I've loved these cars ever since I have seen my first one in person. Part of me really wants one, but I have a few questions before I get my hopes too high. I feel you all would be the perfect people to ask! My ideal scenario would be to use it as a daily driver, so I was curious how reliable they tend to be, or how easy/affordable they are to fix (I'm in college now so cost is a factor)? For those of you who drive them often, how's the gas mileage? And then at six foot three, can I even fit inside?

Thanks guys in advance! And if you want tell me what about the 914 you love and why I should drive one

I love 914's. I'm glad you love 914's.

If you can do the work yourself, you can afford to drive one. However, they can tend to be higher maintenance. Do you have a garage to work on it? It all depends on your situation....when I was in college, I was poor as dirt. Maybe a 914 is not in your cards until after college and you have steady income.

I get 28MPG on my 74 2.0L. I'm only 5'10" so I can't speak for the taller folks.

Oh and....

I'm 6.2ish and i have no problem fitting inside. I don't even have the seat all the way back.
If you are mechanically inclined and the car is in good working order, they can be pretty reliable daily drivers.
Just keep in mind that after 40+ years, there will always be something that breaks every once in a while. It's part of owning a classic car.

As for the gas mileage, that depends on the type of motor and the year of the car (later ones are heavier).
My '70 1.7L with stock FI easily got 35mpg. My current motor, not so much ...

& I'm 6'

Thanks for the replies! I would still love to hear from everyone, but it sounds like having one of these is pretty fun. I currently have no real experience working on a car, but I've really wanted to learn. And sadly, I only have a one car garage since I live in an apartment, so it may have to wait.

Oh, and I noticed that Brant was a big contributor in this forum. Coincidently my name is Brandt.

Your question about the 914 being reliable for a daily driver: The answer is sometimes. It's a 40 year old car and the reliability of the one you buy will depend on how much money your spend on the car, and how well taken care of by the previous owner.

Being you're in college and budget is an issue, I would suggest that you look for a late model Honda or Subaru or equivalent, study real hard, graduate, get a job, then buy a 914 as a second car and have fun with it.

The 914 is a blast to own and a bitch to fix when something goes wrong especially if it is electrical, fuel injection, or rust related.

I'm 6'2" ,it fits like a comfortable glove. Smaller stearing wheel will resolve alot of issues if your tall. Their as reliable as you make it , initally time consuming till you get it repaired / sorted out. Oh - and spendy!

Oh come on, it's not that bad. They do fine for a daily driver as long as you can keep it on the road, they don't like to sit.

Go simple, find a decent example, or even a rough one, with carbs and an engine that doesn't have any bad noises and drive the crap out of it. You'll have to fix things as they break, so having a backup car is a good idea.

I drive mine every day, and it's just about falling apart.

I was the exact same way - loved the car since childhood and wanted one badly in college. But I waited till the time was better.

If you have the financial means to own one in college, then go for it - BUT - here are some things to consider:

They can be good daily drivers, but like all DDs, they still take work. Do you have a reliable place you can work on the car in college? How about a place to store spares when you need them in a pinch? If it's your daily driver you might plan on having a backup engine since they're so easy to replace if things do go wrong. While used but still good 1.7 engines are fairly cheap, they're not easy to store.

The 914 has a TON of room for stuff given it's size, but when I was in college, I needed something big enough to haul things around more often than I thought. In this case a 914 isn't an ideal candidate, especially for long or oversize items.

Finally, if some bozo in the college parking lot backs into it, you'll be a lot more upset than you would if it was a Honda Civic. It happens to everyone.

I love mine, and I have had 914's since 14. I'm 6'4 now, and I fit, though tightly in the stock seats. If you pop out the seat cushion (which is easy) the fit is much easier and more comfortable. As far as a DD, in my opinion, to get a reliable DD you are looking at 3-4k (unless you get a rust bucket which I don't recommend). So then I would think about what other kind of fun go-fast mobile could be bought with that 4k, and the list is going to get pretty long. My vote would be for a more practical cruiser for now, and expand that into a 914 once you have a fun reliable backup.

my personal list of inexpensive DD's:
Honduh CRX Si - kinda quirky looking like the 914, good mpg, and a peppy little engine

MR2 - mid-engined, inexpensive, but not too fast

Miata - cheap, fun to AX

Subie 2.5 RS

I used my 914 as daily driver while I went to college because it was the only car I had at the time - got more dings in the doors and sides of fenders than can be counted. But, it was a lot of fun driving it to and from.