Early S oil coolers

[csbush]

I have only been doing this for about 30 years, and I long ago became acclimated to “Porsche” prices. What I don’t appreciate is how prices have risen with the value of the cars. Just seems like I am getting gouged. I love playing with old cars, and I get it that some parts in low volume are expensive. And I am glad that they make them, but still. $4,000 for an oil cooler, $500 for an ignition switch, and on and on, just doesn’t seem right. It seems to me that prices have been raised because the cars are more expensive, and they figure they can get it.
I appreciate that my 911S is worth a little more than the $1,500 I paid for it, but honestly, I am not that excited about it as it is now worth about what I have put into it over the years.
The cost of the cars and the prices of parts pretty much means you need a professional restoration, because you are putting so much money into it that if you do it yourself the value will be less, and you will be upside down. So much for just having a fixer-upper that is fun to drive. Now to justify the cost of the parts, you need a pristine concours car that you can’t drive- and to me that isn’t fun.
So now I get my fix restoring old Jaguars. An ignition switch with a chrome bezel is only about $150, and so on. I would prefer to restore an old 911, but it just isn’t worth it for a hobbyist.

[neilk]

Chuck,
....Whatever outrage or offense you think you've suffered imagine what some of us oldtimers think when we have to pay 5-10x what we used to pay for parts. Just yesterday I was shopping for a new headlight switch; my cost is $425 with a list of over $500. I remember when those were under 50 bucks brand new. And somehow I don't "feel" like a victim.
...

I was just organizing some receipts and came across one for a turn signal switch I bought from our local Porsche dealer in April 2015. I got the PCA discount for it (part 911.613.301.30), but their list price was $337.66 and they sold it to me for $199. That same part from Stoddard, today less than 3 years later, is $490.35 and $455 from Pelican.

It's great that we have parts available for our old cars, but it reeks of profiteering to raise prices 50% in 3 years.

[Jay Laifman]

I don't know. I'm kind of thinking of the 356 world. A great 356 is a great 356 very much because it is still running on quality Porsche parts. Sure the cars can run nice with lesser parts - and people don't know what they are missing if they haven't driven one with the right parts. But if you truly want the magic of a 356, it needs those factory level quality parts. The sad thing is that so many 356s have been restored, so few are left to restore, and - even if the restored ones are not full garage queens - they are not seeing 10,000 miles a year and wearing out parts. As a result, the demand for any parts, let alone top quality parts have dried up in a big way. I've spoken to more than one person who used to restore 356s who has pulled out because there are few manufacturers making quality parts anymore. The small volume just doesn't allow it to make sense.

I'd say that 911s are at the same risk - and need top quality parts to run like a top 911 is the same. The shrinking demand is the same. So, I'm glad that at least Porsche is getting some of the parts out.

But, then, I'm also one that thinks it's totally fine for pharmaceuticals to make a profit in return for all the research they do to make them effective and safe.

So I guess the question is whether Porsche is arbitrarily jacking up prices because it can, or if it is a reflection of tooling up to make very limited run, quality parts.

[Frank Beck]

To those who are balking about the expensive oil cooler; the original Behr coolers are intricate and would be horrendously expensive to reproduce. Why do you think $4k would be outrageous if they're an exact copy?

Now if they're anything like the dashboards that Porsche has brought to market then I would agree with you.

[speedo]

So who else other than Behr is producing the coolers. Does Porsche use any other manufacturers? Is anybody producing quality reproductions?

[tomster]

There is a reproduction available here in Germany:
https://www.carpoint.de/olkuhler-rec..._from_store=de

It does not at all look like the real thing but for sure will work at least as good. I decided to fit one of those on my car just to keep the original in the mezzanine.
As much as I know those coolers are produced by a small company near Mühldorf am Inn, Bavaria. Buying from them directly is not much off of the price at Carpoint though but might be the way to go if you're opting for different fitting diameters...

[SIMI BOB]

"I'm inclined to spend the change on an exact repro that is brand new vs an almost 50 year old used beast that might have un-repairable internal issues."

Ha Ha. First time I've heard anyone refer to $4,000 as "change".

Bob B

[DanielJ]

Keep the OE cooler. Have it cleaned, pressure tested, refinished to aircraft standards. oilcoolers.com In business for many years.

[Frankr]

There is a reproduction available here in Germany:
https://www.carpoint.de/olkuhler-rec..._from_store=de

It does not at all look like the real thing but for sure will work at least as good. I decided to fit one of those on my car just to keep the original in the mezzanine.
As much as I know those coolers are produced by a small company near Mühldorf am Inn, Bavaria. Buying from them directly is not much off of the price at Carpoint though but might be the way to go if you're opting for different fitting diameters...

Is that the one Sierra Madre was selling??

[tomster]

Is that the one Sierra Madre was selling??

Sorry, but I don't know about Sierra Madre. But if you're talking about this one
http://www.sierramadrecollection.com...72-p21726.html
I'd say: no

The one I am talking about is rectangular and has no slant edges on the top.
https://www.carpoint.de/media/catalo...10704600_2.jpg
For sure not an award-winning design but IMHO well worth the money if you are looking for a well-working substitute to let your original sit on the shelf to collect some dust.