944 turbo or 968

[kyote1]

Hi all
Would you rather have a 944 turbo S or 968?

[C ANDERSON]

968

[Gawernator]

968

[redstrosekNic]

I would go with the turbo, simply because I have never had a turbo car...

[zedsn]

951S because I own one.

[alfadoc]

944 s2

[ernie9944]

Both car are very different in many respect such as -power delivery -road holding -comfort-look-maintenance ect ect.So tying to compare a 968 to a Turbo S is no small task.And what it come down to is it all depend what your aim are when buying either of them.The (stock) 968 will do almost everything a (stock) Turbo S does but without drama.For cruising around & hwy long drive the 968 is pretty darn hard to beat,for seat of the pants & raw power feeling the Turbo S is the car you want.Personally after having driven both in almost every road condition possible my choice was the 968 but lol I'm not getting any younger.

[cockerpunk]

depends on if you want a really nice rare porsche, or you want to hot rod a 20 year old 4 banger porsche.

[Jfrahm]

Having owned both it all comes down to intended use, budget, etc. AS a daily driver I found the 951 to be kinda annoying. The Turbo S is worse due to the M0303. The long gears were not fun stoplight to stoplight, you get holeshot by Priuses and Outbacks and stuff. The skinny timing belt, cumbersome maintenance, underhood ezbake, etc. make the 951 harder to live with too. If however you want to do incremental HP modding the turbo works. Most people find this to be very expensive in the end but it is cheap to get started.

The 968 needs variocam service about once per lifetime but also has a modern timing belt tensioner that obviates the need for re-tensioning as well as a wider, stronger belt. The clutch is much much easier to replace in the 968, but you might need an expensive dual-mass flywheel once per lifetime also. You can't cheaply and easily mod a 968 for 300whp though.

So... pick your poison.
-Joel.

[klaus]

Originally Posted by cockerpunk

depends on if you want a really nice rare porsche, or you want to hot rod a 20 year old 4 banger porsche.

On the rarity scale I would say the turbo S and the 968 (coupe) are almost a dead heat. If you include 88 Turbo S and 89 Turbos the total number imported to the US was a bit near 2500, and the 968 Coupe was about the same over its production run. Those number are off the top of my head, so I could be off a bit.

As to the OP's question, I would like one of each please. 968 more for the daily grind, and the Turbo S for track work.

[flash968]

i don't like the way turbos drive. i also wanted a more updated look than the 951. while i like the more aggressive look of the front end of the 951 with the lights down, as soon as they go up, it looks very 80s. the 968 looks more modern with them up or down. there is no help though for the back end of the 951.

as for performance, in stock trim the 968 is easier to drive fast, due to the naturally aspirated nature. you really have to stay on top of the 951. but, it is easier to get big power out if a 951 than it is a 968. for example, while i make a CARB certified supercharger kit for the 968, it is still in the 300hp neighborhood, whereas you can get a 951 to up around 350 with a lot less effort, though it does require paying even more attention to how you drive, whereas the supercharged 968 behaves like stock. it really all depends on what you want in power and drivability.

maintenance is easier on a 968, but parts can be pricier and less available. mechanics generally don't know them either, and many will claim they do only to find out they are in trouble once they get in there.

initial cost is an entirely different story. it will take you nearly $20k to get a 968 and get it up to snuff (more for a cab). the unfortunate reality is that most of the cars are pretty run down, due largely to people not knowing what it takes to maintain it, or not being able to afford to maintain it, and consequently they need a lot of work before they are truly roadworthy. you can snatch up a decent 951 for a bit more than half that.

if i were building a track car, i'd go 951. if i were building a street car, i'd go 968

[ckelly78z]

I think being 47 years old and not needing to prove to all my friends how fast my car is, I would go for the 968. The updated belt tensioner/maintenance issues also is a nice feature as well as the updated look of the car. Don't get me wrong, I love my 85.5 N/A and would love a 951 as well, but I think my next car will be a 968 or possible a nice 911 when I can afford it in a few years when the nest is empty.

[Cannonball996]

it really depends what you want in a car? if you are looking for speed and performance 951, but you will have to get your hands dirty and do some work on it. the 968 is a good driver, more reliable, how ever I think they are a bit over priced. for 968 money you can get a Boxster, not as rare, but much more fun to drive in my opinion.

[Gawernator]

The issue there is that Boxsters are for girls

[ernie9944]

Originally Posted by Cannonball996

it really depends what you want in a car? if you are looking for speed and performance 951, but you will have to get your hands dirty and do some work on it. the 968 is a good driver, more reliable, how ever I think they are a bit over priced. for 968 money you can get a Boxster, not as rare, but much more fun to drive in my opinion.

_____Sorry I don't agree about the 968 being over price.I'll say 75% or more 968 owners keep very good care of their cars & are anal about their maintenance (pay a visit to the RL968 exclusive forum,you'll know what I mean).So when buying one you get what you pay for.Boxster are getting cheap due to the amount built versus the 968 & the market does prove it,don't get get me wrong not putting the Boxster down here but after driving several including the S model I would never trade it for my well sorte out 968 since it's a complete opposite driving experience.

Originally Posted by Gawernator

The issue there is that Boxsters are for girls

----Not so,don't judge a car by it's look or before you have driven one,Boxster are nice driver for peoples who are in the roadsters scene.It's kind of amaze me when peoples are trying to compare Porsche models against each other, each one as it's own plus/minus.Example try a 928 S4 & afterward jump behind the wheel of a 928 GTS which I had the pleasure to drive both & you'll see what I mean,although they look the same they are not believe me.Sorry to be blunt here, but it seem that peoples will judge & say this & that about different Porsche models just by having read reports about them on the internet.What I'm saying is how do know how a certain model feel & behave on the road if you never drove one.

[cockerpunk]

Originally Posted by klaus

On the rarity scale I would say the turbo S and the 968 (coupe) are almost a dead heat. If you include 88 Turbo S and 89 Turbos the total number imported to the US was a bit near 2500, and the 968 Coupe was about the same over its production run. Those number are off the top of my head, so I could be off a bit.

As to the OP's question, I would like one of each please. 968 more for the daily grind, and the Turbo S for track work.

the simple fact is a turbo, while perhaps on paper is rare, is ultimately, a 944. which is a very very common car. the plus side as i said was that the turbos have a near limitless upgrade potential in terms of power.

the 968, while mechanically basically a 944, isn't one. better stock for stock, but very limited in terms of cheap upgrades.

[Gawernator]

Lol Ernie, I was being sarcastic couldn't write in green so easily from my phone

[mueller944s2]

Originally Posted by alfadoc

944 s2

+1 on a cab!

[flash968]

i've driven plenty of boxsters - boring. technically a superior car, but they just don't inspire me like the 968 does. there is something esoteric that is missing.

i continually hear people compare the 944 to the 968, and that they feel they are basically the same car. while there are a number of crossover parts, they are not at all the same car. they feel completely different, and behave very differently. this is definitely a case of the sum of the parts not being the same. the 944 is a much more primitive and raw feeling car. that can be a good thing though. again, it really depends on what you want, and what you are willing to spend to get it.

had they have brought the 951 cab into this country, i probably would have bought it instead of the 968, for the simple reason that it would have been easier to upgrade. having now supercharged the 968 cab to over 350hp and not lost any reliability or drivability, gotten the suspension nailed down to a modern ride and outstanding handling and cornering, and added all the modern conveniences, i am glad i made the move i did, but it cost me $150k to get here (though i could probably reproduce the car for about $60k). i don't know what i could get that would do what this car does for that kind of money.

[89-944NA]

For raw power and seat of the pants driving you can't beat the 951S. The 968 is more along the lines of a "Grand Touring" car, powerful yet smooth driver.

I do have to differ with some of the previous posts though, a well maintained 951 does not require constant maintenance...Other than changing the oil, I haven't had to do a thing to mine in the last 1 1/2 years since I did the upgrades, and it's a daily driver.

BTW ernie, if you go back and look at Porsche's original release ads and material, yes, the Boxster is a "ladie's" car, that is the market the car was originally directed at. And yes, I have driven many Boxsters (including an 08 Boxster RS 60 Spyder) both on the street and on the track, I get invited to "Porsche Test Drives" every time Porsche releases a new model or upgrades an existing model.