911 OR 944?

[944Turbo]

PS pretty sure Fen left voluntarily before anyone gets too excited,
Tony

 

[charles.y]

IMHO... Apart from the exotic 911s like the RS, GT2/3, turbo etc. The 944s (S2 and turbo) are not too much behind compares to a standard 911s (unto 996 models?) in terms of performance and handling (some including me will argue that the 944s are much better handling than the 911s).

My argument is that if the 944s are already a nice balance and easy to drive sports car, why bother to have the necessary sweats in order to squeeze out the hidden talents of the 911s. You can get a very nice example of 944 for half the 911 price easily. I drive my S2 in regardless of the weather conditions and it never lets me down. I guess the tracks are the natural place where the potentials of the 911 can be fully explored.

Drive to thrill or thrill to drive?

Charles

 

[Diver944]

It's an age old question and we all have our own answers so it comes down to personal choice. The 911 is an icon and is synonymous with the Porsche name as is it's rear engined layout and that glorious flat six sound track. The 944 has gloriously balanced handling, a practical interior and can be driven day in day out in all weathers without any worries but it never really had the engine it deserved.

I'd never sell my 944 but I do want a 964RS so I'll just have to wait until I can afford both []

 

[sawood12]

I'd just like to stick up for the modern 911's. They may not have the soul of the earlier air cooled models but they still have it and I think it's inevitable that when things are developed closer and closer to perfection they loose a bit of soul and character because the things that give a machine soul and character are those tiny imperfections - it's a human trait we like those imperfections like J-Lo's bum and Cindy Crawfords mole. But you cannot escape the long and relentless march of 'improvement through technology' (or versprung durch technic) and the 996's and 997 are doing Porsche proud continuing where the 993 left off. And one of the best things about the 996 is that depreciation means their values are dropping like a stone. You can now get them for good late 964/early 993 money, and that is alot of bang for your buck.

 

[George Elliott]

ORIGINAL: 944Turbo

PS pretty sure Fen left voluntarily before anyone gets too excited,
Tony

I miss the experience Fen contributed, and it came with a certain style too, which was enjoyable.
Pity he's absent here but his 911 looks really tasteful.
I noticed he's doing something about the 964's extended Yankee front indicators which I have been trying to address myself.

George

 

[George Elliott]

Scott
I'm reminded of Vorsprung durch technic every time the wipers scrape [] over the windscreen of my better half's A4. Even tried a new windscreen. Audi are the German for boring, quattro heritage - where's the A4 EVO with steering feel. Pure boredom, and to think they assembled our '44's.

[]But they did put them together very very well.[]
I feel better now..............
George

 

[TTM]

944 are better born cars, as they had never been sentenced to carry the overwhelming "beetle heritage" Porsche only managed to get rid off somehow since the 996, not without paying expensive engineering efforts.

I certainly feel more comfortable with the idea of driving a VAG offspring than a "Porsche", especially as it provides fantastic performance in sheep clothes.

PS : Would be nice to read on Fen again. He has always made pretty good points.

 

[rob.kellock]

Scott, you are quite right. 996 is a stunning vehicle and still suitably quirky - Porsche's ergonomic department were clearly on the beers when they put the PSM off switch next to the rear window wiper switch, particularly amusing on an unlit motorway during a sudden burst of heavy snow last week...

 

[sawood12]

Yes, I agree that this debate is missing Fen's unique and forthright input. I really hope that his disillusionment with this forum is temprary. Forums like this thrive on the particapants knowledge and experience and Fen had significant knowledge and experience.

I don't think ergonomics have ever been Porsches strong point. The fact that most of the dash gauges are obscured by the steering wheel is testiment to that! But I do like the accellarator pedal hinged from the floor. Seems so natural given the way your foot pivots on the end of your leg.

 

[Guest]

Funny I realised only yesterday that the forum had become 'Fenless'.
I might not always have agreed with his point of view but he was a good, entertaining contributor, and always helpful with problems too.
I hope he comes back.

 

[John Lee]

I had the same thoughts as yourself. Had the 944 now for 9 years, thought and bought the 911 last year. Completely love the 944, such a good performer, good tourer and comfortable. Also not expensive to run either.

The 911 - well very different to the 944; very agile and instant throttle response; demands effort to drive which is both good and bad. The 911 has got that wow factor, it tells you clearly it is a bit special so pay attention.

Summary, if you can run both.

John.

 

[Neil Haughey]

ORIGINAL: John Lee

The 911 - well very different to the 944; very agile and instant throttle response; demands effort to drive which is both good and bad.
John.

I just had the thought actually that if one wants something modern that isn't expensive and wants a similar sort of experience to the 911 then a clio V6 is probably a good choice. My personal take on the modern 911 is that I would have preffered it if Porsche had kept the performance level and made the car cheaper as time went on e.g. about 50K all in. However Porsche clearly position themselves against the other german marques involved in a power war so this was never likely to happen, and ISTR that the % of the population with the required disposable income to afford the 911 gets bigger every year anyway.

 

[George Elliott]

Neil, I suppose a Clio Cup would be like a 944 turbo and spoil the fun of the Clio V6 by being quicker in the real world, - and having a fan club who appreciate its class leading dynamic ability[].

But I agree, the V6 is an unusual move in todays market, - like the old plastic GTA [&:] they made in Dieppe which was actually rear engined.

On the subject of other makes, dare I ask has any-one experience of the 350Z, apart from its odd appearance, 0.6mm panels, and South East Asis Inc plastics? I heard one the other day at full chat and it sounds er, very very impressive[8|].

No it was'nt overtaking me [] - it would know better I guess [].

George

944T
964rs

 

[Neil Haughey]

I did seriously think about getting a GTA turbo a while back. It is a rare interesting car and occasionally they pop up for 944 S2/turbo money. However the interior is without doubt the most 80's rubbish of any sports car I have seen. ISTR that the V6 was/is built in the same factory and is a largely hand built car.

 

[John Sims]

I never wanted a Porsche of any type. I didn't like the look of them, I didn't like the histry, I didn't like the sort of people I knew that owned them.......and then I drove one (new 996 C4S). My whole view changed and I wanted a Porsche very badly after that.

A few years later I bought a 944, not realising how cheap Porsche ownership could be. I then bought a 944 Turbo which I started modifying and never realised how expensive Porsche ownership could be.

I had forgotten what the 911 was like, and thought I was living the Porsche dream, until Alan (at Weltmeister) took me for a run in his 964RS. It was then that I remembered the feeling I had when I drove that 996 for the first time. The 944 isn't the same - even a 300+ bhp 944.

I doubt I will ever have a 911 (I want an Aston or a new XK8R) but, if I had the money for a track only car it would be a 911 - or in a few years it could well be a Cayman.

So 911 or 944? For shear driving experience it has to be a 911. For the best value all round performance car available today the 944 is still better than anything made by anybody anywhere.

I agree Fen is much missed on this forum (I think he had a week at Forum Users Anonymous). Perhaps we will see him back.

 

[Suffolk944]

I hadn't planned on getting a 944 before I got mine - it was always going to be an Integrale for me. While I do occasionally whistfully think of getting one, I know neither it nor anything else in a similar price bracket or even a considerably higher one comes even close to having anything like the all round capabilities of the 944.