From Cars 2, English Cars Marking Their "Spot" Options

[DBCooper]

I'm an ex owner of Austin Healeys and BSA's, so I laughed out loud at the line from Cars 2 describing English cars: "If there ain't no oil under it there ain't no oil in it."

Great line. Fun when they're running, but....

Got me to thinking about 914's. I read a thread from someone with no mechanical experience asking about the viability of owning a 914. I generally wouldn't recommend that anyone own a 40 year old car if he couldn't fix most things himself, but then I realized that on my car the mechanical things are pretty much nailed down. I work on it regularly, but they're mostly upgrades, new rubber, upholstery, seals, etc. Still need to install more seals, a new fuse box, detail the trunks, new glove box, carpets, etc, but nothing that would leave me stranded. The times it's broken down it was really me, breaking CV joints or something else perfectly avoidable. I still think I'd be hesitant to recommend any old car for someone with no mechanical abilities. Porsches might make me stop to think, but I'd sure as hell never recommend a 40 year old English or Italian car. Heck, even cartoons make fun of them.


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[Tom_T]

My buddies & I used to do an annual 3-4 day/weekend "road rally" up California's Coast 1 Hwy SoCal to SF during the late-70's to early-80's - which included: my 73 914-2.0, & the others' cars were 71 914/4, 72 914/4, 60 Bugeye, 68 Spitfire & one time a rented new Mustang convertible (Bugeye had been given to my buddy's Dad) - which got jokes from the rest of us the whole trip.

The 914's & Bugeye were pretty much flawless runners; & the Spit usually was, but that buddy did a lot of major overhaul work on it the rest of the year & just before that +/- 1000 mile round trip. All cars were also our DD's - except for the 71 914/4, which only went once & was pretty much a rarely seen & original owner weekend garage queen (it's currently <67k mi & I'd posted it in O&H forums in 2010-ish).

However, I did have a business colleague who literally owned 2 `80's Lotus Esprits, & he said he needed a 3rd one as back-up for the one in the shop & other getting ready to break! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Our 914's today are as old as what we used to think were ancient cars of the 1920's-30's back when our cars & these others were new in the 1960's-70's, & nobody was using a Model A or T as a DD back then! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

So I'd say that our 914's are pretty well made cars, when properly cared for, as with any vehicle.

DB - while I can & have worked on my cars - & before I had one, on friends & family cars; at this point & being so busy - not to mention wanting someone else's "warranty" on the work, I prefer to use my mechanics/shop since 1975. I'll take full advantage of my factory trained Porsche/VW/Audi/etc. guy Hans & his brother & his shop guys who he's trained, for as long as he's working on them!

Cheers to the Porsches, Brits & other cool classics! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)