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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 2 of 25

#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.

#11 of 237 Re: 2002 911 4S [sphinx99] by kyfdx HOST

Oct 28, 2004 (8:07 am)

Replying to: sphinx99 (Oct 28, 2004 7:56 am)
1) There is no way I would do winter driving on S03s... They really shouldn't be driven on in freezing temperatures, let alone inclement weather.
 
2) Admittedly, this isn't apples to apples.. but..
My wife's 325i goes like a tank on winter tires.. and this is a car that has a deservedly poor reputation for winter traction.. Also, (more apples to oranges), I had an '84 911.. which of course was not AWD, and with all that weight on the rear tires, I had no problems in winter driving (all-season performance tires).
 
3) With the proper tires, I'm thinking that car would do great in the winter.. I'm not sure if there are stock winter sizes for the C4S, and it might involve buying another set of wheels, but it sounds ideal to me.
 
4) If you get the performance oriented winter tires (Bstone LM22, Dunlop M3, Goodyear Ultra-Grip GW-3), then you won't be sacrificing much in the way of handling, either... A lot of winter tires are now V-rated.
 
Hopefully someone will chime in with some directly related experience.
 
regards,
kyfdx

#12 of 237 by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Oct 29, 2004 (1:54 pm)

I think you should drive the C2 and feel the difference. I think you lose a lot of the Porsche experience with the C4, and also get a very very complicated automobile whose capabilities are rarely going to be used anyway.

#13 of 237 by sphinx99

Oct 29, 2004 (3:33 pm)

I've already driven both a fair amount. I prefer the amazing traction that comes with the C4. It's hard to break that rear end loose. The C2 is a different story. Also, blasphemous as this may sound, I do not consider the current (993/996) C2 to be a paradigm improvement over my existing S2000 when it comes to handling or dynamics; the C4 is a different story. It's basically the complete package as designed for 400+ horsepower, but with a lot less power. That appeals to me - there's a sense of overengineering in the tires, brakes, chassis, etc., that gives you a huge margin within which to experiment.
 
kyldx - thanks for the input; duly noted.

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