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I don't recommend the SC as a "daily" given the conditions you've described. Not sure what your budget is for this car but I'd recommend a 964 C4 with higher miles (but well sorted) if you can find one for $30k or so. The entry point might be a bit higher than an SC but with no depreciation your cost to own should be low. Here's an example; no affiliation and no idea what the seller is looking to get.
From speaking with 964 owners at several different cars and coffees, you wont touch one (coupe) for under 50k even a C4, unless body damage, rust, salvage title, or the owner is just clueless.
The sc is a great car, simple and fun...Id say the heater is good and like the other RL said for 2 months a year in hot but dry climate who cares about ac.
I am Porche person that does not drive in snow or freezing temps, but the car could handle it with correct tires.
I would consider the other idiots out there that might crash your SC in bad conditions.
I've daily driven my 82 SC for four years, 50 miles a day in Los Angeles. It has worked wonderfully and responds well to being actively used. I've recently installed the A/C with Griffith's updates and it works wonderfully. However, in mild climates I really consider it optional. My main reason for doing so is to have the ability to drive with the windows up when the wife and dogs are with me. I don't encounter snow, but don't see why it wouldn't be a decent vehicle with the proper tires.
I put 10 k on my SC annually and drive it wherever/whenever...no issues to date. The guys recommending later modern cars are sissy's. They probably use hair gel. Toupee's or get liposuction.
I put 10 k on my SC annually and drive it wherever/whenever...no issues to date. The guys recommending later modern cars are sissy's. They probably use hair gel. Toupee's or get liposuction.
Reiver, tell us what you think. LOL. That was pretty funny.
I refuse to drive my '82 in the winter for reasons of salt. My '83 944 track car was an Ohio car since birth and it's just awful to work on underneath, whereas the '82 911 has always been a Texas car so even the exhaust headers studs were still in good condition. No way I'm letting salt touch this thing.
Totally agree. Here in Chicago they salt like crazy, it's terrible. Just stuffed sc and gt3 in garage in preparation for work on them this winter!
Originally Posted by Dave Inc.
I refuse to drive my '82 in the winter for reasons of salt. My '83 944 track car was an Ohio car since birth and it's just awful to work on underneath, whereas the '82 911 has always been a Texas car so even the exhaust headers studs were still in good condition. No way I'm letting salt touch this thing.
I really don't understand this. I think a "daily driver" has a very different meaning for different people. I for one, don't even commute daily as I work from home. Most of my driving entails taking the kids to school, picking them up driving 20 miles occasionally to get to a somewhat metropolitan area. So I purchased a daily driver SC to enjoy my time in a Porsche. My 993TT is a fantastic machine, but I can't enjoy it when I want do to weather, insurance limitations, value etc... So why can't I drive an SC "just because I can". I can and I will. I do have 6 other cars so I'm not stuck driving the SC but I want to it's fun. Johnny
This is more my point. I have a great SUV, but I always want to drive my Porsche. The SC's seem like the last of the "affordable" air cooled 911's. My 993TT has become so valuable that I am nervous driving it! (I actually vacillate on selling it to buy a rental house).
Johnny, any corrosion issues with our winters? I imagine windshields are are replaced periodically.
I may definitely decide its folly and I miss my creature features, but I want to give it a try. My biggest issue is the family. My wife loves her Subaru hatchback and is not interested in driving my LX570.
This is more my point. I have a great SUV, but I always want to drive my Porsche. The SC's seem like the last of the "affordable" air cooled 911's. My 993TT has become so valuable that I am nervous driving it! (I actually vacillate on selling it to buy a rental house).
Johnny, any corrosion issues with our winters? I imagine windshields are are replaced periodically.
I may definitely decide its folly and I miss my creature features, but I want to give it a try. My biggest issue is the family. My wife loves her Subaru hatchback and is not interested in driving my LX570.
You and I are in the same boat but different river so to speak. I bought my TT back in Sept 2013 with 16.5K on the odometer. It now has 20.8K so I do drive it, but less in the winter.
I'm in the Pacific Northwest and they typically gravel in the winter so I only would drive if it was dry out for quite awhile and the gravel would clear. We don't get much snow so not so much gravel. But now with the prices of TT I am more diligent. The only reason I will drive it is that I want to keep it perfect running shape.
So I got the SC just a few weeks back mainly so I can enjoy the Porsche air-cooled experience with a car I have on my regular insurance. I can take the car to the grocery store, run errands etc... Love it. It is many times more raw then the silky smooth TT and orders of magnitude slower too, but just as much fun to drive.
Now with winters, it has been horribly wet so I haven't been driving it much because I have decided to clean the underside so that it will dry faster and not be subjected to sitting with wet gunk in all the undercarriage. So I'm in that process now. If the weather is real bad I'll take the Expedition wife drives the new Subaru and the sport car stays in the garage if it is terribly wet I may drive the Accord so I don't put the Porsche away wet. But if it is pretty good maybe s light drizzle or dry, you bet I'll be tooling around with a smile on my face.
I love the look of the SC because at the time they were made I was very influential.
I would be concerned if they used a lot of salt on the roads. Not sure I would want to do that to the SC because with this car I also feel a bit like a caretaker of history.
I say buy one and enjoy it. It is pretty guilt free.
Absolutely use it as a daily driver.
Granted, the AC is mediocre unless you upgrade it—check Panorama for some suggested places or post it as a new thread). And yes, the heater is marginal until the engine is up to temperature.
Granted, I live in So Cal, but my 911SC was my daily driver for nearly 20 years. It went 375,000 miles on the original engine. I averaged over 21 mpg (as high as 27 mpg on trips, low was 15 mpg for a Driver's Ed weekend). Average maintenance costs were ~2,400/year. PM me if you want the Excel spreadsheets listing my total expenses.
It's not as sophisticated as the water cooled 911's but will keep its value for decades. And rebuilds will cost much less. My recommendation would be to get a coupe. Less wind noise and slightly stiffer chassis. If you have children, they won't be embarrassed having you drop them off at school (including through high school).
12-04-2015, 12:50 PM
