Brewer944

+1

Ah yes... this is the automotive equivalent of mixing metaphors. Adjusted one figure for South of the border but not the other. I am in Canada. 180 Kph, 0-60 mph. whoops.



+1

EXACTLY! Stable. The feel is incomparable. I spun out once in the wet in the mazda (snap oversteer) where the 944 would have just waggled its tail. and accelerating past 180 KPH, it feels so stable and just hunkers down against the road. I took it on some country roads (the ones that begin with a windy road symbol on a yellow signpost) and barely took it out of 5th gear, where I know the mazda would have to drop to third at a few points and would complete most of it in fourth. AND its gear ratios are shorter.

On a related note, from my experience so far, the Porsche leaves Accords, preludes, eclipses, civics, etc. with owners crying into my rear-view about their understeer on fast curves. Off the line, they poo on me from a great height. It is what it is.

racer

no doubt the most succint answer yet. Stock class cars are allowed a minimum of changes (and to be honest, fewer changes than most folks out here do to their 944s)

Also consider:
1) Wieght - Mazda - approx 2900lb.. 944 between 2700-2900lb
2) Size - mazda is 1" wider, 10" longer and about 7" taller (but can hold 4-5 adults more comfortably than the 944)
3) HP 150ish hp for both

Yes, the Mazda is FWD, but when you learn to drive FWD correctly, it can be quite quick. As much funn?, no.. but quick.

Also consider that if your 944 is truly stock (sachs shocks, 215-60-15s etc) while a good handler, it does leave a lot on the table.

That said, the 944 series car is 20+ years old. Compare a 20+ year old Mazda GLC (no, not the Turbo, 4wd version) and well, in their days, the 944 crushes it.

Tom R.

yep, compare a $4000 1985 GLC to a $25000 1985 944. Brilliant.

today's average Mazda 3 to yesterdays pinnacle 944 is OK, but you are comparing an econobox to a sports car.

How about comparing a $50k cayman of today to a 308/328 of yesterdecade.

Brewer944

aha. Mine is TRUE stock '86 NA down to the OEM Blaupunkt stereo that I have no code for. 215/60/15 (I insisted) and true OEM sachs shocks, that are at a minimum 15 years old. I run dials. The car was in a time-warp, parked in 1996 and brought out of the garage in 2008. The PPO's only mod was a momo steering wheel.

I drove my mazda3 for three years, and fast. It's pretty nice on the open roads too. I am not at all surprised by the autoX result. The 3 is nippy at low speed cornering. The quicker response engine will make it faster in applications where you speed up and slow down a lot and use the lower gears. It has far superior braking. And I will go on record again to say the 3 is a better city car. But for open road touring? For anywhere you get to open up a can of whoopass on some twisty road, it's not in the same class.

tried to upload pics... not happening.

piperporsche180944

Its funny I ran into this thread, my brother has a 2009 Mazda 3 2.0L 4 cylinder. He used to cruse with us when I had my 1985.5 Porsche 944 NA. He wanted to do a 40mph roll race... So we did, long story short, I blasted away leaving him in the dust. I'm not sure about the Speed 3's.

My 944 NA took a few 305 1980's Camaro's, early 90's Mustang GT's, V6 Mustangs, you know, the "wanna be's", thank god for the 951, it really defined the word "fast" to me.

kombatrok

Lol the camaros with the 305s are almost undriveably bad. Same with the 6 mustangs... a fox mustang with a small block will outrun a 944 and can be built to go very fast super cheap though...

I really need to start upgrading the suspension in my na.... the handling is great, it just feels like it could be tighter.

ZR8ED

Meh! If we all wanted to drive cheap hp, we'd all be driving around in Mustangs and Camaro's.. No fun in that. I like variety, I like cars with different purposes. Can't compare 25 yr old cars with modern ones.. It is just not fair.. Just like you can't compare modified's vs stock.

You think the guy in a new GT3 cares if some dude in a modded 86 mustang can whoop him in the 1/4? Different cars, different purposes..

Just enjoy your 944 for what it is. A great car that is a lot of fun to drive that STILL turns heads.

odurandina

some of you were talking about the 944 at 180 ? mph ??


the front of the 944 is susceptable to "front end float" at very high speeds ...


my '87 started to feel really "squirrelly" at about 135 mph.


this may be one reason Porsche didn't make the turbos even faster at the factory.


on the other hand, my 968 feels like a brick - even north of 150 mph - the car is planted.


you should think about making more downforce after about 130-135 mph in a 944 in my opinion.


Tony G. has an OVERSIZED splitter in the front and a giant wing in the back... nthat's about right. just my 0.02.