As for assumptions, you can make whatever ones you want.

Not being a cubicle Dilbert but a working freelancer, I really don’t have time to do the arcane Internet research that seems so important to the statisticians among us.

That’s quite a leap you’ve made from my comment on your comparison being apples to oranges. If it works for you, great!

Electrical or mechanical problems in any brand car are not uncommon in older vehicles. You are suggesting that “bad grounds” are a result of poor engineering or design on Porsche’s part vs. time. Is there empirical data to back this up? Can you point me to it? I would be interested in reading it. I’ve always been of the opinion that both the 911 SC and the 930 (normally aspirated) were/are two of the best and most reliable Porsche ever built.

I’m trying to find production data, but can’t find historical info on Toyota, Buick and Saab…

However, I do know that in 1981 there were 1573 911 coupes and 1407 911 targas imported into the US, less than 3000 cars in total. I would hazard a guess that at least 50% of those cars (if not more) are still on the road today and being enjoyed.

Do you think those same percentages hold true for Saab, Toyota or Buick?

Not exactly sure what my point is. I guess in reading your comment I took it as a dig on Porsche and felt the need to defend. :-)

Actually, upon further review, your comment doesn’t seem like an apples to apples comparison (25 year old Porsches vs. Saabs, Buicks and Toyotas.) I would have to look at production numbers to be sure, but you’re comparing three mass produced, every day, marques and their potential reliability to what was, for all intents and purposes a limited production specialty vehicle.

I’m not aware of all that many 1983 toyotas, buicks or saabs still on the road. At least not as compared to Porsche. :-)

As for bad grounds in 25-year-old cars, I’m not aware of 1983 Toyotas, Buicks, Saabs or the like having constant bad-ground problems. And no, corrosion of the primary battery terminal is not usually the 911 problem, though it’s of course always a good thing to check.

Bad grounds in a new car warrant this criticism. Bad grounds in 25+ year old cars are just a fact of life. Corrosion of the terminal/connector is usually the #1 factor.

I am currently lusting after an Intermeccanica Roadster, a custom built high quality 1959 Porsche 356-A Convertible “D” reproduction .

Why would you compare them to a modern sports car?

Wilkinson’s book or, more to the point, the one story in the book about his experience with Porsche can be very typical of these cars if your not careful in choosing what you buy. Let’s not forget that once a restoration is started, it’s a pretty slippery slope.

I know you say you “love yours” so why call them pieces of shit? For their time, especially your ‘88 930, these were incredible performing cars. Your ‘88 should have the G50 gear box and shifting should not be a problem (unless the tranny itself has issues.) As for the windshield and noise, I’ve always felt the 911 has one of the best driving positions/orientations of any car ever built (including today’s supercars.) Noise??? The louder the better!!! :-)

One thing that has always amused me about these things is that there are probably 200 park-it-and-walk problems that inevitably are traceable to “a bad ground.” A BAD GROUND??? Didn’t Porsche’s EEs go to college?

Personally I always liked the styling from the 73-89 model, but that’s just me. The early ones are awesome too though, definitely more light and svelte, but they lack a little grunt.

The new ‘neunelfers’ are nice too, but the ones who stand closest to the original (GT3/GT3RS) will unfortunately eventually perish on the altar of safety, cost-cutting and ‘the environment’.

It’s not that Porsche was such a small company, it’s the fact that France (at the time was such a large market for Porsche.) In fact, it was their second largest market after Germany.

Another interesting factoid in the name change was that Porsche had already raced the 904GTS in France with no complaints and the 804 Forumla One car had raced and won at Rheims with no comment from Peugeot!!

I doubt that would happen today. They’d buy Peugeot and launch the entire company into near-earth orbit.

I think that the 911 is the best vintage car for daily use as they are relatively simple but dependable. You make up for the lack of ABS and traction control, along with the odd handling at the limits with more attentive driving.

As they used to say for Packard: “ask the man who owns one” .. or in my case, 2 or 3 of them.