Got some questions about 914, would appreciate your input!

[AB911]

Hi All,

I am a classic porsche fan and trying to find the right porsche for me. I have had this discussion in 912, 944, and 911 forums too but I want to hear from 914 guys now.

If I had enough money to maintain a 911, I would definitely go for a 911SC since it is the most affordable 911 out there but I don't think I can justify the cost of 911 ownership so I am looking to other equally cool porsches.

If I get a 914 I will get a 4 cylinder one to keep the mechanical at a simpler level and 75model and older to avoid smog in CA but these are the things I want to know: Please note that the 914 will not be my daily driver but I would like to be able to drive it anytime, not just on weekends.

If I get a 914 with a VW engine, is it still gonna cost a lot to maintain the car on the road?How expensive the mechanical/body parts are?

If I can't do a difficult job on the car and have to take it to a shop to fix it, do they charge a lot like they do for 911s?

I have never worked on a mid engine car, is the 4 cylinder version easy to work on?

How would you compare the 914 cost of ownership to any car that comes to your mind and is a valid comparison?

Thanks.

[porsche930dude]

Dont listen to me but i would say a 914 would cost as much as a 911 to own maybe more. I do my own work so its hard to say. theyre always more rusty and the engine more fiddley and theyre older. Driving experience is totally different. 911sc is much more like a real car. more daily driver freindly. a nice 911sc shouldnt cost anymore than a normal modern car to maintain. unless something major needs doing ofcourse. a 914 engine is a bit simpler than an sc but not easier to work on. partly because its location but also its design. unbolting the trunk lid and working from in there makes life alot easier. a 914 is like a vw at Porsche prices. Boy when I say it that way It really makes us look special doesnt it. But really to me and most guys the 911 is a special car that makes you feel youll own it forever because you wont get anything better and the 914 doesnt really do that. If you can do most of youre own work go for a 911sc you wont regret it. Most of the money people spend on them are parts to keep them fresh. not nessesarily parts that break and need replacing. so you can buy those parts that are aging at a time thats best for you. A 914 on the other hand will most likely need those parts yesterday.

[AB911]

Originally Posted by porsche930dude

Dont listen to me but i would say a 914 would cost as much as a 911 to own maybe more. I do my own work so its hard to say. theyre always more rusty and the engine more fiddley and theyre older. Driving experience is totally different. 911sc is much more like a real car. more daily driver freindly. a nice 911sc shouldnt cost anymore than a normal modern car to maintain. unless something major needs doing ofcourse. a 914 engine is a bit simpler than an sc but not easier to work on. partly because its location but also its design. unbolting the trunk lid and working from in there makes life alot easier. a 914 is like a vw at Porsche prices. Boy when I say it that way It really makes us look special doesnt it. But really to me and most guys the 911 is a special car that makes you feel youll own it forever because you wont get anything better and the 914 doesnt really do that. If you can do most of youre own work go for a 911sc you wont regret it. Most of the money people spend on them are parts to keep them fresh. not nessesarily parts that break and need replacing. so you can buy those parts that are aging at a time thats best for you. A 914 on the other hand will most likely need those parts yesterday.

God, I hate Porsche, why is it so expensive to maintain. Even when i talked to 944 guys they said that the maintenance is not cheap either and 944s can be bought for as low as 4-5k, which means your cost of maintenance will go over the cost of the car at some point or actually very soon, so I said no.

I see your point, even if i get a 914 I will always love 911 more and will like to have one but man they are expensive. I mean I can afford a 911sc but if something major breaks which is very likely because it is an old car then I need to take it to a shop and pay a porsche 914 price to fix the 911 haha. So, that thought makes me feel like 911 is not for me. And sometimes I think either 911 or nothing, but then I like porsche a lot and would like to have one porsche at some point and the sooner you get one the better because the prices are going up everyday.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Maintenance on the 914-4 is less expensive, but more frequent, than on the SC. Parts are often cheaper than 911 parts, but more expensive than Bug parts.

Body and trim will generally by similar prices to the 911. Some parts of the 914, such as the transmission, are identical to 911 parts and cost the same.

Most mechanics who work on 914s are Porsche mechanics. They charge the same for their time no matter what they're working on, so you won't save much if anything on labor.

The four-cylinder engine is actually easier to work on in place than you would think. You do wind up working around a lot of things, but a lot of it is in fact accessible. Some things are better done with the engine out, but it's only held in with four big bolts, so it's not that horrible to lower out of the car.

At its worst, the 914 is less expensive to work on than the 911 at its worst. But you're more likely to find a 914 at its worst than a 911, particularly an SC. In part because the 914 is older, but also it seems like they are a bit more fragile than the 911. When they're both at their best, the maintenance costs are probably pretty similar.

The driving experience is somewhat similar, but very definitely not identical! The 911 is so very much more solid--but it is also a lot heavier! The 914 is lightweight and nimble, but can feel a little flimsy. The 911 feels more like it is carved out of a single billet. Both my 914 and my wife's SC will tell you what is going on at the contact patches, but the 914 simply tells you--the 911 writes you detailed love-notes about it.

Both can bite if you do the wrong things, and both are exceedingly rewarding to drive well.

The 911SC is likely to appreciate faster than the 914, all else being equal. Not sure if that matters to you; it does to some.

--DD

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Have you considered a 924? They're a lot like the 944, but maintenance should be a good bit less. In large part because the engine was used in a variety of vehicles, unlike the 944 series. They are also fairly under-stressed and well balanced, and they won't (for instance) destroy the head if the timing belt fails.

The downside--they're relatively cheap, so maintenance and repair will quickly add up to more than the value of the car. But a lot of that is how low the prices can be on the car.

--DD

[AB911]

Originally Posted by Dave at Pelican Parts

Maintenance on the 914-4 is less expensive, but more frequent, than on the SC. Parts are often cheaper than 911 parts, but more expensive than Bug parts.

Body and trim will generally by similar prices to the 911. Some parts of the 914, such as the transmission, are identical to 911 parts and cost the same.

Most mechanics who work on 914s are Porsche mechanics. They charge the same for their time no matter what they're working on, so you won't save much if anything on labor.

The four-cylinder engine is actually easier to work on in place than you would think. You do wind up working around a lot of things, but a lot of it is in fact accessible. Some things are better done with the engine out, but it's only held in with four big bolts, so it's not that horrible to lower out of the car.

At its worst, the 914 is less expensive to work on than the 911 at its worst. But you're more likely to find a 914 at its worst than a 911, particularly an SC. In part because the 914 is older, but also it seems like they are a bit more fragile than the 911. When they're both at their best, the maintenance costs are probably pretty similar.

The driving experience is somewhat similar, but very definitely not identical! The 911 is so very much more solid--but it is also a lot heavier! The 914 is lightweight and nimble, but can feel a little flimsy. The 911 feels more like it is carved out of a single billet. Both my 914 and my wife's SC will tell you what is going on at the contact patches, but the 914 simply tells you--the 911 writes you detailed love-notes about it.

Both can bite if you do the wrong things, and both are exceedingly rewarding to drive well.

The 911SC is likely to appreciate faster than the 914, all else being equal. Not sure if that matters to you; it does to some.

--DD

Great to hear from someone who has the both cars I am considering. Thanks for the detailed comparison. I for sure know that 911 is something else and from what I understand the cost of ownership between 911 and other models is not significantly different, especially 911SC because I heard that they are one of the most reliable 911s out there. I am considering different cars in a wide price and quality range simply because I go with the cars I like not the price or brand only. For instance, I would love to have a VW rabbit mk1 but it is hard to find one thats not rusty and let's say if I get a rusty one and put money in it and restore it and one day decide to sell it I would still get 4-5k max for it, so these are the things that make me really confused on which car to go with that will give me enough joy when I drive it without making a big hole in my pocket.

So a question to your second comment, do you recommend getting 924 over 914 or 944? The other issue is the smog in CA which is a factor in my decision.

[Emo993]

I think the 914 are very easy and cheap to maintain compared to a 911, also had both. I drove mine hard for ten years, changed oil/filter, tires, brake pads.....that was it. Now it did have a good body, no rust to deal with and I had Weber carbs, they ran great.....The second choice would be a 944 turbo, lots of good ones out there with major maintenance done (timing belt, water pump, engine mounts etc.) Bodies seam to last forever. Best, Mark

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Originally Posted by AB911

So a question to your second comment, do you recommend getting 924 over 914 or 944? The other issue is the smog in CA which is a factor in my decision.

I recommend driving each of them. One word of warning--914s can be habit-forming! If you drive one and it calls to you, it can be easy to wind up with a lot of money sunk into a car that will never be worth what you have in it. But you won't care once you get behind the wheel...

I personally wouldn't want a 924 or 944--but that's my own quirk. You said you had considered the 944, and the 924 is a lot like a 944 with lesser performance, less "cachet", and lower maintenance. Worth a thought, at least.

--DD

[Lost Canyon]

I've always had a love for the 914. Had a 73 and a 75 back in the 80's. Both were very dependable, got 30 mpg and tons of fun to drive. Great car for a second driver. No AC or air bags and no smog is a bonus. My favorites have fender flairs and 5 lug hubs. Many have upgraded brakes and suspension from a 911. As far as ease to work on them, I changed the clutch on the 75 without pulling the engine.
Watch for rust - make sure you get a CA car.
Go for it!

[Coondog]

What's your budget to buy a Porsche and what would be your yearly operating budget.
Finding a good running rust free daily driver is getting harder. 914s for sale really are in opposite ends. You can find lots of rust bucket fixer uppers for under 5,000. A decent 914 will be in the 12,000 to 15,000 range. It's the little things that bite you, my fog lights didn't work, equaled $$$$$. Then a fuel injector was leaking gas, equaled $$$. Then my heater quite working, equaled more $$$$ and all this last week. But why was I so happy to pay out $$$$ because it's a 914 thing. Once you own one you will find out.