I have been wanting a 914 for exactly 21 years. Now that I am in midlife crisis mode, I am seriously in the market for one (downright obsessed really). My question is: Will it be a viable daily commuter (20 mi. each way)? If I wanted something economical and trouble free, I'd by a Toyota or something. But as it is, I am already getting board with my E46 BMW 325i. I am an Auto shop teacher, so I have resources, but the teacher's salary is limiting.
It would be great to park my Porsche next to all those Saturns and Priuses in the faculty parking lot.
Any input would be helpful. Thanks.

I drove my teener to work for 15 years but it is 38 now. Showing age like me! Like everything, parts do wear out. In the latter years, I drove it to work on beautiful sunny days but not everyday. I am retired now and I only drive it to town for groceries or coffee, only 3 miles each way. Never in the rain!

Since you are an auto shop teacher, you probably can spot and fix problems before you break down on the road! Not to mention your labor is free and you have a lift at work! I was a teacher and I made good friends with the shop teacher so I could use the lift after school and weekends!

They are great cars and you will be junkie like us!

Terry

I know Philip W. drives his every day!

Hey xsJerry,

Try to keep in mind: it's just a VW and pretty darn reliable.

My only caveat is the amount of rain you get in Arcata. Water and rust are the
biggest concern for 914s. When it rains, I'd recommend the BMW and when it's drive enjoy the 914.

All in IMHO,
Terry

xsJerry,

914's in a relatively stock condition can be very reliable and some what trouble free. There are the normal maintenance issues such as valve adjustments, oil changes and minor FI issues ( head temperature sensors) to deal with. At least, this has been my experience driving my '74, L-jet, 2056 for over thirty years as a daily commuter into down town L.A, a 76mi round trip commute. Granted, this might be an exception rather than the rule.

When you narrow your search for that 914 consider how you will be using it. I would have a local, knowledgable mechanic of these cars do a thorough inspection of the body, mechanics and electical conditions. If you find a good one you will enjoy it.

Good luck and let us know what you find.

Good luck. My daily mileage is great for now, probably suffer once the motor and tranny are installed and she's lowered off the jackstands.

My wife (teacher) asked if I could take all the good stuff off her Prius and put it in one of my spare teener bodies. She wanted something "cuter" to park in the faculty lot.



I remember when she asked why I would want to keep my black Datsun 280Z, as it had no room for grocery bags or parcels...

If she'd said that in front of my classic Pontiac friends, they would have drawn lots to see who would get to hang the rope over the tree limb.

Bill - did Phil fix the issue we read about here, maybe FI related?

Kg6dxn used to commute in his v8 conversion almost daily.

It is my daily drive from York PA to Baltimore MD.

(currently down for the 2056 winter project)



I could write a book about all the problems and adventures from fuel pumps to axles to brakes. And I still have my job

He sure did. Problem was really fule tank/lines/etc. related. I found the source of the problem that took the car off the road initially was that the fuel hose from the going into the pump (from the tank) had broke. Replaced that and cleaned the tank and the engine fired right up and sounded sweet...especially with the trident exhaust. I think Phil liked the sound of the engine....it was purring nicely after sitting for 5 years! Phil's knowledge was invaluable!

I drive mine daily except when it rains, and now that winter is here.

but I have considered buying one that is in cosmetic ruin to throw some snow tires on and drive in the winter/ ice race.

i drive 60 miles a day round trip every day

I personally do not think 914 and daily commute go in the same sentence but that's just me .

I have used my 1.7 car to commute , but not on a daily basis .

I'm sure the car would be up to it , weather permitting !

but traffic can be an issue .

and parking can make me nervous too .


although designed and intended for commuting . I think of it as more a

luxury super-touring car .

However a good friend once told me [ who happens to own a 2011 911 turbo S CAB.]

These car are to be driven , not saved or socked away .


GREAT ADVICE > so you can't go wrong either way .


but my recommendation for solely commuter duties , IS :

the cheapest , stick shift mazda miata or protege you can find . with the lowest miles !!!!


shout out to cheap SOB"S everywhere

mine is my daily driver. i drive it from san bernardino to vegas and back one a week. i get a solid 40 m.p.g. and thats with dual weber ifd 40s.

Thanks for the incouraging words guys.
At leat I never have to wory about trafic or parking or hot weather here. It almost never gets over 75 deg f. It does rain a lot though. What's more I don't have a garage (hoping to build one). If I put a rolup door in my basement, I might be able to shoehorn it in there. Depends on how sweet a car I can nab.
I have a great German Auto mechanic I curently take my BMW to (German Auto of Arcata), but I'll never find a car locally. It's too rural and too poor here. So I am stuck waiting for a good car to come up for sale w/in driving distance (i'm kicking mysef for not jumping on Tom's gold one, but I didn't have the time to go down there to check it out). The other option is buying a car sight unseen, but the two Craigslist cars I looked at so far did not measure up to my expectations base on the add and the phone conversations. So this rules out having a trusted machanic inspect it.

EXCELLENT!!

I drive mine daily on non-rain days.
Approximately, 35 miles round trip mostly freeway driving.

I have been using mine everyday that doesn't rain in the morning since June (6000 miles).
I have an easy 12 mile commute (each way) and it makes me happy to get in the car in the morning for a pleasant drive and besides they run better when you use them everyday!

Mine has been a daily driver first for me and then for my kids for high school (big mistake btw) for 18 yrs. I estimate it has about 300k miles on it (odometer stopped working a looooong time ago). I just started driving it on my commute again (70 miles round trip) and I think it is a great commuter car...My only complaint is the top squeaking over the crappy roads around here, but other than that I find it comfy, fun, reliable and cheap to run....(although mine sure could use a tranny rebuild)

stay on top of the maintenance...and when you are fixing something clean/lube/adjust everything around it. It is amazing how much of an improvement you can make with these cars by cleaning electrical contacts and wiping away the decades of grime on all the mechanisms...

I drove mine everyday fro 14 years in rain, snow,hail,rain,wind,rain,fog,sun,and rain.


Did I mention that I drovei tint he rain also?

Now you know why its is the way it is.

roman

I use mine as a daily driver also, does fine.
When the roads ice over this winter, I'll still be driving it.
Occasional maintenance helps if your going to be driving it every day.

It's great fun to be able to zip through traffic on the interstate with the top down on the way to work, brightens up the rest of the day.

Go for it Jerry, & as others have said - maybe use the BMW when it rains!

Nothing like a sunny top off cruz in a 914, & you can take the targa top off too when she takes hers off!

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... park that next to your colleagues!

I drive mine every day. I pretty much replaced everything that could wear out when I rebuilt it about 3 years ago. Now have about 25,000 miles on it since rebuild. Only minor issue was with the fuse block losing an internal connection- I later soldered it so it can not happen again. Good luck, JoeO

Yep, I drove every day this past week, even with the threat of rain, I have all new seals! Of course here in the south its a little hot in july, august(100+ this year) sp for a few weeks I drove the jag. Tonight got cold, @ 40, but my daughter was complaining it was hot- s.s.h.e's are doing great!
Get one that is already in good shape and rust free, you can do other stuff here and there, but keep driving, other wise you may find it up on jackstands more than on the road.

Phil

Can't say I commute every day in the 914, but I do drive it to work about 2 to 3 times a week. 'Course I don't have much of a commute, 3.5 miles one way, and I do have the luxury of parking it in an underground garage.

Click to view attachment


Like you, the 914 is my mid-life crisis car. I bought it last January. It's also my first true sports car. And I can say without hesitation that it is the most fun vehicle I've ever owned.

But fun doesn't necessarily translate into a fun daily commuter. There are things that a 914 does poorly compared to a modern car.

When I first bought the car, I found myself sweating nervously because of the recalcitrant (<- cool word) shifter. But after a tranny rebuild (Doc Evil Disco Bay clinic) and almost a year now behind the wheel, I can honestly say the shifting is quite good. But compared to a modern car, there's no comparison. My son bought a 2012 Gof TDI, and I kid you not, that car can be shifted with your elbow.

The second thing to consider is noise. I never put the top on my car and after a 30 mile run on the freeway, my ears are ringing. That doesn't bother me much for just a weekend run, but I'm not sure I'd like to do that every day.

And the last thing to consider is HVAC. You're lucky not to have hot summer days where you live, but any car will get hot even on a 75 degree day if the car has to sit outside all day with the windows rolled up. Taking the top off helps a lot, but the standard vinyl seats just don't breathe at all and act more like big heat sinks. I use one of those old school seat cushions that keeps your butt and back off the vinyl, like this one:

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/D...3&ppt=C0350

Hope that doesn't discourage you cuz the 914 really is a great car, but I'm not sure it's a great commuter car.

I drove mine to work an back (8 mins away) daily for about 3 months. But this is a v8 conversion.

Pretty sure I averaged ~ 12mpg.

norustscott used to daily drive his 914 before he sold it...and that was in MD...not as nice as CA for weather. Sure stuff wore out and you have to keep an eye on the rust, but the same goes for any pre-galvanized car.

I don't commute but plan to use my car as a fair weather driver, not just a Sunday car. Might have to find another one with a/c to extend the driving season. I'm just not a 90+ degree, black vinyl seat kind of driver.

Buy one, try it out for a while, sell it if it doesn't work out.

Brisk 27 degrees out this morning but the sun was out thus a good day to drive the 914 to work. Plus my heat works :-) Never when it rains or threatening to rain.

Thats a gorgeous looking car you have. Love the color.

Mine's more of a once-per week commuting car, but since I work out of my home sometimes it doesn't leave the garage for a couple of weeks.

Took her out today to a lunch meeting in 41 degree temps on a bright sunny day, and it was actually comfortable to drive with no heat!

Yes, I was going to coment on how much I like that car. Very Nice color.
My curiosity is why most of you don't drive in the rain? What percipitated my quest for a teener (my third quest in 21 years) is my wifes hatred of my motorcycle (the 914 will be replacing it). One of the alurring factors was the ability to take it out in the rain (I don't do that on the bike).
Is it because thay leak water? or a rust issue? Safety?

rain = rust.....i got caught out in the rain in my car. i could almost feel it rusting...LOL.

luckily i had my rain hats on my carbs.

Rust prevention :-) I currently dont have major rust issues but I do have rust. Until I can tackle the current rust, I want to prevent it from becoming major rust.

Now back in the 90s. I had a 75 1.8 that was my everyday driver. Some rust but also leaked around windows and targa.

Yes, it can be. I used to drive mine daily as a commuter for several years.


I don't do that anymore, but not for technical reasons.
The lack of creature comfort combined with the fact that my 914 has turned into a semi-track car makes commuting a chore.
I routinely encounter stop-n-go traffic and the heavy racing clutch is no fun at all when you are not moving. My heater boxes are long gone and the car turns into a aquarium when it rains.

So now i drive the Jetta to work every day and the 914 gets a good workout on the weekends and the occasional drive to work on a nice sunny day.

I've used mine as a daily driver since 1994. That's through a 2.7 and now a 3.6 since 1999. Wouldn't do it any other way. It's not a typical commute machine but I don't care. I used to leave a few hours early and cruise through the Arkansas twisty countryside for an hour before work every day... kept me focused.

I commute in mine every day. 1970, all original. kinda beater all original...

40 miles a day 20/20...

it has its toll, each day i notice more and more things on the car that need attention, and shifiting it in traffic is horrible. Its a sports car, not a comutter. And does not compare to a modern car, heat/shifting. And im getting like 22mpg.... pretty bad.

but other than that... 40 miles a day. And a lot of days, it is so fun to drive it will all the average cars on the road.

The 914 is still one of the best cars i have owned. with a modern engine/trans... it would almost perfect.

anybody else? how many miles?

Sunny days only and only if my job isn't completely stressing me out to the point of distraction (I need a new job). I was a daily driver until my wife started taking the bus to work and I made the mistake of taking her Mercedes to work for kicks. Cup holders and real heat/air and more than two twangy speakers spoiled me immidiately.

I have driven one of my two 914s daily for the past 2 years. One stock the other has a WRX.
I broke the clutch cable on the stock one today. It gets about 30 mpg.
I think the WRX is now more reliable and less of a "chore to drive". It gets about 22 mpg.
Rain has been the hardest part to deal with.
Make sure your rear tail lights are sealed as well as all other rubber is doing its job.
I saw someone selling an umbrella or Sunbrella car cover. It's water proof and covers only the targa top and engine grill.
I thought it was a great idea but I was worried about how it attached to the fenders. I made myself the same but it attaches to the mirrors and anchors under the rear tires.
Can't drive with it but I sleep better with it out in the rain.

I daily commute 90 miles a day in my 76. I really enjoy the ride through the canyons to and from work. I do however give it the day off when it is raining mostly because I do not trust other drivers. Consistently gets 30 MPG. It does require some tinkering to keep a 914 on the road however but worth it, for me anyway.

I used to cycle in my old AX car ('73 2.0) with the 993 from San Jose to Palo Alto. The commute was mostly open freeway and reverse commute. With open roads, clear weather, and a tight car, its a ball of fun. Only got stranded once (rear drive shaft detached).

Today, I have Dad's car which is fully restored and doesn't touch rain. I drive it locally only and terrorize the local coffee shop with an over engineered suspension / engine / transmission.

After literally seeing a 4 car pile up on 680 2 nights ago, I would be nervous about DDing anything I like.

My commute is around 30 miles each way, but I have a company vehicle a couple of days a week.

Some have commented on comfort. One of the first things I did was replace the seats. I have 993(911) seats, I am 6'1", @190 and unless its a bad road, I think very comfortable. I put in the satellite radio, new speakers, new seals, and I no longer have water leaks. But I have to admit, I've driven it in rain 3x this year, and have opted for the jaguar on thethe bad stormythe days , here inand the south he we can have et 2-3 inches very fast and. In low areas at seathe level not aI good idea. It was my d.d. before the 914) . And I have driven the car over 5 + hours without stopping, just because at 75+mph I was making good time, enjoying the drive. I also ended up with a 2 seat sports car because my wife did not want me to get a bike( sold my 74 BMW 15 years ago -I never should have done that). But this is more comfortable and safer. I had many close calls on the bike, never in the car. I'm not so much worried about them hitting me as I am about them hitting someone else when they are staring at my car.!

I drive mine 16 miles RT every day unless there is snow on the roads. Since the body isn't galvanized I don't want to expose it to the "it's not salt" that they put on the roads to de-ice the pavement. Even if they didn't use that crap, I don't want the risk of being hit by some idiot who doesn't know how to drive in snow. (It's a shame too 'cuz a 914 is a hoot to drive in the snow.) I never worry about rain.

I have been driving mi 75 1.8l daily for about 2 and a half years now, 45-50 miles round trip.

It retains the stock injection and other than the occasional routine maintenance I haven't had any issues.

It just doesn't feel right if I am forced to drive anything else.

I have noticed that the paint has began to fade a bit being parked during the day in the Californian sun.

My teener has been my primary commuting vehicle since June of this year. My drive is 60 miles each way and my monthly fuel bill, including my wife's car was in excess of 600 dollars! The 15mpg truck was eating me alive. What brought me to the 914 world was that I was looking to replace my motorcycle with another commuter bike. I happened upon this car and picked it up for less than I was ready to pay for the motorcycle.

So with careful driving, I am getting excess of 30 mpg. I think I can get better mpg, but my freeway crusing speed may hinder better mileage. Insurance is cheap too.

I look at the 914 as a four wheel motorcycle. It is nimble, has a unique look, cheap to operate and is so fun to drive. I am having the best time tinkering with it because everything so far has been extremely simple and this website has some of the nicest, most knowledgeable friends on the net. Nothing is beyond an answer and real help.

I am planning my stereo upgrade, maybe some new seats, a new steering wheel and just a lot of fun. If you havent yet, get out with a group of teeners and do some canyon carving. You wont stop laughing because it is that much fun!

My 914 is my daily driver - round trip 36 miles. Naturally, it is up on the jackstands for a larger motor. Once the new motor is in, I'll be out terrorizing the C B cars. :-D

Peter

I go 3 miles round trip everyday to Starbucks for coffee. The girls at Starbucks hear me coming and have my coffee ready in a tray with a plug so the coffee wont spill. Then I drive my H2 to work. It is really weird crawling into one car and climbing into the other.

You gotta love winter when it gets dark early when practically every car on the roads headlights line up perfectly with my mirrors and rear window.

Ahh, I HATE that