Herecy, I prefer 944 to 911

[alfadoc]

I could imagine selling the 911, and part of the reason I keep it has to do with investment value. I could probably sell it right now and make a tidy profit, but I'm not done yet, and almost feel like I haven't given it a fair shake to win me over.

I don't give a whit about investment value of the 944, and could never imagine selling it. The 944 is the car that I say to myself while driving "man I love this car". Hasn't happened in the 911 yet.

BTW, I really liked my 86 N/A, but it took owning the S2 to break into "one of my favorite cars ever"...and I've owned a whole bunch of cars.

Originally Posted by Dantilla

I'm another who has had a 911 and 944 at the same time. Very different cars. I have since sold the 911, still have a 944.

[ChrisRL]

Well I sold my first 944 - to get an S2.

Can't say as I've made a profit on either - can say that I lost a load on the one I sold. That's in terms of cash dollars, though.

In other terms? Well buying old cars has come to be something of a hobby now, I like mine around 1990 vintage or so. Have I driven newer ones? Sure. Older? Yup. Had a Lotus Esprit S1, S2, turbo. A little too old for my taste.

Would I sell my 944? Perhaps. Depends on what other 944 came along... : )

[cockerpunk]

i have a 951, and love it, but i want a 911 for sure.

variety is the spice of life.

[Lapkritis]

Originally Posted by Dantilla

Jetta: Front-wheel-drive. No thanks.

The thread title is "prefer" 944 over 911, not what car has the best specifications on paper.
For pure fun to drive, a 944 is among the best, while a Jetta, or any other front wheel drive for that matter, isn't even on the list.

I'm another who has had a 911 and 944 at the same time. Very different cars. I have since sold the 911, still have a 944.

Never had a Jetta, though..... (never will)

Lists vary. I have a hotrod 911 and also a warmed over Jetta for direct comparison. If you can't have pure fun driving an early Jetta close to that which you can get in a 944 or even a 911 then I don't want to have your kind of fun. The sense of occasion driving the 911 is greater but road manners and the blend of analog/manual/feedback aren't hugely different for pleasure driving. The difference with the 911 experience is best summed up as lifting your pinky when taking a sip. Does it taste better with the pinky out? Depends on what you like... if you haven't driven a nice early Jetta/VW then you don't know what you're missing.



911 or 944? Again, similar experiences with obvious differences. I like the radical change of the 911 compared to my cushy, quiet and overly comfortable modern driver. Do you always want to be driving around in a Lazy-Boy recliner on wheels with ice cold air conditioning, surrounded by silence isolated from the outside world? Answers vary. The 944 is half way home to the 911... some people like that. Different strokes for different folks.

[VirginiaF1]

Originally Posted by alfadoc

.

BTW, I really liked my 86 N/A, but it took owning the S2 to break into "one of my favorite cars ever"...and I've owned a whole bunch of cars.

Howdy..
If you haven't already done so, can you saw a few words comparing the '86 vs the S2 from a driving enjoyment standpoint?

[flash968]

lol - here's sacrilege for you: i'd prefer a yugo to a 911. i hate porsches in general, but especially the 911. at the time i bought the 968, i thought they looked like a used bar of soap, sounded like a hoover with a broken belt, had the engine on the wrong end of the car, and steered like a shopping cart. after so many years on the track dealing with the owners, there was no way i wanted to jump into that one. i almost didn't buy the first 968 just because it was a porsche.

now, i'm glad i did, but i still don't want to have anything to do with 911s or their owners

[Dantilla]

Originally Posted by Lapkritis

If you can't have pure fun driving an early Jetta close to that which you can get in a 944 or even a 911 then I don't want to have your kind of fun.

Don't know if I've ever driven an early Jetta like yours, but as an autocross instructor, I've driven plenty of front-wheel-drive cars, and none of them compare to either a 944 or 911 for pure driving fun.

While any car is "fun" on an autocross course, it's far more fun to take students for a ride in the warmed-over 911 and watch their eyeballs grow to the size of dinner plates.

[Dantilla]

Originally Posted by Lapkritis

Do you always want to be driving around in a Lazy-Boy recliner on wheels with ice cold air conditioning, surrounded by silence isolated from the outside world?

One quick look at my 911 would give you the answer......

-Race shells & 5-point harnesses
-Zero sound deadening
-No A/C
-No radio
-Stiff suspension- Drive over a quarter, and you can tell if its heads or tails.

[Dantilla]

Originally Posted by VirginiaF1

Howdy..
If you haven't already done so, can you saw a few words comparing the '86 vs the S2 from a driving enjoyment standpoint?

After driving a 2.5 litre 8-valve car, the S2 is a torque monster! Massive torque, even at low rpm.
Where the NA car's performance is directly proportional to the rpms, the S2 has great acceleration, no matter what the tach says.

Edit: The NA starts to loose some oomph near redline. I've been driving an "S", and it pulls hard right up until the rev limiter kicks in. Just like the 3-litre S2.

[Dantilla]

Hey, Lapkritis-

When talking of driving fun, I should begin any comments with: "In my opinion".

We're all driving enthusiasts here, and I'm glad you enjoy your car. While I will most likely never again own a front-wheel-drive car, that has no bearing on what you find enjoyable.

Hopefully, our conversations will be equally enjoyable.

[alfadoc]

Dantilla pretty much nailed it. Massive torque. When street driving, there's always enough power. Tooling along on two lane blacktop you only need to drop it to 4th to pass somebody. Mash the gas at 70 mph in 5th, and triple digits happen in a hurry. Brake pedal is high and firm and the brakes really clamp. Considerably less body lean in corners and firmer ride. Build quality seems a notch better.

VirginiaF1, if you're ever in my part of the state, give a holler. I'll gladly toss you the keys.

Originally Posted by VirginiaF1

If you haven't already done so, can you saw a few words comparing the '86 vs the S2 from a driving enjoyment standpoint?

[Lapkritis]

Originally Posted by Dantilla

Don't know if I've ever driven an early Jetta like yours, but as an autocross instructor, I've driven plenty of front-wheel-drive cars, and none of them compare to either a 944 or 911 for pure driving fun.

While any car is "fun" on an autocross course, it's far more fun to take students for a ride in the warmed-over 911 and watch their eyeballs grow to the size of dinner plates.

I counter point that there are certain people who can find a way to hate life on a jet ski with Pam Anderson driving and bouncing away in front. After all, a jet ski isn't a Porsche.

Defining "fun" is the crux here... any make/model can be warmed over but the mk1/mk2 VW are especially receptive to such massaging. Lumping them in with other OEM FWD simply because they aren't Porsche is categorically a mistake.

Let me explain why: The mk2 Golf and Jetta specifically were available in All Wheel Drive as OEM. The Jetta was for the middle of the production run years ('88-'91 model years) as a Syncro system. Driving fun you say? Have you seen an All Wheel Drive or even FWD mk2 VW "warmed over" from the recent years? You don't know what you don't know which is the basis for the opinion that you're entitled to. I'm only filling in the gap that naturally exists when you don't know what you're talking about. No insult intended, just information sharing which doesn't take from the fun you have in your 911 unless that fun includes ill-informed judgements of the world of vehicles around you.

[VirginiaF1]

Originally Posted by alfadoc

.
VirginiaF1, if you're ever in my part of the state, give a holler. I'll gladly toss you the keys.

Werd! Sister lives south of Roanoke..
That 3.0L seems a beast.. my little chipped 2.5 gets me above Virginia speed limits right quick.
You must be a paragon of restraint..

I've owned Alfa Milano, Audi A4t quattro, a Volvo Turbo, Mustangs, Hondas, Mazdas, VWs and now Porsche..
The Pcar is a world apart in terms of balance, suppleness and reliability..
Anxious to buy a used Jag XKR and Bimmer e36 to round out my lifetime garage.
Nice thread..
Mike

[cockerpunk]

Originally Posted by Lapkritis

I counter point that there are certain people who can find a way to hate life on a jet ski with Pam Anderson driving and bouncing away in front. After all, a jet ski isn't a Porsche.

Defining "fun" is the crux here... any make/model can be warmed over but the mk1/mk2 VW are especially receptive to such massaging. Lumping them in with other OEM FWD simply because they aren't Porsche is categorically a mistake.

Let me explain why: The mk2 Golf and Jetta specifically were available in All Wheel Drive as OEM. The Jetta was for the middle of the production run years ('88-'91 model years) as a Syncro system. Driving fun you say? Have you seen an All Wheel Drive or even FWD mk2 VW "warmed over" from the recent years? You don't know what you don't know which is the basis for the opinion that you're entitled to. I'm only filling in the gap that naturally exists when you don't know what you're talking about. No insult intended, just information sharing which doesn't take from the fun you have in your 911 unless that fun includes ill-informed judgements of the world of vehicles around you.

i have seen and driven some insane FWD autocross cars, CRX si, supercharged sciroccos etc etc ... but IMO FWD is just less fun, period. AWD isn't much more fun either IMO.

just my opinion. i am aware of FWD and AWD cars that perform better than RWD, but for fun, RWD is the only way to go IMO.

i tend to drive my cars like this though:

[Lapkritis]

I was going to say... wait until someone says the word "Miata" in this thread. It's all down hill from there!

[alfadoc]

Originally Posted by VirginiaF1

I've owned Alfa Milano, Audi A4t...

My "favorite cars owned" list includes a Milano Verde. What a brilliant thing to drive when it's right. Like the 944s, I liked my 2.5 Milano OK, but the 3.0 was the stuff.

The Milano Verde and the S2 remind me much of each other. They are both fabulous to drive and put me through excruciating hardship to prove my worthiness. If you don't recall:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-924-944-968-technical-forum/806253-im-eating-my-words.html

[bigyagi]

still cant believe a jetta is being tossed around here !
completely soul less car with about as much appeal as a packet of cornflakes !
i know. i have owned one, although i generally keep that quiet!
along with mk1 and mk2 gti.
we all have our favourites, but come on, as i said in an earlier post, if you want to go get your groceries, then stick with a jetta, or yugo, trabant etc.

[bigyagi]

ha ha, should have added, or a buick !

[Lapkritis]

Originally Posted by bigyagi

still cant believe a jetta is being tossed around here !
completely soul less car with about as much appeal as a packet of cornflakes !
i know. i have owned one, although i generally keep that quiet!
along with mk1 and mk2 gti.
we all have our favourites, but come on, as i said in an earlier post, if you want to go get your groceries, then stick with a jetta, or yugo, trabant etc.

Ha

Mk1 are appreciating now and commanding high sales price than 944 by far. Even early Rabbits... They're collectible classics now. Denial isn't pretty. But yeah, we're going a bit off topic.

[ColoradoSteve]

My 944 does just fine getting groceries and still turns heads in the parking lot, few people guess that the car is 31 !