Talk Morgan Forums Community Vehicle Talk (non-Morgan) Porsche Madness

Curious. Why?

'Bout the size of it Mike.
A year after I'd traded the Boxster I drove a 911 of virtually the same age as the one for sale. On a track, admittedly, but it really grabbed me. However, at the time of the Boxster purchase, the car had to live outside (too wide to reach the garage, where the Mog would stay anyway), so it made sense not to go 911 Targa...

Aren't they just. A pal is looking for one.
I've scratched the Porker itch, with the '01 S. Yes, it was a great car. So capable it was boring in a lot of road driving scenarios...

Is that also known as a Pork Scratching?

The unfortunate criticism that gets levelled against 'modern' Porsches is that they are dull because they are too competent. I can understand this sentiment but don't necessarily agree with it. Part of the issue is that most are very highly specced and therefore feel very luxurious as well as competent; Evo magazine maintained that the best 911 was a C2, manual, standard spec with no options - a pure drivers car - and I understand exactly what they meant. The base 911 with a manual box is still a brilliant drivers car and all of them, even the 4WD, are capable of being very thrilling. Furthermore, one drive in a GT 911 (GT3, RS, GT2, GTS) will prove that if you take liberties, they are more than happy to slap you back into submission.

I love them and still believe there is no other 2+2 sports car that is as well rounded and competent as the 911.

I have had two porkers. A BoxterS Tip 3.4 which was just fantastic
and a 911 3.6 - a dream come true for me and a great car.

BUT the itch has been well and truly scratched!!

I keep looking at Porsche and have had test drives in a number of both 911 and Boxter models. I wouldnt describe them as dull. I would simply describe them as too much.

I drove to my last test in my Elise R. I did the same test route in all three cars, the latest 911 and the latest Boxter S. I've no doubt that round a track the Porsche would be faster than my Lotus and the 911 in particular definitely felt like a true sports car whereas the Boxter somehow was too refined and lacking rawness. But neither were as engaging to drive as the Lotus. Or indeed a Morgan would have been

Puzzling about this on the way back home, I came to a similar conclusion to yourself. The Porsches werent engaging because they were too well specced, too big and complicated and finally because you couldnt use what they gave you on normal roads. For me, the fun in driving in the UK isnt maximum speed but driving swiftly and precisely down narrow winding roads. Thats why Toyota and Subaru brought out their latest sports car with narrow wheels and just 200 or so BHP. The Porkers were simply too big too fast and too competent for that.

Hmmm... another interesting non Morgan thread

I ran a Boxster S for four years and traded it in for a 911 C2 which I again ran for four years. Both were manuals, and running them back to back was interesting. I loved the Boxster S, it was agile, quick enough, had great brakes, an excellent roof system, and reasonable practicality (i.e. adequate luggage space for a weeks holiday in France).

There was an element of the Clarkson pressure (you know, the "...you only buy a Boxster if you can't afford a 911...") behind the 911 purchase. In some ways I felt that the Boxster S was the better all round sports car, but the 911 was a more rewarding drive if you drove it well... it didn't take kindly to clumsy or lazy inputs though! The best option on the 911 was the switchable sports exhaust... lovely noise on bypass

There are so many different 911 models around now , that it is impossible to know which one to go for, as a first, but secondhand, 911. What would the recomendation of experienced owners be for a 911 that is involving to drive, will hold its' price well and preferably be convertible?

I now have a 3.0 SC Targa since summer last year. I did not intend to keep her for years. She was just my first Porsche and a good buy. On her own and without comparison she is a great drive. I have the chance to testdrive different models because I purchased some Porsches from CA to restore them a bit where necessary and sell them. So I could enjoy a 1976 911 S coupe. They have a mixed reputation concerning the reliability of the engines but I would strongly recommend them for a test drive. It is really unbelievable how much power and fun comes out of these 165 HP rev willing engines. Plus you have the lovely narrow body which could increase in value soon. The best experience outside the extremely expensive pre 1974 long hood car world. They are also available in Targa style which delivers the same feel as a cabrio plus better style in my view. The biggest plus these 2.7 G Models feel and drive much lighter than a SC, and with more response.Today the engine issues can be fixed quite good.

I have a Gen 1 996 C2 Tiptronic (2001, 3.4). I've had it for 4.5 years and covered 40,000 miles in it since then. Total mileage is 97,500. During my ownership running costs have been very low - one battery, two sets of rear tyres, one water pump, discs and pads all round (largest single expense - £1000) and one sun roof seal. Servicing is once a year by a local independent specialist and rarely over £300 + MOT.

I love it and can thoroughly recommend one. Buy carefully - get it checked by an independent before parting with the cash. Don't buy too cheap.

There are all the scare stories regarding engines on the internet. By and large the early engines will have been sorted by now. As a guide a Hartech rebuild will cost around £3500 - I've just spent almost that on my Norris Motorsport CVH rebuild for the Morgan - and that was nothing super special (full strip, skim, solid lifters, cam).

Going forwards over the next year I'm budgeting for front tyres (approx £450) and silencer boxes in SS (approx. £800 fitted) - a normal service and a contingency for radiators (I always have contingency for radiators)!

These cars are surprisingly affordable to run say 8,000-10,000 miles a year and, although I would never change the Mog (27yrs and counting), there really is no comparison with 4.5 seconds to 60mph, 300+bhp and under 1400kg. The only thing is - they come into their own once the legal speed limit has been reached!!