Man Sues Dealer Over 1972 911 RS Carrera Tribute Sale
What appears to be a nice Porsche on the surface apparently wasn't quite that nice underneath.
Turning Ugly
Used car sales are always a risky proposition. Sellers obviously want to get as much as they can for their vehicles, and buyers want to pay as little as possible. In the middle, you've got plenty of unexpected pitfalls, including hidden damage or problems that even the best sleuth may not notice upon an initial inspection. But few of these transactions turn out as ugly as the story of Arizona resident Gregory Johnson, Hunting Ridge Motors, and a certain Porsche, which was documented over at Westfair Online recently.
Photos: Hunting Ridge Motors
Solid Base?
The car in question was this 1972 Porsche 911 RS Carrera tribute car, which Johnson purchased a couple of years ago for $120,000. The build started out life as a 911T that reportedly presented a solid body and chassis, and had only a mere 12,715 miles on the clock before the rebuild began. The 911 was restored by Stoddard Porsche in Ohio and inspected by Rennwerke Porsche before it was purchased by Hunting Ridge Motors from legendary race car driver Dick Barbour.
Photos: Hunting Ridge Motors
Not as Advertised
Johnson is a self-described avid collector of vintage and sports cars, and formerly ran a handful of Lotus dealerships in Connecticut, so it's no surprise he was interested in this much cheaper tribute version of one of the greatest Porsches ever built. But after taking delivery of the car, Johnson took it to a local Porsche expert and reportedly found out that it wasn't quite as advertised.
Photos: Hunting Ridge Motors
Junkyard Find?
In his lawsuit, Johnson's mechanic discovered that "his rare, unique find was a sham." He alleges that Hunting Ridge and its owner, Mark Starr, "swindled (him) into significantly overpaying for a junkyard heap." He claimed that the Porsche was "nothing more than a severely rusted, damaged-repaired, run-of-the-mill Porsche with a worn-out 911 E engine made up of several mix-and-match parts – essentially, a junkyard find."
Photos: Hunting Ridge Motors
Take It to Court
Starr was quick to dispute these claims. "I stand by the cars we sell," he said. "That’s not who I am. It’s not the way I conduct business." Regardless, Johnson sued Starr and Hunting Ridge in California back in 2017 for fraud, breach of contract and violation of the California Consumer Legal Remedies Act. He won a default judgment for $192,594 that included the purchase price, interest, attorney fees, and costs.
Photos: Hunting Ridge Motors
Doubling Down
But Johnson apparently isn't content with stopping his pursuit just yet. He's now looking to double down, asking Westchester Supreme Court to adopt the California findings and grant him a judgment for the same amount. If successful, it would obviously serve up a pretty damaging blow to Hunting Ridge. Either way, it's a cautionary tale not just for those looking to purchase classic cars, but also those trying to sell them.
Photos: Hunting Ridge Motors
Lesson Learned
Of course, we'll never quite know who's in the right here, though the courts have obviously sided with Johnson so far. But either way, it's quite clear that a thorough, independent pre-purchase inspection is critical when you're looking to spend considerable money on any car. Whether you're purchasing it for resale or for your own personal enjoyment!
Photos: Hunting Ridge Motors
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