It’s a tradition to have an SCM car or two in the local Porsche Club’s Northwest Passage Tour.
Its 40-car entry list is made up of mostly late-model Porsches. However, I have driven our Lotus Elise on the tour and one year we entered a trio of Alfa Romeos with our GTV, Duetto and Giulia Super.
Last year we took the 1971 Jaguar E-type V12 coupe and the 1975 Porsche 911S.
Those are all sports cars. With the thrill of a classic car, however, comes the fear of mechanical breakdown, as well the lack of any kind of creature comforts.
As we were looking at next year’s event, Rory Jurnecka, SCM’s Senior Editor, suggested I consider renting a Porsche Macan using the car-sharing company Turo. When I checked its web site, there were three available. The price range was a reasonable $95 to $150 a day, plus some extra fees and mileage.
The Macan would give me room for my mobility scooter in the back, but still seems “right-sized” compared to a Cayenne or Panamera.
The tour is really a six-day event, so it might cost between $750 to $2,000 to rent the car.
That’s probably less than any repair to the Jaguar would cost. And I would be in a modern Porsche, no longer the odd-man-out in a “goofy old classic car.”
My worry is that I would lose all the vintage car experience, which is a large part of the reason I go on this event.
Would driving a Macan reduce the 1,000 miles of scenic highway to a streaming video of a rolling landscape that we watch through rolled-up windows, with the climate control on, following the nav system instructions and listening to our Spotify road-trip playlist?
What would you do? Would you drive your classic car or rent a new Porsche for the tour? Have you had an experience with Turo you’d like to tell me about? Let me know your thoughts.
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I thought you role in lie was to be “the odd man in the goofy old classic car.”
I’ll take a “goofy old car” over a “soulless new car” any day…
Everyday for that matter!
Side note. What about Hagerty car share / rental program? I’m willing to bet. you’d find something super cool that’s suitable for the tour. Plus you might be able to check off a VINTAGE make or model you’ve always wanted to drive…
i can’t get over the troubles people have with old cars. yep, i did lose the oilpump in ’88 in my cooper-mg on the mille. but i’ve taken the bristol, the ’55 t-bird, the cunningham, the flaminia, and the cooper-ford to europe and driven in multi-day rallies and such. drove the appia zagato to pittsburgh, raced, drove it home. drove it to detroit, looped thru nashville, than back to oklahoma. loaned a ’56 t-bird to a cousin who drove it to and from california to tulsa; it had an old battery which failed and delayed them 4 hours. drove the flaminia to the daytona ’24 minutes,’ raced it, drove it home. drove it to the ’07 amelia and got an award. drove the 3z ferrari all over the place: had to replace a distributor cap once (i carry spares). the flavia z got karen and me around france; it did lose its oilpump enroute to the ’11 tour auto, so there’s that. i’m happily blessed! i do know i don’t beat the tar out of the old dears and i do simple maintenance on everything. plus i never had a jaguar or an mg (i was warned twice about oilpump drive gear replacement before that ’88 mille incident–my bad!
During 2023 Porsche Parade in Palm Springs, my wife and I were the sweep vehicle for a tour up the mountains to Idyllwild CA for lunch. Our group of 14 cars had 4 new Turbo S models, plus some GT3s. We were driving our trusty 1996 993 C4S. Our 282 bhp was nothing compared to their hp north of 550. The newer cars all had PASM and all the nannies that make mountain driving a bit less hair raising. We were left in the dust. We swept all right……. Earlier this year we took factory delivery of a 2024 Macan T with a turbo 4 making 261 hp. It has air suspension, PASM, and appropriate nannies. Not sure I still could have kept up with the Turbo S models in the T but mountain driving might have been less hairy despite the higher center of gravity and weight. I love them both but would definitely do your rally in the 993. Its a driver’s car. Same with your Jag and 911S.
I think the suggestion to find another (later) classic Porsche through Hagerty is a brilliant one. I don’t think you ought to rent a Macan. If you are going to do that, stay home and just look through the pictures on a big TV set, and order out for pizza.
I don’t know personally, but I’ve heard a Macan is a fun drive. Might be an experience once. If you don’t like it, you can go back to an old car on ghe next tour.
Keith, my advice is take the Macan! I am on my 3rd one and i love them . I also have a 356C cabrio and a 911S 2.2 but the Macan drives like a sports car. You won’t feel out of it in fact quite the opposite. I bet they all hover around it wanting to know about the experience. Don’t delay.
Ian Nott Auckland New Zealand
Driving a Macan on a vintage-car tour would be like kissing your sister!
Kia Ora Keith, mmm McSpicy burger drive thru from Maccas or a classic slow cooked pie from your favourite home cooking cafe? We don’t have Turo here in New Zealand but we do have RentAClassic. I think it’s all about the experience, and characterful beats cookie cutter for me. The best things are worth waiting for…which is is a line you may need to use frequently….
If you rent a Macan you’ll be AT the event. If you take a classic or a more modern sports car you’ll be IN the event.
Um, Vintage car tour? What’s the point, if not, Vintage…
I’d lean towards a properly prepped vintage ride for this tour. As you point out, most drivers on these tours show up with a modern Porsche or other car, which is fine but not “vintage.” In your case, though, a Macan sounds like it would be a much better choice, given that you may need your mobility scooter over the course of six days. Plus, vintage cars can be pretty fatiguing to drive for extended periods. A Macan would be the opposite while offering solid handling and good power to keep up with the other modern cars on the tour. Either way, sounds like it’ll be a fun six days!
Hello Keith
I think you have had your fair share of “the vintage car experience” – rent a MACAN and Enjoy or best rent a Cayenne GTS or Turbo as these have perfect driving experience.