epbrown01

The 964 was the first Porsche model with acceptable AC, so that's no surprise. I've never heard someone say it's better than a 944, though.

Emanuel

Eric Kessel

Neither of my 944's held a charge long enough for me to say the AC worked well......
-Eric
(Had the 87 951 for 6 months, and the 89 S2 for 6 years)

Sacto S

So I went out and bought a 911.

Still miss that car.....................

Dan in Pasadena

Well, as I said only a few responses back... a 911 will come along and I'll make a decision then.

So I stop by my wrench's place last night. He's left for the day but his lead guy is there and so is this awesome looking SC up on the lift with the engine out. Short version is he's intersted in selling it. I'll start a new thread to relate where this is with me right now and to get a few opinions.

EDIT - Just got off the phone with my wrench. The sotry i was GOING to relate: This car is a 10 of 10 cosmertically, light mettalic green 79 with newly refinished 16" Fuchs in black with colored center caps and polished lips and new Kumho Ecsta's. Totally dry, recently rebuilt engine, in the shop to have the trans rebuilt 'cause 2nd is missing a tooth.

So.........my wrench says he doesn't recommend this car. This car was his first. Sat in his shop for a couple of years, a friend of his who is a body & paint man
(and a perfectionist) bought it off him to fix up/sell. He agres the car is a 10 .. to look at - it is truly impressive. He acknowledged the rebuild, the chain tensioner upgrade he did and the upcoming trans rebuild. But he says it has about 300K on the chassis and is not a "happy car". He says the fuel distribution system (??) is honked up despite a rebuild and it needs new injectors. As I said, he does'nt recommend it unless I am "over the top about it" since I will be bringing it to him for service.

So, this just goes to show you can be fooled, I guess. I really was hot for this car. But I trust this guy and if he says it isn't the right car he's probably right. He works on them daily. Too bad, a really impressive looking car. Oh well, live an learn, huh?

Jay H

A bit OT, but Dan's story above in bold reminds me of when I was first looking for a 911 years ago. Looked at a truely stunning '80 SC in Eggplant (very dark metallic purple-almost black) with a tan interior. Perfect paint and the interior was not that bad for it's age. I was ready to buy just based on that paint and how the car looked. But,...

One test drive and it was all over. Fresh, shiny paint was masking a ton of mechanical problems. The car drove terrible. I swear, these 911's seem to show their true colors once you drive them... They never lie to you...

Dan in Pasadena

Thanks Jay. Your story reminds me I'm not the only one to potentially make a decision with my gonads instead of my head! I went over an saw the car again this afternoon at lunch ,and man oh man I like that car. I will talk to my wrench again to get more specifics, but I most likely will not pursue it any further.

Luis de Prat

I own 3 Porsches, all 944s. The 83 I've had for 10 years and 127K miles. It now has 215K miles, original engine. You can be unlucky with any car. You can also be fortunate. The 83 is a daily driver, the S2 my father drives and has 136K, and the 951 Cab has 62K and is a garage queen.

I've considered 911s, but what scares me about them is how often I see that their engines are rebuilt at around 80K miles. Why is that?

GrantG

It's very unusual for a 911 to need a complete rebuild that early - a valve job maybe. The valve guides are a problem on some vintages, but the bottom ends are very robust (like the 944). And if the 911 has pressure fed chain tensioners (1984 and later or retrofit), then the valve train (chain) is far more reliable and maintenance-free than a 944 (belt) also. In my experience, the 951 is the most expensive car I've ever maintained...

epbrown01

I see more ads than I'd like saying an SC engine has been rebuilt, but it's invariably a low-mileage care that was allowed to sit - bad for any car, and especially for Porsches. You notice this more when it's an SC or Carrera because they have reputations for long life. The rep is true, but only if the car is driven regularly and the usual weak points fixed. There was an '83 just like mine on eBay a while back with 500k miles; it had had an engine rebuild at 265k.

Emanuel

mmccray

I got my 87 944S because I needed a second car, and it could be had for less than the price of a Ford Escort. Once I had this beauty in my garage I began replacing everything that wasn't darn near perfect. The car still gets attention. I've even had people stop and ask to take a picture of her. That's NEVER happened with any other car I've ever owned. She's been with me since 1996, and I still love driving this car.

Somewhere along the way, I got a bad case of the hots for a 911. I think that at least part of the reason may have been the way I felt when I went to the local PCA meetings. Seems the Porsche Club was really the 911 club. So.... guess I bought into it. Got my first 911, a 1990 Carrera 2 about 3 months ago. At first, I thought, yeah I like it, but... She was too quiet. I didn't like the airbag steering wheel, etc. etc.
One thing led to another, and the car gradually became my own personal money pit.
However, I can now officially say that I am totally and completely smitten with her. A few changes, like: a dual outlet stainless muffler, and cup airbox, Momo wheel, teardrop mirrors, aluminum pedals, and 17" cup wheels instead of the design 90's - and this thing came alive!!
AND... the power of the 911 is absolutely awesome.

I don't know for sure how I got here, but I can tell you, I never figured I'd own 1 Porsche, much less 2. So for all you 944 folk - you've got one of the great automobiles. And for the 911 people - you've got your own personal amusement park ride! Why be choosey? - get one of each!

Now..... how about a Boxster? Or.... I really think a 928 S4 would be cool.... maybe a 968? Or,,, a 356? A Speedster? Yes, maybe a Turbo!
Since the first test drive - gotta admit I love 'em all.

Like the poster says: "They're a lot like children. You can't understand until you've had one."

Marshall McCray
1987 944S Baby 1
1990 911 Carrera Baby 2

steve g

As long as I can remember reading car magazines as kid - I wanted a Porsche.
My first one was an 1987 924S which I drove 3 years until I found the 1989 944 Turbo which I hardly even drove for 2 years until I sold the 924S in December. Less than one month later in Januay, my dad calls me on a Wednesday about one of his neighbors selling a 1995 911 and I'm a plane to check out the car Friday at the local Porsche dealer - done deal.
In answer to your question - some days I transition from the 944 to the 911 and other days I transition from the 911 to the 944.
Slippery slope and at least I'm enjoying the ride(s) !

phatphil

I went from a 1991 Guards Red 944 S2 Cabriolet to a 1988 911 Carrera Coupe Sport.

My hand was forced after having an accident on very unexpected black ice in late October last year. I ripped off a wheel and hit a lamp post with it falling on top of the car, fortunately hitting the reinforced section of the roof above my forehead. If it had landed 2 inches further back, it would have come through the soft top and hit my head, no doubt causing severe injury or maybe death!! I was lucky, but having said that, she protected me very well in a sideways impact.

I shopped around for a 911 and found the one I have now.

BrucePigozzi

My first P-car was a Copenhagen Blue series I 944 (1984). I fell in love with the way it looked. It got me and my wife started in DE and never failed us. It did leave something to be desired on the Andretti straight at Mosport - power! I wanted to move up to a 911. A cool and rational purchase not driven by normal passionate reactions to the way it "looks." I bought an '88 911 with almost no miles on it for nearly a steal (cool and rational is good for the wallet) and the wife kept the 944. Four years later (2000) she wants more power too and got an '89 911 selling the 944, which was still beautiful for $7,000 (89,000 miles 2/3 of which was track miles) - - she bargins well!
I still love 944s also just don't have room. The 911 is a WAY different car on the track, "rotation" has a totally different meaning in a 911. But the 944's AC worked perfectly and we could put a ton of stuff in the back!