is a certain level of security and comfort knowing that an “Official” Porsche dealer is selling the car. They are only going to sell a pre-owned Porsche after a complete inspection and repairing any known problems. You will probably pay a little more, but this sense of security can be worth the premium.

If you find an Air-Cooled Porsche at a Porsche Classic Partner dealer then you have an extra level of assurance that the car is right and as problem-free as any car can be that is 23 years to over 60 years old. Porsche Classic “Experts” have inspected and repaired the car to Porsche standards that will in most cases not require a deferred maintenance budget when you purchase your “new” Air-Cooled” Porsche.

The negatives to buying an Air-Cooled Porsche at a Porsche dealer are the inventory and choices that you have. The Porsches are quality purchases, but few options exist. Air Brigade checked the Classic Porsche inventory at all 12 Porsche Classic Certified dealers and found only two dealers had any classic inventory: Porsche of Colorado Springs and Napleton Westmont Porsche. Based on scouring web sites over a period of time, Porsche of Colorado Springs usually has the largest selection of Air-Cooled Porsches and must be the number one Porsche Classic Partner in the US.

Here is a look at some of the Air-Cooled Porsches for sale at Porsche dealers across the country.