chuckbdc

As with any vintage car, if you can find a good one you will have something special. Just double that for a good 911.

They are solid platforms for fun at any speed and return huge satisfaction investments for those that learn how to drive them properly. The imperfections of the engine in the rear are set off totally by the solutions that are built in for you to exploit. There is nothing else like exploiting them and feeling the car respond and perform far above its displacement and horsepower would suggest. And then there is the sound!

Just pay the price to get one that is well sorted and rust free unless you really like to work on cars. Once sorted they are astoundingly stable with routine maintenance.

rusnak

Hey, if you want to drive a Tupperware, more power to ya.

Just kidding. For me, the people who own Porsches is a huge reason to own them. By that I mean that you make some of the best friends and meet the nicest and most likable people anywhere. The allure of the 'Vette is such that I don't think I'd feel the same about my fellow 'Vette owners. Present company excluded of course.

I went through this thought process as I was driving through the Chevy dealer lot. I have been making fixes and restoration of my '91 C3500 truck, which I love because it has zero flash, and it's a 100% humble hard working truck.

jthwan22

84 - 89 911 would be slower than C5 vett. The way to drive the 911 would also be a bit different. You will need to remember "no lift" off the gas at the limit. The inside would also look primitive compare to your vett.

500

A C5 is a very good car in its own right. Obviously you are going to get a Porsche-biased response from us!

The best thing is to try to hook up with local owners (maybe you local PCA chapter) and get some rides, or maybe even drives, in 911s so you can evaluate if you like the experience.

A 911 is very different from most cars in how it interacts with the driver and you really need to experience it for yourself.

That said, I am obviously one of the people who love the vaguely anachronistic torsion-bar 911 and if you are too, then the next step will be to find a well-sorted car at an appropriate price.

Although they are well-built cars, they are old, and if upkeep has slipped, it can get pretty expensive to sort one of these out.

ivangene

keep the vette, you already have the usre name for it - Porsche is most likely not your thing - keep moving, nothing to see here

Mister Moo

That's a mouthful. Take a 911 to the wrong place - no, to the wrong guy - for a tire change, an oil change or just a peek at the undercarriage and the subsequent repair bill might be $2000. If you drive one and love it just remember you can't take it to any chevy dealer to check the plugs.

There's the reason to get one. You meet the most interesting people as you try to figure out how to change an air filter.

Cajun

Well said. I have owned and tracked several Vettes, but I just can't get aircooled 911s out of my blood. For some reason, I feel like I have accomplised so much more after hot lapping an old Carrera than running a high HP Vette...

To the OP - You will have to be a true car enthusiast to go from a C5 to a 80s Carrera. These cars are quirky and archaic by todays standards. On the other hand, you will not see yourself on every corner, they start conversations everywhere, and they just have so much character and soul that driving one will make you feel like there is nothing better...

Go out to some PCA (Porsche Club of America) meets and get some rides/drives. Like others have said, the cars (when well cared for and in good shape) will speak for themselves.

911tracker85

over 20 yrs ago when I got to the point I could 'afford' a nice sports car, first looked at the C4 corvette. was disappointed. graduating high school in '69, grew up in the peak of the muscle car era so my first inclination was a Vette.

had always loved the look of 911s, so drove one. VERY DIFFERENT car to drive. was put off on my first drive. but the more I looked around and the more I drove a few 911s, fell in love with the feel, sound, and already been in love with the look. extremely involving, raw, visceral. if AC is important, you will be disappointed if stock. there are aftermarket suppliers that can make the 911 AC better but not cheap.

so years later as my 911 morphed into a DE/track car and became harsh for the street, wanted another semi-daily driver. and always wanted the sound of a V8.

found it in a Porsche 928. comfortable driver, great AC, and with the headers and 3" exhaust got a growling/howling V8.

love 'em both for the respective purpose.

good luck on your quest.

Ed Hughes

I drove a '73 S yesterday, with a 2.7L RS motor in it. Quite choice, and I think the experience has changed me, and would do the same for any Corvette owner.

kc chief

Any updates from the original poster? I think he's gone. I recently made the decision to switch things up and bought my first 911 after owning numerous vettes. Once you grasp the +/- of each car, it was more about wanting to try something new and exciting. It's been a long time since I've been this excited about a car. One thing to note, if you compare a C5 to an air cooled 911, you are going to have a higher residual value with the 911.

SARGEPUG

+1,000!

Also, great generation choice OP! I am partial to the 3.2 myself!

Ghosteh

I've owned 7 'Vettes over the years and still love them.

HOWEVER, there's a huge difference in terms of quality and "feel" when you compare them to Porsche. Vette's don't feel small & tight, and they do have gobs of torque which is a blast. They also suffer from rattles, cheap feel, and seeing yourself on every corner.

P-cars really are in a different class. I've had a few 928s, which are closer to the style/purpose of the 'vette than the 911. Honestly, I liked them much better than the 'vette.

A 911 is a fun car, easy to drive & maintain, and will hold its value MUCh better than the 'vette. It won't have nearly the appeal at the stoplight, but it can do SO much more than that! As another said, if you can get over the loss of all that torque, then the 911 is the way to go! (If you can't, try a 930! lol!)

Of course, the bottom line is what you enjoy more.

mfyoung1086

We don't need to convince you, go drive a 911, the car will speak for itself

I've driven some fast cars in my days, tuned vw's, c5 vettes, e36/e46 m3's, high hp DSM's and Saab's, some big block big hp muscle cars, a forumla ford, and formula mazda's

The 911 is still the only car that scares me, makes me shizz my pants and puts the biggest smile on my face afterwards!

Plus these 993 brakes are literally the best I've ever stepped on, even compared to the forumla ford and mazda, they make the stickiest tires howl in pain and ask god for grip!

Ed Hughes

That is an excellent point. If one feels drawn to a front-engined V-8, the 928 will run circles around the Corvettes, at least prior to C6's. I used to get "picked on" by Vettes in my 928 regularly at stoplights. That was usually pretty fun.

98Vette

Still have the C5 for now. Been combing the classifieds for a Guards Red cabriolet. I'm picky so one with books and records goes a long way for me. And everyone is right, you definitely don't see older 911's on every corner like a Vette. Plus, in my opinion, the 911 is one of the best automotive designs, ever. Might even be better than the C2 Corvette