GloriaRedStang

I'm still searching for the right first 944. I've now got a nice 1990 944 S2 convertible I'm considering. I haven't seen it yet, but the price for the model is hard to ignore. It's a few grand below Blue Book, so although I'm more of a coupe guy, I'm still going to look at it. Frankly, if the price is too good, it's probably too good to be true and I'll bet it's a salvage title or something. This car was a trade in at a local Audi dealer, so I probably won't have access to the previous owner.

Anyway, my question has to do with the specifics of a convertible, which I've never owned. Is there anything in particular I should watch out for beside the obvious (leaks, reliability of roof motor, etc.). Are there any downsides to owning the convertible that I may not have considered (the ones I have being stiffness of frame, compromise of useful storage).

Thanks for your help.

Deansk8flip

im not a convertible owner either, but ive heard that a manual top is rare but is preferable to the automatic ones.

GloriaRedStang

... also, how difficult is it to delete and un-delete the power top. I did a search on convertibles here and found this suggestion. I'd probably be a mostly top up guy anyway, even though I'm in Honolulu. Re-powering the top would be useful if I ever wanted to sell.

GloriaRedStang

... just found this post when searching "cabriolet" instead of "convertible".

https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...ight=Cabriolet

Just learning Porsche-speak. Danke Schoen.

Luis de Prat

A quick tip to check whether the convertible top is original is to look for white stitching lengthwise along the top on both sides of the car, and the brand "Rhinoplast" embossed in the plastic window.

Happy hunting!

jsaindc

With a Cab, make sure the seals are in good condition...they can be expensive. The windshield is also hard to get and costly as it is not the same as the coupe. The only draw back to the cab is that it does not make a good DE car without serious work and tearing up the interior. They are a lot of fun and the 3.0 is awesome. Good luck!

nickg

the cabs have a penchant for breaking the b pillars on the top frame, and that is VERY expensive to fix(parts nla, suoerceded to both sides and main bow, cost $2500)
the top lifting mechanisin is suspect at best, a very poor design. manual top was NOT an option in the usa, so if it is manual, it is broken.
feel for welding on the b pillars, if welded, be prepared...its gonna break again soon (it is a cast part and does not weld well)
the rear shelf under the window is often in poor shape...nla
the cars also tend to suffer refuelling issues due to the filler neck being different than a regular 944. (it was a poor design)
top seals, BIG $$$ most NLA
windows, regulaters are unique to cabs. and they fail(both window, plastic guide breaks and regulater)
don't overpay

fpena944

I've had mine almost six years and the car has been pretty reliable - both the top and the overall vehicle.

If there are any specific questions you'd like to ask, let me know!