Considering switch to Porsche

Hi, I am a longtime Lotus Europa owner. I bought my first one in 1974, while in the US Navy, in Spain, and picked it up at the factory. I drove it 10k miles in Europe before bringing it home. Sold when we had 2 kids under two. Bought my current one, only 181 serial numbers from my first, in 2000. It is currently being put back together after an engine rebuild. Having been off the road for a while, I am thinking that at age 74, it my be time to move on to something more accessible and more comfortable, but still with good handling. A convertible is my preference, after so many years in a 43 inch coupe. (Can you blame me?&#128527 The 996 or 968 are my initial research projects, mostly for price range, though a Boxster is a distant third. Any and all comments are welcome. Thanks, John

I think your budget needs to be defined first. if you like the small two seater cars, get the newest Boxster you can afford. Anything 2008 or newer so you avoid the whole IMS issue. Boxsters are Nice driving, looking and handling cars.

I have no experience with Lotus. My previous car was a honda S2K so similar in spirit. The porsche is waaaay more comfortable and more practical (I know, I used Porsche and practical unironically). The four seats means you can carry a reasonable load of groceries or a couple of dwarves/children. Can't do that in a S2k. The seats are soft and supportive. I would not hesitate to take a major roadtrip in the Porsche. Its surprisingly quiet, I think because you are driving away from the sound. The HVAC works great and once I changed the stereo out the entertainment system is awesome. Leaps and bounds better than the honda Porsche is known for the handling. I would say the S2K feels more connected to the road. I'm still getting used to the rear engine. It feels different, you can sense the weight back there. The steering is nice and progressive and taking curves at speed is fairly effortless, but the front end feels a little light. I haven't taken the car to its limits because I'm not sure how its going to warn me at the edge. The car has great power. Way more than the S2K and I'll venture to say the lotus. The gearing is long and the pull of the engine is linear and smooth. So far this is what's impressed me the most. When you want to go it goes. It rev matches really easily. However, for me its hard to heel and toe. My foot just doesn't seem long enough. I'm probably doing something wrong so someone else can chime in. Are you going manual or triptronic? I have a 6 speed and the clutch is very heavy. I'm getting it re-done in a few weeks so it may just be old but if your knees bother you get a automatic I have the convertible. The top is insulated so it rides quietly with the top up. With the top down it is really enjoyable (I love convertibles). If you want to hold a conversation with someone you can use the windblocker which works shockingly well. The looks of this car are iconic. I have to tell most people its a 20y.o car. The styling is not dated at all. Porsche guys will get all red in the face about the headlights, but nobody else knows what hell they are talking about. I've gotten nothing but complements and nobody asks what kind of car it is. It is a 911, everybody just knows. With the top down it looks even better. Even my wife who is not a car person thinks its beautiful with the top down. The bad news is the 996 has some well known points of catastrophic failure. The good news is its all fixable and these failures have kept the price depressed. A lot of them were built so finding one isn't that tough (much easier than say a Lotus Europa). Gas mileage and range are poor by modern standards Bottom line I'd do it again. The car is a pleasure to drive or just cruise in. Right now its my daily and it does everything I ask of it, except go further on a tank of gas (some of that may be me) M

@Makoto0406 - Nicely said.

Hi John, Back in 1968 I owned a Series 1 Europa and loved that car. I bought it in NYC and drove it mostly in VT until I got drafted when I graduated from college, having to sell it and buy a VW in W. Germany! I have some stories about that car, and it was the best handling car I've ever owned. Now, comparing the Europa to a Porsche 996 is comparing apples and oranges! The 996 is a modern comfortable car while the Europa was a minimalist ride. The Europa was slow, at least until you got it up to speed and then there was nothing on the road that could keep with it in the twisties! I beat a TVR through Smuggler's Notch with that car! Anyway, stories aside, the Europa was not a comfortable car. My windows were sealed and didn't even open and the driver's seat did not adjust in any way. It did have an 8 track player though!! The 996, on the other hand, accelerates much faster, is more comfortable with AC and a decent heater, and is a thoroughly modern car, apart from the aged sound system. It handles very well and is plenty fast enough for me at my advanced age (same as you at 74)! So, my advice is to get a 996, spend the money to update needed bits like suspension, IMS, clutch, RMS, etc. You will really enjoy this car especially with the top down!

Thanks for the comments. billh; I realize I should have included a budget for people to comment, but I guess I was reluctant to "commit" myself to a number. I think $30k would be max. Makoto: Thanks for taking the time for such a well considered reply. Manual would be my preference, but should research comments on the Tiptronic. Yes, the Europa was stick, 5 speed, which was not that common in '74. My most recent daily driver was a 2006 Volvo V70 R, six-speed. Drove it for 10 years, only sold (with 183k miles) when repairs became prohibitive. Replaced a year ago with a 2016 BMW 435i xDrive Gran Coupe. Bought as a CPO, and it is automatic, which was all I could find, and I think the stick was not available in that car. Love the car (as I did with the V70 R), so I clearly can live with an auto, though never in a Lotus. The comment about the heavy clutch is interesting. I never had a problem with the Lotus, the Volvo clutch was hydraulic. I should be careful to try out the 996 clutch because, at age 74, and having played rugby for 10 years, my knee may not be up to it. bbboomer: Great to hear your perspective. The Series 1 Europa was hard core, my Twin Cam Special is lux by comparison. You are correct, despite the low power, not much can match them in the twisties. We have more in common than age. In 1985, I sold the Europa when we moved to Vermont with 2 kids under two, and we now live in Charlotte. Thanks for the encouragement, and advice on areas needing repair.

Makato's heavy clutch may be due to his car missing the helper spring. A lot of guys take this out because it makes the clutch bite more apparent. I stalled the car a lot before I took mine out after it broke and never replaced it. I stall less but the clutch is a lot heavier. You get used to it. I would drive a car where you can confirm the helper spring is still there, which should be the majority of what you are looking at. As other have said, the most important thing to worry about is the engine's weaknesses, namely the IMS Bearing (which everyone has heard about) or the propensity for bore scoring (which everyone may not have heard about). An invasive PPI is recommended and reading the forums here should get you up to speed quickly. Good luck! I bought mine in California, drove it across the country and have enjoyed my ownership ever since.

Mike: Thanks for mentioning the borescope. That was just starting to appear on my radar, but need to learn more about the scoring. I assume you are in Bloomfield, NJ. We lived in Montclair before three years in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where our kids were born. Believe it or not, we went there as a means to transition from the NYC life and economy to Vermont, long story, but worked out perfectly. billh: Forgot to thank you for the tip on post 2008 Boxsters.

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Europa: The clutch should NOT be "heavy" in these cars. Mine wasn't heavy before the clutch change and is not now. BTW you only have me by four years. These cars are a pleasure to drive. While I haven't driven the "automatics" nothing beats working the engine with a manual gearbox! IMHO... P.S. I always loved the Europa's. Back in the early 70's I got serious only to find out I couldn't get in the darn thing! 6'2" even at 145#'s would not allow me to get beneath the steering wheel and be able to fold my legs up to get past the door threshold! So I bought a used Tiger.

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I have a 2002 996 C2 manual cabriolet to sell. It has my 4.0L Stage 1 engine fitted, and makes 300HP at the rear wheels (could make 320 with a few additional items). The engine has less than 1,000 miles on it. I got the car to build up for my wife, but she had to move to an Audi S5 due to vein issues in her left leg.

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This is my recollection of early Lotus's as well. Great handling, slow in the straights but fast in the twisties (like my MR2), really tiny (hard to get into even for this "average sized" guy) w/a really hard suspension (more track, than road) and a very minimalist interior that rattled and groaned when you encountered any bumps irregularities in the road. Have also driven a late model Elise and, while updated, the minimalist tradition of the Lotus was still evident in this car. 996's are "plush" in comparison. Depends on what kind of ride you want.

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Yep, Bloomfield, although we moved a couple years ago further west in Essex county. Montclair was always where we went out. Saudia Arabia, quite the difference!

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John, It�s great that we are neighbors! I live in Montpelier. Let�s go for a drive when you get your car! Good luck with your search!

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europa - here's your car

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billh, I agree. Now to convince my wife that it isn�t unreasonable to buy the replacement for the Europa before that car is drivable and sold. But I will inquire about the price, before taking on my wife.

I've had my 99 cab for almost two years now and it is a great all around car. Besides some battle scars from being twenty years old its held up remarkably well and routine maintenance isn't any worse than any other German sports car or sedan of the era. With a tentative budget of around $30k that should get you pretty much any cab you want as they generally go for less than other variants. As others have said the real issues with these cars come with the potential engine failures. That being said I would highly consider Jakes car, not sure of price but that will certainly alleviate any and all worries about engine issues. I am considering selling my 99 cab as well if you want to pm me.

motoo: Yes, Jake's sounds interesting, especially considering his background. I have messaged him, hoping to get some details, including price.

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Drive them all if you can. I wouldn�t discount the Boxster, but put an �S� after it: Boxster S. Smaller, lighter, going to give you a little more of that Lotus sports car feel, although you�ll never get completely there with a Porsche. The 996 is a hair more GT feel, and it feels heavier, even at only 3,074 lbs, my 996 Cab felt more massive than my Boxster S. But boy does it stick to the ground in the corners, and the extra 40HP was noticeable such that it feels faster - and is faster. Both are comfortable and reliable too. Both expensive to fix, not too hard to work on. There�s a bunch of gotchas on these cars. A Thorough PPI with a top and bottom bore scope is a way to skirt a sudden $15k+ bill. Ask about 5 people on this forum it happened to. Not common, it�s rare, but not completely unexpected either when cars end up at auction or at dealers. Buyer knows little about these risks; dealers often don�t even want to know.

I'm one of the guys with the bore scoring problem. I'm the 4th owner. I bought it from a dealer. It wasn't ticking and drove really well. Had enough miles that everything would need to be gone through, which I'm able to manage at home. Understanding the risk of the engine, and understanding that there were fixes for all of the issues, instead of a PPI I just negotiated the price down so that if the inevitable happened, I would have the budget for it. A year later, the tick started. So I now have time scheduled next year for Jake's group to fix it all. Then I won't even have to think about it. Seeing Jake's note above, I now have 4.0 envy, as mine will only get to 3,8 due to California emissions requirements. My vote is to look strongly at Jake's offer and be done with engine worries, or just make sure to take this into account when you buy. The invasive PPI is the way to go, but many purchasers that want this done find themselves losing out because others are willing to take the risk. Look for long time owners with really good maintenance records. Good luck! These are really fun cars.

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What additional items would you throw in there, Jake, to make it +20hp?

I bought my 981 BS in 2013. It was a minimally optioned car with a sticker a tad under $70K. So I've had it for over seven years and it is without question, the best car that I've ever owned. After 7 years my car doesn't have a squeak or rattle, and I get as much pleasure driving it today as I did when I first bought it. It handles extremely well, has decent power, and still turns heads. This is the first car that I ever owned which will definitely be a keeper, since not only do I love my car but nothing else out there interests me, especially at their price points. Not sure if there are any 981Ss at your price pint, but if I were you it would certainly be a car that I'd check out.

You will love the 996, not a go cart like a Lotus, but handling and enough power to keep almost anyone entertained. I have an '02 Cab, purchased 4 years ago for a song. I have since put much time and money into it and it has been wonderful. At this point it needs nothing but possibly a new owner. I have revisited my first love, aircooled P-cars and have run out of room. If the thing with Jake does not work out, give me a IM. I am not too far from you, near Syracuse,

�if you like the small two seater cars, get the newest Boxster you can afford. Anything 2008 or newer so you avoid the whole IMS issue.� Is this correct? If so, what changed in 2008. When I look up Boxster and IMS it seems to indicate a change in incidence with 2006 and newer. Can anyone comment or clarify? Thanks very much, John