Back In An Air-Cooled 911 Again

I just picked up another air-cooled 911. It's a 1987 911 Carrera Cab in Guards Red with Linen Leather and just 41k original miles. Over the years I've had a bunch of 911's, from 3.2 Carreras to 964's, 993's & 996's, and I still think that these late-80's Carreras are the most fun to drive on American roads. Old-school looks, great build quality, enough power (and low enough limits) to be fun. Plus, I love that view down the hood between those fenders!
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Never!!!!

 

The 911 Carrera 3.2 and the Ferrari 328 are my two favorite cars ever so I don't know how objective I can be, but here it goes:

- On condition, the Carrera wins. This particular car has 41k miles and looks like it has 21k. The Ferrari had 56k miles and looked like 75k. It was still a good car but there is no question that an 80's Porsche will stand up to the test of time better than an 80's Ferrari. This is particularly true in the interior. The leather in a Ferrari will show it's age much more readily than a similar mileage Porsche.

- Performance-wise, they're pretty close. The Carrera has a lot less power but I think it's lighter, so the speed differential is minimal.

- The way the cars drive is completely different. The 911 has a much more comfortable driving position and great visibility. This, coupled with the G50 5-speed transmission that the '87-'89 cars had makes it easier to drive than the 328, with it's somewhat balky gated shifter. That being said, they both make great sounds, with the 328 edging out the Carrera on engine "music," in my opinion.

- From a usability standpoint, the Porsche wins hands down. You can simply take the Carrera more places than the 328 without having to worry about unwanted attention. It's a sports car that has everyday ability. The gas mileage in the 911 is even good.

- Ventilation and climate control: They both suck!

- Looks and emotion? I absolutely love both of these cars and I think they each have fantastic designs that have aged extremely well. That said, if I could only have one and my choice was based solely on looks, the Ferrari wins every time!