[Georges]

That's right, heresy, not Hershey!



I complain at autox that no one shows up in my class to play with me. It's been 3-4 years if not more of not having a competitor show up. An evil person plants a seed "you should get an older 911 SC or Carrera". After we pick up the cones I drive a 1978 SC with a 3.2 L engine around (gently) for about 1 mile and find I like the way the car feels and turns so promplty; the car is more twichy and less civilized than the 968. The car is not very comfortable, there's no good place to put the left foot; it's more noisy -- and I like it.



I love the 968 for many reasons. But, the disease has started. Never, never test drive a car; that's how I ended up with the 968.



After 4 years of a 944 and 8 of the 968 I'm wondering about a "real Porsche", you know air cooled <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />. Will I be sorry to switch to a 911 SC or Carrera of 1978-1982 range? The goal would be to not spend much above what I'd get for the 968.



One of you may have been there before? Comments please.

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[PorscheDude]

964

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[RPM]

I sometimes ask myself the same question, and I have nearly bought a few 964s. But mine is often a daily driver - and here in the South A/C is a prime consideration. 911s just plain don't have 20th century HVAC systems until the 996. Of course, my 968 has great A/C.



I also like the uniqueness of the 968. There are so many 911s and Boxsters... I am lucky that at our two annual local PCA car shows there are plenty of 944s and usually at least one other 968.

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[DiREW0LF]

A friend of mine in New Mexico just sold his 1983 911 SC. Was a great car and parts weren't as pricey as the 964 or the 993. He did a conversion to a mega squirt fi system and the car ran incredible.

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[banditsc]

Any SC's you are looking at will most likely have the 3.0 as that is what they came with. To get the 3.2 you need to go to 84-89 model years. Unless of course your talking about a Turbo as those had the 3.2 in them.



Why not just go all the way and pick up a 993. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[Johannvb]

I have driven every kind of Porsche over the last 15 years; all except for the 928...I'm not old enough yet ;-)



Getting a pre 90's 911 will almost certainly be a disappointment. This is because it is a very big step back in technology, handling and creature comforts.



If you are going to buy a 911 I would suggest a 964. It is a perfect blend of new technology (for the time) and old 911 Charm. The suspension was also in for a major upgrade, you got a new gearbox. In my opinion, no other 911 can compare with the sound generated by a 964, especially the RS! The 3.6 in the 993 was too refined, emission controls muffled the engine note and as a result it lost a lot of the old character.



Anyway, that's just my 2 cents worth,

Johann

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[Darryl]

I've wanted an SC most of my life...I love the styling, the feel, the sound, etc. I finally got one! It essentially found me. 1982, all stock, only 51k documented miles. The 3.0L engine in the SC is virtually indestructible and many have been known to go 300K with little or no major work. They are a blast to drive and yes, much more twitchy and far less civilized than our 968. Keep in mind, the 968 wasn't made for sport, but rather a "touring" car.



There weren't many changes for the 3.2 Carrera of 84 thru 89, but many people feel those were the best years. A 964 does indeed get you more creature comforts for daily driver use, but I don't think you could sell the 968 and buy a 964 for the same amount of money. A nice 964 will still set you back 25K or so. Do lots of research and ask yourself how you plan to use the car. There's a great thread over on Pelican right now about using the a 911SC as a daily driver.



Either way, I don't think you could go wrong with any 911 from the 80's...get the nicest, lowest mile car you can find that fits within your budget and have fun with it. Just my thoughts...



- Darryl

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[wjk_glynn]

[quote name='banditsc' post='58803' date='Sep 2 2008, 10:29 AM']...Unless of course your talking about a Turbo as those had the 3.2 in them...[/quote]



The first 930 (911 Turbo) introduced in 1976 had a 3.0L non-intercooled engine. The engine was bumped up to 3.3L and had an intercooler added in 1978. Displacement increased to 3.6L in 1994. That was the last displacment increase (to date).



Karl.

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[Georges]

[quote name='Darryl' post='58815' date='Sep 2 2008, 05:19 PM']ask yourself how you plan to use the car.

- Darryl[/quote]



Pretty much for those places that require a helmet <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/biggrin.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> . Living in the Boston area I've found myself using the 968 less and less around town and become limited to drive to/from PCA events. It's almost an insult to drive the 968 in heavy traffic; it deserves so much more. It will definitely not be a daily driver. A reaction I had to the 911 was that it's such a contrast to a normal car and it's the barbarian aspect that attracts me.



At the end of the day I'm not sure I'll be able to hand the 968 keys to someone else. This may all be very theoretical.



Thanks for the responses.

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[flash]

in stock trim, while both cars are GT cars, and designed for sport touring, the 968 is much more suited to long trips and cruising, and as a daily driver, than the 911 model has ever been - it is easier to drive, more pliable and more practical - unfortunately this generally also means less sporty feeling



that may be a good or bad thing, depending on your perspective



you have to really mod the 968 to get the sporty feel, and really have to soften up the 911 to get the cruiser feel (not so much with the new model) - the ones you are talking about though are very different animals



the 911 has a less refined, twitchier, almost out of control feel about it - i can appreciate that, as i drove british sports cars for 25 years - not what i wanted in this car though



i modified the heck out of my 968 to try to get close to a sports car feel - never really got there, but got a lot closer - now i am actually peeling it back a bit, after discovering the very real limitations of the basic design, and finding that i was getting tired much more easily on long trips - i am now in the process of toning down a couple of things and returning it to the purpose for which it was purchased (weekend trips with 2 sets of golf clubs, luggage, and 2 cases of wine)



i'll build a race car for the sporty role



so, much of this comes to personal preference, and much to intended use

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[Mark]

I had one when I was younger, it was a natural progression after 10 or so VWs. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> I love the old air cooled cars and they are very easy to maintain. I bought the 968 over another 911 variant 964/993 as I just found the 968 more comfortable. If that is what you think you would like drive a couple more and if it still feels right make the move.

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[968Syncro]

An '82 911 SC Targa was my daily driver (most days) for 11 year prior to the 968. The 968 is not bumpy, smelly, leaky, noisy, hot. They are very different cars in my opinion. Took the 911 to 295K miles until the engine went. I hope our 968s will approach that durability some day. The 968 may be quicker if we compare power/weight ratios. Only trade back to a 911 SC for me would be for Sunday afternoon in the twisties in the local mountain, it is more of a sports car, you can really become one with that car.



You might want to read through the comments in this thread that was generated by the Excellence article comparing 968, '89 911, and Boxster. http://www.968forums.com/index.php?showtopic=3332 (my comments were post #9 in that thread)



Roland



====================



Well I am often good for a picture or 2 on our forum



This felt cool for a while, have 2 pCars in the garage (not mahal)



   



This was not cool, the guy I sold it to leaving our driveway on 3-4 cylinders -- oh well, his choice!



   

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[PorscheDude]

Yikes!

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[rxter]

   

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[ds968]

[quote name='968Syncro' post='58838' date='Sep 2 2008, 08:09 PM']====================

...... leaving our driveway .....



[/quote]



Smoke and all that aside... YOUR driveway ?! Wow, Oprah's mansion would be humbled if those gates are any indication of what might lie beyond.. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/unsure.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> Nice ! <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[968Syncro]

Yeah, but what is not visible is:

- the driveway cracks and holes that I filled with cold patch and filler myself (Oprah would have a concrete driveway)

- all those bushes/landscaping you see are now gone because most of our yard burned up last fall in the big fire storms.

- the oil changes I do myself

- the gate that is open, but doesn't work.

- the 968 "revival" work I had to do myself

- the monthly college payments

Hey, what I can say? Tech guy in a tougher market these days??? But yeah, for SoCal it is a lucky place.



Roland

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[Duckman]

Very interesting. I've been considering something similar.



I started thinking about it in earnest during my recent struggles with the rear hatch of my 968. My car still runs really strong and I have lots of upgrades. It still looks good, too. It’s comfortable and fun and still draws lots and lots of looks anywhere it goes. However, the rear hatch separation was killing me.



So, I had another bout of replacement fever. Maybe I should get that 911 I’ve always wanted. Maybe I should get a Boxster. No--no way. Maybe a Boxster S. Yeah, maybe.



I’ve been looking at the 964s and the ’87-’89 911s. They’re really great cars. Unfortunately, a good-condition, lower-mileage example is still very expensive.



I started looking around for a 2003 Boxster S. One became available at our local Porsche dealer at the same time I had my Acura MDX next door for routine service. Naturally, I HAD to take it for a drive.



I liked it. Nice ride. It had great handling, as far as I could tell from a limited experience. Yes, it had a much flatter turn than my 968, that has upgraded shocks and sway bars but stock springs. As for the peppiness factor, I think it was on a par with my 968, which surprised me. The 986 has more power and weighs less. My 968 has free-flow exhaust, modified air box and custom chip but it cannot match the 986’s 258 bhp. Both cars have six-speed gearboxes but I seemed to always be in too high a gear in the Boxster S. Maybe I'm getting more umph out of my 968 mods than I thought.



Could I live with the 986S? Absolutely. Where would I put golf clubs? Well, it’s just a good thing that I don’t play golf very often and have access to other cars.



Then I got my 968 hatch repaired and returned to as-new condition--at least for now, knock on wood. My car is too much fun, too practical, too comfortable, and, yes too affordable to make a switch to the 986S.



I still have a craving for a Carrera but that’s another story for another day.

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[Georges]

You guys are great. That's another advantage of the 968 - this forum.



The Boxster has impressed me with its handling but I never look at them with any envy. I also don't lust for the newer versions of the 911; they're almost too comfortable -- I just have to be sure never to drive one.



The only logical decision is to keep the 968 and get a second toy. Are divorces expensive?



Let's see now... blonde or brunette?

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[Cloud9...68]

A neighbor of mine has a very clean 964. Nice car, but I think the 993 is a big step up in looks. However, one thing that really bugs me about any of the aircooled 911's is their very spartan interior. To me, they always looked like they belong in an entry-level VW.



As for the Boxster, they are truly great cars, to the point of bordering on the iconic (as is the 911, of course). In fact, if I could have ANY new car, regardless of price, the 2009 direct-injected Boxster S would rank up there with any car on the planet. This is a car that has continued to improve year by year, without befalling the fate of so many other sports cars and becoming bloated in the process. Because of this, I would steer clear of a used one, because I would always be lusting after the increased power, nicer interior, etc., of the new ones. But a well equipped new S easily tops $70K.



So, all things considered, the 968 has to be one of the best sports car values in the world. The unique looks, roomy, practical interior, decent power, balanced handling, and an incredible support group in the form of this forum, make the 968 truly unique in the sports car (sorry, Flash, I mean "GT") universe. It sounds like you've made a good decision by keeping it.



Edit: just noticed the ironic number of this post (which kind of makes up for its lateness, as the OP has already made up his mind).

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[flash]

lol - no worries



the boxster is indeed probably the best bang for the buck today



however, i cannot stand the way i sit in the car, or where things are - so, for me, every time i got in it, i would want to get out of it



not so with the 968 - that was the clincher when i got it - i sat down and immediately felt in control

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