333pg333

For the extra cost of getting a 993 and adding whatever you need to track it gets you a 951 with eg 350whp. Agreed when you introduce turbocharging into the equation you do seem to create more potential for things to go wrong, but I still think you can have a faster 951 for the same money as the 993 in this discussion. Plus, if you want to spend some more money on it you can make that into 500whp. You can't do that with the 993, not even close. While I don't think you are into the 'serious' money to get the 350whp, you are spending plenty to get the 500whp+ agreed. Still, to get that power out of any Porsche will cost you bucketloads.

APKhaos

I learned to drive in a 3.2 Carrera, and loved that car. Still miss it.
When it came time to go racing, the game was about selecting the series that best suited me, then choosing the car that was right for the series. I took lots of good advice and guidance from guys who had definitely BTDT, but no religion & no prejudice.

When I bought the 89 944TurboS, I had never driven or even instructed in a 944 of any kind. The car was young at 32Kmiles, and had a good PCA CR history. That was early 2004. After two very full race seasons with 14 races in the series plus every Potomac DE weekend that didn't clash with a race, I was sure I had the right car. Oddly enough, it has only ever had one turbo-related problem, and that was a cycling valve failure that was an easy fix at the track, and a blown head gasket [the only DNF]. I think the 'turbos are unreliable' might be a result of fairly tired street cars getting beaten up on track, and/or getting bolt-on 350HP bits without refreshing the internals to take that load. Who knows? What I can say is that if they are well prepared, they are plenty reliable.

For a DE car, any one of the three is a great choice. Make sure the car you buy is rock solid, or budget to make it that way out of the box. The 993 is a classic, and seems a very even match for a strong but stock 944TurboS. The 3.2 has a bombproof engine, and the a little more of the classic raw 911 character. Its a simple and solid car that can be made to handle very well, but a little slower than the other two. Tough choice, but if you get a good, well prepared example you will be happy with any of the three.

Willard Bridgham 3

I have a 944 TS that had 150 track hours on the original modified engine and 180K miles before it needed a rebuild.

Pretty reliable........damn fast.

50/50 weight distribution is the holy graal for chassis designers.

chrisp

WB3,

Not including oil, fuel, and performance upgrades could you expand on any repairs/maintenance you've done in that 150 hours?

Willard Bridgham 3

Clutch
Belts
Front end oil seals and rollers
Torque tube bearings (the originals were fine)
Caliper rebuild, rotors, pads
Coolant hoses and water pump
Engine mounts
Control arm ends
Rebuild Konis
Starter and alternator
Head Gasket
Oil pressure relief valve
Oxygen sensor

chrisp

Not as much as I had expected considering the # of hrs. A head gasket is a pretty expensive repair, no?

Willard Bridgham 3

Mechanic took 8 hrs......put in an o-ringed cometic. I think the cometic is no better than stock.

gab997

I have tracked the 997S twice now and definately hooked.. My main concern with tracking the 997S is putting the car into a wall, of which is why I am wanting to get a dedicated car for de/race events. I am wanting to spend between 15-30k on a good base car with the ability to upgrade the car in the future. The 944TS cost is low as well as upgrade cost which is a plus, minus is reliability. I like the 911 3.2 because it is more raw and the reliability, minus is speed difference. The 993 only down side is cost of entry and upgrades. I need to drive the 944TS and 3.2 to make a better decision. All the input is great and helpful.

Greg

Gary R.

You are exactly where I was 3 years ago. I bought a solid SC and had my shop transform it into a track car, which I now race. Think SC..

dbryant61

333pg333,

You wrote: Are you serious? Easier than a 3.2 Carrera? I have an SC and have done everything you can think of except for rebuilding the trans, which I had done by someone else. Its got to be one of the easiest cars I have ever worked on. 944Ts have so much stuff jammed in tight under th hood, I find them hard to work on. Just my opinion

38D

I have never seen a reliable 350whp 951 that didn't have a ton of money in it. Stock engines are plenty reliable

Why are you not considering a 964? It's nearly as fast as the 993, yet costs significantly less.

cooz

i would get a 964 before your other choices...

norm mandell
968 pca/nasa race car
944S2 street car previously owned
993 street/track car previously owned

333pg333

To be honest I'd love a nice 993 too. I have in the back of my mind doing just that one day but the costs of cars out here are waaaayyyyyy more expensive than in the US so that may have to go on hold for some time. I am pouring $$$$ plenty into my 951 and will have substantially more than the hp/tq that we're talking about here anyway. It is being built to be bulletproof too. I think the bottom line is once you have the boost it's like an addiction. Very hard to give up!

APKhaos

That's hilarious!

- The Carrera 3.2 engine and trans can be dropped in an easy two hours without breaking a sweat.
- The first time I dropped the 951 engine took maybe 10 hours, and the shop floor looked like a slaughterhouse. These damn things drip green coolant, red hydraulic fluid and brown oil everywhere when being removed.
- First law of 944: Access to a component of interest requires the removal of several other components. Accesss may involve torture, and may not not enable the removal of the component of interest without removal of further components or systems.

The 951 is a great car, but anyone who says they are easy to work on is sufficiently delusional to be well qualified for a career in federal politics.

Gator_86_951

This is entirely correct.