I've got a 964 now... how reliable really?
04-18-2007, 12:36 PM
#16
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Originally Posted by 993TurboS
I have had my 89 C4 for 10 years and have 98k miles on the clock. I have never gotten in and not had it start. I have averaged a bit less than $1k/year in maintenance (mostly routine, plus a clutch, an axle). That is higher than a newer car, but I bought it it for 26,800 10 years ago and it is probably cost only $1k/year in depreciation/mileage. So I could have bought some generic Asian car like a Prelude 10 years ago for the same $, it would be worth $2k now, and even if I had zero maintenace expense on it, it would have cost me more.
I've said the same thing, but you've said it better. Too many ignore the depreciation cost. On balance, the 964 is very affordable - and always a Porsche.
Noah
04-18-2007, 12:46 PM
#17
Originally Posted by AB-Oz
women will throw themselves at your feet...
04-18-2007, 12:54 PM
#18
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Originally Posted by DaveK
See - that's the one area where I am disappointed with my 964. On the TV that does happen. I've had my car 5.5 years, and I'm still waiting!
does it count if I ran over a chick who i thought was hot so that she'd stop and talk to me??
technically she was still thrown AT me
04-18-2007, 01:21 PM
#19
Burning Brakes
Maybe you should have asked this question before you 'took the plunge'? 
+1 to everything that has already been said, and +10 to the fact that the lack of depreciation combined with the maint. costs make it about the same cost as a new honda over the long term. So for roughly the same cost, you can drive a new honda or a bad *** 911 - no brainer, laddy!
+1 to everything that has already been said, and +10 to the fact that the lack of depreciation combined with the maint. costs make it about the same cost as a new honda over the long term. So for roughly the same cost, you can drive a new honda or a bad *** 911 - no brainer, laddy!
04-18-2007, 01:28 PM
#20
Three Wheelin'
Originally Posted by DaveK
See - that's the one area where I am disappointed with my 964. On the TV that does happen. I've had my car 5.5 years, and I'm still waiting!
Don't blame the car.....
04-18-2007, 02:00 PM
#22
Three Wheelin'
Originally Posted by AdrianIreland
...
From your expereince, will a well looked after example keep going and going on maintanence alone or should I be putting cash aside for inevitable problems? I am not using it as a daily driver... only 3 days a week to and from work and then at weekends....
From your expereince, will a well looked after example keep going and going on maintanence alone or should I be putting cash aside for inevitable problems? I am not using it as a daily driver... only 3 days a week to and from work and then at weekends....
Admit, you drove the car and you wanted it - you wanted it baaaaaad. You bought the car, and now you're worried? Probably not that much though, now really?
Enjoy it, I'm betting it will be just fine.
04-18-2007, 02:09 PM
#23
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In the past 2 1/2 years, I have put about $2000/year into required maintenance and about $10k/year into required mods.
Overall, it has been very reliable but don't get sucked down that slippery slope of mods.....
Marc
Overall, it has been very reliable but don't get sucked down that slippery slope of mods.....
Marc
04-18-2007, 06:39 PM
#25
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My C2 is a 1990. 105K miles. Driven 10-12k a year lately after being driven about 5k miles a year for most of its life...
It only hasn't started for me once, due to a recent ignition coil failure.
In the past couple years, some of the repairs and maintenance that I can think of off the top of my head include new ignition coils, rear blower motor, new brakes and ss lines, spoiler maintenance, and of course tires (this is where a porsche is hungry compared to a honda)... That's just the beginning of the list. And I know for a fact that the car has over $20k in receipts for work done to it in the past 15+ years... divide that total by the number of years, adjust for inflation, and you may have an accurate prediction of the annual cost of a C2. I'd say about $2k a year.
Oil changes alone are inherently expensive for the 964, too. A typical oil change for an S2k takes probably no more than 5 quarts of oil, plus filter. A 964 needs more than double that amount of oil, plus filter, plus a couple drain plug washers... and a HUGE lockable container for all that old oil to drop in. Oil on the 964 is also drained from more than one place, so it's not just as easy as finding a regular drain pan and tossing it under the car. I honestly look at changing my Evo's oil (it's a 2.0L I4 just like most S2000's) as a joke now since I've gotten used to changing the 964's a couple times a year as well. One should consider that too when looking at time of their own, or looking at paying someone else for their time, because it's needed relatively often.
In my opinion, a 964 is definitely not an S2k as far as low-maintenance. A few people I know have/had them. My ex-girlfriend actually had a silver S2k and they're fun cars (though I didn't fit), and super low-maintenance. Even if it wasn't warrantied at that time, I'd say that car only racked up $300 of unscheduled maintenance in the 60k miles I was around it, and that was for a convertible top problem.
Modifying a Porsche puts you in a completely different league than modifying a Honda as well. (if you're at all interested in that.) Lower part run numbers, specific experienced technicians, et cetera leads to much higher prices...
Different cars, different times. And definitely different sounds.
Anyway, I'd say the 964 is a damn reliable and durable car when compared to cars of yesterday as well as today. Performance aside, they're extremely well designed and have a very high-quality build. Hardly any plastic clips or low-durability parts; relatively speaking to most sports cars. (though some may disagree here).
Good luck with yours. I'm sure it'll treat you well...
Harry
It only hasn't started for me once, due to a recent ignition coil failure.
In the past couple years, some of the repairs and maintenance that I can think of off the top of my head include new ignition coils, rear blower motor, new brakes and ss lines, spoiler maintenance, and of course tires (this is where a porsche is hungry compared to a honda)... That's just the beginning of the list. And I know for a fact that the car has over $20k in receipts for work done to it in the past 15+ years... divide that total by the number of years, adjust for inflation, and you may have an accurate prediction of the annual cost of a C2. I'd say about $2k a year.
Oil changes alone are inherently expensive for the 964, too. A typical oil change for an S2k takes probably no more than 5 quarts of oil, plus filter. A 964 needs more than double that amount of oil, plus filter, plus a couple drain plug washers... and a HUGE lockable container for all that old oil to drop in. Oil on the 964 is also drained from more than one place, so it's not just as easy as finding a regular drain pan and tossing it under the car. I honestly look at changing my Evo's oil (it's a 2.0L I4 just like most S2000's) as a joke now since I've gotten used to changing the 964's a couple times a year as well. One should consider that too when looking at time of their own, or looking at paying someone else for their time, because it's needed relatively often.
In my opinion, a 964 is definitely not an S2k as far as low-maintenance. A few people I know have/had them. My ex-girlfriend actually had a silver S2k and they're fun cars (though I didn't fit), and super low-maintenance. Even if it wasn't warrantied at that time, I'd say that car only racked up $300 of unscheduled maintenance in the 60k miles I was around it, and that was for a convertible top problem.
Modifying a Porsche puts you in a completely different league than modifying a Honda as well. (if you're at all interested in that.) Lower part run numbers, specific experienced technicians, et cetera leads to much higher prices...
Different cars, different times. And definitely different sounds.
Anyway, I'd say the 964 is a damn reliable and durable car when compared to cars of yesterday as well as today. Performance aside, they're extremely well designed and have a very high-quality build. Hardly any plastic clips or low-durability parts; relatively speaking to most sports cars. (though some may disagree here).
Good luck with yours. I'm sure it'll treat you well...
Harry
04-18-2007, 07:16 PM
#26
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+100 on the depreciation issue. Although you say you didn't spend a $ on the Honda S2K, I bet it was worth diddly-squat when you sold it. I have bought new BMW's and Lexus's's (Lexi?) for several years, and although they are better than most, typically lose about 10% per annum in value... easily more than Porsche maintenance costs.
04-18-2007, 08:32 PM
#27
Nordschleife Master
Adrian,
In the first two months of owning my car I have:
Had 2 rear tyres fitted
Put on new rear discs and pads
Refurbed the handbrake shoes and adjusted the cable
Put on a new steering column unit (broken indicator stalk)
Put on a new engine release cable
Changed the fan belts
Fitted a Turbo tacho (to get an OBC)
Fitted a used final silencer (to replace the G-pipe for track days)
Fitted a new bumper support bar
Fitted new wiper blades
Replaced a cracked front fog lamp.
Purchased various emergency spares like DME relay and bulbs
Purchased extra tools to do these jobs (e.g. new trolley jack and stands)
A total spend to date of £1,322 (that's about $2,511.80 folks)
I have done all the work myself except for fitting the tyres (big thank you to Rennlist for all the help
). I am half way through polishing out the bloom in the paintwork and have worked on the car every weekend since I've had it.
It has completely taken over my life. I have loved every minute of it and do not regret spending a penny on it.
p.s. it's going for an alignment check tomorrow which will cost more money!
In the first two months of owning my car I have:
Had 2 rear tyres fitted
Put on new rear discs and pads
Refurbed the handbrake shoes and adjusted the cable
Put on a new steering column unit (broken indicator stalk)
Put on a new engine release cable
Changed the fan belts
Fitted a Turbo tacho (to get an OBC)
Fitted a used final silencer (to replace the G-pipe for track days)
Fitted a new bumper support bar
Fitted new wiper blades
Replaced a cracked front fog lamp.
Purchased various emergency spares like DME relay and bulbs
Purchased extra tools to do these jobs (e.g. new trolley jack and stands)
A total spend to date of £1,322 (that's about $2,511.80 folks)
I have done all the work myself except for fitting the tyres (big thank you to Rennlist for all the help
). I am half way through polishing out the bloom in the paintwork and have worked on the car every weekend since I've had it.It has completely taken over my life. I have loved every minute of it and do not regret spending a penny on it.
p.s. it's going for an alignment check tomorrow which will cost more money!
04-18-2007, 10:18 PM
#28
Burning Brakes
Originally Posted by JohnMetro
+100 on the depreciation issue. Although you say you didn't spend a $ on the Honda S2K, I bet it was worth diddly-squat when you sold it. I have bought new BMW's and Lexus's's (Lexi?) for several years, and although they are better than most, typically lose about 10% per annum in value... easily more than Porsche maintenance costs.
I think even an ultra-reliable new Honda Accord with all factory warranty will cost $2K~$3K/ year in depreciation + minimal maintenance, and I don't think anyone would be unreasonable enough to take that as a baseline for a 964.
04-19-2007, 04:55 AM
#30
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Hi all. Thanks a million for the comments, some very entertaining ones there! I don't want to give the impression that I am afriad of the car, I am LOVING it... I have no problem spening money maintaining it... I just wanted a rough guide as to peoples general experiences....
If I was that confident and in love with my Honda I wouldn't have sold it... I am delighted with my new purchase! Just that when I was changing the Honda I was looking at a TVR Cerbera, until all the owners agreed that 4k sterling a year (about 7,000 dollars) was about right for looking after it!
Thanks so much again,
A
If I was that confident and in love with my Honda I wouldn't have sold it... I am delighted with my new purchase! Just that when I was changing the Honda I was looking at a TVR Cerbera, until all the owners agreed that 4k sterling a year (about 7,000 dollars) was about right for looking after it!
Thanks so much again,
A