Customer Reviews

The Used 911 Story, 8th Edition

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you own or are thinking of buying a Porsche, this is a must read. The author is a Porsche mechanic who runs ( ran )a Porsche repair shop in California. And while the book presents a pro-Porsche outlook, it also candidly assesses the strengths and weaknesses of the 911 models year by year.

For one contemplating buying a Porsche 911, this is an invaluable book because it includes what goes wrong with these cars, and how much it will set you back financially to correct the problems. This is an element of ownership not usually dealt with in other buyer's guides.

The writer's style is concise and amusing and if you are even thinking about buying a Porsche, this is a great place to start. It is not the ONLY guide you should read, but it should be the first.

Porsche owners will also benefit from this book as it contains a lot of information learned from a career of repairing these unique cars.

This is a fantastic improvement over the excellent 7th edition. The author has added lots of data on the newer cars and updated various parts of the earlier cars (such as the latest data on the 911SC). There are many new photos and the layout again is improved, with bright and clear photos. If you want to learn the maximum amount about the Porsche 911 (and now the Boxster also), this is the book to buy. Clear, concise and to the point.

My review title may seem a bit odd, but it has significance to this work. The Used 911 Story is indeed a book for all Porsche enthusiasts--not just for those looking to buy their first used 911. Although having owned Porsches--mostly 911s--since the late sixties, I found lots of things in Peter's book I never knew about. He is very, very knowledgeable with regard to these cars and he has a unique and very readable style by which he shares this information with his readers. In short this is a great book if you're buying your first used Porsche, if you already own a Porsche, or if you're just interested in the marque. I recommend it most highly.

Short and sweet, if you are going to buy a Porsche, you MUST read this book. If you own a Porsche, you should probably read this book.

I bought this book on a friend's recommendation when I started to look for a 911 and it literally saved me from making several very costly ($30k+) mistakes.

Pete takes you through all of the various iterations of 911 with attention to what issues exist/what to look for in each version, along with what changes were made to the model year by year. However, he doesn't do it by boring you to tears with explanation of esoteric minute changes unless they're important.

A must have for any Porsche enthusiast or potential buyer.

This book has a TON of GREAT info from an EXTREMELY knowledgeable author. He doesn't hold back and identifies all the weaknesses in addition to all the positives regarding evry model 911 up through 2005. It's even got a section on the 914 and Boxter. My only complaint about the book (and the reason I'm giving it 4 stars) is that it's obvious that he didn't "touch" some of the chapters on the older models (this is the 8th Edition). References to prices and styles compared to "modern" cars were obviously written in the 80's and he just left the chapters as is. Other than that, it's a GREAT book. If you're considering buying a Porsche 911 (and please, start pronouncing it correctly....."porsh-uh"), you HAVE to buy this book.

I enjoyed reading this book and learned a great deal. I'm a C5 corvette owner and don't yet own a 911, but I am interested in the possibility. I actually found this book to be very easy to read and sped through it in a couple days - that's not to say there's a lack of content, just that I couldn't put it down. Over all I would recommend this book for any one considering getting a 911 as the author does say which ones he thinks are the best and least likely to give you a financial headache. In searching for a used 911, you probably know that its essential to have a comprehensive service record, but this book will give you some clues as to specifically what to look for in the service record for specific model years such as head studs, clutch work, etc. Also, the chapter on gray market Porches was very informative. The section on the prepurchase inspection was also quite interesting - its alot more involved than I thought. My only complaints is that he doe not spend a great deal on the turbos and what is involved with them like how long do the components last for specific years, how much to repair and such. Also there is no index. If you are thinking about a 911, you should buy this book.

I recommend this book for anyone intested in Porsche. The model summaries alone are worth the price of admission. This book is written in a very easy to read style and one begins to feel almost as if a conversation is taking place with the author. Peter Zimmermann is very honest and generous with his copious amount of Porsche knowledge and the 8th edition is the finest version of the book yet.

I have been a passive 911 shopper over the past several years and finally pulled the trigger on an 88 Coupe, I have read Zimmerman's book cover to cover many times and it really helped me narrow my choice of the year model that was right for me. It is an easy read and has invaluable information concerning the PPI (Pre Purchase Inspection). I think I bought the best car for my budget and this book helped me make informed decisions.

If you are thinking of buying a Porsche 911, or already own one, Peter Zimmermann's "the Used 911 Story" is just as valuable as the owner's manual. Read this book before negotiating a purchase and it will save you untold hours, days, years of frustration with a lemon. If you already own a 911, be prepared to find out more about your car than you know now--guaranteed. Just get it--you won't be sorry.

After reading this excellent book I decided not to buy a used Porsche. Always consult a mechanic before buying unless money is no object.