Techno Duck

Melissa, there is a fellow on Autotrader who listed a '88 944 S2 for sale, $5900. Be very careful with this fellow, he is very misleading. Refer to this thread to see what i mean, otherwise just stay away from this car.

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Dan in Pasadena

Well, since everyone is chiming in with full page responses, let me add my $.02

You simply DO NOT have to spend anything close to $10,000 for a solid 944NA. You just don't.

Agree, buy from an enthusiast, period.

20K miles or 120K miles, they needs those belts (and personally I change the waterpump too) every 30K miles, no matter what.

S2's and Turbo's are great value cars, really they are. But they are a whole other level of magnitude in complexity and cost if they break, just my .02.

Last, cooool that you want one over the objection of your husband and are saavy enough to come to the tight place for advie. Rennlist is THE place to get accurate 944/951/968 advice. Best of luck.

ERAU-944

too bad you want a later one. i have a pristine '83 with 26k on it. oh well, more fun for me

-Mike-

MichelleJD

How much time/energy do you have to invest in the 944? I've found it is quite hard to find a decent mechanic and I've learned to do quite a bit myself Are you willing to get your hands dirty?

I have a 951 (944 Turbo) that is a TON of fun to drive. There is nothing like that kick in the pants feeling from the boost. I have an 85.5 944 that I used as a daily driver for 8 years with little problems. It had about 275K miles on it before the head gasket went. However, my partner's brother has a Ford Contour SVT that could probably spank my 944. If you're looking for Porsche performance, get an S2 or a turbo. I think, in the end, if you wanted performance with less maintenance, I might think about a nice 968. I must admit it's probably the only thing (besides a 993!) that'd get me to part with my 951.......okay, I've thought about it, NOTHING could get me to part with my 951!

Good luck with your search. Look around here first. If you find a rennlister wanting to sell, you'd do well to check with them first. You'll find most people here willing to help in any way they can - it's like a family here.

It's also quite nice to have another woman on the board - welcome!

MelissaInNJ

Thank you Dave for this excellent post (you helped me greatly with my ultimate decision) and everyone else too for all your input. It is sincerely and greatly appreciated. I definitely came to the right place for advice and feel very wlcomed!

I have discovered that life is full of cruel irony. Let me explain. The whole reason I was looking for a 944 was because my job was switching locations. I would no longer be driving 10 miles one way to work putting only 7000 miles on my car a year. So since I would be spending two hours in my car a day, I wanted a fun car to spend it in. Hence following the dream to the Porsche. Now comes the cruel irony. If my job stayed in the city and I was still only putting 7k on my car a year, I could afford the yearly maintanence on the vehicle no problem. Moving out to the suburbs causing me to drive 15-17K a year, puts the yearly maintenance cost just beyond my grasp. ARGH! Talk abot cruel irony. I want the car because I will be spending so much time in the car, but can't have the car because I will be spending so much time in the car!

All hope is not lost, though. I STILL want that 944. Seeing as it isn't happening right now, I want it to happen within 2 years (hopefully sooner rather than later). Between now and then I will be much more liquid...having paid off all my student loans from college and a loan shark line of credit I got while a stupid college student. That frees up significant amount of spendable cash and then maintenance is not a problem. In the interim, I am going to still hang out with you guys and gals if you'll have me, learn from you, watch listings, keep an eye out, and prep for the day when it does happen. Not to mention sock some money away!!!

And when I own that Porsche, I'll become a full fledged Renn List Member. It will be like a rite of passage.

Thanks all for helping me, welcoming me, and then letting me hang around in my Subaru Baja!!!

Melissa in NJ
P.S. Also will be looking for a new job in city!!! <evil grin> So if you need a fulltime software qa tester/technical writer in Center City Philly, let me know!!!

Dave

Sorry you need to put this on hold. Considering the cost of maintanence I'd like to offer another suggestion, once you are in a slightly better place financially these make great weekend cars. Find a nice clean NA at a reasonable price and use it as a third car, if you aren't racking up the miles on it the cost of ownership will be a lot lower. Insurance will be a lot lower on a third/weekend car.

AndyK

Also, a 944 is fun to drive...but not for 2 hours a day! They're loud, sports cars, and they aren't luxury cruisers. I commute in mine for 45 mins each way, and that's about right to me. Longer, and I wish I had a new Infinity G35!

Z-man

I see nothing wrong with a daily 2 hour ride in a 944.
Andy: you're getting soft in your old age - that BMW must have spoiled you!
-Z.

PS: I drove the 8+ hours to Mid-Ohio and back in my 944S2 - never felt fatigued throughout the whole trip!

MichelleJD

I drive a over 2 hours a day in my 951 and I'm sometimes sorry I reached home! (I'm ALWAYS sorry I reached work)

AndyK

Depends on your commute I guess. Try driving on the crowded, horribly pot-holed streets of Jersey City every day in a car with racing shocks!

Z-man

Andy: if you go faster (say, 80mph) over those potholes, you won't even know they are there! That's how ya gotta drive a car with racing shocks!

Only bustin,
- Z.

AndyK

Ha! I would need a hovercraft to not notice the lame streets here!

When there's no traffic, and I zip home at 75mph...the grin comes back!

Marc Gelefsky

Bet that would add a few rattles

Dave

With the right suspension setup you can miss all those pesky potholes!

AndyK

No room to auto X on Grand street Dave!

PS...my rattle is back! Waaaaa!