Somethings rotten in Stuttgart!

[Carl83911]

don't knock the Japanese. my very first car was a Datsun B210 Honeybee. That car was a workhorse and lasted 225000 miles and it was still running great before i sold it.

[thomschoon]

Originally posted by jond911
Japanese steel = POT METAL

IRL

Actually Japan has tight quality control on steel and produces an excellant product. We use a few million pounds a year of cold rolled and would buy Asian before many domestic mills because of the quality and service. It is a global economy, cost/price rules, just look at any Walmart

Now back to Porsche, check the name plate on the heater of any water cooled and you will probaly see a Japanese name.

Enjoy the weekend

[jond911]

I'm well aware....and as a previous owner, of a '71 240Z, '78 280Z, 79 280ZX... and last ...recently sold '84 300ZX anniversary edition... of many japanese vehicles... My comment was tongue in cheek.. no offense intended. Exceptional vehicles...all of them... I just got bored.

I can tell you that my '72T is a much more solid car than any of those mentioned above especially at the grand old age of 33.

[jond911]

German cars still have a definable feel that no other country's cars have -- ditto for the Italians & British. [/B][/QUOTE]

[sammyg2]

if porsche built a better transmission than japan I would see this as a problem, but it isn't.
Anyone care to enlighten the group as to the innards of a G50 tranny? Hint, ..... US design, at least the syncros.

[HardDrive]

"Japanese steel = POT METAL"

What a bunch of utter baloney.

[jond911]

Sorry guys...it was a joke....

[techweenie]

They don't make 'em like they used to.

Thank GOD.

Unless they're trying to be funny, a couple folks in this thread sound like old country bumpkins.

I will say that the only part of my Jeep Cherokee that's giving me trouble is the Aisin trans (at 100K+ miles). The inline sixes from these things are good old American iron and last 300K miles, regularly.

But back to Porsches: My Boxster is in many ways more like a Lexus sports car than it is like any 911 I've owned. But it's a great car. And you know what? There are Boxsters out there with 100K+ miles on them still running strong without all the overengineering we got with the vintage 911s. And the torsional rigidity of a Boxster is greater than that of a 993 coupe. It's a safer car than an earlier 911 by any measure. So technology advances. And when that happens, I guess feelings are hurt.

[84porsche]

http://europe.autonews.com/page.cms?pageId=371

[no substitute]

After WWII Japan got into manufacturing to aid their recovery. Japanese made items did fall apart very rapidly--it was a stock joke during the 50's. This was an embarrassment to the Japanese and they have tried very hard to change things, and have been succeeding.

Bosch solenoid I bought was from Brazil IIRC.

My 915 transmission has been in my car unopened, since it was built. It's a bit vague, true, but I'd say that's a pretty durable transmission.

[wente]

go look at who makes your a/c compressor... I think the nippon denso compressor in my 87 is the same one in my fiancee's toyota pickup. sad part is, it actually works in the truck. and then there's the seiko option. Porsche has been using oddball parts for years. I'll still buy another porsche, because the rest of the design beats the crap out of working on that POS toyota which is a vacuum hose nightmare! of course, I'm biased towards the air cooled older cars ;-) not so sure I'd want to mess with a new water cooled. there's a whole extra system of goodies ready to break in there...

[TerryH]

If Borg/Warner made a trans for my SC, I would gladly pay a premium to get one installed. If there is a weak link in the Porsche design, I would point at the gearbox. Sure, they are great when new, but they don't like abuse or neglect.

On the other hand.... mid 80's Ford 210 hp turbo, 170K mostly city miles, B/W 5 speed short throw with a flick of the wrist. Never been opened or had the fluid changed, okay maybe one fluid change. Synchro's are perfect, solid feel and never a missed shift. It still feels like the day it was new.

Let's face it, we all had to learn how to shift the basic 905/915. It is something other than ordinary. A few grinds here and there and suddenly it has to come out for new parts. You can't just toss your keys to a friend and send him off for a 12 pack without shifting instructions.

I still love to drive my Porsche, even tho it has all it's idiosyncrasies.

[ronin]

Originally posted by nostatic
China.

I'm learning Mandarin...go with the flow.

neee haoww maaaaaaaa

[mwbaum]

Personally I prefer the feel of my 915 to the G50. I have driven both and the 915 just has more "attachment" Of course it has to be in good condition. One of the local Porsche gurus in business for 40 years has the same opinion. And regarding Japanese steel.....have you ever seen how they make Samurai swords? See what those suckers cost? Best steel in the World. period.

[randywebb]

ah - but the really good ones are not made any more -- in fact, they cannot be made any more. It is a lost art. Even with today's materials science know-how the top quality Katanas cannot be duplicated.

Also, they have a couple of problems:
- they rust really easily
- and they are brittle sideways to the blade -- so if you are ever attacked by a Japanese swordsman, be sure to have some Okinawan farm tools handy -- you can snap the blade, pin his front foot to the ground and then kill him to defend your village (or should I say, suburb). Just be sure not to use synthetic oil on it...

[no substitute]

The swords were thin and could break or bend. And they had to be cared for, but there really wasn't any magic involved. There was lots of legend though. Next April go to the Lane County Convention Center (you know where it is I'll bet) for the Oregon Knife Collectors Association Show. Go to Michael Bell's table and take a look at the katanas he makes. I think you'll be amazed at the quality.
Modern steels are superior to the steels of old if alloyed and heat treated properly. The old swords are beautiful to look at for certain, and were certainly a real art form to make.

[HardDrive]

Swords.....

Funny how topics have a way of drifting.....yes....?

[911pcars]

Drifting is the latest car craze amoung young car enthusiates, ........

(short attention span)

Sherwood

[randywebb]

Thx, no sub - but I've seen the real ones - property of the Japanese govt. - in displays when they traveled to Wash. state. Most of the things I said were from the museum catalog. It may be merely legend of course...they aren't going to let somebody destructively test a national treasure. I'm surprised they let them go outside the country.

[no substitute]

I guess the point is that quality can come from other countries such as Japan, even though we have in the past thought of their products as inferior. At one time the quality of their craftsmanship (swords, carpentry) was outstanding. It has taken them some time to get up to snuff with vehicles, but they are getting darn close. So close that Porsche finds their work acceptable? Did we actually determine that the 997 tranny was made in Japan?

"Orrance you were drifting!"