How Cheap are 944's getting??!
Discussion
There are absolutely loads of 944 S2's on ebay, autotrader and the PH classified pages for well below £4,000!
Sorely tempted
It would make a nice change to driving the Dagenham Dustbin 
What would be the cheapest way of getting hold of parts for these? Euro Car parts don't seem to hold much stock for them, so I have no way of checking prices
Fitting isn't a problem, my best mates cousin recently won 'apprentice of the year' for Porsche GB so he knows a thing or two about fettling porkers. He's said he'll take care of servicing for beer tokens, which is nice...
So if the parts aren't mega mega money, there isn't anything standing in the way
Any of you guys know of any clean cars for sale or good parts suppliers?
Thanks
Dave
Sorely tempted
It would make a nice change to driving the Dagenham Dustbin What would be the cheapest way of getting hold of parts for these? Euro Car parts don't seem to hold much stock for them, so I have no way of checking prices
Fitting isn't a problem, my best mates cousin recently won 'apprentice of the year' for Porsche GB so he knows a thing or two about fettling porkers. He's said he'll take care of servicing for beer tokens, which is nice...
So if the parts aren't mega mega money, there isn't anything standing in the way
Any of you guys know of any clean cars for sale or good parts suppliers?
Thanks
Dave
KingRichard said:
Fitting isn't a problem, my best mates cousin recently won 'apprentice of the year' for Porsche GB so he knows a thing or two about fettling porkers. He's said he'll take care of servicing for beer tokens, which is nice...
that sounds a good deal, though having worked for Porsche GB, your mate's cousin will probably never have seen the inside of a 944 engine bay
a lot of people use Berlyn for parts. If they fail, try www.porsch-apart.co.uk
Euro Car Parts and GSF (German Sweish and French Car parts - www.gsfcarparts.com/ ) stock most of the parts you'll need - for the others you can go to www.design911.com who are very good, as are www.porsch-apart.co.uk/ for other bits such as suspension wishbones etc.
Also don't discount your local OPC for parts - I've used mine a few times for hard to find bits, and they've been great, and really quite reasonable cost-wise.
I'd say go for it, as long as you're a bit handy with the spanners, as they do require a bit of fettling. Just make sure you buy one with a good service history - otherwise you'll end up with a list of fixes - like I had to do! (service history turned out to be bollox).
If you want to know what to avoid, or look for, drop me an email via my profile, and I'll send you a list of jobs I've had to do, so you know what to check!
I love my 944 (1988 2.5 lux) to bits, and would heartily recommend you get one They are ridiculously cheap now - I thought about selling mine a while back, and the best offer I got was £1,800!!!!!! At that sort of price, it'd be daft not to!!!!!
Also don't discount your local OPC for parts - I've used mine a few times for hard to find bits, and they've been great, and really quite reasonable cost-wise.
I'd say go for it, as long as you're a bit handy with the spanners, as they do require a bit of fettling. Just make sure you buy one with a good service history - otherwise you'll end up with a list of fixes - like I had to do! (service history turned out to be bollox).
If you want to know what to avoid, or look for, drop me an email via my profile, and I'll send you a list of jobs I've had to do, so you know what to check!
I love my 944 (1988 2.5 lux) to bits, and would heartily recommend you get one
They are ridiculously cheap now - I thought about selling mine a while back, and the best offer I got was £1,800!!!!!! At that sort of price, it'd be daft not to!!!!! 944's are good value at the moment - fantastic value, in fact - but do make sure you get a good one. I get the impression that they can absorb ALOT of cash very quickly ...
Look at my profile - I bought an S2 6 months ago, and am learning to like it. I think they are a bit of an aquired taste.
Oli.
Look at my profile - I bought an S2 6 months ago, and am learning to like it. I think they are a bit of an aquired taste.
Oli.
Yup seriously good value & better than a Golf (sorry Oli) or a Ford.
Keep around £1,000 spare for the inevitable bits it'll need.
If it needs belts, then it may need idlers etc. which can mount up.
I do some of my own work but other bits I leave to Porker specialists
such as Northways. If you don't know your way around 944's get someone
who is to look at any prospective purchase, as others have said they
can be money pits if you get a duff one!
Keep around £1,000 spare for the inevitable bits it'll need.
If it needs belts, then it may need idlers etc. which can mount up.
I do some of my own work but other bits I leave to Porker specialists
such as Northways. If you don't know your way around 944's get someone
who is to look at any prospective purchase, as others have said they
can be money pits if you get a duff one!
We have lots of information on what to look out for and photos on www.hartech.org - which should help.
Cannot resist pointing out that we predicted this drop in prices months ago and were apparently "wrong" - all older Porsches will be cheaper to buy in the future but they do cost to look after.
Most cars (even family cars) cost £3000 to £4000 a year in running costs and depreciation. Older Porsches will have very little (perhaps no) depreciation - so you have to look at the overall picture when confronted with estimates that such a car may cost £1500/year to keep on the road in good reliable condition.
Often it will cost more to sort out initially, then less for a couple of years (as most of the work was done at the start) and then a moderate amount as corrosion and general wear and tear wear out parts for the first time in perhaps 20 years.
The best buy cost wise is a 2.5 or 2.7 8 valve curved dash car (1986 onwards).
The worst is the 944 S 16 valve 2.5 which is more expensive to run and no better a drive.
The turbo and S2 will cost a little more to maintain but provide much more performance.
The 968 is the ultimate and is now dropping in line to very attractive prices.
Child seats can be fitted but they need a narrow seat base - however the cars are very strong and safe in that rear chassis area and you can still get a folding push chair in the back.
Good luck,
Baz Hartech
Cannot resist pointing out that we predicted this drop in prices months ago and were apparently "wrong" - all older Porsches will be cheaper to buy in the future but they do cost to look after.
Most cars (even family cars) cost £3000 to £4000 a year in running costs and depreciation. Older Porsches will have very little (perhaps no) depreciation - so you have to look at the overall picture when confronted with estimates that such a car may cost £1500/year to keep on the road in good reliable condition.
Often it will cost more to sort out initially, then less for a couple of years (as most of the work was done at the start) and then a moderate amount as corrosion and general wear and tear wear out parts for the first time in perhaps 20 years.
The best buy cost wise is a 2.5 or 2.7 8 valve curved dash car (1986 onwards).
The worst is the 944 S 16 valve 2.5 which is more expensive to run and no better a drive.
The turbo and S2 will cost a little more to maintain but provide much more performance.
The 968 is the ultimate and is now dropping in line to very attractive prices.
Child seats can be fitted but they need a narrow seat base - however the cars are very strong and safe in that rear chassis area and you can still get a folding push chair in the back.
Good luck,
Baz Hartech
I got my S2 8 months ago (on PH) and probably would'nt have bought that particular one knowing what I do now, but I wanted as late a car as I could find.
Prices have dropped a bit as far as I can see since I got mine, though the worst affected seem to be the earlier cars, they are still being advertised on auto trader for daft money though (which I can't see anyboy paying), ebay does look very cheap, but often aren't what they seem when you see them in real life, In my experience they are 'somewhere between his description and your expectations', be very wary, there are bargains there, but there are horror stories as well.
I do all my own maintenance and have found it OK to work on if not a bit tight in some places, certainly the quality is close to the audi I used to have, which is nice and makes them last longer than equivelant cars.
Mine is the last of the S2's with the grey leather 10 speaker hi fi and bridge spoiler so I did pay a bit extra for it, some of the interiors especially on the older cars are 'an aquired taste', switchgear is a mess and not particularly robust, check everything works as it should.
If you are looking at an S2 the bottoms of the front wings on mine were rusty due to the rubber sill trims, I could'nt see that when I bought it so I would strongly reccommend either taking somebody with you who knows what he's looking at or take it to a specialist garage for a proper check over, if you buy a 'wrong un' it will really hurt (think spending as much again on it)
service history is very important indeed, things like timing belts and clutches need to be factored into the price if they need to be done, but I've found general service things from the places mentioned are cheap enough and in pretty good supply.
Of course get a good one and you will have reasonable running costs and fantastic value for money, get a bad one and you will end up paying more than you would in the first place.
I've got pics of mine and the work on the wings/ belts if you would like a look (can't seem to get them on the page for some reason)
Good luck
Andy.
Prices have dropped a bit as far as I can see since I got mine, though the worst affected seem to be the earlier cars, they are still being advertised on auto trader for daft money though (which I can't see anyboy paying), ebay does look very cheap, but often aren't what they seem when you see them in real life, In my experience they are 'somewhere between his description and your expectations', be very wary, there are bargains there, but there are horror stories as well.
I do all my own maintenance and have found it OK to work on if not a bit tight in some places, certainly the quality is close to the audi I used to have, which is nice and makes them last longer than equivelant cars.
Mine is the last of the S2's with the grey leather 10 speaker hi fi and bridge spoiler so I did pay a bit extra for it, some of the interiors especially on the older cars are 'an aquired taste', switchgear is a mess and not particularly robust, check everything works as it should.
If you are looking at an S2 the bottoms of the front wings on mine were rusty due to the rubber sill trims, I could'nt see that when I bought it so I would strongly reccommend either taking somebody with you who knows what he's looking at or take it to a specialist garage for a proper check over, if you buy a 'wrong un' it will really hurt (think spending as much again on it)
service history is very important indeed, things like timing belts and clutches need to be factored into the price if they need to be done, but I've found general service things from the places mentioned are cheap enough and in pretty good supply.
Of course get a good one and you will have reasonable running costs and fantastic value for money, get a bad one and you will end up paying more than you would in the first place.
I've got pics of mine and the work on the wings/ belts if you would like a look (can't seem to get them on the page for some reason)
Good luck
Andy.
silverS2 said:
...I would strongly reccommend either taking somebody with you who knows what he's looking at or take it to a specialist garage for a proper check over, if you buy a 'wrong un' it will really hurt (think spending as much again on it)....
I've got pics of mine and the work on the wings/ belts if you would like a look (can't seem to get them on the page for some reason)
Good luck
Andy.
I've got pics of mine and the work on the wings/ belts if you would like a look (can't seem to get them on the page for some reason)
Good luck
Andy.
Just to echo the above regarding an inspection - I really wish I'd have got mine inspected!!!!!!!
Andy - if you're having problems getting the pics up, e-mail them to me (e-mail via profile) and I'll host them for you if you like? Your S2 sounds really nice...
Fatboy said:
Just to echo the above regarding an inspection - I really wish I'd have got mine inspected!!!!!!!
Andy - if you're having problems getting the pics up, e-mail them to me (e-mail via profile) and I'll host them for you if you like? Your S2 sounds really nice...
I had mine inspected. I thought it was a good one (had looked at several before buying) and the inspection confirmed this. Yes it was nearly £200, but £200 well spent in my book, and subsequent ownership has told me that the inspection was correct - it's a good 'un. Andy - if you're having problems getting the pics up, e-mail them to me (e-mail via profile) and I'll host them for you if you like? Your S2 sounds really nice...
Andy, I'd like to see the photos of yours as well. If anyone can host them, please do so. You specify 'early' S2's and 'late' S2's - what's the difference? Mine is an early S2, and as far as I can tell the later ones got cats, other interior options (grey leather) and bridge spoilers. (The really wacky interiors were on the lux's.) Anything else?
Oli.
Ah, I meant earlier 944's not specifically S2's, sorry.
The later S2's had grey leather and the bridge type spoiler, mine has the 10 speaker kit (no door pockets) as well, I think apart from a few things like ABS being standard and a few odds and ends they were the same.
I presume they all have headlamp wash wipe, that daft 'climatronic' heating and tinted glass.
Mine came with the porsche immobilizer fitted as well.
Cant get the pics to upload for some reason, how do I attach them in the body of the text?
Andy
The later S2's had grey leather and the bridge type spoiler, mine has the 10 speaker kit (no door pockets) as well, I think apart from a few things like ABS being standard and a few odds and ends they were the same.
I presume they all have headlamp wash wipe, that daft 'climatronic' heating and tinted glass.
Mine came with the porsche immobilizer fitted as well.
Cant get the pics to upload for some reason, how do I attach them in the body of the text?
Andy
silverS2 said:
Cant get the pics to upload for some reason, how do I attach them in the body of the text?
Andy
You need to have the images hosted on the web somewhere (i.e. photobucket, you own website etc), and then you link to them from the post...
Drop me an e-mail through my profile if you need them hosting...
As other people have said, find a good one.
I had a 924S (effectively a 2.5 944...) and it gradually became obvious this was a poor example of an excellent car.
If you're looking at a standard 944, I would strongly advise also looking at a 924S as its virtually the same car (even slightly quicker if you get one of the last batch with the high compression 'full 944' engine in there) for EVEN less money.
But whatever you do look at loads. Don't buy the first car you see (unless you've seen a few others since then!) You're spoilt for choice with 924/944/968's it appears.
As for the driving experience do it - they're awesome. Reasonably competent (although not spectacular by modern sportscar standards) but exploitable and forgiving.
I had a 924S (effectively a 2.5 944...) and it gradually became obvious this was a poor example of an excellent car.
If you're looking at a standard 944, I would strongly advise also looking at a 924S as its virtually the same car (even slightly quicker if you get one of the last batch with the high compression 'full 944' engine in there) for EVEN less money.
But whatever you do look at loads. Don't buy the first car you see (unless you've seen a few others since then!) You're spoilt for choice with 924/944/968's it appears.
As for the driving experience do it - they're awesome. Reasonably competent (although not spectacular by modern sportscar standards) but exploitable and forgiving.
There should be reciepts for lots of money in the last three years. And when you open the bonnet it should look like its been done!
Mine had reciepts for 8 grand over this period. And it looked like a 10 grand car when I saw it. Check out the guy thats selling it as much as the car. Should be a real enthusiast & know loads about it.
Avoid dealers like the plague. They'le sell you a load of trouble for top doller.
I found mine on ebay. But talked to the guy several times before travelling to look at it.
If the cars so good why are they selling it???
Get the picture.
Don't be in a hurry. Lots of good ones left. Only buy the best. Don't rule out the later s1's. Just go for condition.
Mine had reciepts for 8 grand over this period. And it looked like a 10 grand car when I saw it. Check out the guy thats selling it as much as the car. Should be a real enthusiast & know loads about it.
Avoid dealers like the plague. They'le sell you a load of trouble for top doller.
I found mine on ebay. But talked to the guy several times before travelling to look at it.
If the cars so good why are they selling it???
Get the picture.
Don't be in a hurry. Lots of good ones left. Only buy the best. Don't rule out the later s1's. Just go for condition.
KingRichard said:
I've run a few Mark2 Golf's...
Great jumping-off point to go into the world of 944's. Very like golfs, but bigger in every way (larger size, bigger power, bigger nuts holding the wheels on etc etc etc.) Almost as DIY-friendly, but better built (so less to tinker with.) Still 4-cyl, but with a slightly different engine/gearbox/drive relationship ...
Oli.
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