I actually have something to say on this.. I have worked in subletted so to say factories in USA. For over 13 years.. Factory specs or not. if it is not an automated machine that makes the part... the people that are making the part are for the better part making minimum wage..Hate thier job and could really care less if the product is good. That is why I will never own an american car again.

 

While we are on the subject... why are the Porsche oil filters for the 2.5 liter 944 engines so expensive?

 

I'm paying $4-$6 for Mahle or Knecht filters (mail order). You don't see decent quality oil filters for less than that in my area for any car.

 

K&N makes a good filter and it comes with a 25mm socket slot for easier install and removal. they cost me $9 at the local parts places. Seem to work for me.

-andrew

87 951

 

Regarding SCCA, I was refering to ProRally or ClubRally, of which I almost never see Porsches involved anymore.

Actually I'm going to be half a Pro/club rally team with a 1988 924S that we are going to start setting up to run the 2002 season. If anyone has any helpfull info on this endevor let me know thanks..

Matt

 

"I'm paying $4-$6 for Mahle or Knecht filters (mail order)"

Um... try around $44 Canadian in my area, even for aftermarket ones! (that's about $30 US). $4-$6 is what other oil filters cost.

-MAS

 

$44 for an OIL FILTER!!! To be specific, the filter that is on my car now is a Knecht. It ran me a whopping $4.35 from ZIMS and IS OEM. For what you are used to paying, you might as well get the 10 pack for $35.00.
DAMN...$44...I hope that came with 5 or 6 free quarts of Mobil 1 ( or are they litres there? ) and something to clean your hands with when you're done.

 

Lordgrommit said:

"Actually I'm going to be half a Pro/club rally team with a 1988 924S that we are going to start setting up to run the 2002 season. If anyone has any helpfull info on this endevor let me know thanks"

Well, regardless of my earlier rant, which was obviously misunderstood, I have been planning to build same, or at least help. I would work on suspension balance and brake bias and then work on the power band. I would like to have the power down a little lower in the rev range on my current car, but being a RWD car, the somewhat limited power output of the S should be just fine. Hence the suspension tweeking efforts.

(forgive me, as I tend to ramble and wander through global, versus linear thought)

Regarding Jon's comments: First, to all, my original rant was regarding the xenophobic (well sort of, bear with me) attitude of a lot of enthusiasts regarding their brand. You know, if it aint brand this or that or if it isn't built here or there it aint crap. Well, as an off topic example, most German optics (Zeiss, etc.) are considered the best. Trouble is, and most folks don't realize this, they are mostly subbed out to Asian firms. Does that mean the optics aren't so good? No. My point was, Porsche have been displaced by "lesser" breeds in many forms of competion, but that does not make them any less a great sports car.

Now regarding competition, Jon, you didn't read my post to thoroughly. I also pointed out how Porsches seem to fall short in other SCCA comp anymore. Hell, in our local region I have even seen FTD posted at a PCA AutoX by a GM F-body. Huh? Beyond that, Porsche began their racing history with ralleying, hence the reference. And they used to dominate pretty much. My reference to Ferarri had nothing to do with ralleying, it had to do with sports car comp in the 50's, 60's and 70's. They dominated, Ford displaced them and Porsche swept in to clean up the mess. Now where are they? Well as you said and I also iterated, they make a great GP car, and they make nice road cars, but sports car comp is no longer their main focus. Fine. But I have read and heard first hand that classes have been taylored to keep Porsches apparently competitive, much as they were taylored in the past to supress their domination.

Porsches are wonderful car, don't get me wrong. However, lets not cry in our beer because some of the parts and pieces have been subbed out to, dare I say, US or heaven forbid, Asian firms.

 

With the large amount of automation present in parts production is location of assembly really that important? The design and the specs that a part are to be built to are the things that matter the most to me. If I can get the same widget from the same quality material built to the same tolerances from Taiwan or Germany I am going to get the one that costs less. Now if this widget proves itself to be unreliable I probably wouldn't get either ever again and I would try and find a better part.
I think my point is that globalization and automation of production have allowed prices to drop for lots of things where quality should not be an issue, as such I think we should take advantage of it and save our money for other things, like gas .