Adk46

I probably have not experienced Porsches in the best order - 987.2 PDK, then 928 S4, 911 SC, Macan. 2009, 1987, 1982 and 2017. I say this only because I had no plan.

But what would a good plan be? What four or so models would be a good progression? Goal is acquiring the experience, not a collection. On some reasonable budget, nothing crazy, no 959s, etc.

I'm instigating a discussion here since at least one must be a 911 luftgekühlt. No wrong answers! We all have the right to seek our own experiences. Philosophical side discussions are welcome.

Amber Gramps

You need to own a late '80's 3,2 Carrera. The later, the better

Adk46

Well, I've had the 915 gearbox experience, so that would be a logical progression for me. (I don't understand how my car could have gone 100,000 miles without a PO setting up the pedals for heel-and-toe.)

r911

a good progression towards what?

it all depends on what type of driving you'll do

3.2L, 993, or Longhood depending

Adk46

I don't mean for me. Too late. I'm asking for some hypothetical person who wants to understand the long-standing mystique of Porsche directly, sampling different eras, hands on the wheel. Or what you wish you'd done, in retrospect. And I mean the full Porsche model range.

theiceman

Go grab a copy of need for speed porsche unleashed.

cobalt

I have owned some exciting and some very boring Porsche's over the years. The newer cars are very different than the older ones. Some of the cars I considered special to me in stock form were my 71 911E. The sound of the mechanical injection and the light weight was enough to get me hooked for life. Albeit a fun car completely unsafe on congested roads for my tastes today. No power assist brakes and limited braking in general were always issues in stock form.

The 911SC's and 3.2's were great cars but I always had an issue with torsion bar suspension and how the cars reacted to bumps and irregular road surfaces. There is a lot that can be done to improve them but again the old tubs were not IMO very safe for congested roads. The light weight and CIS on the SC's are a bit quirky to drive but once accustomed to the characteristics you become aware of what to do and not to.

The 964's IMO are the best of the air cooled cars. Just enough of the old school feel modern updated tub that is crash worthy with airbags, ABS, larger brakes, coil over suspension, updated ventilation and the 3.6L engine. A bit portly compared to the earlier cars but you quickly overlook that. I have seen some bad wrecks and the 964 and 993 tubs hold up so much better than the earlier cars. The Dual mass flywheel is IMO awful and should be swapped out for a light weight one but the car retains 90% of the old school looks and the trailing arm response without all of the other shortcomings.

The 993 is a step beyond the 964. Some love it I find it went a step too far. The looks are subjective. IMO the nicest rear end of the bunch but the rest I could do without. The back end is more planted than its older cousins but otherwise it is not very different in overall feel. The car is no where near as visceral but is a more refined drive and has its following.

914's are go carts and can be a lot of fun but are not fast and have no brakes. The 914-6 is another animal all together but pricey.

The 924 is my least favorite and after owning an audi 100LS and friends that had them new I could never recommend them.

The 944 is a nice starter Porsche but underpowered the S2 and turbo are great rides well balanced and fun to drive. Some like to overpower the turbos and the S2's are essentially moment cars that you can't upgrade much. Same goes for the 968 which is a 944S2 taken to the next level and more modern styling.

928's are so very different than the other Porsche's of the time. They are incredible GT cruisers that are well balanced quick when pushed but take some getting used to. They do everything at a slower more refined pace. Windows, Wipers etc are slow. The car is almost a jekyll and hyde. Reserved and comfortable when light gas is used and a monster when the pedal is heavily pressed. Handles very well with perfect weight distribution.

I couldn't and shouldn't try to compare the newer gen cars to the older as they are so different.

I just drove all of the latest turboed Porsche's yesterday minus the actual turbo. They are incredibly capable but lack some of the feel and IMO fun of the older cars. The 997's are always a fun ride and a nice happy medium while the 996's are a lot of car for the money but have their issues and I will never be able to get over the looks. The GT2 is the only variant I would own personally.

The original Boxster's and caymans were nice changes when they came out and have morphed into what I consider the best modern platform Porsche has. The GTS, Spyder and GT4 are amazing and fun to drive for a modern car but far to easy. The 718 is the most capable but I stop at the 6 cylinder cars as they are IMO more fun.

I have been a huge fan of the Cayenne. My 04 turbo has been a great vehicle and my 14 GTS was a blast but these are still big heavy SUV's

I recently placed and order for a Macan GTS and after driving it yesterday at the Porsche driving experience full out it offers so much sports car feel for an SUV type vehicle. I have no doubt I will be very happy with it. This can be setup as an SUV but properly appointed can feel very much like driving any other modern sports car and still offer utilitarian functionality.

The panamera is a great vehicle for what it is. Very capable but large for a 4 passenger. It can do amazing things but IMO still a big lumbering boat.

There are no good and bad choices. There are so many versions that suit each individuals vision of what the right Porsche should be. I suggest drive as many as you can you will find something you like and dislike about each one.

I excluded exotics, turbos, GT3's and others as you said you didn't want to get into crazy money.

I have amassed what I consider most of my favorite Porsche's for various reasons. Others will have a completely different list which is what these cars are all about. I would love to have and was lucky enough to buy them before they became popular. There are some others I would consider but even clones are expensive.

09mageec

that game literally made me fall in love with Porsche. I was 9, and I was in love...

rusnak

You're kidding, right?

You have more Porsche experience already than most.

The question is if you have developed a preference, or better yet, a passion for any of them.

Personally, I love the cable actuated clutch and 915 shifter feel on the go-kart body of the aircooled 911. It's so visceral, and direct. It goes with the look and styling so well.

The Cayman reminds me a lot of the 914-6 on initial turn in. But it is no substitute for the air cooled 911.

Adk46

I guess I'm doing something unusual here, promoting a discussion over a provocative, thought-provoking general question.

Again, it's too late for me, as you note. Pretend a BMW-owning friend asked you this question: "What sequence of Porsches should I buy to acquire a good Porsche Experience? I'll buy and sell my way through the sequence, as necessary."

Cobalt provided a good bit of commentary as background - thanks. The next step is to make the difficult decisions. I'll try:

911 SC
928
964
987.2
Macan

Hmm - I think I'm showing a bias of familiarity, but adding in the right sequence. Argue with me! I'll try again:

356 (a crappy driver, if there are any left)
911 S (a crappy driver, if there are any left)
911 SC
944 Turbo
928 S4 or GT
911 Carrera (G50)
993
Boxster (early)
997.2
Macan

Oh dear, that's a little ambitious, I think.

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

Curt,

The only time its "too late" for anyone is when they are in the grave.

The very best advice I can offer anyone is to ignore other's opinions and go drive as many of these cars as you can. Thats really the only way YOU (or anyone) to learn about these cars and determine what you like.

Its really the way to see & feel the differences between the various models and certainly how you find good examples of each one.

Speedster911

Each model has it's own + / -. No one car will meet all my requirements 100% that is why so many of us have multiple P cars.

I am blessed to have water cooled and air cooled, 915 trans, G50 trans. Some leak oil some don't, some are stupid fast some aren't, it's all part of the experience... and it's never to late!! Hunting for the next one and hope to continue adding to the garage and the experience until I am dead.

Adk46

By "too late" I was only referring to my sequence. I'm implying, perhaps wrongly, that it would be ideal to start with the old, and work towards the new. In that direction, you can best appreciate the new technology Porsche develops. To go the other way gradually reveals the motivation for those improvements - that is, bad stuff that needed fixing. Not entirely, of course - e.g., cars sure have gotten heavy, and power steering is a deprivation. That's the best thing by far about my 911 SC compared to my others.

This old 911 I got, out of sequence, has peculiar (dangerous?) handling behavior. Was it best I experienced it after the 928 (with its Weissach axle)? I think not. It's interesting and educational either way, but which way is better? I say it's the way a story is told.

If you had 50 years of unread Road & Track magazines, you'd read them in order, wouldn't you?

Aside: The newer Porsches should be experienced, but I'm not sure it matters which one. They all drive the same; they practically drive themselves. Well, if a sports car, the 718 experience may not be so valuable.

theiceman

Okay I was probably 39 but still loved it. The car dynamics were amazing. That speedster was a pig to drive

cobalt

I made this comment in a different thread but don't recall which one. The Porsche Experience is something different to everyone, however when you grew up around these cars and watched the story unfold in front of you as it did for me and others here as well. It reads differently than it does for those just getting involved. Those just getting involved today see each model as a small chapter of the companies history but in real time many of these cars were a huge part of growing up for a long time.

I recall reading R&T and always going to the back of the magazine first to see those numbers highlighted in black. It seemed like an eternity that the 930 was king of the hill. Today it is considered slow by comparison.

Interestingly the arguments, likes and dislikes of the older cars has not changed much. I had friends with 928's 944's, 914's and 911's when I was in my late 20's and early 30's and they argued over which was best just as they do today.

As Steve and I said drive as many as you can and wouldn't base your judgement on driving a single version of any model. You need to experience several of the same type. They can vary tremendously despite being the same.

If you ever get down to the NYC area in driving season give me a heads up and if you have the time I would be happy to let you experience my 964's, Boxster GTS and if it is in by then my soon to be Macan GTS. I wouldn't mind taking your 928 for a spin. Although I owned two in my years of owning these cars I have driven very few unlike the other models and I like to compare one to another. Or I might make it to your camp next year and I could bring something other than a 928.

Unfortunately these aren't matchbox cars and owning one of each can get quite expensive on many levels. It would be my dream to own one of each but it is unrealistic and I decided early on to basically set my sites on one version for my weekend fun and the newer cars for my weekly use.