My 156 has been replaced by a Porsche...

Yes, it's true... for one night only I have a stunning Porsche 911 (993) Widebody 3.6 litred beast sitting on my drive - a friend bought it but was then unable to get to pick it up for a couple of weeks - so I kindly volunteered to store it for him. So I picked it up today & drove it about 80 miles home, leaving my 156 sitting in the secure car park at work, the 911 now sitting on my drive.

I had never driven a Porsche before (was a passenger in a 911 (996) Turbo a couple of weeks ago having dropped my 156 at Rusper)... It's just a reminder to me that life is indeed good sometimes

Pics!!!!

Nice! Shame it can't be yours forever. What's it like to drive? Watch it on those wet roundabouts by the way, if you lose the back end you'll have to be a good driver to be able to do anything about it..

Sorry about the picture quality. Wife's Astra is in the background, relegated to the roadside for tonight (she's not happy)

Well, how did it drive?

Test driving your friends Porsche 993 in the wet.............probably not the best idea

BF, my write-up won't be up to your Lambo standard, but...

I picked the car up in Guildford yesterday afternoon, and was surprised - I was expecting a razor-sharp, harsh, difficult drive, but it wasn't - the bottom hinged pedals (all 3 of them) were really wierd, and gave me an immediate flashback to my toddler years spent in VW Beetles (like so many in Ireland). The pedals seemed offset to the right (it's a LHD car) but you get used to that quickly enough. I fired up the engine eventually, once I'd figured out how to work the aftermarket immobiliser Light clutch, nice short gearchange (reminded me of a Mk.1 Golf) and off I went. The car had new tyres & brakes on there, and the brakes took quite a push to get working.

Driving through the centre of Guildford, I was bitterly disappointed with the power - My 156 feels a lot quicker & responds a lot better (I thought) then I hit the A3, and I discovered that this thing revs outside my usual 5000rpm redline... and boy do you hear it & feel the power - that's when I remembered that it was a petrol & you need to rev them. I stuck to a legitimate 70mph the whole journey back, which was surprisingly easy to do. The car was amazingly economical at that speed too - over 30mpg.

The various controls made me laugh - 4 stalks (indicators/wipers/cruise/computer), a random selection of twist'n'pull knobs, various rocker switches... took me ages to find the fuel flap release knob There are so many instruments you just don't know where to look (apart from the rev counter bang slap in front of you) - there are 3 gauges to tell you what the oil is doing (temp/pressure/level) so no fear of running out!

It had comfy & supportive seats (much better than my Momo's) and a noise to die for under full throttle - awesome.

Yes, it was brutally wet last night, it needs new wiper blades & the lights aren't the best (like the 156 in that respect), traffic was terrible from the M26 to the M20, so it was a sedate enough journey home. I've promised the kids a quick spin in it on Saturday morning before the car leaves the UK for distant shores permanently.

I've left my wife the keys today...





But I forgot to mention the immobiliser

Originally Posted by Pud237

Nice! Shame it can't be yours forever.

You said it... I now appreciate the addiction / aspiration of so many people to own a 911 some day. I now aspire too.

Nice review mate, thanks

I think you need to be at about 4,000 revs when you put your foot down and then you'll be stunned by the acceleration. i have a Porsche 968 (yeah yeah engine in the wrong place for a Porsche) and it has the same problem. Before I learnt it needed revs i thought I'd bought a right duffer!

A 993 would be my choice of Porsche and if I could afford it i'd have one like a shot too.

Originally Posted by Muz

...i have a Porsche 968 (yeah yeah engine in the wrong place for a Porsche)... A 993 would be my choice of Porsche and if I could afford it i'd have one like a shot too.

Weirdly enough, my friend (whose 911 this is) also has a 968 (ClubSport) pictured below. Personally I love them - but I would also have a 944 S2 or Turbo.

You're right about the 4k rpm advice - the thing comes alive there, just when my JTD dies!

The 968 is effectively a 944 mark 3 but ended up as a stopgap for the boxster. Shame as it is a really nice car and pretty rare. Good thing isin 5 years of ownership it's worth the same as I paid for it, so has just cost me the (gulp) servicing. It's a cabriolet of which about only 2,000 were built.All said and done though I actually preferred driving my 155 and now my GTV. Can never explain that to non Alfa people but anyone who's owned an Alfa will probably understand....

I see your friend has modified the bonnet to look like one of the two (I think) 968 turbos which go for about 70k when they become available. Do Camtune of Guildford do the servicing, that's where I take mine when I bring it back to the Uk, one of the few Porsche garages that really understand the foibles of old Porsches that i have found. Bit pricey though...

I'd love either a 944 Turbo (952) in Guard's red with some 18" gun-metal wheels

Or a 928 GTS

Originally Posted by Muz

Do Camtune of Guildford do the servicing...

I don't know about the 993, but as for the 968, he bought it in Germany & he now lives in the middle of Sweden somewhere (which is where the 993 is destined for this weekend), so it's safe to say its never been to Guildford

I love the later 944's (3.0) - Coupe is my thing though, ever since I saw that Stallone/Stone film where the main asshole cop drives a pink 944 cabrio!!!!!!!!!!

Nice 993 Porkies are mint

Paddy2bsure, that's my favourite of all 911 generations.

I've 'only' ever driven a Boxster, and the handling, balance, steering and brakes were exquisite (bit slow though).

drive that 911 carefully... esp if you're taking your kids for a spin in it...

enjoy - but drive safe,

g

It's gone!

The 993 started the first leg of it's journey to Sweden on Saturday.

It was nice while it lasted.

You never know, you may drive one again

Originally Posted by BigFoot

You never know, you may drive one again

A think a 968 is more likely - and possibly more imminent (but more about that if & when it happens)

Good on you! What a great opportunity!

993 - last of the "proper" air-cooled 911's in some purists' eyes.

I'd like on of the lesser-loved 964's, especially an RS in a daft colour like mint green or yellow, all caged-up and unviable as a road car. For me, 964 was the last of the small 911's. A newer one would be quicker but so what?

I drove a colleague's 997 C2 a while back and it was gob-smackingly good. I remember the incredible brakes the most.

(*sighs and looks wistfully at bank statement *)

porsches - ive got a loads of respect for their engineering and ability, but wouldnt be seen dead in one. if i did have to drive one (under cover of darkness), i'm with you gtvjim, a 964 carrera RS, always loved them; simple and effective.