Faults:

Previous Nissan:

I purchased it with a blown head gasket, after the rebuild I had minimal issue. Nothing you would not expect from a 20 year old car.

Porsche:

30 year old body needs some TLC, but other wise she runs like a _aped APE, and is almost as reliable as my wife.

General Comments:

914 rocks the juke box, this car is 30+ years old and can still take a corner better than most young whipper snappers.

Faults:

The newest 914s are still thirty years old, and things will fail. On the other hand, parts are fairly common and some are interchangeable with VW parts. If you can't or don't work on cars, don't even consider a 914. Part of the joy is tinkering with it yourself. With the exception of the fuel injection, the engine is blissfully simple and straightforward. It's a joy to work on, once you get used to the cramped engine compartment.

Most of all, spend your first few months with your "new" 914 figuring out what good and bad things the last owner did to the engine. Some will need to be corrected.

The shift linkages in the earlier years (70-73, I think) make shifting kind of vague. They're much better 74 on (but check where the linkage meets the tranny, if it still feels loose).

The 2.0 is much better than the 1.7 or 1.8 (the latter is actually slower than the former, because of emissions equipment).

Check for rust underneath the battery tray and on the suspension pieces below that. There will be some, so figure out if there's too much. Also check that the car's not sagging altogether, indicating that the longitudinals are rusted through.

Overall, realize that the car's old and even with good maintenance there'll be rust. Check the net for a buyer's guide, as there are several good ones.

General Comments:

There are few comparisons to the 914. Like many old Porsches (and some new, I've seen), in mature hands it goes like mad. In rash hands (like mine in the first I drove, at age 18), it's borderline dangerous. The mid-engine layout makes it very agile, but once it gets beyond the limit of the tires, you must be wise and quick to keep up with physics of the rear end. It is notoriously underpowered, but on short tracks it makes up for this by handling so well that you can conserve speed much more effectively than in a larger, front/rear layed out car.

It is a true sports car, not a sedan tweaked for performance and not an unhappy marriage of performance, comfort and safety. It is cramped, loud, sometimes smelly, it vibrates, and I imagine in a serious collision it probably folds up like a paper cup. But oh man, there is only the barest degree of mechanical separation between you and the road. When you go really fast in a 914, you know it, but you'll like it, too.

Overall, this is the best car I've ever owned, and I deeply regret having to sell it. When I get the disposable income together again, the first thing I'll do is buy another 914.

Faults:

The major mechanical issue is rust. There's not that much, but keeping it at bay is a constant job.

Most of the weatherstripping has worn out, shrunken, or cracked and needs to be replaced.

General Comments:

The 914 hits the perfect balance between being old enough to be a classic and modern enough to be realistic for everyday use. Mine starts right up on the first twist of the key, even after sitting 2 or more weeks in cold weather (it's fuel injected), and the wide interior and two trunks make it practical and comfortable.

It's not fast, but it's quick enough, and the steering and handling really keep you involved in the driving experience. It shifts and brakes like a 32+ year old car, which means that even when everything is working right, it still takes a little skill and care to drive it smoothly. In other words, it's no modern SUV, and for that I love it.

Of course, it helps if you're handy and have some garage space and a little extra money for the inevitable replacement parts. Some parts (especially cosmetic stuff) can be expensive, but most of the parts you need to keep it running are pretty reasonably priced. Buy the best car you can afford; if you have to fly a thousand miles to find a better 914, consider your plane ticket money well spent if it gets you a better-running, better-looking car.

Some people advise having an expert look the car over before buying. By all means, inspect it carefully, maybe take a motorhead buddy along too, but in my opinion, at the 914's price point, a professional look-over isn't necessary unless the car is priced way over market value. If you're considering a car this old, you probably know what to look for in old cars anyway, and the 914 is a simple car; beyond rust, there's not a whole lot of hidden surprises that can really bite you. And if you do have trouble or questions, there's plenty of support on-line and replacement parts are ridiculously easy to find.

If you're looking for an affordable, reliable classic that's not overpriced and/or overrated like some classic sports cars I could name, you need to have a look at the 914.