[Bmod986]

It isn't something that should cause worry because lots of cars have electronic steering now so its something that is becoming normal. A large portion of newer SUVs have electronic steering and they are not that bad.

The main difference is that when you drive a new porsche with electronic steering it just feels different. When I drive my 986 I feel every single bump in the road through the steering. It is a very live system. Now with the newer porsches there is less feel. The steering will not jump around with the bumps. I drove in the dry so the steering was very precise and the feed back that I got from the steering wheel was less then in the 986 but it still had very good response. In other conditions though this feel may be greatly reduced. Like driving in the rain. I feel how much grip my tires have through the steering, but with an electronic system this feel will not be as prevalent or maybe wont even be present.

Let me compare the steering to another electronic steering vehicle. My parents have a 2007 range rover sport. I drive it regularly and have driven in snow, sleet, mud, sand, and rain. If at any point the tires do not make proper contact with the ground the steering will have no feel, it just becomes loose and I don't know where my tires are pointing. This does not happen with a hydraulic steering vehicle.

Not to discredit the range rover because it is a tank when it comes to getting through difficult terrain. I can say that I drove from North Virginia to New Jersey In the middle of a snow fall. Which change as I drove from packed powder snow to sleet and rain and back to snow. And through the whole drive I got enough info through the steering wheel to get through fine like there wasn't any snow. I was in the left lane packed with snow while everyone else was doing 30 on the right lane.

Granted that one is an suv and the other is a sports car but the idea is the same. Under adverse conditions the car can become uncommunicative. Now I don't know how much though because I haven't had a chance to use a newer porsche in adverse weather. And I hear that the carrera 4s have a very good electronic steering system so ya.

Unless you are a pro driver electronic steering should not hold you back. It is a very component system but it just lacks a bit of liveliness to it that is all.

My recommendation go for a hard drive in the 986 then jump into a newer porsche and feel the difference yourself. Everything else in the car is sooooo good that the steering can easily be forgiven. But that is just my opinion.