930 911 Turbo. Is it really that hairy?

930 911 Turbo. Is it really that hairy?

Author
Discussion

Lax Power

Original Poster:

204 posts

254 months

Sunday 5th August 2012
quotequote all
I'm in the market for a 930 911 turbo and I know this is an age old question but do they really deserve the 'widowmaker' reputation that they had/have?

I want something that is use able but also can be pedalled along and enjoyed on a B-road. As much as I love the scenery I dont want to end up being part of it. Is this a fair assumption?

mudy

874 posts

171 months

Sunday 5th August 2012
quotequote all
Age old question! The answer depends upon the individual - if you drive it like an idiot it will bite back but I guess that's true of almost any car?
I've had one for 3 years and I drive it responsibily but fast and it's never once frightened me - not once.
Saying that you dont want the turbo kicking in round a wet corner - I think the earlier ones had a more on off turbo too.
The bigger point is try before you buy - they are not to everyones taste - low compression big single turbo means there's not a lot of go below 3,000 revs - but if you love that turbo shove, find the stunning looks to your liking, the smell, the noise (with an aftermarket pipe on - they are v quiet in std form) then it might be the car for you.

Manks

26,271 posts

221 months

Sunday 5th August 2012
quotequote all
Lax Power said:
I'm in the market for a 930 911 turbo and I know this is an age old question but do they really deserve the 'widowmaker' reputation that they had/have?

I want something that is use able but also can be pedalled along and enjoyed on a B-road. As much as I love the scenery I dont want to end up being part of it. Is this a fair assumption?
They are not that scary, nor are they that nice to drive in my opinion. I would personally choose a normally aspirated air-cooled car over a 930. I have owned both turbo and n/a cars.

graemel

7,015 posts

216 months

Sunday 5th August 2012
quotequote all
with fresh suspension, a decent geometry set up and good tyres they are fine. On tired suspension and old rubber they are horrible.

Crimp a Length!

5,697 posts

222 months

Sunday 5th August 2012
quotequote all
No
To be honest they are not that quick, its just the power delivery which gives you that impression.
All or nothing, hence they are not that pleasant to drive, albeit nice to look at.

mollytherocker

14,365 posts

208 months

Sunday 5th August 2012
quotequote all
They are 'hairy' when driven by a ham fisted pleb who cannot comprehend the dynamics of the car.

To those who wish to learn, they are a great challenge and hold much reward.

MTR

Manks

26,271 posts

221 months

Monday 6th August 2012
quotequote all
mollytherocker said:
They are 'hairy' when driven by a ham fisted pleb who cannot comprehend the dynamics of the car.

To those who wish to learn, they are a great challenge and hold much reward.

MTR
That'll be it then. The 930 is only a car for sophisticates.

uktrailmonster

4,827 posts

199 months

Monday 6th August 2012
quotequote all
Lax Power said:
enjoyed on a B-road.
I once seriously considered buying a 930 until I tested one on B-roads. I didn't like the all or nothing power delivery at all for this kind of driving. Off boost it just felt very slow, on boost it felt quick but with no finesse at all. Ended up buying a 2.4S at the time, which was a million times more fun on B-roads. Light and sharp with great throttle response and a soundtrack to die for. I currently own a 3.0 SC which again is a great handling B-road car. Try before you buy is essential with all these classic 911s.

Manks

26,271 posts

221 months

Monday 6th August 2012
quotequote all
uktrailmonster said:
I once seriously considered buying a 930 until I tested one on B-roads. I didn't like the all or nothing power delivery at all for this kind of driving. Off boost it just felt very slow, on boost it felt quick but with no finesse at all. Ended up buying a 2.4S at the time, which was a million times more fun on B-roads. Light and sharp with great throttle response and a soundtrack to die for. I currently own a 3.0 SC which again is a great handling B-road car. Try before you buy is essential with all these classic 911s.
Agreed. I ran a 930 and an SC at the same time. The SC was a far nicer drive.

fredt

847 posts

146 months

Monday 6th August 2012
quotequote all
Try before you buy!

I think the widow maker moniker was, as previously mentioned, given due to 'ham fisted plebs' buying them when they first came out.

Obviously you have to love old cars and the old car feel, otherwise dont even bother.

They are not that fast though, im definately tuning mine, maybe alot, to give some real character and put some truth in the 'widow maker' tale!

edit. my first 911 was an sc and i was also driving a turbo at the time. imo the sc is nowhere as nice to drive

Manks

26,271 posts

221 months

Monday 6th August 2012
quotequote all
fredt said:
Try before you buy!

I think the widow maker moniker was, as previously mentioned, given due to 'ham fisted plebs' buying them when they first came out.

Obviously you have to love old cars and the old car feel, otherwise dont even bother.

They are not that fast though, im definately tuning mine, maybe alot, to give some real character and put some truth in the 'widow maker' tale!

edit. my first 911 was an sc and i was also driving a turbo at the time. imo the sc is nowhere as nice to drive
It's worth remembering that the 930 first appeared in the mid 70s when stomping on the gas pedal in any car usually resulted only in a bit more noise and a marginal increase in speed over the next half a minute or so.

The 930 changed all that. Stomp on the gas in that car and little happened, but half a minute or so later all the power arrived in one go.

Each to his or her own, but once the novelty of on/off power and scaring the bejesus out much later performance cars wore off the 930 was easily the least pleasurable Porsche I have owned and driven. One of the best looking though.

Edited by Manks on Monday 6th August 10:40

fredt

847 posts

146 months

Monday 6th August 2012
quotequote all
Manks said:
It's worth remembering that the 930 first appeared in the mid 70s when stomping on the gas pedal in any car usually resulted only in a bit more noise and a marginal increase in speed over the next half a minute or so.
biggrin

Manks said:
Stomp on the gas in that car and little happened, but half a minute or so later all the power arrived in one go.
Bit of an overstatement, and anyone who belives that will be pleasantly surprised (atleast for the 3.3, the 3.0 i have no experience of). Agreed first gear is a bit manic, and i think its actually i bit short for my liking. From there on i think its great, and i rarely find myself outside the powerband, despite the 4 speed box

But for sure its an aquired taste, as are all 30 year old cars. You really have to try one to know for yourself

Bodo

12,368 posts

265 months

Monday 6th August 2012
quotequote all
Manks said:
The 930 changed all that. Stomp on the gas in that car and little happened, but half a minute or so later all frigg'n hell breaks loose.
EFA

ETA 1: picture of the moment said hell breaks loose.



ETA 2: this is shortly before the pressure from the charger is being built up - in 2nd gear. The car is at 60km/h at that moment. A second later, it will be at 120, when you attempt to shift to 3rd gear. The car is practically not enjoyable (the way it was built for) within NSL speed limits, since you wouldn't want to punish the drivetrain in 1st gear.

Edited by Bodo on Monday 6th August 11:29

Wozy68

5,387 posts

169 months

Monday 6th August 2012
quotequote all
Lax Power said:
I'm in the market for a 930 911 turbo and I know this is an age old question but do they really deserve the 'widowmaker' reputation that they had/have?

I want something that is use able but also can be pedalled along and enjoyed on a B-road. As much as I love the scenery I dont want to end up being part of it. Is this a fair assumption?
I think Tony Dron summed it up when he states in his book on Porsche, that a good driver in a NA 911 would be quicker on a good B road than a good driver in a Turbo.

Looks wise, Turbo. For real world sunday morning hoon, it seems that you'll have more fun in a NA.

FarQue

2,336 posts

197 months

Monday 6th August 2012
quotequote all
I've got nothing to add, I just NEEDED to type 'ham fisted pleb'. Gotta love MTR's concise summation of the early buyers of the 930.

Lax Power

Original Poster:

204 posts

254 months

Monday 6th August 2012
quotequote all
Thanks for the replies! So the consensus is that they can kill you if you're a clown behind the wheel but if you're a good driver then they yield average rewards?

I think I'll take the advice and go for a test drive.

kayc

4,492 posts

220 months

Monday 6th August 2012
quotequote all
Lax Power said:
Thanks for the replies! So the consensus is that they can kill you if you're a clown behind the wheel but if you're a good driver then they yield average rewards?

I think I'll take the advice and go for a test drive.
If you want my opinion i think you need to know what you want from a car..a challenge/great looks/great build quality/value retention...930/964/ turbo's interesting i would say..if you actually want to drive quick in a very capable car i wouldnt bother ..the average hot hatch would leave it for dead cross country.

mollytherocker

14,365 posts

208 months

Monday 6th August 2012
quotequote all
kayc said:
If you want my opinion i think you need to know what you want from a car..a challenge/great looks/great build quality/value retention...930/964/ turbo's interesting i would say..if you actually want to drive quick in a very capable car i wouldnt bother ..the average hot hatch would leave it for dead cross country.
A Clio Cup would leave one for dead on B roads. Question is, does this matter?

MTR

uktrailmonster

4,827 posts

199 months

Monday 6th August 2012
quotequote all
mollytherocker said:
A Clio Cup would leave one for dead on B roads. Question is, does this matter?

MTR
It's probably more relevant that a Carrera would also beat it fairly comfortably on a tight B-road. Different story on an open dual carriageway or Autobahn of course, so depends what your priorities are. When I drove a 3.3 Turbo I was an experienced n/a 911 driver (having owned a Carrera 3.0 and 964 RS for many years) and I really didn't enjoy driving this car at all with its laggy Turbo, 4 speed box and wide track. But they look great, so who cares!

BertBert

18,953 posts

210 months

Monday 6th August 2012
quotequote all
my black g50 turbo targa looked the mutts knuts. Shame it was so ste to drive.
Bert