944 Wanted

[northo]

Anyone on here know of any 944 S2's or Turbo's for sale in Scotland up to £4k? Had a look at a Turbo yesterday, would have bought it but there was rust hidden around the sills and suspension that would have been an MOT fail. Gutted.................

[hab]

You'll be looking at a rough S2 or Turbo for £4k imho.

My S2 will be for sale soon,but it be up for around £5.5k. Decent turbo's are nearer £6k for the 220 bhp and £7k for the 250 in my experience...there is a lot of rough ones around.
It took me ages,and a trip down south to find a very nice S2.

[northo]

Any hints on buying? I seem to have found one in London (private sale) for near £5k. I looked at a white Turbo last week for c. £4k - owner was asking £5,995, but it needed plenty done and had some rust problems, so I am going to pass. Thank god for a mechanic friends of mine and a local ramp!

I think I am probably better of with an S2 than Turbo. Prices are all over the shop, so I am trying to buy from an enthusiast who has enjoyed the upkeep of the car, and I think I have found him. The mechanicals do not bother me as much as structural integrity and rust - much harder to fix!

Let me know what you love/ hate about your 944 if you can - would be very useful.

Cheers,

Ed

[tuscan_thunder]

there's an S2 at Autostation, Lanbryde (sp) near Elgin.

[hab]

northo said:

Any hints on buying? I think I am probably better of with an S2 than Turbo.

Let me know what you love/ hate about your 944 if you can - would be very useful.

Cheers,

I had an early lux for 4 yrs before the S2,and it was such a good ownership experience,that the only thing I considered was another 944! They are untouchable as an all round package for the money imo.

I considered both the S2/Turbo when I was looking and finally settled on an S2 on the basis of cheaper running costs.I know now this is not actually true; Overall,the S2 and the Turbo are roughly similiar in price to maintain.The turbo being an 8v lacks the complexity and potential problems that the S2 16v head can sometimes have. That said, the S2 doesn't have a turbo, so it's one less thing to worry about!

I have a good friend with a Turbo S and we swap cars quite regularly.
The engines are very different in character, with the Turbo obviously quicker in a straight line. It is fairly laggy by todays standard though ,and harder work to keep on boost on give and take roads, and in my experience the much more linear power delivery of the S2 and the low down torque, means it covers the ground as quick if not quicker than the Turbo on typical B roads.(hope your listening Andy! )That is, until a straight section appears.
The turbo is the more exciting drive, while the S2 is deceptively quick and fuss free,it does likes to rev though and really comes on cam at 4k.
Handling wise,if the suspension is in good condition, they still hold their own with just about anything on the road. Remember-the 968CS chassis is virtually identical to the S2.

Maintenance is crucial on all 944's.Beware of cheap cars as they can turn into a money pit if you need to put right someone else neglect.History is vital. There are so many rough cars out there that the really good ones seem to be holding their value in my experience.

As you've already experienced, rust in the sills is becoming an issue on some cars(the drain holes that run along the bottom of the sills become blocked and the sills then rot from the inside out, this is more of a problem on the S2/Turbo because of the black plastic side skirts that run along the sill,which make clearing the holes much more awkward) If the car has been cherished and cleaned properly this shouldn't really be a problem,I never had an issue with this on either of my cars,but then I was aware of this before purchasing. It also costs £££ to fix properly.
I'm selling my S2 later this spring,and I'll probably buy a Turbo S (may as well complete the set!)

Things I dont like about the S2? Ermmm... the exhaust note is pretty uninspiring, and I'm not a massive fan of Guards red. Thats about it though.

Edited by hab on Monday 19th March 12:43

[northo]

Thanks for that.