944 S2: Opinions Please!

[Animal]

Giving serious thought to an '89 944S2 at RPM Porsche in Cheddington. Not sure how to post a link, but here's their web address: www.rpmporsche.co.uk. White, 112k miles at £5.5k.

Anyone know this car or dealer?
What should I look out for?

Cheers,

Animal

[pcn1]

Buy an S2 and you wont be dissapointed (if its a sorted car !)
I prefer to buy private, I think that car would fetch 4.5K to 5K private. Thats a lot of money you can put aside for future servicing.
My S2 is a 1992 with 83K in white and I would realistically value it at about £5K.

[silverS2]

Got to agree with the pricing being a bit high, you can have my superb condition 117,000 mile last of the line (J reg, grey leather interior) S2's for £5,000, and I'm sure there are loads of other cars out there for the same money (and less)

Dealers will always be more expensive but I would'nt rule them out for the right car, I looked for ages and got to know the exact model I wanted, and followed the prices in auto trader and pistonheads (where I eventually got mine from)
I'd reccommend talking to 944 owners and spending some time searching the net, and as I've said before get the best one you can afford, there's no such thing as a cheap porsche.

Great cars, get one, you won't regret it (unless it's due something like a clutch, belts, fuel lines or brakes.....)

Andy

Edited by silverS2 on Wednesday 21st February 17:07

[stevep2000]

One major potential problem with the S2 is the the cams - one is belt driven in the normal manner, but there is a chain drive to the second under the cam cover. This chain wasn't a listed Porsche service item, and eventually wears & in turn wears the sprockets on the cams. The sprockets aren't separately replaceable, which means two new cams at circa £400 + labour.
Brake & Fuel lines already mentioned, & some are starting to rust despite the galvinised body. If you get a good one though they're great cars, deceptively quick & great to drive.

[Zakynthos]

Also recently tried a 944 S2 - great bar two things. Interior very dull, so possibly off to the coachworkers.

The other, is the engine note. More of a noise really. So which bits make it worth listening to?

[silverS2]

Agree with the interior criticism, I would reccommend either black leather or the later cars grey which I think looks the best.
Interior layout and switchgear is hap hazard and low quality feeling (compared with my old audi 80 it doesn't come close), but don't forget it's getting on in years now, the youngest 944 being 15.

Exhaust note can best be described as, well, dull I'll agree, (though there are aftermarket twin outlet silencers available from essential styling for £379 on ebay).

I'm thinking of removing the cenree silencer or a decat to liven mine up a bit, however with the amount of motorway miles I do i don't want too loud, (it does get a bit better as the revs rise)
Andy

[zcacogp]

silverS2 said:

Agree with the interior criticism, I would reccommend either black leather or the later cars grey which I think looks the best.
Interior layout and switchgear is hap hazard and low quality feeling (compared with my old audi 80 it doesn't come close), but don't forget it's getting on in years now, the youngest 944 being 15.

Exhaust note can best be described as, well, dull I'll agree, (though there are aftermarket twin outlet silencers available from essential styling for £379 on ebay).

I'm thinking of removing the cenree silencer or a decat to liven mine up a bit, however with the amount of motorway miles I do i don't want too loud, (it does get a bit better as the revs rise)
Andy

Agree on all points. Interior is dull but functional (but all porsche interiors are dull, aren't they?) Switchgear is frankly rubbish. As are the ergonomics of the interior. Oh, and the visibility is apalling too. I think I mentioned it on my profile ...

And the exhaust is never going to be interesting, as it is only a 4-pot engine. Loud exhausts will make it sound like a chav corsa with a drain pipe attached to the exhaust manifold.

Do any of these put me off an otherwise great car? Of course not.


Oli.

ETA: Andy - there is some discussion about decatting later S2's on the TIPEC forum - well worth a read.

Edited by zcacogp on Friday 23 February 11:50

[steve 944t]

cant comment on the car in question or S2s generally, but have only heard good things about RPM. I will shortly be taking my Turbo to them for major servicing work and new KW suspension. They are not my closest specialist, but after speaking to Ollie a couple of times I am very confident that they know 944s inside out.

[silverS2]

Thanks for the tip, I've been thinking about a decat and essential styling twin exit exhaist for a while now but from what I understand there are little or no gains in performance to be had, but listening to the website they do sound much better (expensive though).

Not sure as I'm away at the moment but is there a centre box on the S2 I can take out? or is it a case of either opening up the original box (which looks to be stainless) or buying another.

I am a bit mean and quite fancy having a look inside the original to see what is in there before lashing out £300, I'm hoping a little judicious pipework and welding might produce the desired result.

I agree about the interior, I was having a rare moment of tactfulness & trying not to be tooo rabid, yes it's crap, but the seats are very comfy indeed.
My brother (honda S2000) was pissing himself when I first bought it (but there again he was strangely quiet when I said there was nothing it it between the 944 and honda, which I found out on an entertaining drive home one afternoon)

Andy

[Harry Flashman]

My 968 keeps up with my friend's S2000 on atraights and twisties (despite being heavier and less powerful ). I think the S2000's rev hungry nature means you can stay with it early on.

In the wet it's no contest, as the tail happy Honda makes drivers throttle back in a way you simnply don't have to in a 968/944.

[tonikaram]

zcacogp said:

I think I mentioned it on my profile ...

zcacogp, I read your profile. I too owned a Mk2 Golf GTI 8V from 1993 to 1998 (in the end as a second car to a BMW 325i), and I also never got over that car. Selling the car (for a BMW Z3) has kept me looking for that same feeling for years now, and I'm still looking. I really hope that a 911 can have that same feeling, but I do expect that it might not!

Kay

[zcacogp]

silverS2 said:

Not sure as I'm away at the moment but is there a centre box on the S2 I can take out? or is it a case of either opening up the original box (which looks to be stainless) or buying another.

There is a centre box, and I have heard of places which will make you a straight-through pipe to fit for around £30. Not pricey ... go and have a look at the PCGB and TIPEC forums for more details.

tonikaram said:

zcacogp, I read your profile. I too owned a Mk2 Golf GTI 8V from 1993 to 1998 (in the end as a second car to a BMW 325i), and I also never got over that car. Selling the car (for a BMW Z3) has kept me looking for that same feeling for years now, and I'm still looking. I really hope that a 911 can have that same feeling, but I do expect that it might not!

Interesting ... never owned a 911, but try a 944. You may find it scratches the same itch as the Mk2 GTi did, but in a slightly more grown-up way. Be warned, I didn't love my S2 from the off, but it has grown on me and I can't think of anything else I would rather own now. As far as the 944/911 thing, realise that they are totally different cars and have totally different dynamics. They made be made by the same manufacturer, but they have totally different images (everyone lusts after the 911) and are totally different on the road.

Try both. Buy the one you like. Most people choose the 911, but look beyond the name.


Oli.