1985 Porsche 911 Carrera Targa 5-speed, recently refreshed, priced well under the market
A driver-grade 3.2 Carrera Targa at $45k, roughly 23% under the midpoint of recent high-mileage sales.
1985 Porsche 911 Carrera Targa
Ended Why we picked it
This Guards Red over black leather 1985 911 Carrera Targa (VIN WP0EB091XFS161786) is listed by Dick Barbour Performance, a Porsche specialist in Flowery Branch, Georgia. It has 133,353 miles and a 5-speed manual. The seller says recent work includes new brakes, calipers and lines, new fuel lines, a new Targa top, new front seat upholstery, door panels and dash, a rebuilt DME, new rear deck lid hinges and an oil service. A compression test showed 124-130 psi on all cylinders. They also report a clean Carfax and a clean title.
Recent sales of high-mileage US Carrera Targas have mostly landed between $53,000 and $73,000, and similar cars now listed for sale are asking $64,000 or more. At $45,000 this is one of the cheapest running 3.2 Carreras for sale right now, and the expensive wear items on a G-body have already been done. It is sold as-is, so a pre-purchase inspection by an air-cooled specialist is still worth doing.
The value check
When we found it, the seller was asking $45,000. Comparable cars in the same condition have sold for $44,000–$73,000, so the middle of the market is about $58,500. That put this car 23% under.
US-market Carrera 3.2 Targas with 87k-183k miles sold for $44,000-$73,000 on BaT and PCARMARKET from July to October 2026, and most cleared $53,000. Comparable high-mileage Targas listed for sale on classic.com are asking $64,000-$85,000.
- 1988 Carrera Targa, 176k mi, BaT, $73,000 (Sep 2026)
- 1988 Carrera Targa, 183k mi, BaT, $67,000 (Aug 2026)
- 1985 Carrera Targa, 87k mi, PCARMARKET, $58,000 (Jul 2026)
- 1985 Carrera Targa, 173k mi, BaT, $44,000 (Jul 2026)
- classic.com Carrera 3.2 Targa market (CMB about $67,800)
What to check
- 133k miles: ask for any record of chain tensioner upgrades, valve adjustments and head-stud condition, and check for oil leaks at the cam covers and rear main seal.
- Do a leak-down test on top of the dealer's compression test.
- The 915 gearbox can be notchy and its synchros wear: check 2nd-gear crunch and clutch take-up on a road drive.
- Look for rust at the Targa bar base, front pan and battery box, kidney bowls and the rear torsion tube area; check for old accident repair (panel gaps, paint meter).
- Check that the new Targa top seals well and look at the rear window for leaks.
- Ask for the receipts behind the listed work and the DME rebuild. The car is sold as-is with no warranty.
Making it drive like new
This is a good base for a light touring build: G50-style gearing is not an option without a gearbox swap, but a 915 refresh with a short-shift kit, modern turbo-tie-rod bump steer kit, Bilstein or Elephant Racing dampers with fresh torsion bar bushings, and a modern EFI/ignition upgrade (or a sorted Motronic chip) make a big difference. Add upgraded brake pads, period-style 16-17 in. Fuchs with modern tires, LED headlights and a modern AC compressor and condenser for a comfortable daily 911 without touching the character.
How it ended
The listing ended on Oct 12, 2026 with the car at $45,000. We don't know yet whether it sold.
What 1965–98 Porsche 911, air-cooled cars sell for
| Condition | Sales | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project | 37 | $4,500 | $30,500 | $101,010 |
| Driver | 88 | $31,000 | $59,975 | $172,000 |
| Collector | 29 | $61,411 | $112,000 | $270,000 |
| Pro-build | 2 | $37,000 | $79,750 | $122,500 |
Recent sales
| Car | Condition | Result | Date | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 Porsche 911 Carrera (993) coupe, 6-speed with factory rear-seat delete, no reserve | Driver | $94,695 | Oct 30, 2026 | Hagerty Marketplace |
| 1986 Porsche 911 Turbo, numbers-matching US car with RUF touches, no reserve | Driver | $117,700 | Oct 30, 2026 | Hagerty Marketplace |
| 1979 Porsche 930 Turbo slicktop project, untouched since 2007, no reserve | Project | $89,880 | Oct 30, 2026 | Hagerty Marketplace |
| 1973 Porsche 911E Targa with MFI, COA and original order sheet, no reserve | Collector | $121,980 | Oct 29, 2026 | Hagerty Marketplace |
| 1971 Porsche 911S coupe with COA and records, no-reserve collection lot | Collector | $196,880 | Oct 29, 2026 | Hagerty Marketplace |
| 1967 Porsche 911 SWB coupe with 2.7L six, Porsche CoA and no reserve | ProjectDriver | $92,020 | Oct 28, 2026 | Hagerty Marketplace |
| 1969 Porsche 911E coupe with its numbers-matching engine rebuilt and MFI refurbished, no reserve | Driver | $75,970 | Oct 28, 2026 | Hagerty Marketplace |
| 1965 Porsche 911 early SWB project with its original 2.0 engine, no reserve | Project | $80,679 | Oct 28, 2026 | Hagerty Marketplace |
