I was watching a Harry’s Garage video last night and it prompted me to the fact that I hadn’t put together my video for my Porsche 968 CS yet. Bad me!
OK, I’m no Harry Metcalfe when it comes to enthusiastic presentation. I have to get a little more comfortable in front of a camera. But here it is: my Porsche 968 CS.
The video goes for about 8 minutes and I hope you enjoy it. Apologies in advance for the rattly audio during the driving sequence. It’s my GoPro housing. I need to find a solution for that.
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One of the good things about living in Hobart – that winding hillside road is only about five or six minutes away from the city centre.
I wish I had some new pictures, but I don’t, so this entry features some Porsche 968 ClubSports I picked up from the net, just to be different.
Last time I wrote about the car, I’d placed it up for sale. The decision was made reluctantly, but made nonetheless.
I’ve learned a few things since then. In no particular order:
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Thing #1
One authority I spoke to reckons that my ClubSport must be one of the few (maybe the only) ClubSport sold in Australia without the much-revered MO30 upgrade. The MO30 upgrade is a suspension and braking kit. It includes thicker sway bars, different dampers and the brake kit off the Porsche 928 S4.
Now, I have to say that I love the way this car drives, handles and stops. I think it’s fantastic and I can hardly believe that it can be better. Apparently, it can. Much better, according to everything I’ve heard.
Addendum – Ian Brade’s drawn my attention, via comments, to something I should have mentioned when I first wrote this article. The benefits of the MO30 upgrade are not just hearsay. The first 944 I drove when I was looking for my car, a 944 S2, had the MO30 upgrade and the handling and braking were absolutely amazing. This is a worthwhile upgrade.
I priced up the parts for the MO30 upgrade and the suspension alone will cost over $2,000. Thankfully the previous owner already upgraded the front dampers. I’ve got adjustable Koni coilovers up front. To complete the suspension upgrade, I would have to order new rear dampers and the thicker front and rear sway bars, as well as associated hardware to fit these parts.
I’ve also priced the brakes and let’s just say that I need more advice on this. The figure I came up with was scary. We’re talking sell-the-brumby-and-you-still-don’t-have-enough scary. I think there are some ways around that, though.
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Thing #2
When I had the car in for service (for nearly 2 weeks!) I became quite ambivalent about it. I had the Alfa Sprint to drive, as well as the Brumby. I didn’t feel like I’d missed it that much and when I got the 968 back it didn’t feel like that much of ‘an event’.
Then Mrs Swade and I took the car on a road trip for a few days and I was reminded just how good this car is to drive. It’s outstanding – even without the tricked up suspension and brakes. Once again, I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to buy it and enjoy it. Owning a car that’s designed with so much focus is not something I ever envisaged and I was a little foolish to treat it with disdain.
I’ve tried to drive it as much as possible since then and I’m enjoying it more and more.
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Conclusion:
Of course, the natural conclusion to this is that I’ve removed the for sale advertisement. I’m going to keep this car and do everything I can to enjoy it more and more.
The MO30 suspension parts have been ordered and will be on their way to Australia soon. I plan to have the rear end lifted a little when they’re installed, to help with the driveway clearance issues. I don’t think an extra inch on the back will curb the car’s enthusiasm at all. In fact, with the improved rear suspension setup, I’m sure it’ll be even more eager.
I’m also on the lookout for some genuine 968CS seats. They’re as rare as rocking-horse poo but there has to be a pair out there somewhere. I’ve got time.
And eventually – after a lot of advice on what’s really needed – I hope to do the brake upgrade, too. I want to make this car the best it reasonably can be, without spending stratospherically stupid amounts of money. It’s no myth that a 968CS like mine is capable of keeping pace with some of the latest generation Porsche hardware (see below). I’d like to give my car that chance if I can – to make it the best 968 it can be, bearing in mind my budget.
I’ve had my Porsche 968 ClubSport for just over two weeks now. So what are my initial impressions after a little more seat time? Let’s just say I continue to be a very happy camper.
The good
Build quality – My car was built 19 years and one month ago. You’d never know. I’m amazed at how solid it feels after all that time. Everything you put your hand on is well made using quality materials. The steering wheel, a thick leather piece distinct to the CS, still feels brand new. The leather gearshift likewise. Even the external door handles inspire confidence.
This is the best built car I’ve owned and it’s a lesson for me in what a car should have in terms of enduring quality.
Torque – An unexpected pleasure. I’ve got years of experience owning turbocharged cars so I’m well accustomed to the benefits of a healthy torque curve. The 968CS has a max torque figure of 305Nm (that’s 224 ft lbs for some of you). To put that in perspective, my Saab 9-3 Viggen – a car I considered to be an absolute torque-moster – had 342Nm.
I drive up a large hill when I go to work in the morning, called the Southern Outlet. It’s around 2km long and changes elevation by more than two hundred meters. I climbed that hill at 80km/h in fifth gear the other day and had plenty of torque to accelerate if had I wanted to (it’s an 80km/h zone). The rich torque curve makes this car effortless to drive. It’s the closest thing I’ve experienced to a turbocharged car without it actually having a turbocharger.
Fuel economy – Surprised? Don’t be. The 968 has a 6-speed manual gearbox and can be very frugal on the highway, sitting at around 2300rpm at 110km/h. Plant your right foot and you’ll use fuel at a prodigious rate, but it’s a real case of Jeckyll and Hyde, this car.
Handling – My goodness. The handling.
There are two primary contributing factors here. #1 is the mechanical grip inherent in having a well engineered car with great suspension, great brakes and 50/50 weight balance. #2 is option 220: the limited slip differential.
This car is so beautifully balanced. It feels a little bit corny to say so, but it really does inspire confidence and makes you feel like a better driver. And yes, the fact that this car is so competent scares me a little because I know that my own skills as a driver are nowhere near what this car can deliver. Over-confidence is a potential problem.
The looks – Let’s face it, no-one goes and buys a car that they consciously think is ugly. Maybe Aztek buyers, but even they might have seen some beauty there…. somewhere.
Anyway, I do love the way the car looks. Its stance. It’s a wide-hipped, tightly-wound bundle of muscle without a wasted line or curve.
That said…..
The not-so-good
The looks – I do love the way the 968 looks, but I have to admit that I still prefer the look of the 944 S2.
There’s something pure and 80’s about those concealed pop-up headlamps that just works. The 968 combines that 944 look with the 928 S4 that was on its last legs and while it looks a bit cleaner, there’s something incredibly right about the 944.
Tyre noise – Having what are basically road-legal track tyres is great for grip. Not so great for driving comfort. They’re as noisy as a kindergarten 10 minutes before lunchtime. They’ll be replaced tomorrow morning and set aside for use on club days.
The lack of comfort – My car is a ClubSport, which means it’s a model that Porsche stripped of equipment with the dual goals of 1) offering a lower-priced entry model, and 2) saving weight for better performance.
I’m very happy to have the CS model. It’s the cult favourite, the one that holds its value best and perhaps the purest affordable expression of Porsche’s front-engined efforts of the era. But I have to admit that some more comfortable seats and power windows wouldn’t be unwelcome when it comes to regular driving.
I’m going to keep this car for a long time (well, a long time for me) but I wouldn’t mind looking for a non-CS 968 when the time comes, or a low-mileage 944 S2. The only thing that replacement car will have to have is the limited slip diff.
Maintenance Costs – It’s only been a few weeks. I haven’t even had to do anything yet but I’m already saving for it. The tyres I get fitted tomorrow are going to get me $1 change out of $1000. The odometer is currently sitting on 119,XXX kms so the 120K service will be coming up soon. I’m going to get the timing belts done at the same time and the timing belt kit alone is over $350. I’m budgeting on something around $2,000 for that service.
It’s a magic car to drive and you can feel the quality, but it doesn’t come cheap. This car was affordable in our situation but it’s still the most I’ve ever spent to buy a vehicle. That means I have to look after my investment while I enjoy it, which is exactly what I intend to do.
Driveway hassles – This isn’t the car’s fault. Well, not really. But it doesn’t get over the hump in our driveway without some serious help. I had to build these ramps to get it over the hump so that I can put it in the garage. They’re a pain to put in position every time I want to use the car, but that’s a small price to pay for what happens when you get the car out on the road.
Verdict
Like I said at the top, I’m a very happy camper.
The 968 is an outstanding car and I feel privileged to own one. I come from prety humble automotive stock. This is only the third time I’ve spent five-figures on a car in my life, so to get something so capable is a new and wonderful experience for me. It’s been a long time coming.
There are minor discomforts based on it being primarily set up as a track car, but they are outweighed 10 times over by what it does when you begin to drive in the manner the designers intended.
Cliché time (again): Owning this car is a dream come true for me. I encourage every one of you to chase your automotive dream at least once because it really does feel great to get there. I’ll be chasing other automotive dreams, that’s for sure.
I’m very pleased to (finally) share some photos of my new pride and joy – my 1995 Porsche 968 CS. I picked this car up last Tuesday in Melbourne at the end of our road trip up the east coast of Australia.
The purchase story’s a bit complicated. I went to the mainland with the idea of returning with a Porsche 944. I got to Melbourne early and drove two 944’s prior to Mrs Swade coming over for the road trip – a 944 S2 and a 944 Turbo.
The first car I drove was the S2 and I was extremely impressed. The S2 has a 3.0 litre 16-valve engine with heaps of bottom-end torque. The owner had also fitted Porsches revered ‘M030’ suspension and a limited slip differential. Consequently, the car handled like it was on rails. It was incredibly stable at speed, very comfortable and easy to drive.
The Turbo was unmodified but with optioned-up sports seats that hug you like a long-lost grandmother. The car presented a major contrast to the S2, however. The clutch was much heavier and there was a lot of turbo lag and the 8-valve engine was relatively lifeless until the turbo kicked in. When it did, however, the car was very impressive.
I was much more comfortable with the S2 and began negotiations with the owner at the beginning of our road trip. We eventually agreed on a price and I drove Simon’s Saab 900i up the east coast happy in the knowledge that there would be a nice 944 S2 waiting for me when I got back.
I didn’t happen that way, however.
I picked up a couple of problems – cosmetic, not mechanical – on my final test drive and while they might have been fixable, I wasn’t in the mood to wait around to see how much it would cost. I could have negotiated further with the seller but I’d already held him up 2 weeks and promised that I wouldn’t go below the price I’d already offered him. It was time to walk away. I was heartbroken to leave this car behind because it drove so well (seriously, very very good) but given that this would be my first foray into Porsche ownership, I didn’t want anything hanging over me that I was unsure about.
Backing out of that deal left me with 24 hours to find another car. I had a booking on the ferry for the next day and no car to bring home. What follows is quite possibly a textbook example of how NOT to buy a car like a Porsche 968.
Put simple – I bought the car on gut feel.
The owner was a retired gent and this was his ‘other’ Porsche. His regular P-car was a 911 Turbo (996) and this car had been specifically set up for club activities (sprints). And it’s been set up very, very well, with only the best components used and no expense spared. There’s one invoice in the history file that scared the daylights out of me: a low oil pressure warning that ended up with what was essentially a major engine rebuild at a cost of $15,000. It’s scary to think that might happen to me, but at the same time it’s comforting to know it was all rebuilt just a few years ago.
I don’t want to get all Zen on you, but sometimes you know from talking to an owner, from reading a history file and seeing how they’ve set up the car, from feeling how the car drives. Sometimes the build says enough about the builder’s technique to show that they know what they’re doing. I could feel that in this car as soon as we took it around a sweeper.
About the 968 ClubSport
The 968 was the final version of Porsche’s front-engined water-cooled experiment that began with the 924 back in the late 1970’s. Porsche were going to call it the 944 S3 but so much of the car was new (around 80%, they say) that they gave it a new name.
The 968 saw the 3.0 litre engine from the S2 dressed up with variable valve timing (Variocam) to push it to 240hp. Coupled with a new six speed manual gearbox the 968 was capable of both 0-100 in around 6 seconds AND 30mpg in the US measurement. The car retained the 944’s 50-50 weight distribution so it’s extremely well balanced from the get-go. Add in some fancy shocks, tyres and other gubbins and the 968 can stick to the road like poo on a blanket.
The ClubSport model was a reflection of the times. Porsche, as was so often the case in the 80s and the 90s, was in financial trouble. They stripped out a lot of the creature comforts in order to offer a cheaper entry level model. Of course, taking out the rear seats and a lot of electronics means there’s a lot less wire, fewer electric motors and other bits. The end result was an even lighter version of what was already an impressive performer. The 968 ClubSport cost less than the fully equipped version of the car and performed better – instant cult classic!!
The 968 ClubSport came with no rear seat, the front seats were recaro shells with the fibreglass backs painted the same color as the car, no air conditioning, no central locking, no power mirrors, no power windows, only 2 speakers for its basic stereo, a manual tailgate release and a smaller battery and alternator (unless a/c was fitted as an option).
The end result was a 50kg weight reduction compared to the regular 968, or 100kg when compared to the 968 Sport sold in the UK, an optioned up package available at the time.
About *my* 968 ClubSport
Whilst all of those creature comforts were removed to create the ClubSport model, they were all still available as options. A lot of CS buyers optioned their cars up and many of the cars you see on the market today have ‘comfort seats’, a rear seat, air conditioning and other bits.
I’m pleased that my CS is pretty much how Porsche intended it to be. It’s only concessions to comfort are air conditioning and an aftermarket stereo (with a faux-woodgrain fascia and a 12-stack CD player, neither of which strike me as very sporting and both of which will meet a dumpster in due course).
Furthermore, my CS has the all-important Option 220 fitted as standard – the limited slip diff – and the previous owner shelled out around $1800 plus labour to fit the yellow Koni coilover dampers that were standard on the M030 suspension option. The car sits on Porsche Cup II alloy wheels shod with Yokohama road/track tyres that are very grippy but very noisy, too. Uncomfortably noisy, in fact. I’ll be getting some more suitable tyres later this week and will keep the Yokahamas aside for club events (it’s a waste to use them on the road, anyway).
The feature items in the cabin are, of course, the half-rollcage fitted by the previous owner and the Recaro A8 racing seats with harness on the driver’s seat. Note: these aren’t the original Recaros fitted by Porsche to the CS. They’re aftermarket Recaro seats purchased by the previous owner. The originals as fitted by Porsche are very hard to get and sell for around $4000 a pair!!
The seats have a pattern on the upholstery that brings to mind a 1990’s era Hyundai but if you can get past the looks, they’re very comfortable and incredibly supportive. I haven’t tried the harness yet (regular seatbelts are still in place on both sides). The other interior feature is the steering wheel; a think leather-clad wheel special to the CS that is the most comfortable wheel I’ve ever driven with. It oozes quality.
Actually, the whole car oozes quality. I love some of the little touches like the chrome surround for the door lock. Porsche were noted for their build quality during this era and the 968 is no exception. My car feels as tight as a drum and solid as a rock. The exterior still looks factory fresh, even after 19 years (built Sep 94). All interior surfaces are covered with quality materials and the doors, buttons, stalks and shifter operate with a level of precision and intent that I haven’t experienced in one of my own cars before. The sole exception is the driver’s window crank, which feels wobbly.
Owning it
It’ll likely be a loooooong time before I’ve even come close to the limits of what this car is capable of. Right now I can tell you it’s fast and it’s enormous fun to drive. It makes you feel good just walking up to it and as a driver, you feel confident as soon as you sit behind the wheel. This car is designed and built to be driven.
Right now, what I feel most is a small sense of foreboding at the potential service costs that lie ahead and a huge sense of responsibility towards this car.
As mentioned at the top of this story, I never intended to buy a 968 ClubSport. When the 944 S2 fell through, I invoked the “buy the best” maxim and went straight for the best front-engined 4-cylinder Porsche the company ever made. I blew my budget out of the water in the process, but right now I couldn’t be happier. Ask me about that again in 12 months when I’m still paying money into our mortgage to pay this off, but as my sister is so fond of telling me – you only live once.
My ambitions for this car:
Enjoy absolutely everything it has to offer.
Be as worthy an owner as the guy I bought it from. Hopefully one day in the distant future some lucky person will feel as good about this car and the person they bought it from as I do.
In the meantime, there’s a journey ahead. I’m not sure if this is the continuation of an ongoing automotive journey or an all-new automotive journey. All I know is I’m enjoying the ride so far.
The 968 ClubSport is an outstanding car and I feel pretty lucky to have this opportunity to own one.
