I drove a '78 Targa today

A friend/neighbor of mine is thinking about buying it - the PO loaned it to him for the weekend to check out. The car is 30 years old, and had it's rough edges, paint issues, rattles. The interior is so bare bones it's wild. No power steering or brakes. You literally have to stand on the pedal to get the car to slow down! The shifter throw is so long, I thought I was in gear, only to find I had another 6 inches to go. Embarrassing at a light! The view from the driver seat reminded me of driving a VW bus - all the square window frames and strange antique corner windows. But get on the gas and that air cooled 3.0 really screams! Keeping it at 4k-5k rpm is a blast, especially with the Targa top off. I can see why people love the old air cooled engines. Fun to drive once in a while, but I'll stick to my comfortable 300 hp, thank you!

Sorry, the 78 (or my 86 w/Power brakes ) Can be just as much fun if not more than a 996 ya snob! heh heh

My first Porsche was a '77 911S Targa. The old cars, while of course quite spartan and underpowered by today's standards, were that much more involving and visceral. Like the OP, I have no desire to go back but remember them fondly...

I had a '67 912, and that thing was a BLAST. I had so much fun in that car - despite it being an old 4-cyl (though it was rebuilt and had webbers on it). I loved how I felt directly connected to the road. I drove it every day - and delivered pizzas in it as a teen. I don't really care about HP numbers or 0-60 times - it was fun to run through the gears and go down winding roads. With that car, you could actually drive it at, or near to, the limit without going at the ridiculous speeds that you would be going if you reached those limits in a 996. I love the rawness of the older cars, and someday I'd love to buy an old 911S.

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That's how I feel about my Miata...sometimes people here act offended when I say that my Miata is at at least as much fun, if not moreso, than my 996.

I love my 996 but my old 86 Carrera just has the sounds and feeling that nothing compares with. Thats why I cant seem to part with it. It's raw... it's pissed off!

I agree 100% you can actually drive the older 911's closer to their limits without getting thrown in jail! I drove my car this afternoon, and by the time I got the engine revving, I was over 90 mph, and quickly letting off the gas. So, these modern 911's are more like super cars, able to reach crazy speeds on a track. The older cars sound great at 50 mph in 3rd revving to 5k. I equate the older cars to 15 watt tube amps - you can crank them without losing your hearing. The newer cars are like 100 watt amps - you have to keep them well under their limit!

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HEY, just like an old girlfriend!

I'd go back... But to an 87, 88 or 89 targa. Has the right amount of rawness and modernness for my preferences. As long as I can go back to my everyday 996 when I don't feel like shifting.

It's amazing how the '78 911 SC and the late 80's Carreras look virtually identical! If I were to go air-cooled, I would get a late 993. I couldn't deal with the ZERO creature comforts in the 70's 911! It gets old really quickly if you have to actually drive the car in traffic, or on a long drive. And I thought my '89 944 was bare bones!

I drove my buddy's '88 911 Carrera expecting a tough drive. It was outstanding. Given that his car is well-maintained, I was amazed at how responsive it was and how well it handled. I had always heard scary tales of the rear-engine weight being so evident in the air-cooled 911. But, it was nimble and quick on winding country roads, and the sound of the engine was unforgettable. I love my 996, but a late 80's 911 would not be a struggle for me. If I saw a dark blue '89 911 with a whale tail and black fuchs, I'd have to give it some serious consideration. Bob

A fun, excellent car is always a fun, excellent car.. Just because new cars come out that possess 3x the hp, or twice the grip or whatever - doesn't automatically make the older cars somehow "unfun", or any less worthy of driving and enjoying. That's what always kills me when I see people talking about pure numbers or 'Ring times, and why X car is so much "better" than Y car.

I love my '87 but really want a 993 ultimately... I love 996s too for their niceness...the older models just cant touch the niceness factor

though the 993 is nice... its suspension is similar to ours. If I want raw, the late 80's (3.2) would be an excellent quick fix for some fun! torsion bars FTW!

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I agree on the performance comment - my 944's were extremely fun to drive, and were slow by today's standards. I do need the comfort factor. Old fun cars are a PITA to live with! Sure, the engines sound great and the cars are fun. But roll down windows, no (or lame) air conditioning, no power steering, no power adjustable seats, no cup holders (oh, wait, I don't have cup holders), makes for an uncomfortable trip! With the 996, you have the comfort, and great performance / fun. You just don't have the bare-bones thrills (or air cooling).

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The '78 had mechanical travel stops for the brake calipers so the rotors wouldn't be damaged when the pads worn down. Your braking exerience sounds exactly the way my '78 felt when that happened.

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Interesting, I'll have my friend look into that. He's having a PPI done by his cousin who happens to be a Porsche mechanic! Another odd thing, one of the front rotors "caught a rock" between pad and rotor, and it has a deep gauge in it. Does that mean he needs a new (or new) front rotors?

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Comfort...?? Hour after hour in our '78 at 100+ mph across UT, WY, NB, KS, Targa top stowed and the Kenwood turned up above the wind noise. Hour after hour in our '01 C4 at 100+ mph across UT, WY, NB, KS, all closed up, A/C, etc, etc. No comparison, might as well have been, SHOULD have been, in our LS400 on that latter trip. '01 can be, IS, lots of fun on the track, but the '78 was ALWAYS FUN...!! Still not sure whether or not to convert the '01 to a T-top.

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Agree completely. I still regret selling my '87. Don't get me wrong - I really like my 996 and performance-wise it's no contest, but the older 911s had that intangible something that made them unique.

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I meant comfortable - for a Porsche. For a 911, the 996 (and I assume 997) is very comfortable.

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Completely agree with this. 996 is great for daily driving, but I honestly never minded not having automatic/power everything. Nowadays, I don't like going on even small road trips without my GPS. We get so used to modern comforts and conveniences, that suddenly being without them is so horrible. What did we do without the internet?!?! Cell phones (remember having to stop at pay phones? OMG!) Auto climate control?!?! Road noise is a terrible thing to bear now. Gotta have power steering or the world will blow up. All the extras start to dull the senses and get us further from the actual experience of driving. Cars feel so similar now when you are just cruising down the highway - they are all quiet and comfy and have all the amenities. Sure, I like to have that stuff when I'm commuting back and forth to work, but it's not quite as fun as it used to be - but it IS more comfy and quiet.

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Apples to oranges I guess. You have an old 911, you also have repair bills, worn parts that need upgrading, etc. I did that with 2 944s, and bought a modern 911 to avoid all the upgrading and repairs of the older cars, having been there done that. Maybe it comes with being 44?

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I think it has nothing to do with age, it's all personal preference. Some guys like the rawness of the older cars, some gravitate to the creature comforts and refined nature of the newer cars.. some appreciate both. For some the upgrading and "tinkering" is part of the hobby. Remember, When the 80's Carrera was new people thought it was too heavy and "refined" compared to the older cars, some still do, when the 964 came out there was outrage and the much coveted 993 even took heat.

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I guess you can't please everyone at the new car level! But thankfully, with all the used Porsches out there, we can all find one we love!

I have yet to drive an older 911 but from what I'm hearing I imagine it must be pretty close to driving experience/involvement nirvana. My 99 is wonderful in the department compared to newer cars that are available today. I can only imagine what the older cars must be like. On a day to day basis, I'm not sure I'd like an older car too much but on the track or autocross, they seem like they would be a ton of fun. Unfortunately, I only know owners with 996's and 997's so I'm not sure when I'll be able to try one out. I would love a 964 RS America as I have always loved the look and it would be a nice mix of some modern driving behavior but great involvement and feedback. I can totally see how the older car would be more fun to drive at slower speeds where the 996 is actually quite boring until pushed. Unfortunately, when pushing a 996 to it's limits, you are approaching go directly to jail speeds. My 996 is at times quite frustrating to drive in traffic as you can't open up the taps and have fun because you can catch up to traffic so quickly when you get an open spot to have some fun. Especially on back road twisties as other people tend to putt along on the best roads to have fun on.

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I agree with all of this! Well said!

Did you have a lot of fun riding go-karts as a kid? Then you would love older 911's (89 and older). Same experience with more power! An '87 Carrera is as quick as a 996 Tip!

Oh yeah, the older cars... I had an 82 Targa SC and I was immediately amazed at the difference in driving. The old cars demanded your attention all the time. The new ones, well, as previously said, they're so comfortable in comparison until you let them out. Having said that, for long trips, I love my 996 an older turbo would sure be a ton of fun in the city though....

If you find your 996 boring at lower speeds, and feel like you must drive harder to have fun in it, start going to the track!

And you sir, are EXACTLY correct!

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That's where I get my fun out of my car. Unfortunately, I can't do it often enough. I autocross 8-12 times a year and try to do at least 1-2 track weekends a year. Those darn home/family obligations! The problem is, when driving the car a low speeds, you are constantly reminded at what fun this car is in the other venues. It's the curse of having a sports car now a days. They are such brilliant cars but, you can't enjoy them too much without going to jail. Also, the issue of safety, as driving in such a congested area you just don't know others might do around you. I've seen way to much stupidity and been a victim of that same stupidity (got t-boned in my last P-car on the way home from work (2+ years in physical therapy and counting). That's actually one of the primary reasons I leave the car at home for daily commuting. Less temptation/frustration because DC traffic is so slow, going 25 or less is not enjoyable in any car, I just drive my lazy boy on wheels (my Grand Cherokee).

"Lazy Boy on wheels"! Ha! Great image. I think a lot of people miss one of the most important parts of P-Car ownership, and that's pride in ownership. I can drive my 996 all day in 3rd gear, and be happy because I'M DRIVING A 911!! Sure, going fast and getting it to the red line is a great time. But it doesn't mean a quick trip to the mall isn't a blast in the 996. Half the fun is getting out, looking at the car, and looking at it again 10 steps away. At least for me. Maybe I'm just a poseur!?

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Not a poseur, a poseur would be doing the same thing with an Accord... Aw...Tim's gone, isn't he? Edit: I do the same thing too--I've wanted a 911 since I was a little kid, so everyone so often I'll turn around and just go "Holy **** I've got a 911!", which is generally followed by my wife hitting me in some way and reminding me that we're paying for it, too. But I think I can live with that.

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I drove a track-prepped 964 RSA and my 996 back-to-back on a track. The RSA felt really quick and when I got into my car, it actually felt slower. However, I noticed I was several MPH quicker in just about every corner and the owner of the RSA noted I was several seconds quicker per lap in my car. To me, this experience kind of summed up the difference between the two cars.

Ride height also has a factor in how fast you feel like you're going. In the 924S which was lowered a touch, 60-70 mph felt real quick down some roads, but in the 996 that same sense of speed doesn't come until 80mph+. And on the highway, 100mph was screaming fast whereas in the 996 screaming fast doesn't come until umm... later than that.

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In other words, the older cars are fast, and the 996 is deceptively fast!

Mid to late 80's 911 with the 3.2l motors are actually pretty damn fast compared to newer cars. Just the other day i gave my Buddy's convertible 996 a run for its money with my 86 carrera. He couldn't believe it.

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Yup, my 86 is no slouch!

yes... the 3.2's are quite surprising.... esp if you happen to be a good driver.

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You math is off on the amperage, and I also think you need to sample a couple of other "well-sorted" older cars if you think you can't get thrown in jail or keep up on the track in one. But, they're all good-Porsche has done well on the 911 throughout its lifespan. PS: As to the hearing thing, IMO, there is no sound like my '84 screaming past 70mph in 2nd gear.

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OK, maybe I should have said 50w vs. 100w (not double, but a little louder)?

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is that "deceptively" or "depreciating" ?

I really enjoy older cars, but don't kid yourselves. Cars keep getting faster, much faster. A modern "sporty" mid size sedan will easily put most cars from the 80s to shame, Porsches included. I say that as somebody who's owned nearly a dozen Porsches from the 80s, and wouldn't hesitate to own another (and perhaps even older ones)!

There must have been an issue with the brakes on the '78 you drove. A perfectly sorted SC will stop on a dime without standing on the brakes. Mine has no problem whatsoever and it has all the stopping power you will ever need. It takes many full out laps at the track before the brakes ever start to fade. Lower the car, add some SSI exchangers and you really have a fun driver. Three years ago, my SC dynoed with more HP at the rear wheels than the stock SC produced at the crank thanks to the SSI's and dual out Dansk muffler. April 1st of this year marked my 25th year of ownership of my SC. I could not bear to trade her so I bought a lift just to keep it around; glad I did. In the last 5 years, I've spent less than $1000 on unplanned maintenance and it has 212k miles on the odo.

(I love that picture above. I need something like that myself) Why have one OR the other? Why not do as I've done and have both ! I grew up with a father who was a Porsche fanatic from the early 60's. He had a 356C when I was born and sold it a couple of years later. Then he bought a late 60's 911 in '71 and kept it until it basically rusted to pieces by the mid 80's. He's gone now, but he imparted a love of the marque to me which resulted in me finally buying my first one almost five years ago. It's a gorgeous triple black '84 Carrera cabriolet, and over the years has been lovingly cared for and slightly modded by me. The result is a lighter (2500 pound), stiffer (custom roll bar, door bars, strut brace), and lower car with rebuilt and improved suspension and a slightly modded, strong and healthy engine that puts out about 225 HP or so (225 HP for a 2500 pound car is still a good power to weight ratio, even for today). The much maligned 915 transmission with its long throws has been tweaked and slightly improved and still shifts beautifully - if not with much longer throws than any new car - it's just something I had to get used to. The creature comforts have all been removed - other than the electric windows and the stereo - and I don't miss them at all because the car is my "fun" car, not my daily driver. I love driving that car and I cannot ever see myself parting with it. It is so well balanced and so light feeling. It feels like a go cart compared to my 996 (which is an awesome car itself, as you all know). The steering feel that the car gives through it's unassisted rack and pinion is unmatched and is something to be experienced. The only times it gets heavy is during slow speed parking maneuvers and while pulling high G turns on track with R-compound tires. But even then I don't mind the heaviness at all because I still know exactly what the tires up front are doing right through my hands. The brakes on my car are essentially stock and mostly similar to the brakes on the SC (any SC actually). The main difference between the SC and Carrera brakes was a slightly thicker set of rotors on the Carrera for better heat dissipation. I've never been left wanting for pure braking power in my Carrera, even when I ran stock pads (I run track pads now). The car has always been able to stop darn near as well as the 996 I own and has never required a hefty push on the pedal. The only issue I've ever had with my brakes is simply heat buildup on track - but that was to be expected and was dealt with easily. Not surprisingly, the 996 with its stock brakes, also had serious overheating issues on one of the tracks I frequent on a very hot 105 degree day. If you had to stand on the SC's brakes to get it to stop, I'd say that something is not right with those brakes. That car should stop very quickly and very easily. As for the sound - oh that beautiful sound that emanates from the old air cooled engine. You can hear that unmistakable fan whir at all times and it's such a unique, identifiable sound that transforms into a growl as the engine passes 4500 RPM or so on its way to the redline, by which time that growl has morphed into more of a scream. And as has been said by a few here already, many of these cars have been lightened and modded a bit and are now quite capable of staying close on the tail of older 996's like mine, although in the end, my 996 is still a little bit quicker and faster than my old '84 911. A friend of mine who posts here owns a 2000 996 like mine (although his is a Cab) and while we're out driving our respective cars we'll get on it once in a while, and when we do, his car will only ever so slightly pull away from mine. It makes me proud that my 25 year old 911 can still almost keep up with my much newer 996. I've had both cars up over 130 and they both got there very easily and they both felt like they were just getting into their strides in terms of power. However, I have to admit that the stability of the 996 at that speed was just in a different world than the older 911. The older 911 certainly gets your attention at that speed and requires a light, but attentive touch. The 996 feels like it can be driven with one hand on the bottom of the wheel at that speed - it's just so darn stable! Take nothing away from my 996. I love that car. It's been an absolute joy to drive for the past 2 3/4 years and 43,000 miles and feels as good today with 82,000 miles as it did when I bought it with 39,000 miles. It's gorgeous (the air cooled snobs might disagree). It's solid and rattle free. It has a nice comfortable full supple leather interior that I can spend hours in at a time. It has amazing handling limits that are so easy to exploit, but as many have said, it seems you really have to start driving at way beyond sane speeds on public roads to really start to feel the chassis come alive. Normal speeds are almost too easy in the 996 - if that can be even considered a negative. Not that I'm complaining, by the way. So as I said earlier, why not own and experience both? Why not have the old and the new at the same time? They are both very, very capable cars that will put a HUGE smile on your face every time you get into either one - and you can look back over your shoulder at either one and say "damn, that's a pretty car!"

Great looking 911s in this post! The one I drove was NOT sorted I guess, considering the paint looked like it was never waxed, and it just wasn't pampered. A bad example messed up my first impression of the early 911! Now I'll have to borrow our moderator's '86, so I can form a better opinion!

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THAT can be arranged!! Have to get it down to Seth for a valve adjustment and service for the summer fun!

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THAT can be arranged!! Have to get it down to Seth for a valve adjustment and service for the summer fun!

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I was only kidding (well, half kidding)! I WOULD like to drive the '86 at some point, just to check out a nice well maintained Targa! You can try my babied low-mile 996. Still using Seth? No comment!

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Seriously, you should experience a well maintained 911 and drive my 86. Better hit the gym so you can handle the steering The 911 is so much fun around town and on the twisties.. The 996 makes it all so easy... around town it's almost... dare I say.. boring? Yup, still using Seth, he has treated me beyond well 15+ years. I even talked him into working on my Saab He sorted it out for me.

Actually that's one minor complaint I have about the 996 - too much power assist on the steering! I've driven Mercedes sedans from the 70's that had better on-center feel! Maybe Seth is better at 911s vs. 944s?

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Still off! There is no doubt HP figures are getting ridiculous, 4 door "soccer mom" sedans pushing 600HP. But it is linear too, I'm running about 250HP out of my 2600lb Carrera (with a boat anchor of a rollbar). Linearly, that is pretty close to 315HP in a 3100lb car. I'd consider the M5 one of the new cars that fits the mold we're discussing. On a recent run up Mt. Palomar, we had a gaggle of M5's. The three I was running with couldn't shake me. They couldn't believe my car could keep up with them. I like to think it was somewhat related to the driver's ability. Heck, I had to look up how to spell ABS on Wiki, since I don't have it on my car. Same with PSM (&PMS for that matter!) and any other such contraption. Scott (450knotoffice) sums it up well. I'm certainly not saying my car is faster than the new variants, but some of the comments made above were not made based on facts, and seemed to dismiss the earlier 911's as something a notch above VW's. Again, all Porsches have their moments and days, any one of them that is in good working order is a car that most mere mortals don't understand.

Oh, my version of a well-sorted Targa:

Ed, I never tire of looking at that beautiful Targa of yours.

Yes Ed, that is one nice looking Targa ! It could be I am so used to driving my almost-new 996 that when I get into even a well-sorted 25 year old 911, it will seem rough to me. I also bet if I drive a well sorted '78 Targa for a few months, then move to a well sorted 356, I think the '78 will seem like a luxury car in comparison! It's all relative. Here is a photo of the Targa I drove (on a race track in the photo). Cosmetically it's rough, but it has a new clutch, Billsteins, stainless exhaust, anti sway bars, etc, etc. [IMG] [/IMG]

Most certainly the car will be rougher in most respects compared to your 996, but part of the appeal of these cars is their more raw, basic nature. However, that rawness should translate to a car that just feels alive on the road. Cruisers they are not. That Targa you drove is nice.

Scanning past the first post, had anyone noted that vacuum assist (aka power brakes) were introduced with MY77? (Which makes that last 2.7L car kind of a non-flared SC.) Stock brakes are fine; I used them extensively on all of my torsion bar track cars. If it all goes to hell, and I have to economize, the RS clone would be the last to go. 10-1 lb/wt ratio, 275 rear tires, suspension done right, proper diff, hell even the stock brakes as long as the weight was around 2400lbs...........car would stack up well with all but the latest and greatest driven at a high level. They did an excellent job designing the thing almost 50 years ago; ingenuity along the way has brought it to a place I'm sure the original designers would not be able to comprehend. To the point earlier of an RSA not being able to keep up with a 996 on track. Maybe, maybe not. I can run equal with Mooty in his GT3RS with the yellow car, equal tires. Go scan club racing results and you'll find the true performance difference. It's not as much as you think!

I owned an 03 996 for 5 or 6 months, the car had about 3k miles and was 4 or 5 months old. After a month or so of driving the car, I realized why the first owner let go of the car so quickly. The 996 is a great daily driver but it is extremely heavy. Everything is assisted which makes it really annoying if you want to push the car. The early cars are far from perfect but they require your input on a constant basis which makes you very involved with everything that's occurring...driver and machine become very close during that process...in newer cars, you could drink a cappuccino at 120 mph...

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Sounds like you should have done more research before buying a 996. And 'extremely heavy' is subjective at best. An 03 C2 [3000~3200] was I'm guessing pretty much in line with other cars of similar HP at the time. Only recently have the big players in the industry started placing more emphasis on 'adding lightness'.

Considering a 996 is significantly lighter than a 993, and not far apart in weight from a 964, while being VERY significantly stiffer and more powerful (also with better power delivery), and more aerodynamic than either... Well, nostalgia is as good a reason as any to want an older car, be it a 911 or anything else. I think the signal to noise ratio of the controls/chassis in a 996 is superior to the vast majority of cars out there. The 996 is more muted in almost every way, but the feed back you do get is ultimately more useful if your objective is to actually drive fast, not just feel like you're going fast. Sure you can sip your cappuccino at 120mph if you wanted. Mind you, 120mph is no longer close to the limits of performance that a "911" offers.

My brother's 996 cab drives almost as well as my M3 for daily commuting, etc. However, my M3 blends better with traffic, so it's less of a cop magnet and safely parked almost anywhere. My '77 targa is a weekend go kart that keeps me young and happy to be alive!!

Hey Chris, nice list of former cars. Bet you wish you had that '66 GTO back, huh!?

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Good points!

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Thanks, Andy. I no longer miss the GTO since it was from my days of mere straight-line performance. It makes a good story, though. A good friend restored that GTO to perfection and painted it red... so I felt good that it went into good hands. Meanwhile I rebuilt another GTO 389 engine and put it in my '68 Firebird. That car could leave marks at 60 mph with an automatic transmission! We didn't know the term "drift" back then, but that's what that Firebird was made for after I added coilover shocks (LoadLevers). Sadly, that Firebird was one of the cars that I launched airborne one too many times until its frame bent beyond repair. I really missed it last weekend when I was "trying" to drift my M3 at a Nashville event. Video evidence can be seen at www.YouTube.com/LAUGHAC By the way TooLoud1, one of the best drifters that day was driving a little white Miata... almost everyone else was in a Nissan Sylvia... I don't want to hijack this thread, tho, so I'll finish by saying that the 996 is a great daily driver but still a bit too expensive for me to consider for a track toy.

I meant you'd like a chance to sell it again, since the 66 GTO's sell in the 6-figure range on the auto auction shows every time they come up!

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Ohhh, I was thinking in the mode of this thread and the driving manners of different cars. Yes, I'd DEFINITELY enjoy liquidating an investment in the black ink these days... especially a car! Went through the roller coaster car price ride in the 1980's with the Mercedes roadsters and chased a couple of Lotus' and Ferraris the didn't pan out. I never dreamt my big ole' Goat could bring much at an auction back when only exotics were in vogue. Oh well, it's only money... life experiences are much more valuable as long as we have ENOUGH to take care of our essential like kids' college, etc. Who knows, maybe even my lowly C4 'Vette will have some value someday! Naw, I should probably sell it to the 1st taker to justify the VFR Honda I just acquired.

There is always a market for Vettes! On a side note, does the clutch pedal on your M3 squeak? I had a '97 328IS that had a squeaky clutch pedal. I eventually sold it because I couldn't take it anymore!

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I think that you've nailed it...and of course this is all personal preference. I have a 930 which I can push around a corner at 80 mph and will feel every single bit...I can take any modern sports car and it will rob me of that feeling. In order for me to regain that rawness, I'd better be doing 120 around that same corner...and if the cops catch me ...I'd take your A/C though...

I think it all comes down to how you are going to use your car. If you plan on racing it, or doing a lot of pushing around corners, maybe you can forgo the creature comforts of a 996. If on the other hand, you want a car that is comfortable for driving on the highway, around town, etc, for most of the time, with the occasional racing or spirited jaunt, then the 996 is the perfect compromise (if you can call it that)!

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Off topic but that squeaky clutch pedal required a $4 dollar Delrin bushing replacement. Very common issue with the E36. I had a 98 323is which had this issue and it solved it pretty quickly.

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I did the delrin bushing, still made noises! Fun car to drive though. The M3 must be even better! Back on topic - changing to summer wheels today!

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No compromise, Own both! sorry.

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I have, on many occasions, problem is that I never drive the "weekend" car, kid work, wife, crap to do, etc...today's excuse would be...the freaking economy! I am thinking of going from my 930 over to a 993...

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I hear that, I cant even remember the last time I drove the 86... I can barley find enough time to get the 996 out for a blast. But at least I take that to work now and than.

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No squeaky clutch pedal right now, but I seem to remember it doing that once or twice in the winter... or maybe that was my 911... Of course now it's going to drive me crazy if it ever does squeak! Thanks a lot.... ;-)

Andy, as someone else said about the brakes, there must be an issue. My breaks are so touchy that if you are less than 3-5 MPH and hit the brakes, the car instantly stops so hard, you think it hit something solid.

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Interesting, my friend brought the car to his Porsche mechanic cousin, who said the brakes are fine. Ever let the car out of the garage without starting it, let it roll a little, then hit the brakes, with the car OFF? That's about how the brakes felt on the 911 I drove. Now, I'm no Porsche mechanic, but I don't see how they got a clean bill of health!

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Yeah, maybe it is because its a 78 and mines an 87?

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You would hope Porsche would improve the braking efficiency in 9 years!

The brakes shouldn't feel like that - 78 or not. The brakes were great on my 67.. there was obviously something wrong with them.