Scam Confirmed 1983 Porsche 911SC Cabriolet – Sold?
Monday, January 24, 2022 Update – While scouring Craigslist pages across the country in preparation for our latest Trukin’ Tuesday Classifinds, we serendipitously came across this ad for the 1983 Porsche 911SC we first featured several days earlier:
Sure enough, a quick check of Hemmings Classified website found the real for this 1983 Porsche 911SC currently listed for $57,400 or best offer. A check of the original Craigslist link Rudy spotted on Saturday confirmed it has since been deleted.
Saturday, January 22, 2022 Update – When we called the seller Saturday morning, he promptly texted Rudy an additional number of pictures now posted here. Not mentioned in the listing, the seller says he has two teenage boys and he doesn’t want them driving the Porsche. Oddly, the seller openly provided a copy of the title as one of the pictures. The seller indicated he was already receiving a lot of inquiries with two people likely hoping to put a deposit on the car. When Rudy ran a CarFax on the car, the history did not mesh with what the Craigslist description said (i.e. his father being the original owner). Specifically, the car’s history occurs over several states, and most damning, it was sold as dealer inventory in 2017 in California.
Here’s the CarFax:
When Rudy questioned the seller about it, he didn’t try to argue that fact and merely texted, “Listen short and sweet you’re not interested you could move on I didn’t ask for money good luck.” Additionally, as one of the commenters noted below, the seller’s phone number is also listed for dentless body shop. Not a red flag on its own.
When Rudy asked if he could see the car first, the seller claimed he was on vacation and would not be back until next week. When Rudy asked what day that would be, the seller said Monday, but was not really interested in showing the car as “I have other buyers already wanting to place a deposit.
The initial low price combined with a CarFax not confirming the seller’s story just left Rudy feeling this could be some sort of scam trying to pressure an unwitting buyer into giving their credit card information over the phone. It just did not feel right, so Rudy left it at that.
The moral of the story: always do your homework and never be pressured into providing a deposit without either seeing the car yourself or having a reputable mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection.
Normally, we avoid featuring Craigslist ads containing only one picture. It’s not very entertaining to write about and it certainly leaves interested parties wanting to ask more questions than the ad answers. Then there are ads posted on Craigslist that play to a person’s emotions as a way to let their guard down. If this Ad had not turned out to be a scam, it would have been one of those listings that could turn out to be a great find for someone quick enough to learn more. You can read the description provided in the original Craigslist post below where the alleged son of the original owner offered it following their dad’s unfortunate death due to COVID-19.
Offered at a firm $31,000, comparing that price against the Hagerty Insurance Online Valuation Tool confirms the private seller has their dad’s 1983 Porsche 911SC Cabriolet priced five hundred dollars below this guide’s #4 “Fair” (Daily Driver) estimate of $32,000. Similarly, the Collector Car Market Review Online Tool reveals the seller’s ask falls between this guide’s #4 Fair estimate of $22,500 and its #3 “Good” appraisal of $42,000. Again, this ad appears to be too good to be true, but it is worth investigating because you just never know.
In 1978, Porsche introduced the new version of the 911, called the ‘911SC’. Porsche reintroduced the SC designation for the first time since the 356SC (as distinguished from the race engined 356 Carrera). There was no Carrera version of the 911SC. The “SC” stands for “Super Carrera”. It featured a 3.0-liter aluminum engine with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection and a 5-speed 915 transmission. Originally power output was 180 horsepower but by 1981 Porsche engineers managed to wring 201 horsepower from the engine. The move to an aluminum engine was to regain case reliability, something missing for many years with magnesium. In 1981, Porsche introduced a Cabriolet concept car was introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The convertible body design also featured four-wheel-drive, although this was dropped in the production version. The first 911 Cabriolet debuted in late 1982, as a 1983 model. This was Porsche’s first cabriolet since the 356 of the mid-1960s. A total of 4,214 were sold in its introductory year, despite its premium price relative to the open-top Targa. Porsche Cabriolet versions of the 911 have been offered ever since.
The MotorWeek Retro Review Channel features this vintage test drive of a one-year-only 1983 Porsche 911SC Cabriolet:
One picture, grab-it-now price, child of the original owner, and the claim the car has only been serviced by a Porsche dealership. Don’t be surprised if this is a scam, but it’s just one of those ads that you just have to call to confirm it’s for real and if true, buy the car ASAP.
If you are serious about buying this 1983 Porsche 911SC Cabriolet, you can start the conversation by calling or texting the seller at (443) 978-2277. When you connect, please remember to mention you saw their 1983 Porsche 911SC Cabriolet featured here on GuysWithRides.com. Good luck with the purchase!
Here’s the seller’s description:
“Hello I am selling my 1982 Porsche 911 convertible it is in pristine condition inside and out all original matching numbers no accidents undercarriage is 100% solid no rush no corrosion very well maintained only service by Porsche dealership it is a one-owner vehicle my dad was the first owner he passed away from covid-19 last year so my mom and I are looking to give it to a good home for a reasonable price… I have all service records on the car it has a clean title ready to go please no lovable offers serious buyers only if you’re looking to purchase you could call me at any time I am in process of moving back to my hometown if you need pictures I will be happy to text them to you and I can answer any questions you need to know. Thank you and God bless you and the price is final, not negotiable $31000… “
Scam or Legit: what say you about this 1983 Porsche 911SC Cabriolet? Comment below and let us know!
If price guides are indicating this is within market consideration – albeit good for market now – perhaps your letting your desires drive your concerns here – and even that real market values unjustifiably.
Whenever I’m looking for cars for family and friends on Facebook Market and on Craigslist, I am constantly hitting the “Scam” button to report scammers/thieves. When you see a 2004 Toyota Tacoma 4X4 in mint condition for $1,200 when it should be at least $10,000…. Or if an email address is within the description of the vehicle. Or there’s only one photo. Or there are photos taken of a computer monitor….
There’s something wrong with the ad.
These crooks are getting a bit smarter though, they are advertising scam vehicles with a price closer to what they should sell for but always a better deal. Those are a bit tougher to unveil but not impossible.
I have purchased and sold cars across the country and people are so….stup**, no vulnerable, I ask them all the time, “Why are you so easily sending me money on a car you’ve never seen to a person you’ve never met?” I would not take a deposit unless their name matched a driver’s license and at least a “current utility or phone bill” to that name AND address. I provide the same to any out of state buyer. If anyone tells me that they don’t have any of those or a family member? No deal will happen.
My best friend was sent a cashier’s check for $10,000 from a European buyer.
That was $7,500 for the car he was selling and $2,500 to pay the international transporter because they needed to get paid in cash.
My buddy’s bank told my friend that the check had cleared after only 3 days while the buyer called daily, twice a day to see if the funds cleared.
As soon as my friend told the buyer to send the transporter, the buyer told him that there was a death in the family and to please keep the transporter’s $2,500 fee but to send back the $7,500 as he was not going to be able to buy the car.
Reluctantly, my buddy sent back a cashier’s check for $7,500. And low-and-behold, as soon as the $7,500 cleared his bank, his bank (Chase) called him to tell him the $10,000 check had been a fraudulent check. He was out $7,500.
I hope that this opens some of your eyes and not fall victims to scammers. I learned through my buddy’s loss, sad for him but lucky for me, it opened my eyes and I’ve been able to avoid similar scammers several times.
Good luck guys!
YIKES! I feel for your buddy!
Uh – as your research – same available to seller – shows it is sort of in range of the market…although in a hoped for much better status, perhapsit is only your own desires driving a mis evaluation of it (both here and of the buying market)?
See, as a car guy, who likes them but is not in the world of Porshe as a focus – I do have other cars I would prefer at that price…this just not that much of interest.
Bet you don’t see the value in a lot of things I do!
The phone number listed for this Porsche ad is displayed as being 443-978-2277 when I did a simple Google search of that number, this is what came up. https://baltimore.craigslist.org/aos/d/brooklyn-mobile-auto-body-repair-75off/7432760777.html
The number belongs to a mobile body repairer located in Baltimore MD. Could be he’s being truthful with the ad however, for a person who takes before and after photos of his repairs, trying to sell a $31,000 car with just one photo, seems a bit unrealistic. What do you fellas think?
Dan, we could not agree more and we’ve updated this listing above. Turns out the real car is for sale by a dealer in Texas for a more market-appropriate $57,400.
People are no damned good.
Of the 52 2021 auction sales of 84-89 cabriolets sold by the big 3, only five were sold under $40k. Granted these are vetted cars and the next generation, but this should be useful for pricing SC cabs. The 52-car average sale price of 3.2 Carreras, including the buyer’s premium, was just over $59k. (Turbos were excluded from the average)
Hi Jim, your assessment ties with what the real Hemmings ad lists for this car. It’s currently being offered by a dealer in Texas for $57,400 or best offer.
This guy is at it again, so many scammers. (443) 978-2277
https://boston.craigslist.org/nos/cto/d/brooklyn-1981-porsche-sc-coupe-all/7437262694.html