[W126 Coupe] W126 Coupe] off topic asking your opinion on used porsche carrera 4

[Frank Alderete]

I've been driving 911's and Mercedes since 1981. I currently have a '91 560
SEC, and '87 420 SEL, a '81 240D and an '87 Carerra 3.2 that is now a 3.4
with upgraded cams, intake and exhaust.

The '87 and '88 Carerra's are generally acknowledged as the best example of
Porsche air-cooled 911: dependable, durable, fun to drive--because of this
they are getting hard to find.
The model following this car, the 964 platform, suffered in the marketplace
for its slab sided design. The next model, the 993, began to look more like
the 3.2 Carerra, but was longer, heavier, and had more electronic
gizmo's...this continued with the next model, the 996, which  now had a
water cooled motor. These cars also suffered from the dreaded RMS syndrome
(rear main seal failure). The newest Carerra, the 997, which looks like a
refined 3.2 Carerra, from the front end to the back, and even has more
gadgetry.

What all this means is that if you seek a sports car driving experience with
a car that is dependable, look for an '87 or '88, and drive it. Then drive a
993. Yes, the 993 has more power, is more genteel, not as fun and has higher
maintenance. 

I put 150,000 miles on my 81 911SC. I chose to pull the heads at 115,000
miles. Other than a clutch, that was my only repair. This car was a daily
driver. The same is true for the '87. I pulled the heads at 112,000 miles
and decided along the way to add some power. Maintenance of the 993 and
996's can't come close to these numbers...Porsche veered away from Dr.
Porsche's concept of a car that was made to be driven--every day--to one
that was an occasional driver that generated more maintenance as the miles
grew...high output turbos, which also output high heat, are the most
expensive to maintain.


My 420 with 463,000 miles is my road weapon; The 560 SEC is the weekend play
car; the 911 is the car for the back roads to Napa and the Sierra, the
perfect antidote for ennui. The Germans got it right with all of these
cars...
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