Paranoia and 944
#16
I used to be paranoid, still am actually, but with all the work that we put in our cars, we should just drive it. I put 550 miles on mine this weekend and it was running great. A busted alternator did leave me stranded once, but that can't really be blamed on the car though
I do keep the radio low to listen for abnormal sounds though
I do keep the radio low to listen for abnormal sounds though
#17
The car is more reliable than I am. It has never stranded us but my wife has had to leave me in a hospital or two scattered around California and Nevada due to a very unpredictable intestinal tract disorder.
#18
I do get paranoid about maintaining the cars, but as for driving them... absolutely not. These are the best road cars I have encountered, and I have driven th emiles to prove it. My '84 is closing in on 300k miles and I still wouldn't hesitate to drive it cross-country at a moments notice. My 968 just took me 4500 miles from KC out west and back without so much as a whimper (um, except for the increased tire noise my Bridgestones are now making... I now know what folks were talking about when they said those were loud tires).
Maintain it properly, and you will be able to drive your car further than any other car you are liable to find, including Mercedes and Volvos, IMHO.
Regards, ...Scott
Maintain it properly, and you will be able to drive your car further than any other car you are liable to find, including Mercedes and Volvos, IMHO.
Regards, ...Scott
#19
I have to agree with the positive comments above. I drive my 944 everywhere and every day. I've put 33,000 miles on it in the last 2.5 years (just went over 140k miles), take in camping, take it on Midwest business trips, and run a good number of track miles (just spent 4 days running Road America - WEEE!). Never broke on the road or track, never failed to start (even after sitting in the cold at O'Hare for days with radar detector still plugged in).
If you are a PCA member, toss a copy of Pano in the car. Any region you travel in will have region leaders listed in Pano, you can call them if you get stuck. It's a very helpful group and at least will point you to someone that could help versus hurt the car.
Keep the shiny side up,
If you are a PCA member, toss a copy of Pano in the car. Any region you travel in will have region leaders listed in Pano, you can call them if you get stuck. It's a very helpful group and at least will point you to someone that could help versus hurt the car.
Keep the shiny side up,
#20
Good advice Dave Swanson ,and all,so far the car has run well except for the clutch going without any warning.Its good to hear of cars running good!
These cars are great,I drove 6 hrs this weekend,boy is this a comfortable car.
These cars are great,I drove 6 hrs this weekend,boy is this a comfortable car.
#21
I don't have a Porsche yet. Still looking. But my daily driver is a 1976 Dodge 3/4 ton 4x4 Pickup (never been restored), never been parked in a garage. Merely has had the attention it needed at the proper times. Currently the odometer is showing 188,356. I have only been stranded once (twice if you count the fact that I ran out of gas in the middle of nowhere). I always carry oil, antifreeze, Powersteering belt, alternator belt, spare voltage regulator, and a bag of fuses. I drove my truck 400 miles on Monday, I took her up to the mountains did a trail ride up Webster Pass, climbed back out and made my commute home. I routinely make a 75 mile commute to work with her as well.
The tranny and transfer case have never even been touched, the axles have had their synthetic lube changed about every 60,000. Engine was rebuilt around 138,000, about 3-4 years ago. It sucks down the gas, but it starts every day, and gets me to work and looks great. So I can't complain. I spend around $500 a year in maintenance and oil changes.
The tranny and transfer case have never even been touched, the axles have had their synthetic lube changed about every 60,000. Engine was rebuilt around 138,000, about 3-4 years ago. It sucks down the gas, but it starts every day, and gets me to work and looks great. So I can't complain. I spend around $500 a year in maintenance and oil changes.
#22
I routinely take my 951 on 1100mi trips, I am still in school and travel between illinois and the east coast where I work off and on. I do take note of the condition of just about everything on the car so I usually feel I know if something is going to break (knock on wood). It hasn't left me stranded.
#23
Just to ensure I'm not drinking too much Porsche Kool-Aid... I asked the wife if she would jump in the 944 and drive 2000 miles on her own tomorrow. "Sure, just need to bring the right CD's!"
Most reliable 14-year-old car I've ever owned.
Most reliable 14-year-old car I've ever owned.