944 - practical for 2 adults and 2 kids?

[Smokey Boyer]

I am currently looking at a car to replace my TVR S3. This will not be my daily driver and if it is used like my TVR will do about 4000 or 5000 miles a year. Combination of days out, weekends away, the occasional track day or sprint day, thrashing down country lanes etc. I also enjoy going to car shows, monthly meets and runs with the car clubs ( TVR and PH ).

The TVR is great and handles like a dream and feels special when I take it out partly because of the noise and partly because there are so few on the road it gets noticed. Its only failing is the number of seats. I have two kids aged 9 and 12. Invariably I end up either leaving people at home when we go out for the day, or my wife tags along in her car. Hopefully by the time they are too big to fit in the car they will be old enough to leave at home for a short time while I go out with my wife.

The obvious replacement would be a Cerbera, but I am looking at alternatives and the 944 is ticking lots of boxes at the moment.

I have yet to see one in the flesh since I have been thinking about the 944 and I have not found one for sale locally yet. How practical are the back seats for two kids for the occasional day out?

From the research I have done the S2 3.0l seems like the car to go for. The cabriolet looks nice but seems to have very limited room in the back seats with the roof up and down. Is this just an illusion or is the tin top more practical and usable.

Any advice welcome.

Although it is a long way from home this is the sort of the car that appeals.

[supersport]

Unless your kids are midgets the back won't be big enough. My 10 year old has out grown the back seat. Shame as it was a family car for two years. Ridiculously practical and fun.

[Mad March Taffy]

Agree - I had a 968 cabrio and my kids struggled past the age of 10 - it was easier with the roof down, as head room was more of an issue than leg room

[thegoose]

It also depends on how far back the people in the front need their seats.

As an alternative have a look at a Maserati 3200GT, room for 6' adults in the back.

[Smokey Boyer]

Shame the rear seats are not better than I had hoped they would be - looks almost perfect as a weekend car.

Really started to think it was going to be a good replacement for the TVR.

[DKL]

Try a 928

[Fat Albert]

It depends how keen on the car your kids are, ours didn't mind some discomfort to go out in the 944 or 968

I often used them with 2 kids and the dog as with the front Passenger seat forwards a bit, the rear legroom was much improved, the dog would curl up behind the driver's seat

Of course in days of Yore My Mum picked me up from Air cadets once in her 924 and with me in the front we got 4 more cadets in the back (3 on the seat and 1 lying down in the boot....

The boot of the 944/968 is very practical - you get some very funny looks on the tip run and they will easily swallow a Mountain bike with the front wheel taken off. (in fact the guy I bought my 968 off delivered it to me and then cycled home!)

[thegoose]

Practical indeed - a friend of mine carried a cement mixer in one!

[andy97]

Might be ok for toddlers but not 9 and 12 year olds. As much as I love the 944/968 I'd suggest that a Bmw M3 will fit the bill better, or an RX8, if you understand how to look after the Rotary.

Edited by andy97 on Tuesday 7th October 09:32

[andy97]

Might be ok for toddlers but not 9 and 12 year olds. As much as I love the 944/968 I'd suggest that a Bmw M3 will fit the bill better, or an RX8, if you understand how to look after the Rotary.

Edited by andy97 on Tuesday 7th October 09:33

[Dalto123]

The 944 would tick all the boxes bar the rear seats unfortunately. I did fit in the back aged about 14 (roof up and down), but only did so sitting sideways - not really possible when you have two kids

[GC8]

I'm nearly 6' 3", weigh 16 stones and can sit in the back of a 924 and derivatives. I suspect that any 12yr old children can fit in them without issue.

Would I like to go on a long journey, or try to sit behind the driver? No, of course not, but the seats aren't nearly as bad as people make out.

[g7jhp]

What's your budget?

- Porsche 996 C2
- Porsche 928
- Jaguar XKR

Could all be options!

[blade7]

Smokey Boyer said:

Any advice welcome.

Although it is a long way from home this is the sort of the car that appeals.

For a weekend car you really want a turbo, having said that an E46 M3 would be my choice to carry 4 people. I wouldn't go around the block in the back of a 944.

[Lowtimer]

GC8 said:

I'm nearly 6' 3", weigh 16 stones and can sit in the back of a 924 and derivatives. I suspect that any 12yr old children can fit in them without issue.

Would I like to go on a long journey, or try to sit behind the driver? No, of course not, but the seats aren't nearly as bad as people make out.

I'm 6'3" and 14 stone and physically can't get into the back of my 944 at all. I suppose everyone must bend in different places.

[LasseV]

Smokey Boyer said:

Shame the rear seats are not better than I had hoped they would be - looks almost perfect as a weekend car.

Really started to think it was going to be a good replacement for the TVR.

Firstly i would forget all the modern beemers.

Secondly I think that those back seats are okay for kids and 944 is a surprisingly practical cars. Lovely car with enuff practicality.

Other option could be a (MKIV n/a) Supra SZ-R with manual. It is little bit more roomier and it has similar kind of good qualities than 944's. Reliable, very goow weight distribution and balance, very good handling, good looking, spot on driving position. SZ-R offers similar kind of performance in all gategory, only little bit of more. And tacho is in the middle

It doesn't have a Porsche badge, but as a car it is special enough to be a weekend car. Inline six sounds soooo gooooood....

Edited by LasseV on Saturday 18th October 21:18

[GC8]

Indeed. I last checked when I weighed over 17 stones Simon. so Im presuming itll be a little easier now.