1989 Porsche Carrera Sport £52,900
This beautifully preserved Eighties 911 Carrera 3.2 in desirable Sport spec is worth investigating, says Chris Hope
Finished in Grand Prix White with Fuchs 16-inch wheels and additional Sport front and rear spoilers, this Carrera ticks a lot of boxes for those looking for an Eighties air-cooled 911. It’s this particular Porsche’s overall condition though that helps set it apart from similar examples. Six former keepers are recorded, the most recent since November 1999, at which time the car’s Porsche immobiliser system was fitted. The service book includes stamps from Porsche dealerships covering each year between 1989 and 2001, then independent specialists thereafter, chiefly the Glenvarigill Company in Edinburgh.
Approximately £1000 was spent on engine work and a brake overhaul in March 2016 at Dick Lovett in Tewksbury. Shortly after in May, a Dansk sports exhaust was fitted. An HPI check verifies its 53,750 miles.
The paint has a lovely lustre which is free from scratches and blemishes. The nose and front splitter are free from stone chips while the polyurethane bumper insert is undamaged. There’s no corrosion to speak of, with the inside of all four wheelarches being remarkably clean.
Panel gaps are even all around and panels themselves show no signs of dents or ripples. Doors hang well on their hinges and close without fouling the sills. The rear spoiler is in similarly good condition, as are the screen rubbers and both window and screen glass. The vinyl roof panel is taut and free from splits and UV damage.
Inside, the seat cushioning hasn’t sagged, and the stitching to the tartan insets hasn’t frayed. The creasing to the leather squabs and backs isn’t excessive and there’s no wear to the bolsters.
The doorcards are in similarly good condition, as are the carpets and headlining. The steering wheel and gearknob and gaiter are also free from wear and the rear parcel shelf is undamaged.
The dashboard does however have a small blemish – which appears to be a cigarette burn – directly above the central heater controls. In addition to the immobiliser, this Targa has a Blaupunkt cassette player plus electric seats, windows and door mirrors, all of which we found to be working.
Aside from slight scuffing to the rubber slam panel there is remarkably little to fault within the engine bay. There are no signs of corrosion or evidence of recent fluid leaks.
The flat-six pulled strongly without any harshness creeping in at higher revs. Equally, there was no smoking under hard acceleration and zero slop in the steering. The G50 gearbox snicks easily between ratios with a smooth, baulk-free action – it’s more user-friendly than the old 915 ’box.
All the readings from the gauges were within the ranges we’d expect and there were no upsetting noises from the suspension. Towards the end of our test, the engine did develop a high idle (2000rpm), which the vendor will investigate.
Being near perfect inside and out and driving well this low-mileage Targa is wellpriced compared to a number of less-loved Cabriolets that we’ve seen recently with asking prices of over £50,000.