For scenic weekend drives, do you all like classic cars or modern sports cars better? I've never owned a classic car and I'm discovering that it is a blind spot in my car experience.

I got a chance to drive my dad's 1963 Porsche 356 this summer and found it equal parts terrifying and exhilarating. As a result, I'm hankering to explore older cars (anything pre-2000's) to see where the sweet spot in driver involvement is for me.

My enjoyment of the 356 pretty much boiled down to the "it's more fun to drive a slow car fast" argument. Trying to keep up with modern traffic in the 1963 Porsche is no small feat, especially when hills are involved. And managing the carbureted engine (which sounds great!), the long and imprecise shifter, the "classic" brakes/tires and the heavy manual steering was a rewarding and involving challenge. I came away enjoying my at-the-speed-limit drive much more than I would have in any other car.

(I wrote 1500 words about the drive here.)

A point which was proven when I jumped into my friend's 2021 MX-5 Miata, doubled the cautionary speed limit through the corners, and still found myself comparatively bored by the numb steering and refined engine.

The back-to-back experience has me thinking I should explore some 1980's BMWs and Porsches, to see if I can mix the challenge, feedback and involvement of the Porsche 356 with more confidence inspiring brakes, transmission and engine.

Do you all have a favorite 1970s - 1990s car you'd suggest I try? I'm in Northern California, so something that works well on mountain roads is what I'm looking for.

Thanks!
Mike

 

No suggestions from MBWorld? At this point I'm thinking I should try 964 and 993 Porsche 911s, as well as E30 BMWs.

 

I've not purchased anything yet but I did have an excellent drive of a friend's 1994 BMW 325i wagon that has really lit my fire for E30 BMWs. My friend's E30 had many of the good vibes and sounds to rival the old Porsche 356 but much more modern performance. Because his E30 is a wagon, I brought my CTS-V wagon for a comparison drive on our local back roads.

Before our drive, the CTS-V wagon was "the one" I would never sell. But after a few hours with the E30, I realized that the E30 is more engaging than the CTS-V wagon in town and on twisties, even though it is slower. The BMW is the first car that tempts me to replace the wicked CTS-V.

No, the E30's brakes weren't as good as the Caddy's Brembos, and the I6 engine felt downright anemic next to the CTS-V's supercharged V8, but the BMW sounded twice as good and was coursing with delicious road feel that the Cadillac filtered out. At ~2800 pounds, the E30 was a lightweight treat, with much of the joy of an earlier Miata stretched into a wagon. The CTS-V is amazing for its relaxed (sleepy?) in town demeanor and hair-on-fire personality when driven in anger. But I'd be doubling the speed limits on the back roads if I exploited its power and grip.

This is a pickle for me because the E30 I drove was extensively modified (2.5L I6 engine stroked and cammed to 2.8L, suspension modernized for weekend romps, full repaint), and it would be no small task to replicate this top-notch car. Yet, I don't think I'd want to accept any lesser 325i substitutes because this souped-up E30 sounded so good, drove so well, and yet was still borderline slow.

I think I'll continue exploring 1980s and 1990s driver's cars and see if there's anything with a similar soul to the E30 wagon that would fill the shoes of my AMG GT S coupe instead of replacing my CTS-V wagon. That way, the older, potentially less dependable car could be my weekend car rather than my daily.