1975 Porsche 914 from North America

Summary:

Great handling little car, awful dealership support awful. Porsche, never again!

Faults:

Electronic fuel injection and the usual things that wear out on a car.

General Comments:

The best car to have in a skid down a steep hill covered with ice.

I'll never buy another Porsche ever because the dealerships were ripoff artists. For instance, on a $900 clutch job, they installed broken motor mounts. Cheating a customer $20 on motor mounts after he drops $900.

The car got vandalized a lot.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 20th August, 2016

21st Aug 2016, 10:19

Were you talking about your experience at the dealer in the 80s when the car wasn't that old or more recently? Generally that's what most dealers are like with cars that aren't new or nearly new; they are pretty uninterested and only want to sell new cars. Older cars are best trusted to an independent specialist, which you should definitely try instead of a main dealer with a car of this age.

1975 Porsche 914 1.8 from North America

Summary:

Poor mans Porsche fun to work on and very fast

Faults:

My horn went out shortly after I got it.

I found rust damage on the passenger side jacking post, but no major rust.

It has developed a slight oil leak out of the speedometer cable.

I had to purchase new outer rocker panels because the previous ones became over rusted.

A piece of the heater blower is missing from the passenger side so I only get heat from the left side.

General Comments:

This car is very fast and fun to drive around town and around curves with the targa top off.

However if you don't like working on Porsche's and love working with your 914 then this car is probably not for you.

I love every second working on my 914.

Sometimes they can be costly, but its all worth it when you get to drive your 914.

This car is like driving a souped up go-cart because it is so low to the ground and it handles like a dream around the corners.

What I would say to do with your 914 is first of all fix any major rust damage. Next get the engine running just about to stock you don't need to do anything extreme. People always ask how to get their 914s faster, but all you need to do is learn how to drive it. Take it to a auto-cross track and do some time trials, all 914s are plenty fast enough just learn to drive it.

If you are going to make any necessary upgrades I would make a suggestion to upgrade brakes and convert wheels to five lugs. just make improvement to the overall handling of the car.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 4th February, 2006

11th Feb 2006, 18:22

I agree with what you are saying about learning to drive a 914 and would recommend that also. 914 for life!!!

7th May 2006, 14:10

Just bought my 75/914 yesterday. It has some, OK a lot of rust damage, but I can't wait to get her on the road. I've wanted one since I first saw one at the age of 14.

18th Feb 2007, 21:44

Mike here from Colton Ca.

I have gotten myself a 1973 914 Porsche too!

I have had it for a few months and LOVE IT, like no other car I have owned... and that's a lot of cars!

This car drives low and fast, and it will out corner a lot of cars on the road today!

18th Aug 2008, 12:17

I'm looking into getting one... any advice on what to look for in terms of problems? (I've found one for sale locally)

19th Jul 2014, 07:55

I am 16 and my grandma gave me her old '74 1.8 914 with 310,000 miles on it. It puts out roughly 42 HP, I have to elbow the center console to get the last cylinder to fire, and it's costly and a pain to work on. The clutch cable snapped, it's failed me many times on the freeway, streets, in the high school parking lot hill, and my driveway. The fuel injectors have had to be replaced, but I absolutely love the car, wouldn't trade it for anything, and is the most fun thing to drive in the entire world.

914 FOR LIFE.