914 basher ~ please help
 

They were cheap. Not an arguing, a fact. Made for VW before they abandoned it.

don't want to get in a huge 914 debate. Owned one. It was fun with the top off, slow, and seemed to need a lot of maintenance. Would like to build a 914 vintage race car with a 2.0 in it.

When I was 17, I was looking at new Acuras (new car lot, mind you) and the sales idiot looks at my FACTORY 914-6 in pristine condition and he goes "oh these Acuras will blow the doors off that rattletrap you're driving". I told him he had no idea what I was driving and he can go f**k himself now. Then, because I was pissed off and 17, I did a huuuuuuuge nasty burnout right there in the lot all the way out onto the street. I pretty much don't care what sales guys or service managers have to say now.

Kid...don't sweat the small stuff...

As was the 356

It's amazing how many people denigrate the 914.

I own several 914's. The 914 is a well made car with no more maintenance requirements than any other air cooled car. By modern standards it's fairly crude....and so is the 911 from the same era.

I've had 4 of them over time, and they are great little cars that are fun to drive. That given they are also rust buckets for the most part. A 911? Not in yer wildest dreams. A precurser to to the Boxster? Maybe. 550 or #1 heritage? Possibly. I would buy another one in a heart beat. Well sorted 73 2.0? yes sir. 914/6 ? Yeah buddy!

i had a 72 with the updated side shifter and alloys in university. loved the car and pulling up to a few first year girls from small northern bc towns... hello...
maintenance wise, the only issue i had was the clutch cable tube failure.. basically had to cut a whole in the tunnel to reweld it in place.

Never play Pool with someone you know you can beat
never argue with a idiot or a cheat

Who cares, anybody who compares a 40 year old car to a modern one is an idiot and american muscle cars owners hate any/all foreign cars.
The 914 is a love it or hate it car and everyone that hates it has never driven one, let alone a good example. Rust, well they lasted reliably as long as they were intended, which was 100K miles.

When I was looking for a used affordable sports car or sports coupe (as they used to be called) in the late '70's I norrowed the list to a 914, 2002 or a TR7. God I'm glad I didn't go for that TR7. ;)

BTW, I still have the 914 I bought in 1979.

i put a 2.2E in mine. it was a blast to drive, an easy to drive.

i just ignore the bashers, they dont know what they are missing.

Are you seriously believing everything one writes on Amazon or other reviews on the net? Thats the first mistake. Consider whatever that moron writes as a favor and as the sheep follow him, hopefully keeps the values of a 914 low and affordable for those in the know.

BTW-
I owned a few 914's back then right out of high school. Loved them and want one again. Thinking back of those years, I checked out the Fiats, MG's and when I drove the 914, it was a no brainer. Mind you, thru the years I also drove big muscled American cars but in reality all are terrific fun junk buckets. During that era, the evolution of choking down V8 emissions, rattle dashed with poor build quality was the norm in all Detroit products. Disregarding race prepped cars and strictly speaking of production based performance, GM, Ford and Mopar couldn't handle for squat but burnouts, grudge drag racing was what it was about. The worst handling and brakes with absurd fuel economy but with some cherry-bomb exhausts, we were 'bad to the bone'. The other cars I truly enjoyed were the BMW 2002 series but like the other poster above mentioned, seeing these pics makes me want to once again get a 914.

Lastly and a reason why it failed in the important US market was because the insurance rates were out of sight for most. This was a tiny car, TWO SEAT convertible. Owning an upgrade large V8 car were half the insurance premium. And my final reply... I rolled my 73 at over 90mph and walked away. Nothing more ;)

If I ran into a 914 basher, I already know what my response will be. I'd smile and invite him to bring his preferred vehicle to the next PCA autocross where he would receive a free clock-cleaning.

I had a '73 914 2.0 in 1976 that I miss as much as any car I've ever owned. And I've owned probably 50-60 cars including the Porsches in my sig line and an Alfa or two.

It was tight, handled great and had nice torque plus a great sound. (IMO). As to the VW connection, VWs in those days were built to a standard that makes modern German cars look like they were made in Tijuana.

Anyone worth their salt knows that the 914 was the best car Porsche ever put their name on next to the 550....

Good point.

somebody log on there and post that the 914 looks like a toaster

Tell him you can't turbo a 914.