87 as a Daily Driver?

M.D. Holloway · 01-24-2005, 09:33 AM

So, if Shaun (G9GIRL) can get that kind of daily driving out of his 83 - 250K miles, is it possable that an 87 would perform the same? I need some justification to sell the Volvo and pick up a sweet 87 Targa with 95K on her. The price is right (16K) I think. This is the first year with the G50 transmission? Can this car be a daily driver? I still need to get any upgrade and work info - the owner has a Porsche garage and they mostly do racing upgrades. I plan on writing an article on what/how to check out a used airbreather and this guy is one of two garages I am going to use for pics - chances of him screwing me are nill (BTW - I am now the managing editior for SLIPSTREAM Mag, Maverick PCA chapter) - not thinking he would want to have an article writtin on "How to screw someone over with a used P-car).

So - those of you with 87 Targa's - talk to me...

Rot 911 · 01-24-2005, 09:41 AM

I have an '86 that is a daily driver, but then I used to daily drive my '72 Targa.

Drago · Drago's Garage

I've driven my '87 Targa for over 2 years now with zero problems...well, except for the occasional wet left knee.

stomachmonkey · 01-24-2005, 10:06 AM

84", 120,000 on the clock. Daily driver sun, rain, light snow.

Scott

david914 · 01-24-2005, 01:31 PM

I drove my '82 daily for the better part of 9 years. One of the most reliable cars I've owned. Since picking up my '86, I've done the same, save snow days. Really foul weather, I drive the Disco. Might as well, it's gonna rust out from underneath me anyway.

Superman · 01-24-2005, 03:48 PM

I'm not sure I can think of a 911 that would not be a good daily driver. The perfect daily driver would probably be a '73 RS, but most of us don't have one. Next might be an early car with a chipped 3.6. An 87 would be an okay daily driver, but you might want to lighten it a few hundred pounds, chip it and stiffen the suspension.

bluebullet · 01-24-2005, 04:02 PM

I have no probs getting around in my P-car at all. Rain snow or shine. Just undersized narrow snow tires and it has no problemin digging through things.

Im pretty sure Porsche didnt design cars just to be driven around in the summer only (although a lot of people like to keep it that way). Heck I was tryin to keep up with a 996 4S in the snow on saturday. Just wasnt happening LOL.

turbocarrera · 01-24-2005, 04:06 PM

A turbo is great in the snow. Zero low-end power and long gears means you don't spin so much.

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

the only problem I have is having a race bucket on the driver's side and a rollbar in the back limits what I can carry.

Milu · 01-25-2005, 12:04 AM

I use an 89 spec 3.2 coupe daily. It's just starting it's 5th year of service. Milage is 240k klm I cover about 2000klm per month. Very little driving in stop start traffic. No particular problems.

If you start with a good car and keep up with maintenance you shouldn't have any serious problems with reliability. However, have a slush fund ready in case expensive surprises like engine, gearbox rebuilds suddenly appear. I am bracing myself for a replacement clutch.

lendaddy · 01-25-2005, 04:48 AM

For six years I drove my 930 daily, no joke rain or shine. They are reliable as a hammer, that's why we buy em right?

Note: I did not drive in snow, but it was not "put away" in the winter.

M.D. Holloway · 01-25-2005, 06:10 AM

Snow in North Texas is scarce. The road oil when it rains is another matter. You guys are making my pitch to the mrs. easier!

Jay H · 01-25-2005, 06:46 AM

I drove my previous 911 ('86 3.2) in most conceivable conditions in my area (rain, light snow, heavily tore up roads, heavy stop and go traffic, subzero temps, etc). The car just didn't care what the weather was doing. It always started, always ran perfect, etc, and I had over 100,000 on it when I sold it.

The 915 tranny got tiresome in heavy traffic after a few years, but the G-50 cars will be better in that respect. The salt used in this area ate the car up pretty well too (due to the prior owner using it all winter - my winter use was limited). It took quite a bit of work to keep the Guards Red shiny as well since the car took a lot of abuse cosmetically (exterior) from the prior owner.

These cars are built like tanks and if well maintained, can go a long time.

Jay
90 964

Milu · 01-25-2005, 06:51 AM

What's the problem with snow?

lendaddy · 01-25-2005, 06:54 AM

You call that snow? That's just cold rain. Live in Michigan once, we got a foot and a half a couple days ago.

Milu · 01-25-2005, 07:05 AM

No that was after it had thawed. In November I had 40cm in a night. Fortunately it doesn't usually last very long.

cbeers · 01-25-2005, 07:37 AM

Mine has 166k on it and it driven almost every day. No serious issues other than maintenance items and the deadly upgrades

Excellent daily driver. Not the lightest model, but the G-50, bumped HP etc. make it a great choice.

Just my opinion

-Chris

M.D. Holloway · 01-25-2005, 05:23 PM

I guess it will never end - Porsches are like boats and bikes, there is always a "better" one around the courner that you just have to have. These things are drugs.

djmcmath · 01-26-2005, 01:26 PM

My '86 is a great daily driver, as long as I'm not picking up milk and eggs at the grocery store. Seems that neither eggs nor milk particularly like the way that I corner ...

Milu -- awesome picture. There's something about snowy dirty 911's that shows the ruggedness behind the awesome engineering of a shiny clean 911.

Dan