Driv300mph

Ok, I know that this question is in the search, and I found a LONG thread on it about the 911SC vs. 928 vs. 951

Here's the way I see it - 951 has less problems than 911SC, but the 951 is more expensive to repair.

Is this correct? My bro has a 911SC Targa, and I just LOVE the sound of the engine/exhaust setup... favorite sound ever. 944 Turbo is faster yes, but I'm 16 and can't afford too many track events, thataway I don't mess up the car!

944 Turbo is way better for track events, and drag racing I know, comparatively to the 78+ 911SC. The 911SC just has so much more PORSCHE written all over it!!!

One thing I need the 911SC to have is a whale tail... without it, I don't like the looks of the car.

Has anyone made a calculation as to how much, on average, it would cost per year to maintain a 944 Turbo vs. a 911SC? Any problems with the Targa models, as this would be the kind I would be getting...

Thanks all, I really appreciate you putting up with my "newbness"

Drew Theodore

It sounds to me that a 944 turbo is best suited for what you are looking for.
From an expense standpoint I know very little about a 944 but I can tell you that a 911SC is not expensive to maintain. Knock on wood, I have very little problems with mine and the problems I do have are very easy to fix myself and the parts are readily available.

Mark sP

In my experience, 'Turbo' is German for "Start saving, you're going to need every penny you've got" and perhaps raid the kids piggy bank aswell.

VS911 '83 SC

From my experience with two 911's, (my current one is an '83 SC) and discussions with my wrench about the NA 944, I think you would be better off with a 911. I think they are easier to work on and more durable on many fronts.

The potential issues with teh Targa as a daily driver would be leakage - the tops do not seal extremely well - but they are cheaper than the coupes of cabs. I would go the 911 route - bit more expensive up front but if it is well taken care of, it will hold it's value much better than a 944 Turbo.

Marc Gelefsky

Actually, in my experiance the opposite is true. The 911 is cheaper to run.
Granted I put way more miles on the 951 but repairs are just more expensive.

Paul Conquest

Having owned both, this is my $0.02 worth ... I'd say you're correct about 951 maintenance costs. When they break, everything seems more expensive on the 951.

First, parts ... since there were fewer 951s made over a shorter production run that 911s, there is less relative demand for aftermarket parts. Hence, fewer alternative or aftermarket part suppliers. Less competition means Porsche can keep its parts prices higher. And Porsche realizes this, so if you own a 951.

Second, labour ... everything I ever broke on my 951 seemed more labour intensive to fix. For example, when the clutch decided to come apart, it was a $3,000 repair compared to $1,500 for a friend's 911 clutch at about the same time. And 951s are less 'mechanical' and more 'electronic' than older 911s, which in my opinion makes the 951 less user-serviceable.

Third, maintenance ... probably the single most important periodic maintenance item on a 951 is timing belt replacement every 40k miles. Its a two part service ... that is, installation for about $1,000 and 1,000 miles later, re-tensioning of the belt for another $200. Although you can do timing belts yourself, few are willing to take on the risk of doing it wrong, or buying the tensioning tool from Porsche to facilitate what will likely be a one-time service. And what if you pass on replacing the timing belts, or tension them incorrectly? A broken belt results in valves through pistons ... pistons are ceramic, and very very expensive ... engine removal also requires dropping the front suspension ... ergo much more $$$ again than a 911 tear-down.

And do 951s really break less often? Not necessarily. My 951 was in the shop regularly, while the SC I currently own hasn't been in the shop yet. Sure, I'll concede that the SC is older than my 951 was and therefore is more susceptible to minor age-related failures, rattles, leaks, etc.; but I have been able to fix everything that's gone wrong with the SC on my driveway within a couple hours. I know not everyone does their own work, but so far the 911 is $$$ ahead in my experience .

classic911

I started my P-car obsession looking at 951s' also but my first drive in the 911 was too intoxicating-the flat-6 music, steering and brakes that made me feel at one with the car, the timeless, classical lines, the racing heritage, etc.

The 951 is a good car and great track car but given that I could only have one to me it was a no-brainer, but to each his own....

There's a tee shirt that says something like "All real Porsches are air-cooled and have their engines stuck up their a$$" or something to that effect.

Amen!

Jay Gratton

I wouuld think that the 911 would be cheaper to maintain, but that is just me. Also, I have a feeling if your going to be drag racing your 951 you will be replacing you clutch a lot. 951's are not made for the 1/4 mile my friend, at least without doing some major up grades to the clutch for example. Best wishes and good luck! - Jay Gratton

Driv300mph

GREAT replies guys, I really appreciate them all.

Looks like I will be moving more towards the 911...

Anyone know what a stock 911SC runs in the 1/4? Just curious...

As far as the Targa top goes, is there an upgrade you can do to tighten the seals and such? Also, what sort of mileage would you say I could be safe with on a 911SC... and how long is the average engine life?

I was also considering getting an '94 or '95 FD (3rd Gen RX-7) -- however I'm kinda worried about maintenance on those too! I'm selling my 2nd Gen RX-7 currently, so I'm quickly trying to search for a cool replacement that not a lot of people have... (Used to have a 2002 V6 Mustang!) Yeah, I'm not even 17, and I'm going on my 3rd car... imagine that!


Great help guys, friendly people at the Rennlist!

rzepko6194

A Targa top shouldn't leak at all (mine doesn't) if the seals are good and it's properly adjusted.

John

1987 Carrera Targa - 17K miles

Andre

I think he just means that a 951 is more suited for drag racing than a 911. If you have a reletively knew clutch it shouldnt be a problem drag racing, your CV joints will be though but those are a pretty easy fix, 5 bucks worth of grease and a couple hours, just flip them over and you'll be fine...the 911 however will because it has sooo much weight over the drive wheels that you can burn the clutch out in a parking lot in about 10 hours.

But personally i would go with a 911, think about it this way....it takes about an hour to drop the engine...it takes you about 6-7 to drop the 951 engine. i put a 951 motor into my 944 and it took a while, its not that its so hard to work on them its just that its so time consuming because you have to take everything out to geet to anythign else. in terms of speed you pretty much get what you pay for, the 951 will be quicker and you can easily and relatively cheaply modify it while the SC i think will be easier to work on. If you are pretty experienced in doing work yourself and you have a garage go for the 51 but if you are starting out and just learning then go for the 911. just my opinion, good luck both are awesome cars to have at 16.

PS good thing you got rid of the mustang

Kurt

the best advice?

drive both of them (decent examples too of course)

Derek Jones

okay, Im 17, I got my 74' 911 when I was 15.. Thats when I started to rebuild it... for me it was this same decision, 951 vs 911. My dad drove both, the owner of the 951 very graciously allowed me to drive the 951! It was the second greatest rush ever. The first, greater than greatest feeling, came later when I strapped myself into my 74' and stomped on the gas after I rebuilt a 78' 3.0 liter engine and transsmision and my dad and I finished the resto. It was beyond words that I can describe! The sound of the exhaust, the fan churning, the tires peeling, AWESOME! If I had to make the decision again I would go with the 911 again because:
1) parts are cheaper and easier to find (www.pelicanparts.com)
2) heritage of the car
3) 951 may look more like a supra or something asian, but, the 911 has the style that everyone knows from looking at it
4) 911's are way cooler motors to look at when you lift up your hood in the rear

TaylorSea4

Hey man, if it's 1/4 mile times and/or stoplight racing that you're seemingly interested in, you can build a friggin big block Nova to run mid 11's. Just my opinion, but it just seems like the wrong priorities for a German sports car...

Buy the best car available for your budget (which is what, exactly??). An $8000 944NA will generally be in a LOT better shape than an $8000 SC. Not the law, but simple logic. Are you mechanically inclined enough to work on it yourself or not?? Do you want the front engine/hatchback experience or a mid-engined coupe?? If cost isn't an object (hard to imagine if you're 17), then go get a clean 964 and be done with it. If you want something to impress all the ricer's with, then get a sweet 951. I have seen a couple of Turbo S's that have made me pop a full chubby...

Derek, what ARE you talking about, man?? The 944 was the single-most ripped off form in the modern era. The Supra didn't even get cool until the 80's when it ripped off the 944, and the 2nd gen RX-7 WAS a friggin 944 clone. The Japanese have done that since the 70's. The 1st gen Z-cars were cloned Ferrari 365's. I would be so bold as to say even the 4th gen Vette was inspired by the 944's success.

But, that's just MY opinion- I could be wrong...

Stuttgart951

Owned both a 951 and a Carrera.

The 951 is extremely expensive to maintain - but it a much more capable car. The smile factor is pretty big when the throttle is depressed - especially if the engine has been properly modded.

The 911 is cheaper to maintain - but it is a less capable car. Its fun, has a feel all its own that is totally unable to be copied by any other car, and runs like a tank - totally reliable.

Both cars are solid, but the 951 just has more parts that can break - simple math.