hkspwrsche

Just curious? and what age person normally owns one? I love the 356 but I think I'd miss the 993 power and brakes.

Steve Jensen

More fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow.

points

I bought my first 356 as a young 25 year old. A 64 sc coupe blue over black. Had a bad accident and totaled it 5 or 6 years later. Went many more years before I bought a 62 cab s ivory over red. Had it 3 years before I got the itch for power and bought a brand new 911 2006 cab s ivory over sand. I regretted it on the way home from the dealer.

Took 4 years to sell it,and a very bad financial beating, and got what will be my final car...the 61 coupe.

The fun quotient tween the two cars is night and day. The 356 is an outright joy to drive and you just can't wipe the smile off your face as you drive the car around town. Going out to dinner on Saturday night is an adventure all to itself. Once you buy one....that's it....you're hooked for life. Nothing is anywhere near the fun to drive.

rstrahota

I have made the journey from a 3.2 Carrera to a 356. I was about 43 when I bought my first 356, and that was 12 years ago.
The biggest difference I feel is not so much the fun factor, where both cars shine, but in safety. Your 993 has far superior safety features, both active and passive. I love driving a 356, but one must remember that if you crash one, you are very likely a goner. Drive it as if it were a motorcycle. Good news, you can have a blast in a 356 at 60 mph. Also, I have found these cars are extremely sensitive to set up. If you get one, fine a good shop to help you be sure it is set up properly. A poorly set up 356 is a horror show. A well prepared one is pure joy.
I suggest you get a 356 and keep the 993.
Ds

mdkrp

I just got my first P car- 991 S cab- 3 wks ago and while I absolutely love it, I am obsessing over getting a 356 or 550. For me, going back to the roots of the brand is something I know I want to do at some point. Not sure when I would be able to pull the trigger but its fun just thinking about it.

Floodj

I bought my 993 in 2004. It is an absolute joy. Fast, comfortable, and safe. It is also possibly the best looking air cooled 911. We enjoyed the 993 so much we decided we wanted to add another Porsche. I shopped for 996C4S, long hood 911s, and 356s. We found the 356 first. The 356 is sublime. I agree with Pat, it is darn near impossible not to smile well driving the 356. I also agree with rstrahota. The lack of safety features concerns me greatly--I don't let my boys ride in it on main roads. It also requires more maintenance and TLC than the 993. It also requires different insurance, which is cheap, but limits your usage. If I had to sell one, I would sell the 356. The 993 is a much better all around car for my lifestyle.

hkspwrsche

The safety issue is a good point and the most important factor. I intend to have my kids in the back of the car some times. We normally take my ridgeline or my wifes car but the 911 was also for all of us. Thanks for the info. Ill consider that only as an add on and not substitute.

JDHertz11

Not really fair to compare the 356 to any 6 cylinder Porsche. I've had a 993 NA, 993TT, 930, 944T, 997TTS and a 356 as well as numerous air cooled VW's. The 356 is an amazing car considering the era from which it came from. In most cases it's under powered, doesn't steer very well and doesn't stop exceptionally well... by today's standards. That doesn't mean too much to me because those are the attributes that make me enjoy the experience. I'd say that my 62 356/60 Notchback was the best running and driving VW that I had. The main difference to the VW's of the era is the overall smoothness and quality of the vehicle. I'm looking for an A or Pre A nearly every day to have an even rawer experience.

doublecabmel

I have a 356 and a 993. Both are great cars. I like to drive, so the 993 is the perfect modern classic. Of course a pre 73 911 S is a nice mix if you have the extra $. The 993 is only going up in value

Art Caputo

I have owned a bunch of 911's (911-997)over the last 30 years, used mostly as daily drivers, autocross, and track days. Also owned two 356's throughout the same period, used mostly for back road sport driving. The first, a 59 A Coupe when I was in my late 30's. I drove it to death and after a few years traded up to a 1960 356B Roadster that I still own and is currently undergoing restoration. When done, it will be a sport driver. Blasting the back roads for the day in a well set up/tuned 356 is an intoxicating experience that I have personally found difficult to duplicate with my 911's, particularly the more refined models(which is likely why my current 911 is a 3.2 Carrera, my favorite 911). To my liking the 356 is perfectly matched for this type of driving. As mentioned in the previous post, you do have to be on your game!

hkspwrsche

Thanks Art. I would love to add a 356 and I really do like the raw driving feedback of a tight lightweight car. It's about the total experience for me as well. I dont need max horsepower. I'd be driving a modern STI or vette if I just wanted HP braggin rights.

hkspwrsche

This is a dangerously effective sales pitch!

tpd83911

I have had an 83 sc targa for about 18 years. I loved it when I bought it and I still love to drive it. I use as a daily driver when it is not raining. I have been fortunate to have great, honest mechanics and have very much enjoyed adding upgrades over the years so that it actually drives and handles better (much) than when I purchased. My mechanic often said that if I ever went to the 993 then I would not look back and the sc would move along. Enter 993 turbo (had a 993 turbo S for a little while) and this is clearly the bomb for me - best car I have ever owned - looks great and drives/handles supremely. Don't drive as much as the sc but I do use once a week or so. I love the air-cooled and had a 64 sc coupe for a couple of years. Agree with comments above regarding safety. I sold it and began looking for 356 cab and have finally landed on a nice 60 roadster. I will sort through some work to get it to great, great driver shape and then enjoy it. Moving forward all 3 of these my be what Seinfield refers to as "dead guy cars". Probably won't change hands until I'm dead . The absolute coolest part about all these cars is that the driving "feel" of Porsche is in every one of them, as much as looking at them and seeing the design evolution across the generations. If maintained these cars hold there value extremely well which is also a huge bonus. Not sure what is next but I'm starting to lust after the 04-05 GT3s - a lot of fun is in the pursuit......

black944 turbo

I don't own a 993, however I have restored and worked on many air cooled cars. The latest is a 1957 speedster owned by a very good friend of mine. I will say the driving experience is very exciting to put things mildly. It is a car that is tons of fun and will most definitely put a large smile on your face every time you go through the gears, however it is also very primitive. As with most rear engined cars the back is very twitchy, but I have never driven a car that communicates more that it wants to throw you backwards into a tree if you are not on your toes. On the flip side I have never driven a car that communicates ever input as much as this car. I for one have been wanting a 356 of some variants for my entire life and will at some point buy one. I don't think I would give up my current car due to its refinement for one.

Turbo Jonny

Anyone able to throw 912 experience into the mix ? Is it at all like a 356 apart from
The engine ?