As I continue to think about picking up a 964 C4 as a daily driver in the northeast, I'm interested in polling the cabriolet owners for their experiences. I tend to like the lines of the coupe better but a friend who just purchased an '84 911 cab recently allowed me a spirited, top down drive. It was a blast and I'm surprised to find myself potentially interested in the cab model. My questions are along the lines of does a properly adjusted top leak in the rain, is the wind noise with the top up unacceptable, are the tops a pain to put up and down and do they require continuous adjustments, etc.

I welcome any and all opinions...

Thanks!

 

I just bought a 1991 Cab C4. This is my fourth Porsche. I have owned a Targa which was a great car with a peppy 2.7. I owned a 1996 993 Coupe which in my opinion was the ultimate car. I owned a boxster which I thought was a piece of **** and I kept it for only 2 months.

Having said this I have decided I want to get back into a 993. I may be selling my car.

I am in Massachusetts if you would like to discuss this possibility call me.

Brian Lavin
508-328-7230
Methuen
Email: Bigbucksrus@msn.com

 

Have you considered a Targa instead of a Coupe?

 

I can't answer several of your questions as my cabriolet is too new to need some of those things fixed yet but I finally broke down and bought a cabriolet,--my first after coupe after coupe, after 'targa.' There is nothing quite like a real cabriolet! With my windscreen installed aft of the driver's seat you get very little turbulance. It's like a really big sunroof! It changes everything! It's what Porsche driving is all about.

WHERE you live has a lot to do with it, however. I drove a coupe when in Concord, MA but decided being permanently in So Calif it was time for a cab!

Good luck!

 

Cabrio's can be a lot of fun and can be kept dry. Every year or two, I spray my cab top with the Porsche top protectant. After 14 years of good luck, I began to have problems where my feet were getting wet. For a while it was very frustrating. See

https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...ighlight=seals

I had to replace the rubber seals around the door windows. They were easy to replace. I had written up the action on Rennlist. See
https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...ighlight=seals

 

actually I think my cab is quieter then my turbo at highway speed even with a Gpipe. The cab tops are pretty sturdy and padded with a headliner. I havent ever found water leaking in the cab however it is parked inside. I have been caught in a few florida monsoons without leaks. A couple early morning evening drives top down will quickly get you over anything in the looks department that bothers you about a cab.
Ditto on the sealer like Rob mentioned

 

I am curious to know if other 3rd party fabric top cleaner/protectant such as those from Renovo, Raggtopp and 303 are better/worse in comparison to Porsche's spray?

 

The Pcar dealer sold me the Ragtop!

 

Brian, thanks for the lead. Sent you an email

Itc, I haven't really considered anything other than a coupe until now but the Targa may be a reasonable intermediate solution. I've heard the targa tops have a propensity to leak. Any truth to this?

Edgy01, each trip I make to California (and each winter in Boston) makes me ever more inclined to move. A cab would be great out there (as I'm sure you know) but might be challenging for New England winters. I've heard a properly functioning 911 heating system will fry eggs and burn toast so perhaps it wouldn't be too bad. I'm sure in Jan/Feb I'd miss the seat heaters in my Merc though...

Rob/jimq, good to know that a properly adjusted and sealed top seems to keep the occupants dry. Rob, looks like your C4 cab is a daily driver. Does this include NH winters as well??? Jim, I think you're right about getting over the hang-up on looks. On the rare occasions when I ride in a friend's cab I always enjoy the open air experience.

 

Hard to track. At least most clubs in my area have banned cabs. Some even targa after a NSX crashed. I asked if I showed up in Cararre GT and they said answer would be no for track day.

Otherwise I find Cabs a release.

165 MPH with top down is an experience you will never forget. Just dont blow a tire or you are dead.

 

Aeroman, thanks for the tip. Hey, you only live once so we might as well enjoy the ride...

 

These are some negatives that influenced the sale of my cabrio even though it was a beautiful car:
I found a cabriolet hard for an hour drive on the freeway if the top is down, even with the wind screen in place. We ended up deaf, and our eyes were worn out like we'd been swimming in a pool for hours. With the top up, it is definitely noisier than a 964 coupe. I never talked on my cell phone in the cabrio even with the top up - too hard to hear, especially with an ear bud.

Safety was also a concern as I was surrounded by SUV's that would probably just drive up and over the car whether a head-on or rear-end collision - with no roof, that sounds scary. Rear seats are death seats in a roll-over with no over-head protection like newer convertibles have. Flying crap on the road becomes an issue - I actually had a car hit a fire hydrant which sent water showering all over - I had to stop, and turn around to take an alternative route so I didn't get soaked!!

Potentially expensive repairs are also a looming and frequent issue with the rather delicate convertible system. There are 4 weak points: the latch motors (about $500 each for the parts alone), support beams ($500 each - again, parts, no labor!), cables (repairable in most cases for no cost if you can do it yourself), fabric of the top should you break a support beam and have it tear.

Security is an issue - can't leave anything in the car with the top down; or even up as it's easy to cut through the roof if someone really wants what you've got in there.

Wear is an issue- the sun will wear out the interior faster also; so will bird crap! The top's rear window is also delicate and easily scratched and faded in sunlight. Remember the wear of your own skin - you need sunscreen, hat, glasses!!!

Am I a downer, or what?!

 

To the targa question, I owned a 79 SC targa for a number of years and the top did not leak. I have a friend with an 89 targa, and his top does not leak. With that said, if they ever leak there are a few after-market companies that will refurbish the tops relatively inexpensively. I loved the targa, but always wanted a cabrio - so I bought a 964 Speedster for that wind in the hair feel. Amazing how things come full circle, because now I want a 911/964 targa again. Targas are just a great comprimise between cabrios and coupes....

My $0.02,

-B

 

My 964 was my sole car when I lived in California. I moved to NH about 2 years ago. I park the 964 during salty road season (winter) for two reasons. The first is that the car is lowered and I doubt it would do well going through snow drifts. The second is I see what New England's salt does to cars. I have driven the car in snow and the AWD does very well if you have the right tires. I would feel comfortable recommending a C4 for winter. You would have to be careful clearing snow off the rear window. You don't want to scratch the plastic.

By the way, my winter car is an 91 Honda Civic Si. Its a decent car but I'm looking forward to driving the 964 again. It will be going back on the road next weekend (if the snow storm predicted for Thursday is a mirage).

I hope this helps.

 

Get a windbreak, which fits behind seats - see my car. Makes a hugh difference to comfort with top down especially at higher speeds.