Whats the best daily driven 911?
 

I am still on the hunt for a 911,and have looked at everything from 78-89. I like them all,with a strong favour for the 87-89 because of the extra headroom they seem to have(I am 6'3")

I have found fellow pelicans to be a wealth of knowledge and would like to hear who is driving what,and if anyone has found the"ultimate" DD 911.

I have briefly considered a 996,and a boxster...briefly.

I am on the WETcoast,so a car that doesnt leak,and has a functioning defrost is preferred. No real need for A/C,and I am open to a Targa,but do not care for a 911 Cab.

What say the Pelican's ?

Depending on your budget, a 996 would be a great DD.
There is a sweet one for sale in the Pelican classifieds right now for around $27,000.

No affiliation, just wish I had the $$$ to buy it myself.


If you want to stay air-cooled, the 964 models are a pretty good bargain and have improved creature comforts.

You answered your own question. Better, newer faster car. Well worth the several extra thousands of dollars. Less hassles and will appreciate faster than the SC.

I drive an 81 Targa. Nice car and drove it for two years as my only car in Houston. 2X4's sticking out the open roof and all.

any 911 .. although everyone says newer better faster ..
my opinion the early ones have more "driving experience" ... though i do find myself looking at 993 and newer ....

but then i just picked up a 73 914 to keep my 1980 911 company ...

Steve

Don't rule out the pre-G50 Carreras ('84-86). I drive mine several times a week, climate here in Eugene is not all that different than yours in BC.

Where are you on the wet coast? My '78 targa will roast you out of the car after 3 minutes of driving on max defrost with backdated heat and SSI's!
The ultimate car depends on you. Are you going to work on them yourself or pay someone else? My ultimate one is the one I own, if you get my meaning.
Get the '87 to '89 for a more refined polished machine. Get an earlier one for a more raw experience.

I am in White Rock B.C,which is just across the border from WA. on your way to Vancouver.

LOL, I know exactly where that is, I used to live in Blaine, sail my old 22' beater around the harbor and marvel at how everyone on the other side of the bay was piled up on top of each other compared to the population in Blaine. :)
Blaine's Fourth of July fireworks were always great!

I find my 87 to be an awesome DD. but I'm biased.

If you decide you want a <'89 car, I'd try to find a sunroof delete if head room is an issue, though they can be kinda rare in the later ones. The headroom in mine is great. I'm 6' 1" and I have loads of room to spare. I even have my seat closer to the top of its adjustment so I don't feel like I'm sitting in a bucket, peeking over the top of the door.

Didn't they lower the seats for 1986, too?

Hello fellow Vancouverite!

Have you seen that Green SC from Switzerland on Craigslist?

6'2" no problem with a Targa for headroom. They don't leak if properly fitted. Pick up an '87 from the US if the 25 year import duty laws are still in effect up there in my former homeland...

Another vote for an 84 Carrera with the 3.2l motor. Great daily driver.

in the seattle CL there is a pretty nice 996 PORSCHE 911 / 996 SUPER CLEAN PRICED 2 SELL TRADES OK if i was in the market for another 911 id probably take a look at it but, a ford raptor is in my near future :)

Id drive a 356 daily if I could afford a good one, and Ive never had a bad day running errands in my Carrera, but I think most will agree that 911s get more comfortable as they go on. A 996 is a great car for the money they now cost, though they dont have the air-cooled charm and arent as easy for a DIYer to tinker with.

G50 cars are great but there is nothing wrong with a 915 sc/carrera if you find one too good to pass up. Watch out for 85s though ;) the seat is slightly higher than 84 and 86, I dont have much extra room and Im 6 feet even.

Anyway, you cant go wrong with a 911, I saw 4 others out today while I was running errands in mine (I consider myself lucky to see one). A mid-year, a couple sc/carreras, and a 965, all of them seemed to get around fine.

Anything 15 years and older is the rule in Canada. It's the US that's 25 years. :)

Only bias for me is that G-50s will outpace 915's in appreciation.

valid point. they command a premium now though as well, so if the right car came along at the right price and happened to be a 915, I wouldn't sweat it too much.

I drove a black '87 daily for 7 years around Victoria and loved it- very reluctantly surrendered it for an arena red/ black 993 turbo. Previously had '84 and far prefer the G-50-- you will not regret G50- but get a thorough PPI including detailed engine check!

I saw that car,is it just me,or is that a hell of a deal?

I looked at it twice,the owner is as good as they come,but the car is tired,and it suffered a poor quality re paint,something I had a hard time overlooking.

I spend alot of my free time on the US side. Blaine is a great place to eat,shop,get gas,and have a great meal. I would live there full time if the US government would allow it.....and houses are about 50% of what they are here.

I find your 87 to be awesome also Kipp ....

Steve

Really Kipp's car is well above the "nice" level .. and it takes the twisty's very well ...

I have both types - old school '84 911 and a new school 996. I would strongly suggest the 996. I've driven mine for almost six years as a daily driver and its been one of the most reliable cars I've ever owned. It has 133,000 miles on it now (96,000 driven by me in those six years). I replaced the original clutch at 110,000 miles and decided to have the IMS bearing/flange upgraded with the bomb proof LN Engineering version for peace of mind (although mine was fine when my mechanic pulled the original one out). The Rear Main Seal never leaked, but I had that replaced while the clutch was being done as well. The car is squeak and rattle free, the AC works perfectly, and it's FAST!

Take nothing away from the air cooled cars - I love mine - but as a daily driver, you will probably be happier in the 996.

'80 SC daily driver here, even in Arizona summer heat. Not so much a testement of it's comfort, but more a testement of it's toughness and reliability!!

on the wet coast, forget anything before 90. They leak, bad.

Maybe I'm mistaken, but I seem to remember that there are two rules in effect in Canada. Fifteen years and older exempts you from federal safety and build rules, but 25 years and older saves you import duty. You just pay sales taxes.

That is what I remembered, but I left Canada 11 years ago so it may have changed.
Like most Canadians I was always aware of ways to not pay tax or duty... :D

I've had an '87 cab and my current '88 coupe which have at various times been my dd. Not really as tolerant of the "quirks" of the model as a daily driver. It can be a real PITA in cold, wet weather with the horrendous tendency to fog the windows which can be mitigated with the a/c...somewhat. You won't care about the lame ass a/c in the PNW but it really gets old here in Dallas with much of the summer temps pushing 100 for weeks/months on end.
My friends who've moved to 996 from older air cooled models say the newer models are MUCH better as DD...I tend to agree.

I've got an '85 RoW - with no sunroof. At 6'6", I have enough head room without the sunroof. I added a spacer on the steering column and all is well with the knee room as well.

How about a 993? There are some higher miles cars for decent money- and they have lots of creature comforts. Or an early 997? I know you won't get the tax benefit but they are really nice on a daily basis, esp. in heavy traffic.

I'd agree with either of those. You'll spend more for both though.

Your budget is a pretty important part of the decision also. I have a '85 that is mechanically sound but I don't necessarily want to use it as a daily driver in Atlanta traffic - 1.5 hrs each way, no working AC. I'm considering adding a late model 996 to the mix for that purpose though. They seem to be a good value right now.

Gustyones, find a good one and you will be amazed. I'm an air cooled guy all the way, but I've been a huge fan of the new stuff ever since buying my 996 six years ago. AWESOME car. That car has not only been my daily driver, but it's been flogged at the track at least six times, without even the slightest issue.

Not true Kev. I brought in a 2007 Volvo XC70 a month ago and previously brought in a couple of cars from the early 2000s.
The site to check for regulations is Registrar of Imported Vehicles - Vehicle Admissibility (Registrar of Imported Vehicles)

I strongly recommend that the original poster look to the States for a Porsche. I bought mine off Craigs list and had a great experience buying and driving it home from California-we got to know each other really well!

Warning! Do not buy a flood damaged vehicle-it cannot be imported into Canada-no matter how good a deal it is... Salvage vehicles can be.

Hmmmm,I am pretty committed to a 78-89 911,the budget is $15-20k,including the obligatory $2500 entry fee for misc repairs and upgrades. I have seen a few 996 cars in that range,but the styling is less than ideal. I am becoming more practical these days,and function has become a larger part of the criteria.

OK, there seems to be a bit of confusion, here. With the 15 year rule, you still may be required to pay Duty. You WILL be required to pay GST on any vehicle you bring in. Both of those "rules" may not be followed exactly, depending on the Customs person. They tend to play a bit free and easy with the interpretation of the regs...

With newer vehicles, if they conform to US regulations and are manufactured for that market, they will almost without exception be permitted to be imported. GST and inspection will be required, and conforming to certain Canadian rules (child seat restraints, DRLs, etc.) will apply.

Vehicles for other markets, ie. Japan, Europe, Estonia, wherever, will fall under the 15 year rule. That's why all the JDM right hand drive cars are legal here once they reach 15 years old. They still require inspection and conformity to federal rules like child seat anchors and LHD headlights (even though this is often overlooked).

Basically ANYTHING over 15 years is allowed and certain other newer vehicles are also permitted. There's undoubtedly other isolated instances with people that got lucky or know the right person to get in their uber rare Zamboni ice cream truck or something... :)

There's a thread on the Canadian part of this site that goes into a bit more detail on importing from the US into Canada...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/canada/288322-importing-porsche-us-into-canada.html

id say a hell of a deal. you wanna buy my 83 sc and ill pick up the 996? lol

I was a bit too far away to view on short notice,and the posting is down so I'm sure he sold it to the first guy that cam. I emailed the owner,sounded like a Legit CA car,$30k in maint history over the last 6 years of his ownership.

good deal

When I set out to get a 911 a few years ago, I wanted a car that I could use as much as I can in the horrible hot and humid climate I live in. Did drive a couple of SCs and Carreras, but at the end of the day, nothing beats a 996 as a "beater daily driver". The performance and comfort is unmatched by any previous model, and at the prices that they are going for these days, a no brainer.

The main achille's heel of that model (IMS bearing) has a known fix (LN Engineering). Looks wise may not rank high, but if what you are truly looking for is a "practical" 911, for the price, you can do no better than the 996.

All this said, I sold it and got myself a Cayenne as the 996 C2 I had was still too impractical.