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All Things Porsche

237 messages,  Last post on Sep 06, 2011 at 10:52 AM

You are in the Porsche 911 Forum.

What is this discussion about? Porsche, Coupe, Convertible

Messages Page 1 of 24

#1 of 237 All Things Porsche by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Oct 15, 2004 (2:45 pm)

This is a new forum to discuss anything and everything about Porsche automobiles (not SUVs!), from the oldest to the newest.
 
MrShiftright
(past and present Porsche owner)

#2 of 237 by designman

Oct 16, 2004 (9:56 am)

Shifty, is your present Porsche a recent addition? I don't recall mention of it. Let's hear about it.

#3 of 237 by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Oct 16, 2004 (11:50 am)

Yeah, fairly recent. A Porsche 928. I only bought it because a) I still can't find the 911 Targa/Cab I want (fussy and careful) and b) the 928 is a whole lotta car for the money. I almost bit on a 1988 911 Cabriolet (G50 trans, good year) but alas it failed the tech inspection. Looked great but there you go. My tech says NO and I nod like an obedient slave.
 
The 928 is a bit of an animal. I can see why 911 owners prefer the lighter, more agile 911. The term "German Corvette" has been used to describe the 911 and it's not far off the mark, except that it has much better build quality than older Corvettes that one might compare it to.
 
The 928 is a man's car, no doubt about it. You have to sort of manhandle it. With the K&N filter and temporary catalytic testing tube in place, it sounds REALLY great.
 
The last 928s are much faster but the early ones are probably sturdier and less maintenance intensive. The V8 engine goes forever, it'll be ticking when the rest of the car is junk.
 

#4 of 237 by jrosasmc

Oct 17, 2004 (7:43 pm)

I always liked Porsches and have had great respect for the marque since I was a little kid. I also find that they make some of the best engines ever...the 5-cylinder in my 1993 Volvo 850 was actually designed with Porsche input. However, as I got older and my knowledge about cars in general increased, I found that there are some Porsche models that I find less than desirable today. Here are my thoughts:
 
1) 1976 912E (one-year only model). This car had a VW engine in a great-looking body. Deserved better attetion.
2) Any 924. I dislike the overall quality so much it would take too long to bash this one.
3) Early 944s (1983-85). Drove great, but the interior was the same cheap, plasticky one found in the 924, and I hate the gauge design too.
4) 1973-77 911s. These had the problematic 2.7-liter engines with thermal reactors. I had a friend whose '74 blew up around 90k miles because of the failed head studs. It's been sitting in his driveway for 15 years waiting for a rebuild.
 
Now for my all-time favorite Porsches:
 
1) 1996-98 911 Carrera 4S. I tried to take on one of these on the interstate with my Volvo sedan. Needless to say I got humiliated badly.
2) Any 968. These cars looked really great and had excellent handling to boot. The motors also sounded great too.
3) 1986-89 911 Carreras. I just like them because they have classic styling and they will go on forever, unlike most of the junk of that era.
4) 1998 911 Turbo S. The ultra-rare model (only 185 sold in US) of the newer 993 series. I understand that Jerry Seinfeld owns one. How much do you think those babies would sell for today?
 
Jrosasmc (avowed Volvo and Porsche lover)

#5 of 237 by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Oct 18, 2004 (7:47 am)

It's really the 1975-77 Porsches with the 2.7 that you have to be careful about. The '73 and '74 are great cars, don't pass them up!!
 
The 912E is an odd duck...my slogan for that car is "VW performance at Porsche repair prices". The original 912 is powered by the final version of the 356 engine, so it's a Porsche through and through.
 
The 914, especially the 2.0 liter with chrome bumpers, is a great little car for the money. They are a killer in autocross and very well built and designed. Styling is not to everyone's taste. Stay away from cars converted to Weber carbs. Never run right. Also a VW powered car, but that don't mean "cheap to fix". Transmission is from a 911 as is most front end stuff.
 
As for the newer Porsches, they still embody the spirit of the old, which is remarkable, but they don't have that old "electric wire" feeling. They are more luxurious and comfortable and not so nervous. I prefer 2WD to 4WD myself.
 
ERRATA: I meant to say in the last post that the 928 is called "The German Corvette", not the 911. Just a typo.

#6 of 237 shifty by highender

Oct 19, 2004 (3:41 pm)

congrats on the 928....I remember we were talking about it a year ago ....I was really into 928s....and even considered buying one , but thought family came first, so the suv was bought.
 
wife OKed the purchase of a 928 even.
 
hey, I know many must be sore about Porsche making a SUV....but its a great car....the Cayenne has gobs of power, can do go where most fear to tread....and performs better than a boxster S on the Nurbringing track.
 
sorry shifty, but I know you said no SUV....but just to inject my .02 cents....
 
congrats on your 928 again..

#7 of 237 by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Oct 19, 2004 (6:43 pm)

So far so good. Most Porsches are not "home-mechanic" cars but I can do most of the maintenance. But a 928 is one of those "gotcha" cars---you'd better read before you bleed.
 
Just got my Car & Driver in the mail with the road test for the newest Porsche. Looks like the car might have a little more of the old feeling built back into it.

#8 of 237 Highender by designman

Oct 20, 2004 (6:25 am)

"...the Cayenne... performs better than a boxster S on the Nurbringing track."
 
I think Billy Joel's stranger just hit me right between the eyes. Highender, would you kindly provide a reference so I can put this into perspective. You wouldn't want me to go running to trade in my Boxster S for a Cayenne under any false pretense would you?
 

#9 of 237 Re: Highender [designman] by highender

Oct 27, 2004 (2:32 pm)

Replying to: designman (Oct 20, 2004 6:25 am)
Hi designman:
 
I had a 2000 Boxster S, with 250 hp ...also.
 
But I don;t drive the Cayenne like the Boxster. the two are for 2 diff purposes...
 
I read it the first time in EVO magazine, when they compared the Cay Turbo to I think it was the Audi All road twin turbo, the Ranger by Overfinch, and a Impreza Turbo....and they mentioned that it did the nurbringen better than the BMW M3, and similar numbers to boxster S.
 
I have a whole stack of saved articles on Cayenne, so let me dig thru it....
 
some articles are from Car & Driver, some from Porsche bulletins, some from EvO, Motor trend, etc....let me get the exact issue...(I'm at work)
 
but I think the point is that the turbo version can hold its own with many sports sedans, and even a few sports cars....
 
sorry shifty....
 
back to 'regular Porsches'....

#10 of 237 2002 911 4S by sphinx99

Oct 28, 2004 (7:56 am)

Replying to: highender (Oct 27, 2004 2:32 pm)
I have the opportunity to pick up a Carrera 4S that a friend owns. I am extremely familiar with the car (probably put a few hundred miles on it myself over the last couple of years) and the condition and servicing of the car is meticulous. Pricing is not much of a concern, he recently fell in love with a C6 Vette and the 911 is parked outside. He knows how I've lusted after the car....
 
A couple of questions,
 
- Any particular maintenance / mechanical issues specific to the 2002 model year that I should be aware of?
 
- What are your opinion(s) of the 911 C4's winter ability? My current S2000 (which I will keep!) is more or less useless in the winter. My friend, in contrast, is on his third AWD 911 and has driven every single one of them through Detroit winters without incident. He claims that even with the Potenza S03s he's running, the 911 is a fine daily driver so long as there isn't much more than a couple of inches of snow on the ground. (In contrast... my S2000 goes sideways if there's a dusting.) I'd like to know if he is overstating things, or if the AWD + PSM really does make the car a reasonable winter driver for non-blizzard conditions.

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