WitchDoctor

Ok, here comes trouble.

I'm not trying to pick a fight. Really. I'm a newbie. This is a legitimate plea for your assistance.

I'd pretty much made up my mind to get a 944, never having owned a Porsche before, but loving all of them since I was...oh, you know, 14. Like the rest of you, I'm sure.

So, about this 911. It has a rather different appeal than the 944, but probably an appeal that is at least equal to it.

What do you folks say? How does the 911 drive, compared to the 944. To narrow this down a tad, I'm probably limiting myself to a 911 built in the 80's.

It seems to be a more valuable car, for one thing. But that's not my primary consideration. What will I enjoy owning most? Maybe that's an unfair question. I don't know. Maybe not. I really don't know if a 911 is such a cut above that I should be ashamed to even ask. Please inform me...gently.

Thanks in advance.

Brent

MIK911

Night and Day. My brother has a '85 944 since new, and I have a '86 911.
It really depends on what you want out of it. The 944 is much more user friendly, civil, comfortable (AC works well, cup holders, etc). A 911 is raw, loud, more 60's VW feel than modern car. Personally, I don't think the 911 would make a good daily driver, but a good wkend fun car, whereas a 944 is easier to drive 7days/wk.
You're right, I've wanted a 911 since teenage yrs.........not a just a Porsche, but a 911, and only a 911.

No offense, but if you're undecided, then the 944 is for you. Don't get me wrong, it's an awesome car, and very affordable (mid 80's 944 for around $5-8K, compared to $15-20K for a mid 80's 911), but unless you really *have* to have a 911, then you prolly won't want to put up with the little nuances that I love about the 911.

911SC SKI

''Raw" is right!

Took a bit of getting used to and it surprised me to start with.

Wouldn't be without it now and I do use as daily driver when I'm home. Bit of a struggle to get the shopping or the golf clubs in but where there is a will,

84_Carrera

Brent,
I bought my 911 1st, so I'm a little biased here. It's more of an exotic IMO. It's air/oil-cooled so that's a whole new way of thinking compared to "traditional" cars. It CAN be a whole lot more expensive to purchase and to maintain. I do most of my own work, so most of the outlay I've done so far as been want to do's, rather than have to do's.

911:
Imagine being able to plant the gas in a corner a whole lot sooner than other cars. It's very much like driving a go-kart if set up that way. There's a fear of not being adequate to the task, as you've heard about the back end coming out & ruining your day. There is an instant mystique, the Memphis Raines in the Ferrari dealership's... "Precisely. Champagne would fall from the heavens. Doors would open. Velvet robes would part." Well, maybe not the velvet robes, but you get the idea. Instant brand recognition. I have an '84 Cab, and I drive mine to work every single day it's not raining basically. I don't have the AC system installed anymore, makes no sense to me to carry around the weight of a system I haven't used since owning. The top only goes up when it has to. I've put ~28k miles on her in almost 3 years (November). Mine cost me no more in acquisition & maintenance (so far) than getting into something like, a new Mustang. I easily see 25+ Stangs in a day. Every day. It's special when you see a 911 out there.

I almost picked up a 944 for a 2nd / track car. Went looking, had a few test drives. The 944's I drove "felt" under powered, but handled incredibly in the hands of someone who knew the car. I didn't know where the limits were, so I wasn't exposing its talents to its potential. Very well balanced car. You are talking about an interference engine from the sound of it, needing regular timing belt changes. It's laid out like a more traditional car, front engine, water-cooled. The transaxle configuration is much like the newer Corvettes though. Acquisition price is a whole lot lower than the comparable year 911, unless you're talking a mint example / turbo. The 944 doesn't have the recognition of a 911, I don't think. It's a sharp car, and I still imagine owning a 944 & a 928 too, but to pick one & only one, it was the 911 for me.

I've recently dropped the cost of an entry level 944 into my 911, between suspension replacement, brakes, re-covering the front seats, new tonneau cover, etc. - cost has to be a factor in this question for you. If it's not, you should consider what a 911 does for you investment-wise too. Only car I've ever owned that's kept its value (or even has the potential to go UP a little, even with daily driving).

Best of luck with your decision!

KC911

Kill him, kill the 944 heretic! Although I had always lusted after 911s since I was a kid, I started down this path by "thinking about buying a 928" (another "lust mobile" for me) several years ago. They are all great cars, but totally different, so take your time, drive a bunch, and decide which model is "right" for you !

Keith
'88 CE coupe

kplackmeyer

I have a friend that had an 86 944 for about 15 years, and he loved the car. It's big & heavy compared to the 911, and unless you get a turbo, will feel underpowered. I always felt the 944 was a good car for someone who wanted a Porsche but didn't want to put the $ out for a 911, 930, etc.

They are fun to drive, and handle VERY well. They can be a pain with timing belt issues (get em changed every 2 years...NO MATTER WHAT!) and the ring & pinions tend to get chewed up.

But the main thing I never liked about the 944 is this:

KC911

Hey, that car on the bottom looks similar (in shape) to the '87 Supra Turbo that I bought way back when (instead of a 944 )! It was one hell of a car, but it wasn't a 911...point taken.

Keith
'88 CE coupe

nee.dragger

The 944 was meant to be Porsche's entry level car for the masses, the 911 is a seasoned vet, with a proud racing history behind it, priced in the upper echelon. The 911 accelerates faster than a 944, due to it's 6 cylinder, 3 or 3.2 liter air-cooled engine (78 - 89) compared to the 944's 2.5 liter water-cooled 4 banger. Now the 944 Turbo (951) is comparable to the 911 of the same vintage, but they are more expensive than your base 944. The 911 does have a mystique about it, character being alive and well in all the 911 models. The 944 being very teutonic, dry, needing something to sort of spice it up. But it does have it's own character, not quite the same as the 911. Audi built the shell for the 944 and Porsche put half of the 928 engine into what was delivered. Therein probably lies the big difference in character and feel. The late 70's and 1980's 911 has the old world feel to it, the way it was build almost by hand, solid and rugged, designed by engineers and put together by people's hands. The 944 put together by robotics, designed mostly on a computer to be efficient. The 911 is an entoxicating car.

You will probably enjoy either Porsche you buy, 911 or 944, but once you've driven a 911, nothing matches it, you won't forget the experience for a long, LONG time.

Porsche 911, nothing even comes close.

Pedro356C

+1 Here...

nee.dragger

The car on the bottom is an RX-7. If I'm not mistaken, that is the second generation RX-7. It came about around early 1980's, about the time the 944 debuted. The 1970's 924 was the starting point for the 944, fender flares and a bigger engine from the 928 being the big difference. Porsche had the design first, showing the car in 1976, with the 924 being offered to the public in 1977. Mazda brought out the RX-7 in later 1978 as a 79 model. So if anyone copied someone, I think it was Mazda coping Porsche.

jester911

The only way you will make this choice is to drive them yourself.
You also need to know up front what the intended use of the car will be. 911s can be daily drivers but most older ones are not.

If you need a car with good a/c, plentiful storage and other comforts you don't want a 911.
If you are looking for a car that is a little noisy, smells of fuel and oil, a/c that cost $ to get mediocre cool, but has the most raw visceral feeling while driving then it is the car for you.

kplackmeyer

nee.dragger:

I agree completely. Mazda should have been sued by Porsche for the second-generation RX-7. It came out in 85, and I remember seeing them on the road, and thinking quickly "hey...there's a 944....no...wait...it's just an RX-7" In my opinion, it took away some of the mystique of the 944. It made it look very pedestrian.

You never see a car and think "look at that 911...no...wait...that's a Subaru"

And again, I do think the 944 has a place...but if you are up in the air between that and a 911...as porsche put it..

Porsche 911. There is no substitute.

LaughaC

My 928 handled well for such a heavy car, and the suspension was so sophisticated that it was easier to recover from a powerslide than any car I've ever driven. The 944's I've driven had the same tendency to recovery easily from a slide, but turn-in speeds were much higher due to lighter weight.

Accelerating out of a corner was much more interesting the 928 though, since it pulled like my old '68 Firebird (with a GTO 389 engine).

My little old 911 will leave both my 928 and the 944s (that I've driven) in the dust on a twisty roadway. I can enter turns at much higher speeds and accelerate harder at an earlier point than either of the others. Bear in mind that driving a 911 near its limits is feels a little bit like steering a charriot by gently turning the horses in front of it. My front tires can feel like boat rudders that can require finnesse to achieve the most efficient path 'through' their optimal pavement traction zone. I love this feeling, and rarely tire of it. Alternatively I also like to go out and drift my vette around a few turns, which is like eating mashed potatoes after lobster.

A 944 will be a blast for you, and possibly an unmatched value for fun driving under $7k. The 911 is a tricky car at its limits, but worth the investment for those who enjoy the challenge.

KC911

No doubt about it...that was my point about my Toyota Supra...

BlackPearl

IMHO: It depends on your intent. Will it be a daily driver? Will you ever consider tracking it? Are you over 6'2" tall? (911 and tall persons have issues ;-) ) Are you mechanically inclined?

I started with a 944 (non-turbo) and now own a 911SC. I absolutely loved the 944 as my first Porsche. At 6'3" I didn't fit in some of the 911's and found most of them tough to drive with my knees hovering around my ears. The 944 is "spacious" compared to the 911 (oh, and no cup-holders as previously mentioned), and you can easily fit a serious road-trip for two worth of gear in the back hatch. The 944 was a very forgiving car when I made mistakes; it was easy to do the mechanics; parts are abundant and fairly cheap (as Porsche parts go); and the entry price plus timing/balance belt/water pump replacement was still less than a lot of 911's in "fair" condition.

The Naturally Asperated (N/A) 944 models are a little under-powered when compared to a similar-year 911 and a lot heavier at 3100-Lbs, but the Turbo has plenty of scoot to keep up with the 911's (911Turbo being te exception). You can find a decent 944Turbo for under $10K. The repairs on the 944Turbo (951) are gastly because of the labor costs, so be careful when considering a 951.

I ended up turning my street 944 into a street/track 944 with fantastic results ... capable of reeling in 911's at A-X's. After almost 7 years of 944 life I decided it was either dump a 3.0L vario-cam 968 engine in the 944, or start from scratch with a 911. The 911SC in my garage explains the rest. ;-)

If you're new to Porsches, want a lower-cost, reliable, fun-to-drive car with great lines and out-of-this-world handling ... get a 944. If you want a fast, fun, cool-sounding little sports car "Icon", get a 911 (and I'd recommend a 1978 to 1989 model for reliability and cost savings over the long-haul).

Just my experience and 2-cents worth.

What ever you buy, you'll love owning a Porsche. (and it's pronounced "Porsh-uh," ... not "porch").

Happy Hunting.