Am I CRAZY ???, Teener is now my Daily Driver Options

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

QUOTE (Jake Raby @ Jul 26 2005, 06:08 AM)

Hell mine has been driven 9K since March, and its 180 ponies... Longest trip so far was 740 miles- I haven't even synched the carbs! Having a car that you are afraid to drive is like having a wife that won't give you a piece- its worthless. Drve the damn car! Drive it everyday!

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/agree.gif)

My first one was a daily driver (~10 round trip to work (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif) ) but it was a true DD (errands, clubs, work, etc.). Only problem I had was the leaking of the targa top because of the constant rain in the winter time in Oregon and the so-so sealing of the top. Heaters worked great (even with leaky exchangers) with the fan on and I love convertibles so my roof was off whenever I got the chance when it was sunny. Very hot days the top stayed on but windows down, not too bad.

I had AAA and my baby ('72 VW Squareback) just in case but even for a slowly rotting 914 she was dependable! DO IT!

[MartyYeoman]

QUOTE

Having a car that you are afraid to drive is like having a wife that won't give you a piece- its worthless.

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/agree.gif)

[Brando]

Mine's been a daily driver for as long as I've had it. I've done some weekend wrenching, updated some flaws... not a day it doesn't start and run. You just dont turn the key to start it (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif)

[Lyressa Roberts]

Betsy's a daily driver. I think my commute is about 20 miles round trip (Alameda to Berkeley). But before that I was driving it from Fremont to Berkeley (63 miles round trip) and before that I was driving it from Novato to Fremont (about 65 miles round trip). I've never broke down. I've had problems, but nothing serious. I've been driving it as a DD for over 4 years (or is it three years?). But I do have a backup vehicle too.

[jporsche914]

You can do it! I drive my car every day. Even through the ice and snow of colorado with no heater and i love every minute of it. The only problem i have is when the temperature drops to the low the car runs like crap until i can get some temperature in it and then it loves life. i would say go for it there is no point in owning it if you are not going to drive it and enjoy it fully. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/driving.gif)

[airsix]

I've daily-driven a 914 for 9 of the past 13 years (not consecutive). You can do it no problem. It's not as easy as driving a newish Honda every day - you'll need to pay more attention to maintenance, but it's definitely doable - and FUN.

-Ben M.

[Jake Raby]

I'll add that my 914 also has a full cage, heavy springs, stiff clutch with basically an "on or off" engagement due to the 6 puck disc and 8 pound flywheel.... In traffic if you don't light up the tires at least once per day something's wrong!

Be hardcore or sell it to someone who will be- This isn't a Model T, fellas. The 914 is a driver's car, if yours sits in the garage its not worth having..

Too many people have been spoiled by A/C, power windows and cup holders. I proudly do without all of the above, don't owe a dime for any car I own (or anything else for that matter) and do so because I love driving an aircooled car.

[grantsfo]

As long as you keep it out of the rain it should be a great car as long as you maintain it. I have had 2 high milage 914's and have to say there isnt a lot that goes wrong if you keep them dry , clean and maintained. Used to see a guy commuting over hwy 17 where I live everyday in a 914 for a while just last year.

But for me personally I drive a toyota, better safety, 100% relaible and 40 +mpg. In my opinion 914's are better weekend/AX cars now.

[ewdysar]

If you only own one car, a 914 may not be the best choice. On the other hand it's been 20 years since I've owned less than three registered, insured vehicles at once (I don't count the stored ones). I consider my 914 as my daily driver, if it's driveable, I take it, but I've got alternatives for when I'm waiting on parts, time or motivation to fix/upgrade it. That said, it's been parked since the 4th of July, should be back in service by next week.

Eric

[Dr. Roger]

Dude,

You've got two back up vechicles.

I totally agree with the guy who said It's no fun if it's not reliable. Just like a woman... LOL

I was in exactly the same situation when I had an old '63 Ghia convert.
It ran great and no one but me touched her under the hood or anywhere else. That's where I learned that reliability came from my knowledge of her and keeping her regularly maintained. This was key to driving her like there's no tomorrow all over Cali/Nv. And not all that gently sometimes. =-)

My other vechicles at the time: a Toy 4X4, a lowered '65 Chevelle, and 2 motorcycles, all collected dust for a few years.

Heck, I think I dropped the insurance on everything but the Ghia and the Toy in the off seasons.

She scared me once when an alt relay got stuck, but one whack with a screwdriver and was going again. I don't think I even replaced that relay after that and it continued to go for another 2 years.

Sometimes it takes time/$ to get a ride up to "reliable" specs and some shake down cruises. Just invite a friend with a AAAplus card or get your own like me and go for it!

[andys]

QUOTE (anthony @ Jul 23 2005, 10:47 AM)

Even a 914 when it was brand new was no where as reliable as a new car from the last 10 years. Unless you've completely gone through your 914 recently stem to stern driving it daily just accelerates wear and tear. And that's fine if you have the weekend time to fix and maintain it. Besides mechanicals though, the biggest problem with a 914 as a daily driver is exposing the car to rain and road salt if you live back east. The reason so many cars are rusted is from exposure to the elements not drives on sunny days. These cars can make ok spring/summer daily drivers but when it rains, it should be in the garage. *EDIT*

I bought a new '73 2.0 with A/C. Daily driver; 70+ miles a day, rain or shine. Spent way more time washing and waxing that black paint job then I did on any repairs, as I recall. PITA parking it away from door dinging American sedans; GF hated that car. Sold it in about '76.

Andy

[fiid]

I've driven mine to work and back every day for the past 8 work days...... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[bd1308]

I ve driven the car every day for the past three years, and it has only been out....maybe a full month at most. Three weeks of that was from rain...didnt wanna install a engine in the rain.

b

[Joe Bob]

"THE ROCKET" was my daily driver for five years....

[KaptKaos]

I've driven mine to work and back every day for the past 8 work days...... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

/necro!!!

//well done

[SGB]

How else are you gonna know what breaks?

[ppickerell]

OK, this is my garage view. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif) In the morning I bet it's the red car that gets the nod. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/boldblue.gif) Smelly, loud, ill-tempered, and fucking ugly (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif) . I'm driving the 914 to work tomorow (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif) .

[smontanaro]

I had a 914 as a daily driver for a year or so. Then again, that was back in 1973 (bought it new when I was attending UCLA).

You poor folks in La La Land (and Atlanta, and probably many other cities I've never visited). I take the train to and from work every day. In fact, I'm lucky enough to have the choice of the CTA "L" train (slow, late, noisy, but closer to both home and work - good for those sloppy wet days) or the Metra (fast, on time, quiet, but a 10-minute walk at both ends, my "daily ride"). Not having to have a commute car makes it a lost easier to justify a toy car...

Skip

[914-8]

I drove my stock, non-AC '74 2.0 every day for 10 years. Put on well over 100K miles on it.

Of course, the car had been restored/rebuilt and dialed in. And that's in So. Cal., so the temps aren't bad. (Although I did drive it out to Palm Springs a few times, in the summer. Ouch!).

It never, not once, left me stranded.

I drive my V8 almost daily now. I would drive it daily, but it's a very thirsty beast! Esp. when you get on the gas, which is hard to resist.

[turboman808]

The honda started life as my weekend car. When I got poor I had to get rid of a car. Lose the celica or the civic? So now the civic has been my daily for almost 2 years. I've done alot in that time to kinda tame it, and amazingly made it faster go figure.

SO I got the 914 as a weekend car. But who knows if history repeats itself it could be my daily driver.
HAHA No way. That heavy ass clutch sucks big time in traffic.