I think there's something wrong with me...

So after all the SUV 'meh' I come across a nice looking Porsche 964 C4 that might just do as a replacement for my Jeep.

So we drive to San Francisco - that was fun, given that we picked the weekend that one of the bridges into town was closed - I look the car over, ticks all the boxes and has an enthusiastic owner who didn't mind spending the money to keep it going.

Only that when I drove the car, it felt like there's something missing compared to the 3.2 Carrera I have in the UK. Maybe I just like the rawer feel of the earlier car, I don't know...

So back to the drawing board we go, sigh.

Tough to find a car with the feel of the 911s. Those are very direct and mechanical in feel.

Have you driven an RX8 or Miata?

I have an NA Miata in the garage , I just figured that a nice 964 C4 would make a decent replacement for an SUV (as I don't like those much) for when I really, really need AWD.

I guess we'll be back looking at a small SUV that my wife would be more comfortable driving as well, but still with some half decent tow rating, then see if I can scrape enough together to buy an older 911 again in a couple of year.

There's definitely something wrong with you if you were planning on a 911 as a replacement for an SUV. Just buy a forester/outback and be done with it.

I know I'd rather have a 964 C4 over an SUV.....Sounds like a normal GRMer too me.

With all respect, I think you got an answer you didn't like because you asked a question that didn't relate to your answer.

If you want the raw feeling of a 3.2 Carrera and didn't find it in a 964, fine. But you were shopping for an AWD SUV replacement. Don't use the 3.2 as your benchmark. Benchmarks you might consider are cute utes, Subarus and Quattros. The cars will obviously drive better than the cute utes. And the C4 will be waaay more raw than a Subaru or Quattro of any vintage, especially for anything less than ten years old. So in that sense, the C4 compares very well.

I think that Porsches and BMWs cross over well so you might consider an AWD BMW but they are not easy to find.

Years ago I knew someone who's winter car was a 964 C4 and he lived in Omaha. Omaha gets snow and a lot of ice and it's very hilly. He said he never had a problem in his C4. AWD with the engine behind the axle, yummy. Don't forget, before the Quattro was born the 911 was one of the most successful rally cars of all time.

David

I had hoped that the 964 C4 was close to a 3.2, just with AWD. In that case I'd probably be organizing a PPI by now, but with hindsight I shouldn't have expected that from an "80% new" car.

Actually I did have a look for AWD BMWs and I might still consider one, but at the moment I think I'm back to looking for something fairly reasonably priced that's also got a half decent tow rating and isn't so big that the wife won't drive it. And is an automatic because she won't drive a stick.

In the longer run I'll hopefully get another old 911 to play with, but that's going to end up more as a hot rod to replace the Miata.

The 964 C2 is actually my favorite air cooled 911. Sure, the 993 is a bit prettier, but the 964 has the right mix, to me, of old 911 and practicality. The awd in the 964 is a bit clunkier than the later versions - I do prefer the C2.

I still dream of a 964 RS America...

If there was not something wrong with you.. you would not be here

I still dream about the ride-along I got at (the old) Heartland Park in a slightly modified 964 RS America. Wow, that 3.6 pulled >hard< all the way down that 0.8 mile front straight. I loved that car.

David

The 964 C4 is a horribly handling car, terminal understeer at all times. The awd system is heavy and really not all that great.

If you want an awd car, buy an Audi, they can be very entertaining.

Find a 964 C2. Remove sound deadner, replace secondary muffler w/ straight pipe. Enjoy rawness + bigger tires, 75hp and several tasty torques.

To fix C4 terminal understeer issue (if you have to have AWD) purchase KW Variant3 and stiffer, adj bars. On a budget... remove front driveshaft and use H&R race springs with Bilsteins.

docwyte wrote: The 964 C4 is a horribly handling car, terminal understeer at all times. The awd system is heavy and really not all that great.

Depends - supposedly it's is better in adverse conditions than the later 993 system.

docwyte wrote: If you want an awd car, buy an Audi, they can be very entertaining.

I don't like those, sorry. The only one I remotely like is the A8 and I've got first hand experience in its ability to generate huge bills. I don't mind that too much on a 911, but I do mind it on an Audi.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: To fix C4 terminal understeer issue (if you have to have AWD) purchase KW Variant3 and stiffer, adj bars. On a budget... remove front driveshaft and use H&R race springs with Bilsteins.

The whole point was to have AWD so that only leaves the expensive option...

BoxheadTim wrote: The whole point was to have AWD so that only leaves the expensive option...

The Audi? You can buy them all day long for less than the KW setup for the 911

In reply to Giant Purple Snorklewacker:

May I refer the honorable gentleperson to my comment about Audis above?

You're just picking the wrong Audi's then. I've put several hundred thousand miles on several A4's and S4's with nothing but normal maintenance.

but for every one person like you, there's ten guys like boxheadtim