Anybody looking for a turbo look m491?

That car does look extra clean...BUT I've never been a fan of the turbo look option. It would always bother me that the car wasn't, well, a turbo.

Instead of paying any premium for a wide body I'd either get a 930 or pay less for a clean normal 3.2. It's tough to place a value on the turbo look option- I think the option was worth more as a percentage of a used 911's purchase price in the 80's and maybe 90's vs. today, but I'm not sure and you probably know better as you're probably closer to the market (it was a very expensive option (again as a percentage of original purchase price) back in the day when these cars were new).

I'd love to get another 3.2 911 to go with the 360 but not likely to happen anytime soon

 

That actually doesn't look like that bad of a deal. I think they do seem to bring a premium. In the 30k's isn't unusual.

Personally, I like 'em. If (when?) I get another, I'm looking at one (cabriolet style ).

I think the wide body looks better without the "unweldy eruption of power" and maintence of a turbo.

 

M491 = "All hat, no cattle...".

 

The whole M491 thing was for the look but not the hassle of turbo's. These days people want the real thing including the hassle of the turbos.

 

Actually, I think it originally started because we didn't have the turbo here in the US from 1980-1985 and people liked the look...also I think the turbo look was available in targa/cab before the 930 was, at least in the US..

It was an expensive option since it had the wide fenders, plus the turbo brakes, rims and maybe the turbo suspension as well. It is a rare option, I guess worth something but not something I'd want to pay extra for.

The attached car in the condition and at that price looks pretty reasonable for someone who wants this option however...if there's some wiggle room in the price.

 

I was chatting with a guy last evening about a 1980 930 that is for sale...PLENTY of cattle in that one. My friend and I are still scouring the couches and counting our coins...

 

ding ding ding...we have a winner! you are correct. i owned an 84 m491...i drove it over 170k miles.

 

And I bet someone is still enjoying your old car very much today! 170K is nothing for these cars....and the car probably still turns heads as the beautiful example Rob posted above would. As I think of it more, if someone wants an M491 coupe the one posted really really looks clean (in the 3 pictures at least...)

 

My neighbor, Rutherford from Irving, TX had a blue turbo look cabriolet back in '84 and that car ran very well. He traded an original black 930 turbo he had owned from new since he had numerous issues with the turbo car, but he loved it of course, enough to get another porsche that looked just like it. I was very lucky to have this guy for a neighbor, as an 8th grader getting to armorall the whale tale, tires got me a few rides in it. (whenever he washed it, I came running to help). Scary fun! My father later bought mom an imported red 85 911 carrera cabriolet with champagne leather with 231hp from some shyster coming through Dallas. Louden MC put a short shift kit on it and it was nicer than the american version of the car in my opinion. (the thin rear bumpers, better headlights/foglights/brakes, and no sound deadening to speak of). Excellent car. Sorry they traded it in on a few Lincolns. Best, David

 

i think that is very good price for that car / condition an miles. i have seen too many 491s w/ asking prices the same as turbos. if this were a turbo, i suspect the asking price would be in the high 30s.

 

There is a reason the price is 28.8k, I just saw the car yesterday and it looks good from a distance, but closer inspection reveals cosmetic issues, both inside and outside. It seems to be a Massachusetts car all it's life, and I question if at one point the owner kept it outside! The good thing going for it is that it is definetly an original example, original paint, original spoilers, books, etc. and mileage seemed to be accurate -- that being said, I just couldn't get over the cosmetic issues, ie numerous paint chips on front, a couple of small door dings on drivers door, several paint chips on side of car (nothing too big), but the telling sign was a porsche paint touch up bottle in glove box, and I dont think the owner was too careful when using it, as one spot that was touched up the paint had clearly run to the tune of about an inch or more, also one of the rear fender flares had a 1/2 inch dent in it. Also, typical road rash areas were pretty bad and needed major touch up painting. Inside, the dash was lifting on the passenger side, hence another reason for my thesis that the car was left outside! The back of both leather seats seemed to be discolored too, once again from possibly being left outside? I did not drive the car, so can't attest to anything on the mechanical side. My personal feeling was that the car was maybe worth 25k -- if everything checked out mechanically and you really wanted a 491 car and were willing to pay up for one. If anyone else has seen the car I would appreciate their thoughts, as I did briefly have one of those "what if" moments!!

 

Glenn- great description and on behalf of anyone reading this looking for a car like this, thanks for posting!

I tend to look for above average clean cars when looking at daily drivers, and for my weekend toy cars way above average clean cars (in both cases I'm willing to pay a little more for a nicer/cleaner/lower mileage example). I have been in the situation you describe-I show up to look at a car and the car just isn't mint if that's what I'm looking for, or something just doesn't look or feel right to me based on looking at the car. In those cases, even if the price is good I don't waste the seller's time with a test drive. Those small things you mention do add up in price to fix right, and then you never know if you can fix them right- given your description, I'd walk like you did and save money by buying a cleaner car even if it "costs" more to initially purchase. You do get the upfront premium paid back when you go sell a car that's way above average (assuming it's an older "fully deprecitated" model like the car in this thread)...

For the right person (looking more for a car that may have been a daily driver) and for the right price, the car posted will be a good buy- I personally don't think it's worth high $20s, but at some price point someone will definitely want it!

 

sounds like it has had a hard life even w/ the lowish miles. if the mechanicals check out i would say it's worth ~$23-24k.