New Guy: A few Questions about C4's
#17
Racer
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Annapolis, MD / Media, PA
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I forgot to mention the seats, I am 6'3" and about 230lbs on a good day (down from 240 (12/01/10), the open (non-sport) seats give you plenty of lateral room and as with most German cars you can run the drivers seat way back, so leg room shouldn't be an issue. One of the many things that surprise people about this car is the lack of tilt/telescoping steering wheel. I would suggest finding a car in the local area and sitting in it for a while and see if it fits.
#18
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A few additional thoughts: First order of business is to sit in one. Headroom may be a problem unless you recline the seat quite a bit.
As you know from your Subaru, even with AWD, turning and stopping are going to be a problem. A narrow winter tire will be required for safe driving in snow.
Also, salt, mag chloride and sand make you hesitant to take your baby out in bad conditions. Maybe plan on keeping the Subie as your bad weather back-up.
Finally, regular maintenance is costly on any Porsche. Driving 12 months a year just means those service intervals come around a lot more quickly.
Living in Colorado, I drive mine daily April - Oct. Keeps me out of the bad winter weather and keeps the miles down to about 7K per year.
964's are great cars. The prices are much lower than a 993. Heck, you can purchase a good 964 for a fraction of the cost of a new STI and still have money left over for lots of fun mods!
As you know from your Subaru, even with AWD, turning and stopping are going to be a problem. A narrow winter tire will be required for safe driving in snow.
Also, salt, mag chloride and sand make you hesitant to take your baby out in bad conditions. Maybe plan on keeping the Subie as your bad weather back-up.
Finally, regular maintenance is costly on any Porsche. Driving 12 months a year just means those service intervals come around a lot more quickly.
Living in Colorado, I drive mine daily April - Oct. Keeps me out of the bad winter weather and keeps the miles down to about 7K per year.
964's are great cars. The prices are much lower than a 993. Heck, you can purchase a good 964 for a fraction of the cost of a new STI and still have money left over for lots of fun mods!
#19
Track Day
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Thanks! I keep a my stock list pretty well updated on my Facebook page under Nick Rossi Knives. I have a few retail locations here in Maine as well.
That is encouraging. If I could find a 964 close by to sit in, I don't know if I could ever stop.
Thanks,
I am lucky enough to have a company car at my disposal for really bad weather. I could also bogart my girlfriend's car. I was hoping that power washing regularly would help with the salt build up. The AWD definately helps with the foul weather, but by judging from the cars that I see upside down, it really has more to do with the driver mod than anything else.
-Nick
I forgot to mention the seats, I am 6'3" and about 230lbs on a good day (down from 240 (12/01/10), the open (non-sport) seats give you plenty of lateral room and as with most German cars you can run the drivers seat way back, so leg room shouldn't be an issue. One of the many things that surprise people about this car is the lack of tilt/telescoping steering wheel. I would suggest finding a car in the local area and sitting in it for a while and see if it fits.
A few additional thoughts: First order of business is to sit in one. Headroom may be a problem unless you recline the seat quite a bit.
As you know from your Subaru, even with AWD, turning and stopping are going to be a problem. A narrow winter tire will be required for safe driving in snow.
Also, salt, mag chloride and sand make you hesitant to take your baby out in bad conditions. Maybe plan on keeping the Subie as your bad weather back-up.
Finally, regular maintenance is costly on any Porsche. Driving 12 months a year just means those service intervals come around a lot more quickly.
Living in Colorado, I drive mine daily April - Oct. Keeps me out of the bad winter weather and keeps the miles down to about 7K per year.
964's are great cars. The prices are much lower than a 993. Heck, you can purchase a good 964 for a fraction of the cost of a new STI and still have money left over for lots of fun mods!
As you know from your Subaru, even with AWD, turning and stopping are going to be a problem. A narrow winter tire will be required for safe driving in snow.
Also, salt, mag chloride and sand make you hesitant to take your baby out in bad conditions. Maybe plan on keeping the Subie as your bad weather back-up.
Finally, regular maintenance is costly on any Porsche. Driving 12 months a year just means those service intervals come around a lot more quickly.
Living in Colorado, I drive mine daily April - Oct. Keeps me out of the bad winter weather and keeps the miles down to about 7K per year.
964's are great cars. The prices are much lower than a 993. Heck, you can purchase a good 964 for a fraction of the cost of a new STI and still have money left over for lots of fun mods!
I am lucky enough to have a company car at my disposal for really bad weather. I could also bogart my girlfriend's car. I was hoping that power washing regularly would help with the salt build up. The AWD definately helps with the foul weather, but by judging from the cars that I see upside down, it really has more to do with the driver mod than anything else.
-Nick
#20
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I've had a '90 C4 for 3 years and have to say I have 1 major gripe. I'm six foot tall, but all my height is in my legs so that my knees hit the steering wheel when I use the clutch and even interfere when I take a sharp turn without shuffling my hands. I've had my seat in several positions from up close with knees splayed to far back with arms stretched out. Things got somewhat tolerable when I lowered the seat as far as it'd go. So sit in the car and make note of how your legs fit.
This car has been very reliable. It's the most solid car I've ever owned and is a hoot to slide around a corner (for example at an autoX). I am thoroughly spoiled and doubt I'll be able to consider any other brand when/if I move on.
One last thought. Parts are very expensive. My car has a few oil leaks as many do and 2 cylinders with compression leaks, again, as many early models do.
Good luck,
Dan
This car has been very reliable. It's the most solid car I've ever owned and is a hoot to slide around a corner (for example at an autoX). I am thoroughly spoiled and doubt I'll be able to consider any other brand when/if I move on.
One last thought. Parts are very expensive. My car has a few oil leaks as many do and 2 cylinders with compression leaks, again, as many early models do.
Good luck,
Dan
#21
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My 964 is a good example of how tough they can be.
227K Kms, 6 years parked outside under a tarp.
4WD has been bled likely the first time ever in 2010, and I had one single issue, the lateral accelerometer went bad. VERY costly if you have to buy new, only difficult if ou can find a good used one.
This to say, they are tough and can take quite some abuse.
And, they are MUCH better in snow than the later visco-coupler 993.
227K Kms, 6 years parked outside under a tarp.
4WD has been bled likely the first time ever in 2010, and I had one single issue, the lateral accelerometer went bad. VERY costly if you have to buy new, only difficult if ou can find a good used one.
This to say, they are tough and can take quite some abuse.
And, they are MUCH better in snow than the later visco-coupler 993.
#22
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Re: the lateral accell going bad. My C4 Llt the ABS light about 3 mons. after I purchased it. I brought it to a tech with a Hammer to read the codes and he said it was the lateral accel. They cost over $3,000 new!!! I was sick. I ended up buying a used accel for $400. When I replaced this the light stayed on. I got even sicker as this meant the computer or the wiring was bad. On a hunch, I pulled the longitudinal accel and replaced it with the 'old' lateral accel. The light went off. I popped the long. accel. open and found the metal shavings talked about in other posts on this topic. If you think about it, the long. accel gets the most work form starting/stopping and should fail first. I assumed that the Hammer interpretted the codes wrong.
Some folks say you can clean the metal shavings off and the accel will be as good as new. Haven't had to do that as I bought replacement. But, GeorgeK, dont be surprised if your ABS light comes on again. I'm almost sure that's why the previous owner sold the car as he had already forked out for a new lat. accel. (it looked newer than long accel) and was having intermittent ABS lights as it was really the long. accel. that was bad.
Car has been rock solid since.
Some folks say you can clean the metal shavings off and the accel will be as good as new. Haven't had to do that as I bought replacement. But, GeorgeK, dont be surprised if your ABS light comes on again. I'm almost sure that's why the previous owner sold the car as he had already forked out for a new lat. accel. (it looked newer than long accel) and was having intermittent ABS lights as it was really the long. accel. that was bad.
Car has been rock solid since.
#23
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But, GeorgeK, dont be surprised if your ABS light comes on again. I'm almost sure that's why the previous owner sold the car as he had already forked out for a new lat. accel. (it looked newer than long accel) and was having intermittent ABS lights as it was really the long. accel. that was bad.
Car has been rock solid since.
Car has been rock solid since.
#24
Rennlist Member
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My 964 is a good example of how tough they can be.
227K Kms, 6 years parked outside under a tarp.
4WD has been bled likely the first time ever in 2010, and I had one single issue, the lateral accelerometer went bad. VERY costly if you have to buy new, only difficult if ou can find a good used one.
This to say, they are tough and can take quite some abuse.
227K Kms, 6 years parked outside under a tarp.
4WD has been bled likely the first time ever in 2010, and I had one single issue, the lateral accelerometer went bad. VERY costly if you have to buy new, only difficult if ou can find a good used one.
This to say, they are tough and can take quite some abuse.
And here I was worried about my car...my last drive was a quick run to the store, so the car never fully warned up and the thermostat didn't open...can you imagine how much water is in my oil? The car has been sitting in the garage for a couple days... ok, I'm not really worried, well just a little...
After reading George's comments above, I might even park the car outside one night just for kicks!
#25