1988 Porsche 930 Turbo

Highlights of this 930:

• 38,000 original miles
• No modifications except stereo
• Original paint except front deck lid (verified with meter)
• Books (including stamped service book), tools, jack, CoA
• Over $23,000 in maintenance in the last 1500 miles including rebuilt gearbox, new clutch, major service, and new front brakes

About the 930

Although the Porsche Turbo is now a natural fixture in the consciousness of car buffs because it is such an iconic car, it was genuinely earth-shattering when it emerged in the mid 1970s. After massive success pioneering the use of turbochargers during the first half of the 1970s in the 917 Can Am and 911-based sports cars, Porsche had the knowhow to bring a reliable and capable turbocharged road car to market. The 930 was hugely impressive when new, and contemporary road testers gushed about its effortless ability to gain speed with deceptive composure, an attribute that seemed positively alien in a period when few drivers had experienced turbocharged cars. And indeed the car’s massive performance by contemporary standards made it a genuine contender for supercar status, placing Porsche in a different category than it had previously occupied in the eyes of performance car junkies for the first time.

In many ways, the production 930 was diametrically opposed to Porsche’s previous high performance 911, the Carrera RS. Where the RS of just a few years earlier was a raw and elemental homologated race car adapted for the road, the 930 was a proper flagship: a luxurious and refined car meant to effortlessly cover great distance at high speed. However, during this period, competition prepared Porsche Turbos were cleaning up on the race track, and the 930’s lurid fender flares and rear spoiler gave the car a distinctive, purposeful, and aggressive presence that would be immortalized, among other places, on the walls of many schoolboys. Although relatively affordable and overlooked by collectors for many years, early 930s are rapidly emerging as collectible cars thanks to their iconic styling, innovative technology, and direct connection to some of Porsche’s most successful race cars, which by extension, means some of the most successful race cars of all time.

Initially available in a non-intercooled 3.0 liter variant that is now highly collectible, albeit curious to drive, a 3.3 liter intercooled variant superseded the 3.0 for the 1978 model year. By 1980, US laws had evolved enough to prevent the further sale of the 930 by Porsche North America, and it was not until 1986 when the incorporation of oxygen sensor, electronic assistance for the mechanical fuel injection system, and three-way catalytic converter permitted its return to the US, and with 29 more horsepower than when it left after the 1979 model year. The wheels were larger too, 16 inches in diameter, and 9 inches wide in the back, and the various updates performed over the years to the SC and the Carrera 3.2 were also in places, such as the revised interior and integrated fog lamps.

History and Maintenance

This particular car is a 3-owner example that was collected new by its first owner, a radiation oncologist from Hinsdale, Illinois, on the 22nd of September 1987 as a tourist delivery car at the Porsche factory. He retained the car until 1995, at which point it had covered 21,000 miles. The second owner, a nephrologist from Carmel, Indiana, bought the car at Isringhausen on the 14th of April 1995 with 21,365 miles on it. He drove it occasionally until I purchased the car with 37,504 miles in May of 2014.

The car was comprehensively serviced, including a major service at a cost of $7038.93 at 36,428 miles in July of 2007. In addition to the major service (including valve adjustment), miscellaneous other work was performed including new CDI unit, ignition coil, boost regulator relay, new front rotors and pads, alignment, brake fluid, sunroof cables and guides, and AC service.

In July of 2012 at 37,155 miles, the gearbox was rebuilt and a new clutch and pressure plate fitted at a cost of $8040.52 by the Porsche dealer in Westmont, Illinois. The car received a further $7425.65 in service with Retro Sport in Berkeley, California, including valve adjustment, oil change, fuel injectors, ignition rotor, distributor cap, new vacuum lines, new brake fluid, new O2 sensor, and new valve guide seals. Aside from an aftermarket stereo, the car is stock.

Condition

The car makes a strong cosmetic impression with excellent paint. There are a few small chips from road use and light swirls but the paint is in remarkable condition, with excellent luster and depth. The body is straight, with a handful of subtle dings. The paint is all original aside from the front deck lid (verified with meter), which was repainted at some point while the first owner had the car. The trim is excellent throughout. Each rear wheel has a small area of very light curb rash. The lights, lenses, and glass are excellent.

The interior is original with nice leather that has some creasing and there is light wear to the driver’s side bolster. The carpets are excellent, as are the dashboard and headliner. The instruments and switches are also in excellent original condition. There are no modifications aside from the stereo.

The engine is stock and has some soiling from use and would respond well to a comprehensive detail. The front compartment is in excellent shape. The carpet set is complete and all buttons are still in place. Underneath the carpet, the inner fenders, master cylinder, fuel tank, and spare are all in excellent shape. The jack is still in place as well.

Completeness

The car is complete with books (including stamped service book), jack, tool roll with tools (in excellent shape), and certificate of authenticity. There are also records to support the above work, and the purchase order from 1995. The stamped service booklet shows the car’s routine services performed at the dealer into the early 1990s.