Everything You Need to Know About Classic Porsche Maintenance
Porsche Maintenance 101 for Classic Cars
Choosing the right car
The maintenance costs of a Porsche, especially a classic Porsche such as an 80’s 911 Carrera or SC, has always been a prohibitive barrier for potential buyers. Yet it really shouldn’t be. I mean it is definitely nothing to scoff at, but if you want your dream classic car, it shouldn’t be the problem stopping you from getting what you want if you do things right.
First off, you want a car that will spend more time of the road than in your mechanic’s garage. Any Porsche enthusiast knows that if you want a classic Porsche, you want one from the 1980’s. The 911’s of the 80’s are about as bulletproof as you can get. The reason for this is that by this time in Porsche’s history the 911 model was an established line, with most of the kinks already ironed out. Along with being bulletproof and reliable, these cars have to be some of the most, if not the most, iconic cars of the era with their 3.3 liter turbocharged engines.
Another big (possibly the biggest) factor in decreasing maintenance costs is finding a car which has been properly maintained. These cars are over 30 years old, so how they have been maintained since leaving the factory is almost more important than the quality of the car that left the factory.
Maintenance
Here is a rundown of what to expect when it comes to maintenance costs of a classic Porsche. First off the most common service requirement is an oil change about once a year for $250. Then there is the tune-up every two years (or every 15,000 miles) at $1,500 a pop. The car is also going to need new tires every four years, which is another $1,200. And finally there is insurance, because this is an investment you are making, and you definitely want to protect it. With an average insurance of around $100 a month (obviously depending on the area you live in you could expect a lower premium) price increases. So after all the math, these costs add up to about $2,400 a year, which doesn’t include any other potential problems of an old car – such as your brake calipers failing or a cylinder blowing – but is none the less not an overly exorbitant fee to pay when it comes to owning a classic beauty.
The simple fact is this is an old car, so things will fail, but there are ways to minimize these failings. Choose a car that has been properly maintained. If the vehicle was properly maintained, a lot of potential problems would have been averted or fixed, as the previous owner should have already had to reseal the engine and replace those calipers. Bear in mind that a garage princess with low miles, may sound like a great buy, but could very well in fact land up having quite a few hidden problems, especially if the previous owner has not maintained the vehicle but rather just left it sitting there, a barn find springs to mind. These cars typically have to undergo a complete restoration. Take into consideration that these cars are meant to be driven on a regular basis, if they aren’t, seals dry up and you will be paying premium for a car which won’t make it to the corner store.
But it isn’t all downhill from here
There is a key factor, other than shear enjoyment, that might make this all even more worthwhile. These Porsches are appreciating in value, as time goes on, there are less of them around, especially well maintained ones. It is very possible for you to sell yours for double what you paid for it after you have had years of fun in it. Now is the best time to buy a classic Porsche, so go do it.