84porsche

I had a car accident with my other daily driver (SAAB) and it was totaled. I still have my 84 911 and it has close to 190,000 miles on it and I have been hesitant about making it my daily driver - I love my 911 but I don't know if I want to risk it on the roads eveyday because of other dangerous drivers. I bought the 911 as my weekend fun car and now I am stuck between putting some money into my Porsche to make it a daily driver or to buy a clunker to get me back and forth to work - I know this sounds dumb but any ideas (advice) would help.

SoCal Mike

I would put all my eggs in one basket! The 911. I drive my turbo as a daily driver through Santiago Canyon everyday to Orange. I have it, I might as well enjoy it. You should too. Rather than buy a clunker, put the money into the 911 and dial it in. It can be totally reliable, more so than some clunker. Odds are you are less likely to be involved in an accident after just having one(like that plane crash rational). Let's be realistic, these cars are made to be driven, whether at DE, Canyon fun runs or to 7-11. Make sure you have good insurance coverage, 911's are plentiful in SoCal if you need to buy another one should bad luck strike twice. Life's too short.....Enjoy it!(in a Porsche) Happy Holidays, see you on the 91 Fwy!

Sonic dB

I drive mine a couple hundred miles a day during the week and its been a great car. The only problem has been a DME relay that died (always carry a spare). With 190,000 miles on it already, id say that you have nothing to lose.

Nice pic So Cal Mike.

jet911

I agree. See if you can get another 100K on the speedometer :-)

84porsche

Thanks all - I kind of got a head start - the short shift kit is going in today and new brakes, new oil and steering adjustments. I appreciate the advice. Mike - I may see you on Santiago Cyn Road - I take that way to work every morning - now I do need to up the insurance coverage to make sure shes valued properly.

Trader220

Other then snow and salt I drive the Targa just about everyday. Since you have no snow or salt issues go4it.

Barclay

What is the DME relay?

Jay Gratton

There is a women in NH who drives her Porsche everyday and it just turned 265K and let me tell you, it still drives like new! I love your enthusiasm for making your 911 your daily driver. I know when I drive my Porsche to work it makes the commute so much more fun. Who needs coffee when you have the flat 6 to wake up too. Best wishes - Jay

Sonic dB

Barclay, the DME Relay is a $40 part... a relay that is needed to supply power to both the fuel pump on the Carerras and to the DME computer brain. If this goes out suddenly....the car will only run for a minute before it shuts down.

Dont ask me how I know this.

Carry a spare DME....just in case. It plugs in under the drivers seat, and is a very easy install.

Hugh R

Having had only one vehicle at times in my life, I'd say get a daily beater. There's nothing worse than having to depend on one car. Besides, IMHO, 5 mph bumper to bumper up and down the 5 or the 91 isn't DRIVING a Porsche, its using it as a commuter. Got something reliable and cheap with good A/C for the commuter. That way, you can drive the pcar if you choose to, not because you have to.

Tommy B

define daily driver? i'm looking for a 911, but just bought a 94 golf as the beater. I only paid 1600 for the golf, and it just seemed like the added convience of having a car you can pack with people or throw bikes on top of seemed worth it.

My other reasons:

Trips to home depot
Trips to get my christmas tree
AC
AC
AC
Valet Parkers

As you can see, working AC is a biggie.

jonjeffryes

I had the same worries about too many miles on the 911...so I've bought a 944S to share the load...oh and I'm now on the lookout for a good 924S (I'm in the UK guys, don't get too excited) for good balance.

My 928 always drove better as a daily driver rather than a pampered pet. Just proper servicing and it felt like it would go forever.....shame about the fuel costs though.

Jon J

79 911 SC Targa Sport 53k miles

86 944S 112k miles (1000 this week)

andrew911

I would say get a (no one yell at me here) used toyota corolla/camry or honda civic/accord as a daily driver. No muss, no fuss. & the Porsche becomes a real weekend treat to drive! If you like bigger cars, a high mileage Lexus LS400 is probably the most reliable car on the road. I have no Japaneese cars, but I will attest to their reliability for many many miles from past cars I (or my wife) had.

CDiercks

Everytime I nail a pothole on my way to work in the morning I say to myself, "I'm so glad I wasn't driving the 911." A new tire, wheel, or suspension parts for my daily driver are so much cheeper than for the P-car. Then there's the AC issue. When I'm dressed up for work, and it's 90 and humid out, I appreciate that AC. My SC has no AC, and even if it did, it wouldn't be worth much. Then there is the practicality issue. Can't fit much in the SC. That is why I enjoy the car so much on the weekends. When it's time to give the SC a good romping on the weekend, I'm grinning from ear to ear. I vote get a cheep reliable daily driver.

Jay H

I'm like CD. Every time some *ss cuts me off in traffic or a dump truck lobs a rock at the windshield or some idiot parks incredibly close next to me (even at the far end of the parking lot), or an SUV with huge tires zings a stone at the paint, or they've dug up the street once again without warning, I'm darn glad I'm in the Chevy and not in the 911.

I can replace the Chevy at the drop of the hat if it gets totaled. I can't replace the 911 very easily if it gets totaled. Plus, the dimished value from accident damage is greater on the 911 than on the Chevy. I agree with CD above that a decent Honda or Toyota is probably the way to go for a daily driver if you want to be conservative or practical.

But, in the end, it's your money, it's your car, so do what you want.

Jay
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