# Which Porsche 911 should I buy?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-porsche-911-should-i-buy/320842>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [September 9, 2005, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-porsche-911-should-i-buy/320842 "2005-09-09T16:46:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-porsche-911-should-i-buy/320842/41 "2005-09-12T18:59:43Z")

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> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#):
>
> From [the magnesium page](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnesium):

From your same page:

> [@](#):
>
> Magnesium, like aluminium, is strong and light, so it is used in several high volume automotive and truck components. Specialty, high grade car wheels of magnesium alloy are called “mag wheels.”

Magnesium is only dangerous in shaving or powdered form. It’s dangerous then because the surface area is great enough to allow combustion. Since it’s not relying on an oxygen rich environment to react, water doesn’t help put it out.

_Sodium_ on the other hand is HIGHLY reactive in the presence of water. The contact with water CAUSES the reaction. You CANNOT hold elemental Sodium - it will burn your skin.  
Bringin this back on the Porsche topic, and from your page:

> [@](#):
>
> for a long time ,Porsche used magnesium alloy for it’s engine cases due to the weight advantage over Aluminium, the high pressure casting were done by Mahle and won numerous awards for the biggest castings at the time. Later on they went back to aluminium because of the added strenght. Other use for Magnesium alloy is for wheels

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**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2005, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-porsche-911-should-i-buy/320842/42 "2005-09-12T19:08:52Z")

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> [@Unintentionally Blank](#):
>
> _Sodium_ on the other hand is HIGHLY reactive in the presence of water. The contact with water CAUSES the reaction. You CANNOT hold elemental Sodium - it will burn your skin.

I distinctly remember the teacher taking the piece and dropping it into the water, so it couldn’t have been sodium.

Now, where can I buy a piece of pure magnesium…

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