Reasonable?
03-30-2009, 10:41 PM
#16
Nordschleife Master
Yeah the way they work is I'd be right there with them learning to do some stuff and helping out where I can. They enjoy working on their friends cars and showing us how to do stuff especially because they're usually getting their hands on unique cars, like the porsche, a conquest TSI, turbo'd ranger etc.
If I do end up making the decision to save up for this car, my goal would be to from now until the end of summer, read and learn as much as I can about these cars so I know what I'm talking about/looking for and doing when I go to buy and hopefully when I do own one.
If I do end up making the decision to save up for this car, my goal would be to from now until the end of summer, read and learn as much as I can about these cars so I know what I'm talking about/looking for and doing when I go to buy and hopefully when I do own one.
Good Luck, save up as much as you can, and find the best example you can for the money... If it is a nice car, have it checked out, it will at least let you know what you are getting into...
03-30-2009, 11:00 PM
#17
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I think you'll have a lot more fun with a Subaru 2.5RS, an E30 or E36 BMW, or an integra (although I hate FWD).
03-30-2009, 11:25 PM
#19
Three Wheelin'
Have you thought about maybe getting a 924 ? They are a little cheaper to maintain and if the timing belt breaks its an $8 fix. A 924 is where I got my start. I bought mine when I was 16 for $200, fixed it up and learned how at the same time.
03-30-2009, 11:31 PM
#20
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Have you thought about maybe getting a 924 ? They are a little cheaper to maintain and if the timing belt breaks its an $8 fix. A 924 is where I got my start. I bought mine when I was 16 for $200, fixed it up and learned how at the same time.
03-30-2009, 11:44 PM
#21
Three Wheelin'
The engine is a 2.0 built by Audi. And the body is slimmer.
You can get them in an N/A and if your really lucky find a turbo(im not that lucky yet). I know of 2 local n/a 924's and the one is fairly cheap.
Go talk to these guys they will find you one and most likely something running that just needs cosmetic work under 1k. http://www.924board.org/
You can get them in an N/A and if your really lucky find a turbo(im not that lucky yet). I know of 2 local n/a 924's and the one is fairly cheap.
Go talk to these guys they will find you one and most likely something running that just needs cosmetic work under 1k. http://www.924board.org/
03-31-2009, 12:05 AM
#22
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Dont get an E36. I could tell you horror stories.
GLWT in most 944s/951s. You'd have to have 911SC money into one to get it in that shape- I speak from experience.
03-31-2009, 01:21 AM
#23
If you had any idea what kind of money pit you were getting yourself into, you wouldn't do it. No 17 year old can afford to properly maintain a 944 unless they do their own work. Buy another fun car for now and wait until you have a steady income in a few years to buy a Porsche. They aren't going anywhere anytime soon and the ownership experience will be 100x more pleasnt
03-31-2009, 02:04 AM
#24
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There are two kinds of people who can afford these cars: skilled wrenches who can do all their own work, and have plenty of time to do it in, and people with the money to afford a much newer Porsche.
So how good are you? Can you do a timing belt? Can you swap out a cylinder head? Can you rebuild an engine?
So how good are you? Can you do a timing belt? Can you swap out a cylinder head? Can you rebuild an engine?
How much can you lean on them?
If someone's doing all your projects for you, you might burn through your stock of goodwill pretty fast.
I have all my work done by a fellow rennlister who goes to my old university, but I pay him by the hour. That way I don't have to worry about how much work I need done... like most college kids, he's chronically broke, so he's more than happy to handle anything I want done.
It feels a little weird not getting my hands greasy like most of the other 'listers do, but hey, I wanted a toy, not a hobby.
If you're relying on friendship for their help, have them teach you and put in most of the sweat equity yourself, otherwise you'll wear out your welcome quick.
Yeah, they're fun, unique, and stylish. If that's what you're really looking for, then you will definitely not be disappointed.
And if you do want MOAR POWAR, then I'm a big fan of the LS1 swap. (Yeah, I know, I'm a blasphemous heretic, heard it already.)
If someone's doing all your projects for you, you might burn through your stock of goodwill pretty fast.
I have all my work done by a fellow rennlister who goes to my old university, but I pay him by the hour. That way I don't have to worry about how much work I need done... like most college kids, he's chronically broke, so he's more than happy to handle anything I want done.
It feels a little weird not getting my hands greasy like most of the other 'listers do, but hey, I wanted a toy, not a hobby.
If you're relying on friendship for their help, have them teach you and put in most of the sweat equity yourself, otherwise you'll wear out your welcome quick.
Yeah, they're fun, unique, and stylish. If that's what you're really looking for, then you will definitely not be disappointed.
And if you do want MOAR POWAR, then I'm a big fan of the LS1 swap. (Yeah, I know, I'm a blasphemous heretic, heard it already.)
Whisper is right about two kinds of owners and honestly most are wencher's not because they'd like to be but, because they kinda have to be. These cars are pretty expensive to maintain IF you are interested in doing it properly and having a truly well sorted car. In my opinion a 20 year old Porsche should never be ones primary means of transportation. What if it breaks and you can't fix it? or have your friends fix it? How will you get to school, work? Heck even my car was down for quite sometime while I tried to figure out what the heck to do with it.
Most people think because they are so cheep to buy that means the cost of ownership can't be all that disproportionate. However nothing could be further from the truth. Heck I bought my current turbo for $7200.00. Thats dirt cheep. That wouldn't have even been enough to cover my last round of body mods. You will see 3 common themes among 944 turbo owners on this board.
1. Either their car has tons of problems and is a dog that they bought cheep, and work on themselves. These cars typically always have issues and never really run totally the way they should.
2. They have alot of wrenching experience and are able to have a well sorted car because its not their primary means of transportation and since there is no labor budget all that money go's into buying the very best parts.
3. Same as above but, double the amount of money in the car or more because they are paying someone else to wrench for them.
It seems to me you don't fit any of these bills. As Whisper has pointed out if you are relying on anyone else to wrench on your car for free you are barking up the wrong tree. Especially if its your only car. What if they don't feel like working on it this week? Your screwed thats what. Only reason I could get away with owning a 944 at 16 was my father and our family mechanic. If I didn't have those resources there would have been no way for me to properly keep up on the maintenance.
Now take this post with a grain of salt. I do find exceptions to these rules on occasion but, those are indeed exceptions and not the norm. I'd say there is no harm in you owning a 944 but, trying to own one on a 3k budget while having other people do your work for free isn't going to get you anywhere but, selling the car the first time you have any sort of real problem, and you find that happening alot too. People just can't afford to really keep the car the first time something is really wrong with it. I wish you the best in your decision. Regardless of what it is, you can always buy one later in life(some do)when you have some money to throw at it.
Some food for thought. I don't think a well sorted 944 n/a can be bought for under 5-6k. I don't think a well sorted 944 turbo can be bought for under 8-9k. Anything cheaper than that and you are looking at a car that will need work.
03-31-2009, 02:14 AM
#26
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You should check out that guy who is selling his 924 Turbo. That would be a fun start for you. How much does he want for that thing now? $1200?
03-31-2009, 12:35 PM
#27
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Lots of good advice here. I'll add a few things:
Re: a 924, you will either end up with a 110hp 924 with the 2.0 liter engine, or the 924S which has the 944 engine with the "if your timiing belt breaks, you lose valves" problem. The 924 turbo is a good compromise, gets you up to 150hp. But i don't think insurance companies like 17 yr olds driving anything with 'turbo" in the name
you've helped your friend change the timing blet and clutch? You may be in OK shape if you've done this and have your own basic tools.
but how do you feel about under 150hp, since you're looking at an older NA?
Even if it is well sorted, doesn't mean you won't get new problems with a 25 yr old car. My battery didn't mysteriously drain itself every week, and my hatch didn't leak the first year that I owned my car 
And just because someone is asking a more money doesn't mean it's a well-maintained car. Some people think that if you stick Porsche crests on the seats, fenders, and horn pad, that turns a 944 into a $10k car
You just have to be prepared... like the others said, you either need to be able to allow the car to sit while you get the money/time to fix it, or be able to pay for it to be done.
Re: a 924, you will either end up with a 110hp 924 with the 2.0 liter engine, or the 924S which has the 944 engine with the "if your timiing belt breaks, you lose valves" problem. The 924 turbo is a good compromise, gets you up to 150hp. But i don't think insurance companies like 17 yr olds driving anything with 'turbo" in the name
Under 200hp in a 2500lb car with 50/50 weight distribution is fine by me.
but how do you feel about under 150hp, since you're looking at an older NA?
I don't think a well sorted 944 n/a can be bought for under 5-6k.
And just because someone is asking a more money doesn't mean it's a well-maintained car. Some people think that if you stick Porsche crests on the seats, fenders, and horn pad, that turns a 944 into a $10k carYou just have to be prepared... like the others said, you either need to be able to allow the car to sit while you get the money/time to fix it, or be able to pay for it to be done.
03-31-2009, 01:45 PM
#28
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I'm over my limit and have one that I'm planning to sell (soon as I find some seats - won't let the sport seats go), needs only a few little things (bad AC compressor, pin hole in muffler, alignment). If I were 17, it would be perfect...Bruce
03-31-2009, 02:04 PM
#30
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If you don't care about being listed as the primary driver you could insurance as cheep as any of us btw. My buddy only had to pay 60 bucks a month full coverage on a c5 corvette back in highschool because he was listed as a secondary driver under his father.