Time warp 930 Turbo

[Mach]

It's interesting reading how the foibles of the 930 actually endear them to their owners. I absolutely relished the challenge of making mine go quickly on European tours and managing the weight, the turbo lag, the long gearing (even with my 5 speed) was so engaging and so so rewarding on those occasions where I felt I'd actually made the car fly.

People tended to forget just how quick they were in a straight line. Apart from a one bar boost spring mine was completely standard and I'll always remember the look on a guy's face in what was then the brand new Aston Martin V8 Vantage when we rolled out of a toll booth on the autoroute and my old 930 simply drove away from him. Properly pissed on his chips that did!

This thread started me looking at some old photos and I came across this one from 2009 which was the last year I toured the 930. You only have to look at the other machinery that was on the scene to realise how hard the 930 was working for its supper, to the point I decided I was driving too close to the limit trying (and unfortunately now failing) to keep up.

Of all the cars I've owned that 930 is right up there in my most fondly remembered, not because it was the fastest but because of how much effort was required to make it go fast and how rewarding it felt when it all came together on a fast sweeping mountain section up in the Alps

And let's be honest, it had one of best arses on any car ever...

[jeremyc]

Mach said:

This thread started me looking at some old photos and I came across this one from 2009 which was the last year I toured the 930. You only have to look at the other machinery that was on the scene to realise how hard the 930 was working for its supper, to the point I decided I was driving too close to the limit trying (and unfortunately now failing) to keep up.

Of all the cars I've owned that 930 is right up there in my most fondly remembered, not because it was the fastest but because of how much effort was required to make it go fast and how rewarding it felt when it all came together on a fast sweeping mountain section up in the Alps

And let's be honest, it had one of best arses on any car ever...

Good memories, great car.

[Mach]

Hope all is good with you

[IMI A]

^ Best looking 911 of all time IMO

Have to confess I couldn't drive the lovely 83 930 very well that I had for a week then sold for £22k. Those flared rear wheel arches in your wing mirror are something to behold. Very cool.

[Louis Balfour]

IMI A said:

^ Best looking 911 of all time IMO

Have to confess I couldn't drive the lovely 83 930 very well that I had for a week then sold for £22k. Those flared rear wheel arches in your wing mirror are something to behold. Very cool.

I recall when I first saw one in the early 1980s. At that time, 80% of cars on UK roads were dreadful Morris / BL / Triumph rust buckets, many of them from the 60s and 70s. The 930 looked like a spaceship in comparison.

I bought mine in the early 2000s, when they were at the nadir of values. I recall there being loads about for under £20k and a silver one on Ebay for £11k which the guy couldn't sell because it had a gearbox issue.

[GTRene]

I also love the looks of the 930 Turbo, also the 964 Turbo, but those are a bit expensive and more modern.

I would like some day a 930 Turbo based car and then give it some upgrades, or buy one upgraded already and say nicely done.

Also like what some do using it as a ST/RS variant so making it lighter, engine upgrades and so on, not a big wing but say something like a Singer rear or duck tail and so on with special made/bought intercooler.

something like this intercooler.



or what you see more often, something lower and curved so you can put another sort rear hatch on, in this case a Ducktail.

[Mach]

Louis Balfour said:

I recall when I first saw one in the early 1980s. At that time, 80% of cars on UK roads were dreadful Morris / BL / Triumph rust buckets, many of them from the 60s and 70s. The 930 looked like a spaceship in comparison.

I bought mine in the early 2000s, when they were at the nadir of values. I recall there being loads about for under £20k and a silver one on Ebay for £11k which the guy couldn't sell because it had a gearbox issue.

Think I paid just over £22k for mine in 2006. Sold it for £30k 5 years later and thought I was jolly clever.

So that's a Guards Red 89 930 5 speed with just under 50,000 miles for £30k.... Doesn't look so jolly clever today does it?

[Louis Balfour]

Mach said:

Louis Balfour said:

I recall when I first saw one in the early 1980s. At that time, 80% of cars on UK roads were dreadful Morris / BL / Triumph rust buckets, many of them from the 60s and 70s. The 930 looked like a spaceship in comparison.

I bought mine in the early 2000s, when they were at the nadir of values. I recall there being loads about for under £20k and a silver one on Ebay for £11k which the guy couldn't sell because it had a gearbox issue.

Think I paid just over £22k for mine in 2006. Sold it for £30k 5 years later and thought I was jolly clever.

So that's a Guards Red 89 930 5 speed with just under 50,000 miles for £30k.... Doesn't look so jolly clever today does it?

I recall your car. The way I look at it is: Yes, you could sell for more today, but you probably spent that £30k on something you enjoyed.

[harryblue]

Mach said:

Think I paid just over £22k for mine in 2006. Sold it for £30k 5 years later and thought I was jolly clever.

So that's a Guards Red 89 930 5 speed with just under 50,000 miles for £30k.... Doesn't look so jolly clever today does it?

I remember those prices, I remember turning one down at £25k because I thought they'd probably go down even more and my mate put me off because his had turned out expensive to maintain - although it was a bit of a dog that he'd bought cheaply.

Fast forward to 2024 and I happily paid a LOT more for a really tidy 1989 G50 because if I keep putting it off any longer I'd either never buy one or spend more money in the future.

I'm not sure if the bubble will burst, maybe I'll lose money if I sell it in ten years, who knows, but I doubt I'll ever regret buying it, my only regret is I didn't buy one years ago.

My advice would be listen to your instinct, if you want one then buy one, I wish I hadn't listened to the negativity around them back when I could have bought one for £25k. I could say the same about a Ferrari 355 I should have bought when they were less than a third of what they are now.
In fact I could weep about the cars I turned down for prices a lot lower than they are now.

[marine boy]

Found some 1st drive photos from 2009

930 felt fine on twisty mountain passes, congested city streets, cobbled roads, gravel, fast A-roads but was in its element sat at 120-130mph on German autobahns

Loaded up and ready for 2 weeks touring across Europe on every type of road



Rothenburg-ob-der-Tauber, medieval walled German town



Umbrial Pass, Switzerland, was a gravel road then, not sure if it still is



On our way to driving a hot lap to the Ferrari kids Chrimbo party

Edited by marine boy on Friday 28th June 18:29

[Koln-RS]

marine boy said:

We call that a ‘Car Boot Sale’

[harryblue]

Brilliant pictures and I bet there are great memories from a trip like that.

I think I'd have been worried about the fire risk with all those clothes under the bonnet

The picture on the mountain pass is one of the best 930 pictures I've seen, I'd definitely have that blown up and framed.