For a cruiser, I'd go for a 968 coupe, or 928. Classy and comfortable GT car, that's a bit atypical. The 911 is just a bit overdone for me.
I'm not exactly sure what these cars are going for, but have you considered a 99-00 BMW M Coupe as another alternative? I am a bit biased, but I think they're more reliable, and better looking.
Off topic a bit, but I parked next to a Boxter today at work and just wondering why there is so much car out in front of the front wheels? you'd think it was a front engined front wheel drive car. The new 911's are like that too. Is it for aero, crash protection/crumple zones, or to get a larger frunk?
I think I would go for a 911 unless I'd already owned one at some point. If you are going to get a Porsche and assuming it is your only one how could it not be a 911. That is Porsche. The other models are porsches.
When I finish my student debt, it's going to be one of these.
They're not that much more money, either.
First I say drive all the ones you are interested in. They are all very different.
The 911 pushes you foward and is a totally different driving experience. The 911 series is the comparision car all others are matched against. Love it or hate it, there is a reason for that. A well sorted 911 is like nothing else I have ever driven in the corners. Yes I may be a tad biased....
The 924/944 pulls you forward and is almost 50/50 weight distribution makes for a great handling car, but underpowered. If going for the 944 look I'd either hope for a Turbo/968/or S2. 944's were also the entry level car, so used ones are often not well maintained, hence their cheap prices.
The 928 pulls you forward as well, just a lot faster than the 944. Although 928 are notorious for being expensive to maintain as the cost of parts is high. It is my understanding that these cars are not very DIY friendly. Like others have said, if you decide to go 928 make sure it has been well maintained and has records.
And I disagree with what others have said. If you are a DIY guy and get over the fear of damaging something on a Porsche, I have found the cars really easy to work on. There are several excellent forums all about Porsche with DIYers out there working on their cars. pelicanparts, rennlist and others are great sources for anyone considering a Porsche purchase. And the 911 3.2 motor while nice is not very different at all from the 3.6 motor, so working on one is just as easy as working on the other.
In the end if I were looking for a car to fit your criteria, I would look at 84-89 911's with the 3.2 or the 89-94. Or maybe even an earlier car with a 3.2 or 3.6 swapped in.
AutoXR wrote: Our 964 was an anvil , we beat the living crap out of it for 10 years, it needed a clutch and a valve adjustment.
Ssshhhhhh. Internet rumor mills keep me in cool, cheap hardware. If you let everyone know that they are awesome I won't be able afford them anymore.
Seriously, O.P... the 964 had some serious issues that can empty your wallet faster than at gunpoint. If you know what to look for and buy one that does not have those issues, DIY the maintenance and shop outside the Porsche dealer network for parts they are the same price to keep as a 90s era BMW. IMO, they are the absolute best of air-cooled 911s excepting for the 993 - which you pay a huge dollar difference for. They are 160 mph, 0-60 in 5 flat type super cars that completely outperform all of the earlier 911s on a track by a huge margin yet they are civil, quiet highway cruisers too.
MrBenjamonkey wrote: When I finish my student debt, it's going to be one of these.
That car in the picture is approx. $30k if its in great shape for a 993.
My red 964 above was in superb shape with brake/wheel/engine/exhaust upgrades and cost $18k. That is a lot of difference.
One more thing to consider, the older 911s may have been models from before they'd tamed the snap oversteer tendancies.
carguy123 wrote: One more thing to consider, the older 911s may have been models from before they'd tamed the snap oversteer tendancies.
Once you get used to steering with your feet that pendulum action can be used to an advantage. The "snap" part of the oversteer is caused by the driver not the car. The car just suffers no fools 
I have decided what "birth year" car I will one day get, an '84 911, preferably a targa
TJ wrote: Off topic a bit, but I parked next to a Boxter today at work and just wondering why there is so much car out in front of the front wheels? you'd think it was a front engined front wheel drive car. The new 911's are like that too. Is it for aero, crash protection/crumple zones, or to get a larger frunk?
in a word... radiators
Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:carguy123 wrote: One more thing to consider, the older 911s may have been models from before they'd tamed the snap oversteer tendancies.Once you get used to steering with your feet that pendulum action can be used to an advantage. The "snap" part of the oversteer is caused by the driver not the car. The car just suffers no fools
That is not what every magazine article since time began has said. Nor is it the scuttle butt of any race tracks. It took decades for Porsche to tame the rear of the 911.
Just get on the Porsche forums and see what they say and I'll warn you, it ain't pretty.
carguy123 wrote:Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:That is not what every magazine article since time began has said. Nor is it the scuttle butt of any race tracks. It took decades for Porsche to tame the rear of the 911. Just get on the Porsche forums and see what they say and I'll warn you, it ain't pretty.carguy123 wrote: One more thing to consider, the older 911s may have been models from before they'd tamed the snap oversteer tendancies.Once you get used to steering with your feet that pendulum action can be used to an advantage. The "snap" part of the oversteer is caused by the driver not the car. The car just suffers no fools
The 911 is the most victorious race car of all time for a reason. That reason is not because asshats on Internet forums and folks with a degree in journalism can't drive worth a E36 M3.
All the 911 naysayers either have never owned one or, if they did, bought a P.O.S that they shouldn't have bought in the first place. We've had our '82 SC all over the east coast. Only parts have been air and oil filters, and front wheel bearings (it is over 28 years old after all). The 3.0 packs more power than I'll ever need or use and is bulletproof. The ride is better than any other sportscar of the era, and the car is tight. I can take it anywhere(quickly) and still get over 26mpgs. There are two kinds of people that bought these cars new. People that abused or neglected them because they had more dollars than sense(I made a pun!)or people that appreciated motoring excellence and the driving experience. This was the car that captured my imagination when I was young. It still turns heads. There's nothing plush about it, not even a cupholder. You drive a Toyota, you experience a Porsche. Some people get it and some don't. I consider myself lucky to have owned what is arguably one of the finest driving machines ever created. I don't even have to drive fast to enjoy it, but if I do, I know the vehicles' capabilities far exceed my abilities.
Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:MrBenjamonkey wrote: When I finish my student debt, it's going to be one of these.That car in the picture is approx. $30k if its in great shape for a 993. My red 964 above was in superb shape with brake/wheel/engine/exhaust upgrades and cost $18k. That is a lot of difference.
There was a blue one I saw not that long ago in Reno for 26k. It might have been a lemon, but it looked like a creampuff. And anyway, when I finish my student debt these are going to be closer to the bottoms of their depreciation curves.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Not likely, to ever hit the bottom of the depreciation curves. The nice 993's will continue to appreciate because they are the last of the air cooled line. They've actually gone up since the 996 and 997 water pumpers came out.
I'm sure there are some, like the abused ones that might drop in price, but then you are getting a car that has been abused. Or salvaged...
I love you choice in the 993, one of my favorite cars of all time, but I don't see them getting much if any cheaper.
In reply to MrBenjamonkey:
I can tell you for sure that I do NOT like that body style. I like the 928's shape more than that.
Did I mention I don't like the way newer porsches look (except for maybe a GT3 RS)?
As for driving with your feet... sounds like something a rally driver would do. How fitting... 
MrBenjamonkey wrote: There was a blue one I saw not that long ago in Reno for 26k. It might have been a lemon, but it looked like a creampuff. And anyway, when I finish my student debt these are going to be closer to the bottoms of their depreciation curves.
They haven't come down much at all in the last 10yrs because they are considered the most desirable of the 911s and they are certainly the best performer of all the air cooled cars. I'm certainly not trying to dissuade you from shopping... they are great cars but they are not likely to be too much cheaper without a reason so plan on $30k and be pleasantly surprised when its a little less.
octavious wrote: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Not likely, to ever hit the bottom of the depreciation curves. The nice 993's will continue to appreciate because they are the last of the air cooled line. They've actually gone up since the 996 and 997 water pumpers came out. I'm sure there are some, like the abused ones that might drop in price, but then you are getting a car that has been abused. Or salvaged... I love you choice in the 993, one of my favorite cars of all time, but I don't see them getting much if any cheaper.
How big of a difference does the multilink rear suspension make? I do think the 993s look better, but the main reason I was thinking of them over a 964 was the suspension.
I'm not that far removed from deep in poverty college student, but I've always liked 911s because I admire their basic engineering. Rear wheel drive, great traction, reasonable storage, good mileage, simple engines, good looks. Sort of like a Ferrari with all the stupid taken out and for a quarter of the cost.
^^^ Mr bejamonkey...
Here is a good read on the differences.
Fascinating stuff, especially on the suspension. Thanks.
Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:carguy123 wrote: One more thing to consider, the older 911s may have been models from before they'd tamed the snap oversteer tendancies.Once you get used to steering with your feet that pendulum action can be used to an advantage. The "snap" part of the oversteer is caused by the driver not the car. The car just suffers no fools
So true...most of their problems are caused by people doing stupid things. You cannot, cannot, cannot be throttle insensitive. Driven correctly, they are a joy.
I used to take bets when I let people drive my mid-engine cars on how soon they would take to spin one. Usually one to two corners. Once they got the hang of it, they did much better, but you simply can't take a car with a motor in the back and drive it like a Honda. Once you learn to drive them, they feel alive like no other car you will ever drive. Older 911's are at the very top of this learning curve.
Porsche did a lot to tune out the the early problems with snap oversteer, but the reputation stuck anyway. That's why the cars evolved with a longer wheelbase, different sway bars, fender flares and staggered wheel and tire sizes. It also explains why some replacement tires are approved for fitment on Porsches, while others are not.
I've tried to induce oversteer a few times in my 1987 911 (professional driver, closed course), and it just didn't happen. I'm not saying that it won't, just that the later 911's were much more stable than the early ones. By the 80's, the idea of marketing a car with dangerous handling traits was no longer a feasible option.
The air conditioning continued to suck, though.
Woody wrote: The air conditioning continued to suck, though.
The 1989-98s did little to remedy this particular flaw. If there was such a word as luke-cool it would apply.
Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:Woody wrote: The air conditioning continued to suck, though.The 1989-98s did little to remedy this particular flaw. If there was such a word as luke-cool it would apply.
True....the AC in my 85 is charged and serviced and basically keeps me from sweating through my clothes....sometimes. The AC in my 87 951 will freeze you out though.
I want a 993 Turbo. BADLY.
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