Whats the appeal of 911s?
Discussion
I'm not trying to antagonise here, but.... whats the appeal of driving 911s? All you ever hear about is how tricky they are to drive due to their arse-engined configuration, yet so many people flock to them.
Granted my front engined car might "not be a proper Porsche" but I'm a very average driver and I can still drive like a moron without wrapping myself round a tree. I gather this isn't really the case with the 911s - or atleast the earlier ones.
Like I said, I'm not trying to provoke people - I'm genuinely curious....
Granted my front engined car might "not be a proper Porsche" but I'm a very average driver and I can still drive like a moron without wrapping myself round a tree. I gather this isn't really the case with the 911s - or atleast the earlier ones.
Like I said, I'm not trying to provoke people - I'm genuinely curious....
Having owned 28 cars in 16 years ( I have just counted) I can honestly say it is the only car I have not go bored with !!!
It is very different to drive than anything else I can think of and in fact it was the only car I have had that it took me time to learn how to drive .... 6mts !!!!!!!!
In the early days I just couldn't drive it properly to be honest where as my good friends subaru (547 bhp) or mums boxter you just jump in and you are off.
Add to that they look nothing like anything else on the road, they start first time and you can use them every day.
So its probably the challenge and the thrill that it might throw you in the nearest hedge if you don't drive it properly !!! :-)
It is very different to drive than anything else I can think of and in fact it was the only car I have had that it took me time to learn how to drive .... 6mts !!!!!!!!
In the early days I just couldn't drive it properly to be honest where as my good friends subaru (547 bhp) or mums boxter you just jump in and you are off.
Add to that they look nothing like anything else on the road, they start first time and you can use them every day.
So its probably the challenge and the thrill that it might throw you in the nearest hedge if you don't drive it properly !!! :-)
I've a feeling you haven't driven too many of them .. The 993 may be a little tricky in the wet, but the 996 is so forgiving when tootling around that people moving up from 993's complain about how staid the 996 feels.
The 996 is definitely very docile if you wish to steer clear of the limits , and has made no attempt to bite my bum in the last 6 months of motoring. HOWEVER , it always feels very special to drive and even when nowhere near the ragged edge , it gives a wonderful 'adrenaline drive' feel , for want of a better phrase. Driving front wheel drive or a front engine car gives a bit of a 'low' after the 911 experience , and I think , leaves the driver with a craving for more pork.
I must stress that I'm a crap driver , I know nothing of the finer points of car finesse , and this is all just my gut feel.I haven't said much about the 993 cos I haven't driven them much , so I'm not qualified.
Feel free to blow me out of the water!!.....................
The 996 is definitely very docile if you wish to steer clear of the limits , and has made no attempt to bite my bum in the last 6 months of motoring. HOWEVER , it always feels very special to drive and even when nowhere near the ragged edge , it gives a wonderful 'adrenaline drive' feel , for want of a better phrase. Driving front wheel drive or a front engine car gives a bit of a 'low' after the 911 experience , and I think , leaves the driver with a craving for more pork.
I must stress that I'm a crap driver , I know nothing of the finer points of car finesse , and this is all just my gut feel.I haven't said much about the 993 cos I haven't driven them much , so I'm not qualified.
Feel free to blow me out of the water!!.....................
To me the beauty of a 911 is the engine..imo no other engine delivers such a smooth torquey performance at nearly all revs.Gt3 engine (mk2)was a gem however the 996tt power delivery is the best ive ever had..includes driving 430's,360's,m5's,m3's etc and owning 50 cars in the last 20 years.
I agree with all the comments above...
I think it also appeals to drivers of different abilities for different reasons.
Average drivers like the 911 for all the aesthetic/iconic reasons. Plus the awesome performance available so easily.
Skilled drivers find that no other car offers as much challenge when pushed towards the limit.
993 has loads of character with a slightly smaller performance envelope which is a challenge at/near the limit. 996s have a bigger performance envelope that is more easily accessible/user friendly, but it offers just as much challenge as the 993 when near the limits (which are higher than the 993).
I think it also appeals to drivers of different abilities for different reasons.
Average drivers like the 911 for all the aesthetic/iconic reasons. Plus the awesome performance available so easily.
Skilled drivers find that no other car offers as much challenge when pushed towards the limit.
993 has loads of character with a slightly smaller performance envelope which is a challenge at/near the limit. 996s have a bigger performance envelope that is more easily accessible/user friendly, but it offers just as much challenge as the 993 when near the limits (which are higher than the 993).
kayc said:
the 996tt power delivery is the best I’ve ever had. This includes driving 430's, 360's, m5's, m3's etc and owning 50 cars in the last 20 years.
complete agreement. The next best IMHO was the V12 Ferrari 550 Maranello I drove and frankly that was slow and not nearly as grippy or good in the wet.
Chris71 said:
All you ever hear about is how tricky they are to drive due to their arse-engined configuration
ive never heard this once, they are famed for their awesome grip and ease of drivability.
anyone who is telling you this, i guess, is trying to big themself up and look all butch whereas the truth is they prolly cant drive at all, just wish they could.
*flame proof anti flame protection aids at the ready*
Because in any hands a 911 is a fast car, but in the right hands they are an unbelievable driving tool. Its best described as a scalpel in the right hands as opposed to a butchers knife when comparing a 911 to most cars, both do the same job but a skilled surgeon can do so much more with a scalpel than a butcher can with a cleaver!
I was smitten with the 911 as a schoolboy. It just seemed to have a unique charm - practical, tough, fast, nimble, looked great on the road yet seemed unbeatable in all types of motorsport.
Bought my first, a 911SC from Malaya Garage in 1983, and updated every few years, but held on to a few 'classics'. Nothing else has the same feel and character.
IMO a true 911 is RWD, normally aspirated, coupe, manual.
Bought my first, a 911SC from Malaya Garage in 1983, and updated every few years, but held on to a few 'classics'. Nothing else has the same feel and character.
IMO a true 911 is RWD, normally aspirated, coupe, manual.
DucatiGary said:
All you ever hear about is how tricky they are to drive due to their arse-engined configuration
ive never heard this once, they are famed for their awesome grip and ease of drivability.
anyone who is telling you this, i guess, is trying to big themself up and look all butch whereas the truth is they prolly cant drive at all, just wish they could.
*flame proof anti flame protection aids at the ready*
With respect Gary, you drive a 996!
I have to agree with whats said above.
I've owned many fast cars and like many of us petrol heads, after a while we become bored and crave for something else to make us smile every time we crank that engine.
The rear engine arrangement being tail happy is nonsense. Good tyres and a driver who can judge how fast to enter a corner and when to apply the power will enjoy the capabilities of a 911. Yes, it will slide if you want it to, but no more than the other front engined rear wheel drive cars i've owned in the past.
The 911 does offer a different driving experience to any other car i have owned and driven. The offset pedals take a little time to get used to, but the drive can be described as exciting, although the later versions are more comfortable than the early ones, taking away that raw feel of communication between the road and the driver.
The power steering is weighted perfectly (not to much assistance) and the power delivery is smooth. It can pull from under 1000 revs in any gear without hesitation, and then deliver with a rush of flat 6 singing from the often modified exhaust system.
Every driver has a personal preferance to what they consider to be an ideal car.
The 911 offers something different, anyone interested in cars should try to drive one sometime in their life.
I've owned many fast cars and like many of us petrol heads, after a while we become bored and crave for something else to make us smile every time we crank that engine.
The rear engine arrangement being tail happy is nonsense. Good tyres and a driver who can judge how fast to enter a corner and when to apply the power will enjoy the capabilities of a 911. Yes, it will slide if you want it to, but no more than the other front engined rear wheel drive cars i've owned in the past.
The 911 does offer a different driving experience to any other car i have owned and driven. The offset pedals take a little time to get used to, but the drive can be described as exciting, although the later versions are more comfortable than the early ones, taking away that raw feel of communication between the road and the driver.
The power steering is weighted perfectly (not to much assistance) and the power delivery is smooth. It can pull from under 1000 revs in any gear without hesitation, and then deliver with a rush of flat 6 singing from the often modified exhaust system.
Every driver has a personal preferance to what they consider to be an ideal car.
The 911 offers something different, anyone interested in cars should try to drive one sometime in their life.
Chris71 said:
...I'm a very average driver and I can still drive like a moron without wrapping myself round a tree. I gather this isn't really the case with the 911s - or atleast the earlier ones.
I too would rate myself as an average driver, and if I drove like a moron my "earlier one" would most definitely despatch me through the nearest hedge with "Guaranteed Delivery" stamped on my forehead.
However, the appeal of the 911 for me, lies not simply in the looks, noise etc but in the knowledge that as I become a less average driver the car will reward me with a more fulfilling, aswell as thrilling driving experience.
That is what I want from my car. If I simply wanted to go very fast without having to try very hard, I would have bought an EVO..
domster said:
All you ever hear about is how tricky they are to drive due to their arse-engined configuration
ive never heard this once, they are famed for their awesome grip and ease of drivability.
anyone who is telling you this, i guess, is trying to big themself up and look all butch whereas the truth is they prolly cant drive at all, just wish they could.
*flame proof anti flame protection aids at the ready*
With respect Gary, you drive a 996!
o right, so where taking that angle are we now.
i might give you some more ammo if you wish, its my first car (honestly) and ive only had a car license for just over a year.
yes ive had motorbikes since I was 8, so had a full license for years, but cars, well, this is my first so mabe im not qualified to answer on this thread.
The lines, engine configuration (rear mounted flat 6), the handling, build quality and engineering, the 40 years heritage, engine note, reliability, drivability, the smell of oil after a good thrash (aircools only), the bills you can get from the OPC, the cost of insurance, the fuel consumption.
Nothing else like it and totally unique. Happiness is indeed a 911 and once enjoyed very difficult to give up. A bit like taking class A drugs really
Plus when someone asks what car to you drive "911" is all you need to say.
Andy
Nothing else like it and totally unique. Happiness is indeed a 911 and once enjoyed very difficult to give up. A bit like taking class A drugs really
Plus when someone asks what car to you drive "911" is all you need to say.
Andy
mach said:
However, the appeal of the 911 for me, lies not simply in the looks, noise etc but in the knowledge that as I become a less average driver the car will reward me with a more fulfilling, aswell as thrilling driving experience.
That is what I want from my car. If I simply wanted to go very fast without having to try very hard, I would have bought an EVO..
How very true - indeed, the 911 is the first car I've owned where no matter how hard I push and have developed my driving, the car has always come back and said to me "is that all you've got?" The 911 has an amazing depth of ability that doesn't aim to flatter, but it aims to make you a better driver.
They look the dogs danglies, especially the wide bodied!
The sound, even the wet ones sound pretty good.
They are definitely not the handful of legend, not had a single moment yet, gone beyond my limits once or twice but not the cars!
The fact that you can buy a 20 year old car and it is in better condition than many nearly new cars and can still be driven properly (within my limits) without worrying about what will fall off!
Absolute classics.
Oh and the looks, especially the wide bodied!
The sound, even the wet ones sound pretty good.
They are definitely not the handful of legend, not had a single moment yet, gone beyond my limits once or twice but not the cars!
The fact that you can buy a 20 year old car and it is in better condition than many nearly new cars and can still be driven properly (within my limits) without worrying about what will fall off!
Absolute classics.
Oh and the looks, especially the wide bodied!
I agree i drive a range of 911's from a 70's s through my own 964 to a 996 c2, they all drive well, the tail happy thing is a load of twaddle, usually sprouted by people who've never even driven one????
The 964 series is my favourite, to drive its like a big version of an mgb, its a big heavy car but when you hustle it it feels like half the weight and half the size, driven properly it will never step out on you, but if you want to drift it it does so with total predictability.
The 964 series is my favourite, to drive its like a big version of an mgb, its a big heavy car but when you hustle it it feels like half the weight and half the size, driven properly it will never step out on you, but if you want to drift it it does so with total predictability.
DucatiGary said:
All you ever hear about is how tricky they are to drive due to their arse-engined configuration
ive never heard this once, they are famed for their awesome grip and ease of drivability.
anyone who is telling you this, i guess, is trying to big themself up and look all butch whereas the truth is they prolly cant drive at all, just wish they could.
*flame proof anti flame protection aids at the ready*
With respect Gary, you drive a 996!
o right, so where taking that angle are we now.
i might give you some more ammo if you wish, its my first car (honestly) and ive only had a car license for just over a year.
yes ive had motorbikes since I was 8, so had a full license for years, but cars, well, this is my first so mabe im not qualified to answer on this thread.
Not getting into a water vs air cooled debate or saying you're a sh1t driver...
I'm just saying that a 996 is a much tamer animal in many respects than the earlier cars, and much easier to drive. Floor mounted pedals on the air cooled models are a bit of a pain, for example. The 911's suspension was extensively modified with the 993 and further again in the 996 etc.
You can't get much more benign than a 996 C4 tiptronic cabriolet in the dry, or more hairy than a 1980s 930 racecar in the wet... so when people say the 911 is a bit of a handful or hard to drive, they may be talking about it in its legendary sense, not in terms of your own personal (and self-admittedly limited) experience.
And as a first car, the handling will seem the most normal thing in the world to you... try a Caterham vs a Volvo 440 and you'll see the extremes that handling goes to
The 911 handles well, but you need to drive it properly - it is not as friendly as something like a 968CS or a Boxster S on the limit.
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