In love with another model

andymorris · Apr 26, 2007

I know this is a 944 forum but I just had to post this.
I now appreciate the thread that was running a little while ago 911 or 944 and the experience of owning one.
I was given a 3.2 Carrera as a courtesy car while my s2 is having yet more work and I think im in love or lust, what an amazing,wonderful and so incredibly enjoyable driving experience. I have got to have one !

cococola · Apr 26, 2007

I bet the running/repair costs go up with one of these?[8|]

sawood12 · Apr 26, 2007

Well I was next to an old 911 model that was pulling out of a tight parking space the other day and he was revving the engine as he was shunting back and forth to get out of the spot then revved off once he was free. The noise sent shivers up my spine. I don't want to sell my 944 to get one but I must have a 911.

usermjg · Apr 27, 2007

Why not have both.
I owned a 924S for many moons, but always fancy'ed a 911. Every time i saw one i wanted it, but i could never really give up the 924 in order to buy a 911. After a long time of sole searching and most important of all the go ahead off the Mrs, i brought a 911 on a trial basis at first, i.e if it was good then i would sell the 924, and if i didn't like it i would have alittle fun with it and then sell it on. However i have come to find that both cars are completely different, my 924S is like a eager little puppy always trying to please, and it really puts a warm smile on my face as i drive it, where as my 911 is like having a bear knuckle fight and I'm sure that if i dont keep my whits about me then i will end up with a bloody nose. At first this raw driving style was un-pleasent, but i now love it. The final outcome being i decided to keep both, running cost aren't that bad really, and if it becomes a problem i will just take them off the road for a while, then they will cost me nothing. Well ok aprat from starting the engines from time to time and polishing etc.

Marc

AndrewS · Apr 27, 2007

Hi Marc,

I completely understand what you are saying. The 924S (150bhp) is a great car to drive. Excellent torque characteristics, low seating position (good for tall drivers) and superb handling (as well a quite a high top speed). They are amazing value too and I always look at the ones listed for sale.

The 911 - especially the 3.2 Carrera and 964 possibly. An aquired taste, but totally organic and a real driving occasion becuase the car is so involving. I've had a 3.2 and 911 Turbo 2. Both were great fun to have - but unfortanately my head rules my heart and the 944 Turbo has the most useful dynamic combination of performance, practicality and sheer mind blowing track driving ability that perhaps only very special 911 models can deliver?

That said, I would never turn down the opportunity of driving or owning any 911 models. I would enjoy any of them and would like to experience a 2.4S or 2.2S (early pre 74 models). I've still yet to try a modern GT3RS or 911 Turbo and envy the guys at the workshop who get to drive everything from GT3's to 997's.

My first race car was a 924S too

Regards,
Andrew

Fred Hindle · Apr 27, 2007

The simplest answer to your dilemma is to buy one of each, a 924S, a 944 and a 964. I know I have.[

]

Cheers,

George Elliott · Apr 28, 2007

Andy
I'm so sorry, - what a nasty thing for someone to do to you[

]
Life will never be the same again[8|]
I understand your thoughts fully, would agree with Andrew - 944 - superb sports car dynamics. (because it was designed to improve on a previous car[

])
George

944 - balanced by the factory
911 - balanced by the driver

333pg333 · Apr 28, 2007

I'm basically in agreement with Andrew. While I would love to try one of the new 997's be it turbo or GT3 (don't they sound awesome at the track?), I am more and more determined to make my 944t reach it's potential and am firmly confidant that I will give those GT3's some hurry up. The best thing is that under the one badge of marque, there are so many different models that each have their own idiosyncracies and are easy to fall in love with. I remember driving my first 911 which was a 2.2s and just revelled in the tactile nature of the whole experience. The earlier models also look a lot of fun at the track, but ultimately the 944 is a severly underated model and it is in many, many ways superior to the 911 mechanically. Plus there's that inverted sense of snobbery and the itch to show them up!

andymorris · Apr 28, 2007

Thanks George - Life is tough !
I love my S2 and with the money thats been put into her over the last 6 months I really couldnt justify selling yet or owning another Porsche.
Lets just hope I dont get lent a 964 Targa next! As that would probably be too much for me to cope with. [

]
Regards

sawood12 · Apr 28, 2007

Though it's true that in it's day the 924/944/968 series of cars were designed to be better sportscars than the 911's of the day Porsche has not ceased its relentless development of the 911 and all credit to it. I admire Porsche for sticking with the non-textbook rear engined layout and taming it so it drives as well as any better balanced mid engined cars and still retains the traction advantage that the rear weight bias gives it. It is this characteristic that gives it the edge over pretty much all opposition at any price. Just goes to show that balance and weight distribution is not the be all and end all when it comes to sportscar chassis design despite all the BMW marketting hype and waffle. I'm a fan of the 911 both young and old. My ideal 911 would be a 996GT3 or 993/996/997 turbo but I will have to wait another 10 yrs or so for them to depreciate into a price range anywhere near my buget! I think i'll keep my 944T for many many years to come and look forward to the day that I own a 911 as well.

I love that section in one of the top gears where Clarkson compares the 996GT3RS with the 360 Stradale. They both got the same time round the track in the hands of the Stig but the thing that struck me is that the Ferrari cost £30k more and was bristling with a raft of electronic gadgetry including launch control, traction control, fancy computer controlled e-diff, fancy electronic brake biasing system etc. wheras the good old 911 had an old fashioned mechanical LSD, no traction control and was basically stripped out and devoid of computers. That basically says to me that in order for Ferraris best to match the 911's best it needs £30k's worth of eletronic gadgetry. Just goes to show how good the 911 has got.