Anthony T.

Hey everybody, my 87 944S was run over by a dump truck last Wednesday. So I've been considering other Porsches. I'm just starting to do some research on 82 911sc. Can anyone tell me about their reliability as a daily driver? I drive about 100 miles a day total back and forth to work. I loved my S but I want something with more power & low end torque. I need to go to the big city and test drive some of these. Can anyone tell me their experience with driving these cars? Any other info you'd like to share with me about this model would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Anthony

NapTownSpeedy

Absolutely,
I currently drive an '81 SC Euro every day. It is a great car. It is fun to drive, responsive, and very dependable. In looking for a car I would suggest reading as much material as possible. This web board has a special tech page dedicated toward looking for an SC. Also, I would check the pelican web board. Both of these will be excellent resources.
Just a couple of suggestions: always check over for rust (SC's have galvanized bodies, but they are 20+ yr old). Engine condition with milage is a concern. Get a PPI done but I would suggest paying for a valve adjustment on a car when you are serious. Let's the mechanic get a really good look at the head studs. As always try to determine severity of oil leaks. On trannies, 915's are tough to get used to, but an overall good trans. As with the rest of the car if you learn to drive it correctly (heel toe) it will reward you.
Check it out, but I believe that you will find an SC is a great daily driver!
Ryan

Anthony T.

Ryan,
Thanks for your input. I've been reading Wayne Dempsey's 101 projects for your 911, great book. I think he own's/is a partner in Pelican isn't he? I'll definitely check out the oil leaks, don't you have to remove the engine to actually fix some of those? My admittedly uninformed impression of the 911 is that they're pretty labor intensive, but I've wanted one since I was 16 which is more years ago than I like to admit. If I did get the SC eventually I'd like to drop a 3.2 into it, do you know if that's do-able? You're advice to learn to drive the car correctly is well taken. I'd like to go to some of the Porsche driving schools. I'm going up to Phoenix tomorrow and may have a chance to test drive 1 or 2 SC's we'll see. Can anyone tell me about the torque in these car's? My 944s wasn't much for that, but man, what a sweet ride at higher speeds.
Hope to hear from more of you regarding your experiences or advice regarding the SC. Thanks in advance
Anthony

gregg911

I have an 80SC with Bilstein Sport shocks. Check the shocks, I don't drive mine more than 40-50 miles in any direction unless I have to. If you are going to drive the car 100 miles per day, you might want to replace the seats with an updated Porsche seat. I drove mine to San Diego last year (2-1/2 hour drive) and had to constantly shift around to find a comfortable position.

Other than that I like the car.

ps. Oil leaks are a pain, buy one that doesn't leak. Fixing leaks is comical, once you think you've found and plugged the leak, it starts to come from somewhere else.

RANDY P

keep a close eye on the oil level. Make sure you check frequently, and when the car is hot, and idling on level ground.

rjp

Jdub

You can't go wrong with an SC that has been updated. I own a '78 that is a daily driver and it performs all of its duties flawlessly.

The SC represents the best entry-level pcar available today. You avoid the problems associated with the 2.7 liter engine of earlier years and retain the lightness and slighly less "plushness" you will find in the slightly more expensive Carrera-class cars.

You want to be sure that the head studs are not cracked or cracking. When you PPI the car, INSIST on having the lower valve covers removed and, with the current owner's permission, each head stud checked for tightness. This might break a corroded stud, so that's why you MUST have permission to do this. Of course, the head stud might just fall out with the removal of the cover, so that'll save you some time! Point is, the studs were a weak point. Otherwise, the engines, if well-maintained, can do 200K no problem - they are that tough!

Good luck
Jw

Anthony T.

Thanks guys for the info. Good stuff, I'll remember it as I'm checking out the different cars. You'll probably hear from me again as I narrow the field down a little.
Anthony

86Coupe

If you're considering an 82 SC you should also look at 84 - 86 Carreras. IMHO the 84 - 86s are the best kept secret -- a lot less money than the 87 - 89 Carreras but not much more than a late SC with the following advantages:

3.2L engine -- better power / weight ratio and better MPG

Bigger tires / wheels -- most 3.2s have 16" wheels

Better oil cooler

Power seats with greater range of up / down adjustment

Better A/C -- more efficient compressor, 86s have larger A/C vents

Built in fog lights

Better performance

Arguably more reliable -- Less likely to snap head studs

These Carreras keep the raw minimalist feel of the SCs, eliminate some of the drawbacks (underpowered engine)and have fewer valve guide issues than the later Carreras.

In other countries the pre-87 Carreras are preferred over the later ones with the "American" transmission. Also Porsche dialed in more understeer in 87 when they changed the transmission. Not a big deal but began a slow steady trade off of crispness for refinement.

Check one out.

Pete
86 Carrera

Ed Bighi

Whatever you do, get a nice clean car. You don't have to be an expert to see a nice car among the bad ones. I haven't had a major problem in mine for the last 8 years. Not a drop of oil for the last 8 also. Once I took car of all the little problems, it has been a great car. It has seen the track every other weekend since I bought it in 92. It has 210,000 unrebuilt miles and still runs great. I think there are more reliable cars than the sc and carrera, though not by much. But I doubt there is anything as durable. Especially when you are beating the crap out of them at least twice a month at the track like I do. Mine is a daily driver, though I don't drive 100 miles a day. But that is probably better than short trips anyway. The key to making them last and take care of you is taking care of them. It's quite easy to see which ones were taken care of properly. Last but not least, don't fret over spending a couple of extra thousand for a really nice car. I tend to care more about the body, interior and wiring more than mechanical. You can rebuild an engine ten times over without there ever being a trace. I can't say the same about bodywork. Bodywork is like paper. Once torn you can scotch tape it, but there will always be a trace. Not to mention bad wiring in some adolescent stereo and alarm installations. Call me crazy, but I walk away from wiring butchery faster than from a car with an oil leak. But don't skimp over mechanical. That extra money spent on a really nice, clean car with a good PPI will be worth a lot more in the short and long term.
<img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

Anthony T.

Good posts guys,
You've given me a lot to think about. Great information, that would have taken me a while to dig up on my own. That's what's so cool about this site and the people on it. Thanks everyone.
Anthony

cab&coupe

Anthony,

Any of the SC's or Carrera's are great cars each with their own pluses and minuses. Have the prospective car you're going to buy checked out professionally. If you are considering droping a 3.2 motor into an SC, it would make sense to focus on an early Carrera. Pete makes a good point here. If you are not currently a PCA member, you should joing your local region. They will provide you with valuable input and will be a great resource for cars in your area now and for years to come.

Craig
`87 Cab

rfuerst

Anthony,I also own a 1987-944S and just recently purchased a 1983-911SC,they are quite different.The 944S is a nice everyday driver,comfortable,quiet,great AC,handles well just a very nice car,but after driving the SC what a difference in low end grunt,it seems like you just push on the throttle and she goes,whereas the 944S is sluggish on low end and wakes up above 4,000 rpm.And the SC just feels different,you just seem connected to the car.When I bought the SC my plan was to keep the 944S,but after driving the SC for the past 2 weeks,the 944 is going to be sold.Hope this helps. <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

nostatic

I think the advantages of the 84-86 cars are not that significant. The 3.2 makes a bit more power and gets a tad better mileage, but the car is heavier so it is almost a wash. Power seats are an advantage (more comfort?) or a disadvantage (increased complexity and weight). Most SCs I've seen have 16" wheels (a very common option on US cars), and the AC improvements are dubious at best (although the larger vents starting in '86 are a plus)...face it, the AC sucks compared with any modern car.

I think the most important consideration is to find a GOOD example...and whether it is an SC or Carrera isn't that big a deal. The issues with SCs are well known and easily fixed (pop off valve, chain tensioners). Head studs breaking are a concern, but so are valve guides on 3.2 cars. Cheaper to fix head studs than to do a top end rebuild. Bottom line is these are all older cars so they're going to cost you some $$$ to keep running. The total amount depends on picking a good one and a bit of luck.

btw...why swap a 3.2 into an SC? Costs a lot of money and doesn't get you much. Now a 3.6, that's another story...

Harold

Anthony,

Another great resource would be Peter Morgan's Original Porsche 911 book...it gives you a nice snapshot of the various differences of the various 911s from year to year.

Harold

One more thing, there is no substitute for a test drive...that will tell you once and for all whether the car suits you....