Sometimes, the value of luxury cars
lies mostly in the name. Audis, BMWs, and Maseratis might offer some extra power between the front wheels, but the stories told by their repair records aren’t often what drivers hope to hear. Porsche, on the other hand, offers performance and reliability. By keeping their engine designs simple and their quality standards high, the German automaker has built a reputation for producing cars that last.
For those looking for proof, look no further than Bill MacEachern of Ontario, Canada and his 1976 Porshe 911 Turbo. Jerry
the super app
unearthed everything there is to know about Bill and his 807,000-mile car to show you just how incredible it is. The immortal Porsche 911
You don’t need to be told that Porsche is a prestigious car brand. But the 911 is by far its most successful model. Despite having produced over a million of them since 1964, demand for this rear-engined sports car continues to go strong today.
Since the 911’s debut, Porsche has made a few changes to the car. It swapped out the air-cooled engine for a water-cooled one in 1998. Turbo was introduced as an option in 1975.
Materials and tech have evolved over time. A 2022 Porsche 911 comes with the same infotainment and navigation capabilities you’d expect in a luxury car.
But besides a few minor design changes, it’s essentially the same cool car it’s always been, a living example of the old proverb, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Tracking Bill MacEachern’s ‘76 Porsche 911 Turbo
Bill MacEachern’s Porsche 911 doesn’t stand out in a crowd of sports cars. The wear and tear on the 1976 model is noticeable, and its paint color is common. It’s the car’s speedometer that draws the attention of car enthusiasts.
Porsche fans have been keeping a pretty close eye on MacEachern and his ‘76 Porsche 911 Turbo since Bill broke the 1,000,000-kilometre mark (621,000 miles) in 2012.
But news of the car spread outside the brand’s niche when Road & Track
told its story in 2017. Back then, Bill had clicked 725,000 miles with his Porsche and was still using it as his daily driver. The car became newsworthy again in 2020 when it reached 800,000 miles, and when CarBuzz
caught sight of MacEachern at an event in Toronto in June, the speedometer read 807,000. MORE: Porsche Is Paying Homage to Its Past With This Special 911
What’s the secret to a long-lasting car?
Porsche clearly built a high-quality automobile with the ‘76 Porsche 911 Turbo, but not every Porsche lives to see 800,000 miles. MacEachern kept his car running with regular maintenance.
It hasn’t been all smooth roads and sunshine for the car. Top Gear
says a fan pulley had to be repaired en route to Monterey Car Week
in California, and it got dinged by an SUV in 2009. But Bill’s managed to avoid a lot of trouble by giving the car what it needed—some good, old-fashioned TLC.
What does it cost to own a ‘76 Porsche 911 Turbo?
You might’ve guessed, but a ‘76 Porsche 911 Turbo is firmly in the “collector” category of classic cars. According to Hagerty
, the average value of one is $163,000. But the same status that makes it valuable also makes it cheap to insure. Classic car coverage costs significantly less than regular car insurance. And you can bring the price down even lower by shopping for car insurance quotes online with Jerry.
A licensed broker that offers end-to-end support, the Jerry app gathers affordable quotes, helps you switch plans, and can even help you cancel your old policy. The average Jerry user saves $887 a year on car insurance.
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