Are we really the poor relations...?

[Hilux]

ORIGINAL: Neil Haughey

Simon I have seen as bad as that in MX-5s. There is a definite safety issue with all the open cars that have a cage around the cockpit, in the one MX-5 case I remember the guy rolled it, his arm flung out above the cage and you can guess the rest as the car rolled over onto his flailing arm. I think you have to be pretty crazy to race sevens, I discounted that idea long ago but track days is a different kettle of fish as the probabilities should always be much lower. There are guys out there for example who refuse to race at certain circuits even in our cars due to safety concerns, a very well known organiser has told me as much about Mallory after he had a huge crash there years ago himself.

Why aren't they made to use arm restraint straps!!!!



My Ginetta G27 V8 after T-Boning and snapping a street lamp - very strong little cars (luckily for me [8|]

Chassis without body - horrifyingly little of it - I fabricated the hoops and brace bars and the rear tank steelwork - its what saved me but the side rails are why I am here and think its only that the post hit the centre cross rail dead on that stopped it protruding further. The chassis is based upon the G4 racing cars.

Westfield chassis - the two bars in the floor centrally are steel strip for the seats, otherwise you are sitting on 1.0mm aluminium sheet with a 25 x 25 box section by your knees and behind you!!

 

[Hilux]

MX5 crash

He survived with a broken arm but why aren't they made to wear arm restraint straps?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfWjXzvVoL0

 

[Neil Haughey]

ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty

Nothing though is as insane as long track superkarts

Blimey! How fast are they going on the straights??

This one which I think is from the same meet has a data logger overlay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ym5PGAiibN0

The speed down the straights isn't whats so bonkers its the insane corner speeds, crash one of them things though and it really must be curtains, I can't believe the chances of survival are particularly good. Pretty sobering that even in this day and age guys are still taking part in and insanely dangerous form of motorsport.

 

[Neil Haughey]

That was the one Paul I was thinking of although for such small light cars they seem to have held up to many huge shunts. I agree should have restraints I think some of those guys do race with them.

 

[Hairyarse]

This looks insane!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOYjQpEO0RM

 

[Worsey]

ORIGINAL: Andy 944

Just checked my V5 ....... yep is says Porsche

Bit late into the fray, but yeah my S2's got a Porsche badge and I certainly didn't put it there.

I wanted a 911 when I first set out to buy a Porsche. I think I had that "got to be a 911" mentality but soon realised my budget would only get me something that needed a bit of work so that got shelved pretty quickly, and despite a colleague trying to talk me into a 968 I always found the 944 more aesthetically pleasing so I bought the best one I could find at the time. I wouldn't change the S2 now I've had it for six months or so. Looks great, very practical (none of my mates can get two sets of clubs in the boot without taking out longer clubs - they find this really impressive[]), and my 6 yr old Emma loves going in "Daddy's posh car" even if it means she can't have juice or crisps on the go.

If anything I might swap it for a ragtop and enjoy some summer cruising when Fletcher's old enough to go in the back in a few years but until then I'm going to enjoy the fact that I'm a Porsche owner, regardless of what anyone else says.

 

[944 man]

ORIGINAL: Hilux

MX5 crash

He survived with a broken arm but why aren't they made to wear arm restraint straps?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfWjXzvVoL0

From my conversation with Gerry, I believe that anyone racing Seven type cars doe have to wear restraints. If I was racing a 5 then I wouldn't entertain driving without them, but I had presumed that they would be compulsory there, too.

 

[Cater_Racer]

Yes arm restraints are mandatory for 7's (not always checked by scruitineering though).

ORIGINAL: 944 man

ORIGINAL: Hilux

MX5 crash

He survived with a broken arm but why aren't they made to wear arm restraint straps?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfWjXzvVoL0

From my conversation with Gerry, I believe that anyone racing Seven type cars doe have to wear restraints. If I was racing a 5 then I wouldn't entertain driving without them, but I had presumed that they would be compulsory there, too.

 

[George Elliott]

MB W123 estate

The A Class was not their first small car, W123 was. A true Mercedes too.

Lovely

[]

George
944t

 

[Neil Haughey]

Quite a few of those IOM vids on youtube, they all look utterly bonkers, but hey if one is crazy enough to stick one of these things through Druids at 100+ mph then I guess it isn't much more of a leap doing it on a street circuit, have an off and your a goner in either case.

ORIGINAL: Hairyarse

This looks insane!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOYjQpEO0RM

 

[ChasR]

To answer your question Pete, it depends on who you talk you to [].

Most aircooled 911 owners seem to be fine. Christ you even see a few giving you the odd wave! Sure there are some who may be of the mentality that nothing is a Porsche bar a 911, but I have not met too many like that as of yet (although my Region may have a few like so, read on).

It is the post 996 chaps I seem to find have the poor relations analogy towards the frontrunners. I remember when I went to get some tyres fitted to my 944 at my local tyre shop (Michelin PS3s) where a certain Carrera 4 owner was saying why I was bothering of going to the expense. He seemed to think the car would not warrant the tyres for the speed it could go (in comparison to what he owned, I guess he may have had a point, but attempting to keep 12 year old tyres on his £20k VW Camper?). He had owned a string of tasty 996s mind you, including a GT3, and a Turbo. He seemed surprised when I told him my 944 was not miles behind a friend's B7 RS4 in pace (that may change for the RS4 after a decoke...).

At the same place I had a 996 C4S owner trying to sell his car, saying it was a far better car than a 951 would be and I knew it.

This is before I get to an employee who works for a very well renowned Porsche specialist/rally shop in Oxfordshire, the very same who may have made a certain 911 for a known motoring character. He proudly talked of the aircooled cars he prepped, and referred to the 944 guys as 'bigoted fools' who were merely keeping poorly engineered car with fragile engines working, despite some 'thinking' they knew what they were doing. Going by what he said, it seemed his colleagues may have shared his thoughts. Someone else may have informed him that I owned a 944 at a later date!

To finalise, I would say most people probably do see us as the 'poor relations'. It is funny really, since it was the humble 924 which arguably saved Porsche from bankruptcy, and then the Boxster (another car with the same issue, although that seemed to be 'above' or 'below' the 944 when you chat to a few peeps).

However, this does mean one does get a silly amount of car for the money! You only have to look at Boxsters these days to see that point as well. Maybe hierarchies are not always a bad thing

 

[MarkK]

I love the front engined cars,my red turbo is on my drive a lot at the minute and I can't seem to bring myself to put it away....[]
Got a couple of air cooled cars aswell,but the 944 is comfier,and I just love that boost rightly or wrongly,I love the way you can fling them about,I don't give a monkeys what other people think,I know what I like,I know what's quick.In my 944 I can load the boot up with two weeks of luggage aswell easy peasy.It's just a great package...on a track day it can waft around quite competently with air con on and a full comfort interior.
A lot of people evaluate how good something is in their heads relative to its value ,a 944 T is a superb car (they cost a packet to maintain on the button,so it's an expensive to maintain poor relation!) just happens they are worth less overall than their rear engined brothers,but that doesn't affect my appreciation of them.
They are creeping up slowly too,I have noticed that trend continuing....would make me feel a tiny bit happier when I get a chunky bill...

 

[Greg James]

Driving home after getting the 944 serviced two guy in there early twenties said sweet Porsche. See some people get it. And all these people who knock our cars I wonder if they have ever driven one?

 

[Hairyarse]

ORIGINAL: Greg James

Driving home after getting the 944 serviced two guy in there early twenties said sweet Porsche. See some people get it. And all these people who knock our cars I wonder if they have ever driven one?

I think you can guarantee that they haven't Greg!!

 

[MRGT]

In my younger days as a budding musician, I could get a Marshall 4x12 cab, rack mounted effects box and 2 guitar cases in the back of a 944 and still have room for a *ahem 'passenger' []
Cant see all that fitting in a 911 []

To be brutally honest, I have never been a 'Porsche' fan, I just love the look of 944's, it could be made by Kia for all care[]

 

[Neil Haughey]

Have to admit I do tend to go wow when I go up to the storage facility to get my car out, just a shame I don't get to do that more often

 

[Frenchy]

Performance ?
I have a 88 Turbo S which runs around 310 BHP, recently bought a 997 Carrera 2S 355 BHP, i would say not a lot in it to about 120, not that i have actually done these sorts of speeds of course offisher []
"Poor mans" Porsche ? my 944 was 44k in 1988 and as we all know detuned / restricted so as not to outshine the "flagship" car.
I will bet 80% of the comment makers have never been in one never mind driven one.
A couple of my friends who happen to be in Germany right now and going to the Porsche Dinslaken festival tomorrow [] both own 944's and aircooled 911's they will tell you which one is the best GT car.
Our friend Jon Mitchell who owns all sorts of Pork will take his 86 944 Turbo to the grave with him.
The idea was to sell my Black car to help finance the 997 not sure at all now []

 

[Greg James]

I have an air cooled 911 lovely to look at but I do find myself opening the garage if a short drive I might take the 911. But I mostly take the 944 and I'm always sad when I get home the drive is never long enough.

 

[Hilux]

When I used to go away with my PCGB region to Europe I cant tell you how amazed (and impressed) the 911 brigade were

C2`s no problem, C4S`s could just about stay with it flat out and a GT2 owner was staggered for how long it took to lose mine.

Mate in a 360 `rarri was no quicker to 120 (slower 80-100)

I must say that mine was genuinely really quick with a fantastic torque curve and 253 bhp on the rollers of truth.

 

[Bob]

As middle age approached, I was looking to buy a 911 about 12 years ago and had tested a couple of 964 and a beautiful looking 3.2 Carrera Supersport, but they all felt very agricultural to drive. Then I saw a gorgeous Guards red 1990 Turbo at Shirleys in Meriden, so I went for a test drive and fell in love immediately with the power, the chuckability and the total practicality of the 2+2 and large boot. I didn't buy that one but shortly afterwards found my own and have never looked back, or at another car.

The trouble with yours Peter is that you have spent so much money modifying it that you can't reconcile in your mind to sell it for its true worth. Only a very small handful of people (who probably already have a 944 Turbo) would consider your car, everyone else will be looking for a standard car because they believe the mods will make it less reliable. Every mod that you do is money down the drain and you will never get it back. You would be better off removing them all and selling them separately, that's the only way you'll get anywhere near your money back.

Too many garages are happy to take money off us owners, take ages to do the work, then hand the car back full of parts that actually devalue the car. You need to advertise it properly and not just a half hearted post on here, most of us have seen the months and months of problems you have had and all the time its been in the garage. If you plan to keep it forever that's fine, but if you change cars regularly then it will unfortunately cost a lot of money.