_Enthusiast_

Hi, I am a new member to this board. I was hoping that I could get some questions answered. I currently drive a 94 Corrado. Since there were only approx. 1500 1994 Corrado's sold and this particular car has pretty low mileage, I decided to purchase another car to drive everyday. I picked up an 86 Jetta, that is nice for basic transportation, but I find myself really looking to drive the Corrado since it is a fun car.

Recently I decided to try to sell the Jetta and it looks like I may have a buyer. The upshot is that I will have between $2-3000 to spend on another daily driver. The thought of a 924 seemed pretty cool. It seems that I can get an early 80's car pretty cheaply. Based on some things I have read, they seem to be slightly more complicated than the 8v in my Jetta. Also, some folks on a VW site I frequent have told me that they aren't only reliable, but extremely fun cars. This seems to be everything I want in a daily driver.

I wanted to get the opinion of the Porsche experts, and so I came here. Is a 924 a decent daily driver?

What do I need to watch out for?

Are they pretty easy to work on? I would like to get a car that will also be able to teach me some basic mechanics.

Are they indeed as fun as I have been led to believe?

Can I get a decent one for the price I am looking to spend ($2-3k)?

This would be my first experience with a Porsche. If they are as reliable as every VW I have owned, I think I will be happy. Also, I am under the impression that I will want to stay away from the 924S/944, since I have heard they are pretty expensive to maintain. Since I am still in school, I have a rather restrictive budget.

Thanks,

Dennis Wilson

Tom,

You should be able to get a very good 924 for $2-3000. I drove mine daily for 13 years and put over 200K miles on the original block. The only major repairs were replacing the head and clutches. The 924S is faster and newer but will require more preventative maintenance due to the timing belt issue.

There was one for sale on the 924,924S,931 board not long ago that sounded like an excellent buy.

Dennis

_Enthusiast_

That's what I like to hear! Is there a partcular place I should look (aside from rennlist)for people selling 924's? I have checked out most of the non-specific autotrader-type places, but I am curious if there is any Porsche specific sites? Also, if there is something I don't feel comfortable fixing, can I bring it to basically any foreign auto place? I am assuming there are no real Porsche-specific parts that require special tools or adjusment. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Thanks,

Paul Bloomberg

The 924S is basically a 944 with the narrow 924 body, plus some other nice goodies!

_Enthusiast_

So would you say that the "s" would be a better car for me, given what I had mentioned above. I recall hearing that if I owned a 944, I would need to basically spend about $2k/year on maintenance. I am guessing this holds true for the "s". If so, I can't really afford that, considering my meager financial situation.

Micah

Well,

2k a year on mait!? I guess that means I spend 4k.... <img src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" border="0" alt="[hiha]" /> I don't think so.

Maybe in a really, really bad year I suppose (belts are due, clutch change... heh.) Hmmm.

I think the biggest problem you will have is finding a normal 924 worthy of 2k-3k. There aren't many left IMHO. A lot of these cars have been neglected pretty badly. Dennis knows a lot more about this than me though - maybe I just haven't seen very many personally.

You may find an interesting car in a 931 (924 Turbo.) There was a good post a little while back concerning the 931 vs. the 944. I would do a quick search for it if I were you. You can occasionally find good 931's out there - at least more often than excellent 924's - and it would take a REALLY good 924 NA to command 3k.

Micah

_Enthusiast_

So are the problems associated with the neglected 924's obvious to the untrained eye? Hmmmmmm, this has me thinking. I think I am a little confused as what the most reliable route to take would be. Could I get any model 924 for 3k or less?

Micah

Tom,

First off, as others have noted, there are 3 different 924's we're talking about.

924 NA
924 Turbo (931)
924S (A 924 body W/ 944 running gear - therefore, not really a 924)

Of the three, the S is the one that will probably be the most expensive, although I have seen some 931's in the same price range as the S models.

Yes, you can find every variant of the 924 in the 3k range. A 924S for 3k could have some issues. A 924 Turbo for 3k could be a pretty good car (but again, check archives for better mait. info...) A 924 NA for 3k would have to be in truly excellent condition IMHO.

So, playing it safe would dictate going after an exc. condition 924 NA. You wouldn't have to worry about belt issues per the 924S, and in your price range, you could get a very good one.

Daring would be picking up a 924 Turbo or 924S. Just keep reminding yourself that these are very different cars though - even though some of them may have similar pricing.

Also, check out:

<a href="http://www.924.org" target="_blank">http://www.924.org</A>

Loads of info there.

BTW, I once ran w/ a Corrado at night on an empty 4-lane highway for the better part of an hour (in the '83.) Was a lot of fun, and we were dead even - but he could pull me a bit until, ahem - the "higher speeds." Great little cars! <img src="graemlins/bigok.gif" border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" />

Micah

_Enthusiast_

Micah,

I greatly appreciate your advice. Things seem to make more sense now. I never really thought about the turbo as a possibility. I can't imagine that Porsche would just slap a turbo onto the na engine and call it a day. Aside from the turbo and associated plumbing, is the turbo engine much different than the na engine. Is the turbo intercooled, and if not is it possible to add one and pick up a few hp?

I think I may stay away from the S, since the belt maintenance seems to be quite a pain and when it comes to the timing belt, it is not something for the do-it-yourselfer. Out of curiosity, what is the average price get all the belts, water pump, and clutch replaced on an S model. I really have to be careful that I don't buy something that I can't adequately care for.

As for the Corrado, I think it is one of the,if not the best performaning fwd cars that we could get in America, especially w/ the VR6. However, if I had my way, I would have rather gotten a 968, which would have been about $5k more than I paid for the C. However, when the parents are involved, cautiousness always wins out. The VW was deemed a more reliable, cheaper car. I can't complain though.

Anyway, if anyone has anything else to add to the thread, please share.

Robby

I can't really add anything about the 924 that hasn't already been said, but, I want to hear a little more about this '94 Corrado- they ARE RARE in the US! I doubt there were anywhere near 1500 to be honest- I searched for several months b/t a 951 and a VR6 Corrado- had to be late '93 OR '94- as they went distributorless in late '93 AND, the interior of the '92's were older style- wheels, etc- many people don't know this. I have a good friend who got WAY into them- he had 3 different Corrados- two late '93's and one '94- he did a lot of stuff to them- full suspension, chips, etc- he put cams in his first one ('93)- was told he didn't need stiffer valve springs (this back when cams had JUST come out for VR6's)- it blew his motor... Anyway, he eventually bought a '95 Jetta brand new- this was a few years ago- that thing was faster than ALL of the Corrados and it had less mods- interestingly enough- anyway, I've never really gotten over the Corrados, except for that damn rice rocket gearing- I hate that- hell, the Jetta was short enough, but at least it had a slightly taller FD- it's even w/a 951 except for 4th & 5th being shorter...

What all have you done to it? You said the 968 was only ~$5K more- you must have found a nice one that asked a premium- I called about 4 or 5 different 94's and ALL of them were really 93's- pissed me off- "well, I BOUGHT it in '94, off the lot, so it's really a '94, but the title says it's a '93..."
<img src="graemlins/cussing.gif" border="0" alt="[grrrrrrr]" />

So, as for your 924 dilemma- you're not going to be able to keep up w/the Corrado in a 924 unless you're modding it- it wont be as fun either, IMO- most likley, it will cost you more to own if you drive it often- Porsche's can eb expensive to maintain, and you'll be buying someone elses problems. The 924S would be a nice one- I like all 924's, but the S is definately stronger- still, not as strong as your Corrado- both had a .32Cx, but the Corrado has less Frontal Area- it's got a full 1ft less than a 951- it's a cool car- if you can find a 931- well, that would change things in the performance arena- could you scrape together a few more grand and put yourself into the 951 league? THAT would put you ahead of hte Corrado for sure, unless you modded the Corrado- of course, you can mod the 951 too, but there are more fast 1/4 miler Corrados out there than 951's to be sure- the Porsche was never a dragster- it will do well at other things though, but so will a nicely modded Corrado- it all comes down to personal tastes- I would LOVE to own one of each...

abduln

I am not sure you can go wrong with any of the choices, depending on if you do your own wrenching. All these cars can be cheap if you work on them yourself, and expensive if you go to a shop.

Of the old 924's, yes many forign auto shops will work on them. There are plenty of parts available, but some are expensive. The major problems these cars run into are rust around the door hinges, the hatch glass seperating from it's frame, malfuntioning fuel injection, and damage from engine heat. Many also have trashed interiors, and it it has an aftermarket A/C, it will probably not be working.

The rust problem is no big deal if you can fix it yourself, as I did; it you can't forget it. Many shops can fix the hatch for a cheap sum. A Haynes manual will get you thourgh the fuel injection problems, but some of the parts can cost a little bit. Engine heat can crack the exhaust manifold (replace with a header to save $$$) and degrade the hoses, it's just a part of owning the car. The interiors can be restored, but anything more than seatcovers and a dash cover will cost $$$. If the A/C doesn't work, it can cost $$$ to repair.

As for the 924S, it's a better deal as the car is much newer, with modern injection, and good parts availability. It has far better performance as well. If you can do your own maintance, the timing belt is not a pain at all. You just need a good set of handtools and the tensioner gauge (I believe there is an aftermarket gauge for less than $75, is that right?). Anyway, the belt is not rocket science. Oh by the way, to confuse things, there was an old 924S, which is not the same as the the later 80's 924S that has 944 mechanicals... what was Porsche thinking?

A 924 Turbo is a cool car, but the parts that are unique to it are getting harder to come by. Also, if the turbo has been abused (easy to do) you could spend something like another $750 on top of the car purchase just replacing the turbo. It is a sweet car though

Heck for a bit more money you can go get a 944

Abdul

abduln

I forgot to add, you might find a good example of a 924 on Ebay, though geography can be a pain. You can also look in your local news papers mini-mart section of the classifieds. You can also look in the chat room of <a href="http://www.924.org," target="_blank">www.924.org,</a> perhaps somebody there can help you out.

Abdul

_Enthusiast_

Robby- Yeah the corrado is quite a unique car, and in my opinion, the best VW you can buy, if you want performance. Contrary to what most people will tell you, I have had almost no problems with the car at all. Don't get me wrong, I had to replace a sensor or two, but no expensive failures. I would love to be like your friend and have another Corrado, but I don't have the cash for a decent one. Plus, I would like to find a stock G60 Corrado, which has some unique charm to it (my parent actually owned a G60 Corrado shortly after it came out). However, the G60 s/c is known to be troublesome. As far as mods, I don't have a huge amount, exhaust, chip, K&N panel (w/ modded airbox), shocks, springs, wheels, and short shift. Next stop....FI-ville. Maybe a s/c or turbo, not really sure right now. Anyway, your right about the power of the Corrado. On many of them they are pretty low. It seems that the distributorless versions have the least power. Mine, with the meager hp adders, dynoed at about 155 to the wheels. Not that impressive considering what they were rated at. However, a buddy of mine with a distibutor Corrado VR, has a very strong version, dynoing around 160, stock. Yup, it is very hard to find a clean Corrado. Most are heaps of junk that some kid beat to the ground and didn't care for. The VR6 can be very pricey to fix if not maintained. My particular car was bought in 2000 w/ 29k miles. I got it at an Audi dealer and they wanted over 15k for it. I got them down a bit, but it was still expensive. Sometimes you get what you pay for. I'm happy I had access to the cash for it.

All of this bring me to the 924. I'm not really looking for something to completely replace the Corrado or something faster than the Corrado. I want something cheap and fun. The rwd in the 924 has got to be some fun around the turns. It sounds like finding a decent 924 is like finding a decent Corrado, which can be very time consuming. I wish I had the money for the 944/951, but it just isn't there. Being in grad school, I only have so much money to spend. By the time I saved for thr 951, I will probably have graduated. Anyway, my mechanical skills are not fantastic. I can do all the basic maintenance stuff (plugs, oil change, fuel and air filter, have even put new seals on the fuel injectors on my Jetta). However, I have never tackled any of the belts or brakes, or much else. I would like to learn, and all I would really need is a good manual. I have found that at least for the VW's, Haynes manuals are pretty bad. If you have some idea what you are doing, maybe they are ok. However, in my case, I need someone to "hold my hand" at least for the first time that I do something. My worry about the 944/924S is that I have heard that pretty much any type of belt failure will pretty much ruin the engine. Is this true? Are there good, step by step guides for working on these cars, like something made by Robert Bentley? How about web guides? I found a pretty in-depth article on how to change the brakes on 924.org, but are there other places like that for other types of maintenance issues.

What I don't want, is another plain Jetta. That's just way too boring for me.

Robby

Hey Tom- interesting input- I think you're right about the later (distributorless) Corrado's being slower- the VERY first Corrado I ever saw tested ran a 15.0 @ 94 at the 1/4 and it's 0-120 was 29.x seconds- it beat the pants off the Eagle Talon AWD Turbo that it was tested with- at the 1/4, they were only a 1/10 off, but to 120, they were more than 12 seconds off- the Talon just fell on it's face... I had tested a Talon, and was fairly impressed w/it's performance, since I was driving an '89 Integra, and bragging about the Talon to the friend I mentioned- he had just bought the VR6, and hadn't taken me for a ride yet- he handed me a copy of the test, and then gave me a ride- Ive been hooked ever since- that was the one he cammed and blew the engine of. It felt okay, but as I said, he went through three of them (one at a time- I didn't mean to give the impression that he owned more than one at any single time)- the Jetta though, although rated slightly lower, w/an extra ~50lbs and TALLER gearing, was faster- it didn't make sense- it was just one that came off the assembly line on the right day I guess(?) We had that thing up to 149 one night- we were SOOOO CLOSE to 150, but it was not to be- still, for a Jetta- almost 150 is pretty damn impressive... Anyway, as I said the early '92 tested well, but later VR6's never ran quite as fast- still strong, but you know... I've just always been bitter at VW for not bringing over the Euro Corrado- here they are bragging about the 200HP of the newer 24v VR6's, but the Euro Corrado (2.9L) had over 190 and that was 10 YEARS AGO- we were SOOO stoked on those cars back then, but they just never seemed to give much extra bang for the buck in the way of power- enter the 951- if you found one of them in good condition, simple chips can get you close to 250RWHP- leave it alone and be happy- but who here can do that?

Good luck on your search whatever you get- BTW- what color is your Corrado? My friend had a Plum one first (the blown one), then a '94 Aqua type green (lighter than the typical VW Hunter green), then the Jetta (white) and then a black Corrado- it was the worst- got him out of them for good I think- he's a big pick 'em up truck man now BTW- I saw something about the later 924S on here earlier- someone said they thought the '88 was the only one offed w/M030- if you could find one of them, that would be REALLY cool! M030 is the sport suspension- not sure exactly what it included on the 924- also, not sure about LSD's being offered on them either- that's the benefit of doing research first- you want to see what was offered exactly, and weed out whatever's not important to you...

Ethan

Tom- I have an 80 924 for sale in Baltimore. I have more info on the 924 forum. Although it may seem biased it is one of the nicer ones out there, but thats why I bought it.
Ethan edonoh1@towson.edu