Should I move to a Turbo?

Shadetree930 · 04:58 PM

Help me out ....

I have an 87 Targa that is very well sorted out. I would drive it around the world without hesitation. This car is rock solid and looks good too!

But .... I lust for an air cooled Turbo Coupe.

The wife has always been anti-tail, but after a weekend on the Dragon (see PPOT sticky) I think she now gets it .... size indeed does matter.

Leave well enough alone and keep the rock solid ride? or go for the Turbo?

9dreizig · 11-19-2007, 04:48 PM

Welcome to the dark side.......it will be fine

raj911 · raj911's Garage

I am in the same boat buddy ....... drove a mate's EFI turbo a couple of weeks back and now I just want one .....

911Rob · 911Rob's Garage

If you're unsure, then whatever you do, don't drive one!!!
I was unsure too, now I've got two.

Love the turbo; king of the road.

WPOZZZ · 11-19-2007, 09:44 PM

Life is too short, buy the turbo!

leibniz · 11-20-2007, 04:22 AM

I have a hard time driving my other cars! I actually slept in mine the night I got it.

bkreigsr · 11-20-2007, 05:18 AM

go for it.
the Porsche did/does the 930 right.
perfect for street cruiser, highway miler, track buddy, and Camero duster.
why wait?
Bill K

JeremyD · JeremyD's Garage

Hope you have better luck than I did - All the turbos I found where either out of my price range or had a host of stories -

sand_man · 11-20-2007, 06:20 AM

They really are fantastic cars. There is a Jekyll/Hyde quality to them; mild mannered when off-boost, but beastly (in a good way) when the pedal goes down. Don't fall for the folk lore in which Turbos end up skating off the road and launching into trees when the boost machine kicks in...that is total BS - don't drive like a dumb-azz and you will be fine! A little respect is all that is needed! They are raw and masculine...a real hairy-chested car.

As I have pointed out many times, mine is a daily driver...I treat her right, and she takes good care of me. VERY DEPENDABLE!!!! Additionally, my kids love riding in it.

Don't turn away from high mileage cars that have been well documented, maintained, and cared for. As I learned the hard way (paid a premium for a pristine low mileage example) these things like and need to be driven. I ended up performing a total rebuild to cure a plethora of oil leaks, that started as I began to use the car for what it was designed for. Whatever you do, make sure you have money in your war chest to properly sort out what you buy...all of them seem to need something when they change hands!

If you can resist the "mod bug" you will be in good shape. But be warned, "while you're in there" with these machines is the slipperiest slope you've ever seen!!!!! They will swallow your soul if you aren't careful!

Finally, it's all about the search, so take your time and enjoy the journey!!! There are lots of good cars out there looking for an informed buyer!

RF5BPilot · 11-20-2007, 06:50 AM

I think turbo's are great. On the other hand, while you can drive it as regular transportation (or not), the amount you will pay to replace your existing car is for entertainment. That's not bad...just look at your own finances. If you have no problem affording/justifying that much spent on entertainment -- go for it.

I think our regrets in life are more for what we didn't do than for what we did.

Yet, being able to retire sooner or spend entertainment dollars in other ways may be more important. I enjoy flying, but was careful to choose an airplane I could afford in retirement rather than one that is fun now, but would be forced to sell later.

At some level, you are cursed....in that you are possibly looking for a logical answer to an emotional response.

Good luck with that.

911teo · 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RF5BPilot

I think our regrets in life are more for what we didn't do than for what we did.

Yup.... it's better to have guilty feelings than regrets.

Go for it.

There will be no turning back

Good luck!

911boost · 911boost's Garage

Having been in your shoes, and making the jump to the turbo, I don't regret it for a second. I agree 100% with Sand Man, these cars love to be driven.

I bought a lower mileage one (a little over 30,000 miles) and still spent almost $5,000 correcting some other minor problems, but had planned for that going in, so it wasn't a surprise (tuning due to the altitude, new plug wires for all 12 plugs, plugs, etc.).

You definitley need to drive one, since your 87 is a G50, you may hate the 4 speed in the pre 89 930's. Since a lot of my driving is done on the interstate (yep, I use my turbo to commute the 62 miles each way to work when the weather is nice), I looked at 89 and newer ones.

Good Luck.

Bill

burgermeister · burgermeister's Garage

If you want it, family supports you, and you can afford it, go for it! Conceptually the same thing as buying a 911 in the first place.... so if you're not sorry you got one, you won't be sorry for the upgrade.

As long as it is healthy enough that it can be driven frequently and budget and time permits, sorting a car out for a few years is more fun than owning a completed example (for me anyhow...). During the sorting process, the car continues to get better and better. Once complete, it slowly gets worse ... unless you start 're-sorting' ...