a 912 looks like a 911 but it isn't, a 356 drives and handles like a vw beetle. a 914 is a better handling car with superior acceleration and top speed. some would argue that the 914 degraded the porsche name. i would argue that the 914 is the second best air cooled car to carry the porsche banner, Oh well some people believe that a 75 MG midget is a sports car. some day the 914 will be valued for the car that it is.

The 914 will eventually come into its own....and values will rise. They won't rise like Ferraris or even early 911's. However, they will rise as 914's continue to be lost to rust and accidents.

Don't let your friends make you feel bad.
It's the coolest vw on the road....and it is a pretty competitive porsche

Pre (what I would call modern day) auto restrictions/requirements, mid engined, top off, Etc, Etc, Porsche. sub 10K? If the economy ever gets back on track this will no longer be a reality.

It really all depends on the 356, 912, 914 in question.

I've driven a 356 that felt like a beetle and I've driven the one I bought that is tight as a drum. I've also bee in some 914s that are far from tight.

Define "better" ...

Not my fight but , I define better as

""" QUOTE : If your not gonna get a back seat ." Make sure the ENGINE is in the

MIDDLE """


but I'd have to go w/ the 356 because I don't need huge power and after seeing

BUILT BY HAND documentary , I believe it to be the superior CAR !

something about built by hand that I just love

You can always take your own 914 apart & build it back by hand!

I agree that the 914 is the better sports car.

Lest we forget as the pundits always do, that the 356 was supposed to be a mid-engine - 356-1 was a middie then production from 356-2 on switched to tail-dragger for lower cost & to use more VW parts, & it's heavily loaded from the VW parts bin!

Back in the 50's the pundits used to berate the 356 as being a sporty VW, until it proved them wrong, as the 914 is doing now.

Take it apart & build it back by hand ,


No thanks , I don't like the idea that much !

A 914 will never have the grace, glamour, or mystic of the 356 or an early 912. Those cars belong to an earlier time and the 914 is a product of the 70s. Emotionally it will never win that contest. It’s a newer car so it has the advantage of better technology, so if that’s the yardstick then yes the 914 is a better car. I wouldn’t compare the 914 to other Porsches, it will become the inevitable everyone wants a 914-6 for the price of a 914-4. If you want to compare the 914 to anything, I would compare it to the offerings of MG, Triumph, Fiat, and Alfa.

A 356 doesn't compare to either. It was a top-of-the-line car in its day, priced right up there with a Cadillac. The 912 is an underpowered dog. IMO, unless you need a back seat, the 914 is a better car than a 912, but falls way short of the market niche filled by a 356 in its time.

The Cap'n

Must say, a 356 is on our list of "want to buy one of these days", but the 912 doesn't make the list, but that's just me.

With that being said, it's tough to quantify better - they are all different, they have different strengths and weaknesses, and everyone has their own opinions. I certainly couldn't fault anyone for buying either a 356, a 912, or 914.

I think everyone should have one of each

The short answer is NO. The 912 is much better. I have one of each and they all have their advantages but when i look out into the garage i usually take out the 912 as it is by far the best all rounder.
The 914 is a genius design,a sports car and a pickup truck in one with 2 trunks,targa top,30mpg,and go kart handling but is a pain to get in and out of all the time and has more cabin engine noise. The 912 has a lot more power,is well balanced,classic looks,30 mpg,easy to work on,is quiet and is like a normal car to get in and out of.
Like the post above says you should have one of each but if you can only have one get a 912

A well balanced answer!

912s are awesome. Classic looks of a 911 without all the annoying horsepower.

The root of my question is the marketplace valuation of the 914. A good condition 71 VW beetle commands more money than a good condition 71 914 1.7. I believe that most people understand what a vw bug is and as a result a market niche exists which explains the price. the 914 on the other hand is a marketplace oddity and very few people understand what it is. its not commonly identified as a classic sports car, but is more identified as a porsche imposter. If it initially came out as a vw sports car then it would probably have a greater market value than it does. dollar for dollar i believe a 914 is as good a small sports car as can be had today.

The 914 is a niche car, the niche is just smaller than the beetle. Hell, there's probably a niche of car people that like AMC pacers, hornets and gremlins.

great thread

From a value perspective the 356 is the winner, if you can afford one. From a sports car perspective, the 914 is one of the best platforms Porsche ever conceived, up until the mid to late 90's. (IMHO)

From a safety standpoint, I'd rather be in an colision in a 914 than any air cooled Bug.

Will 914's ever have the value of a 356? No, the 356 will always have more value. Pre 1970 912's will also bring more than a comperable 914.

If you want to "invest" in a sports car for future value, a 914 isn't a bad choice, as they will continue to appreciate. From an investement stanpoint there are probably better options.

What is better apple pie or pecan?

They are all different cars. You can not compare. 356 is just classic. I personally want a clone and drive the hell out of it. just for the fun part of it... 912's are 911's for people who wanted a cheaper better mpg version. a lot of 912's sold in europe. Very cool car, a everyday 911 in its day.

and the 914! what other car has had so many different engines in it!

They are all cool!

I think apple pie with pecans on top. How do you pronounce pecans? Pecaans, or pee cans?

Wasn't the 914 REALLY a product of the thinking of the late 1960's? It was just built in the 1970's. Yes?

There is ONE thing that the 914 has that makes it THE car to buy (and one of the major reasons I bought one): POP UP HEADLIGHTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

agreed

I have had both the 912 and 914 no 356 but went through a hot rod beetle phase. Both my old 912 (now sold) and my current 914 were set up for the track with minimal road use. Out of the two I would pick the 914 for a more pleasurable driving experience.

A vintage rear engine vehicle takes heads up experience to drive. You pivot on the rear wheels and and have to deal with front end hop. A 914 has less front end "dance" and better all over performance. It pivots in the middle right where you sit, so it is more predictable.

If you look at engine maintenance cost the 914 wins hands down. The 912 engine which is a 356C engine detuned from 95hp to 90hp, will cost $15,000 to rebuild. You can buy a type IV engine for $6000 with extra bells and whistles.

Oh and all three are Porsche because Porsche is a design studio first and foremost... the 914 was designed by the head of the Porsche design studio.