texasgooner

I noticed many people on this forum own both an SC and a Carrera!

I wondered why this was, what does the SC give you that the Carrera doesn't? Its an older car, needing extra TLC? Or is it just nostalgia for older cars and a general love of having Porsches?

To me it's not unlike someone owning a 924 and 944 (and please nobody tell me how different these are in character, I know, I'm just trying to think of a comparison!)

Cheers
Justin
1 x Carrera 3.2

markwemple

Justin, I went with an SC for two main reasons. The engines have the best life span and they are cheaper. The SCs are also a little simpler, ie easier to work on. The carreras have the benefit of better hp and a more refined ignition system. They are also easier to increase hp on. I prefer the 915 and cable clutch to the g50 and hydraulic.

kahuna

I guess that evry one has an opinion based on their experiences. here's mine. Carrera is a better all around car, in general Porsche improved and or refined the 911 line every year. The Carrera is the beneficiary of all of these improvements; better/bigger engine, bigger brakes, better engine management, more reliable electronics etc.

I don't understand where the opinion of the SCs superior reliablity may have come from, I have owned both anf the Carera has been far and away more reliable and beter running.

markwemple

I guess kahuna, it may come from no carrera owners bragging about 400k yet or 300k for that matter. Carreras also followed Porsche into that great GT rhelm. More and more weight and power features. So I guess that is one real area where taste matters a lot. Personally I wish my SC didn't have power assist brakes! My2c.

GrantG

Kahuna - I disagree that Porsche "improved and refined every year of the 911's development"? Have you priced a 74 or 75 911 compared to a 72 or 73 recently? Much of the 911's development was mandated by regulatory and other political pressures over the years, often resulting in a heavier and less powerful car.

kahuna

As I said there are many opinions, and braggarts as well. To truly evaluate the reliability and durability you would need a statisticly valid sample, which I haven't seen presented just endless individule opinions(mine as well).

I see this defense of ones own choice all the time and IMO it colors everyones opinion(including mine, but I have owned both for lond periods of use). Grant obviously for your purposes the RS is a better car but it's not for everyone. I use mine as a daily driver/commutor all year round, care to use your '73 in that manner?

Paul Conquest

With respect to reliability, I have a 78 SC and although I park it during much of the salty-road season, it's a great daily driver the rest of the year. It starts when it is -25C; it handles well in ice, snow and rain; and of course it's a blast when the weather is good. I autocross the car regularly (+10 times a season), and get it on the track about 5 days a year ... and I like to push it hard. I do all my own work, and the only problem I've had is flat-spotted tires . Seems pretty reliable to me.

GrantG

Kahuna - I wasn't referring to an RS. A stock 73 911S is perfectly able to be driven daily (I've done it) as well as any SC or Carrera. I'm not trying to brag nor denegrate an 84-89 Carrera (great cars), just trying to contend that "progress" isn't always progress...

texasgooner

I am really curious to find out the difference. Even the early Carreras from 84 onwards seem pretty good value for money even though they didn't have G50 etc, I might try one whose advertising locally.
Cheers

g-50cab

I think an easier argument is blondes vs brunettes.

g-50cab

Oh - my advice to anybody contemplating is drive MANY and from different eras. My first Porsche - I bought the first on I looked at - fell in love with the color and the 3.6. When that was totaled by a yellow cab I took my time, learned from my experience and lost count at 13 cars that I drove raning from a 1970 T to a 1997 993. Each one was wonderful (ok, some were more wonderful than others) and each one had it's own personality, positives and detractions. The T- my wife would not be happy driving it. I would have loved to have bought that as a 4th car... The 993 was too mushy, expensive and quiet.

BTW - I think the Carreras are a great deal now. DIY maintenance - performance - and Motronic reliability.

delhi

but the 3.2 carreras are aging while the depreciation isn't! so it gets kinda foggy when one compares a 3.2C to that of newer 964s. yeah yeah...
964s = high maintenance costs.

texasgooner

But my original arguement wasn't about buying one or the other, it was why people own 'both'???

96conv

Oh, you want to know why people own both! Well, the SC is mine and the Carrera is my wife's. Now do you want me to go into why I chose the SC or not? Just say the word and I'll expand on this.

Ben Lovejoy

Though it's much harder to get away with owning one of each.

Ben