pcarfan944

I've just had the early bug for years now and it's only getting worse. Almost like I regret buying the late dash and would find a very nice early car if I could do it over. My car has 129k, is due for a major soon, needs shocks, noisy torque tube, think it needs a heater control unit, sunroof relay. But damn the car is beautiful and flawless, but maybe it's time to move on to an early car. I do have someone interested for $7000 !

MM951

$7000?? Why have you not taken it yet?! If I had to sell my car I would probably take 7 for it and it is very well maintained and modded !

rickb20

I know you don't want to hear this, but your car isn't worth $7,000. If you disclose all it needs and the buyer still wants it at that price I would sell in a heartbeat.

shiners780

I have had both, early and late, and actually prefer the early. Just something about it that seems...right.

odurandina

consider an uncomfortable truth cph100k (cost per horsepower per 100 k of driving-maintenance)...


makes the early 944 NA one of the most expensive cars per horsepower per hundred thousand miles driven in history to actually keep on the road in proper, safe running condition. a near astronomical number considering the low-power yield of the motor, exhorbitant maintenance, and fair/poor-quality of the accessory parts. if you do your own work, and given the availability of used parts, then naturally, your purchase is less undesirable.


a 944 Turbo, S2 or 968 is a far better choice in today's market.

yellowline

For what you want, there's nothing wrong with an early car.

1) Insist on an 83. You have forged connecting rods, no brake pad sensor nonsense, no cruise control clutter, and a chance of getting manual steering.
2) Install the Rennbay headlight harness or similar ASAP. The stock harness is undersized for stock lights and will eventually burn the switch and wiring. Once that happens, you get to deal with a mess in/under the fuse box and a messed-up ignition switch...those were the gremlins that showed up 6 months after it happened to me.

odurandina, you forget/never realized that the early cars are MUCH more fun to drive (boost/extra power aside). The chassis is much more nimble. It is more of a sports car. Fit new suspension bushings, Konis, and 951 swaybars on an manual steering 944 and it's a total hoot.

When my early 944 was hit, I decided against an early 944 for a daily car. The HVAC is bad, and the numerous water leaks are too frustrating. Thought about a late 944. Took my brother's good example of an S2 out for a couple nice drives. Tried my E36, decided that the late 944 had more in common (driving characteristics) with the E36 than the early 944. Bought the E36.

300 lbs makes a significant difference. Tires and tighter suspension make the turbo chassis cars more competent overall, but the weight still shows up.

Mike C.

Was the headlight wiring thing a problem for all early cars? My 85 (built 10/84) has never had any issues with wiring/switches in general (and almost 250K miles). Definitely drive a car with manual steering before purchase.. it's not for everyone, especially for a daily driver (you will burn more calories though). As for maintenance, the lack of an adjustable timing belt tensioner has no doubt hurt the maintenance stats for the earlies but in some respects repairs are cheaper and more forgiving, like steel control arms. Unless your talking S2, the HP gains are not much from 85 - 89. The non-integrated HVAC is a bit crude but if the AC is properly charged with R-12 it works decent if not noteworthy.

V2Rocket

late cars definitely feel fatter, they show their weight like joel said

sTyleR

I have both a late and early style interior car, and I must say that I prefer the interior of the later. I like the more modern dash and prefer the whole layout. The climate controls are more useful as well. The seats in the earlier car are softer and offer more cushioning than the late. While some of my friends claim to be more comfortable in the earlier car, I feel contrary. I like the sportier feeling, supporting seats and that support makes them more comfortable to me.

If you are wanting to buy an earlier car over the late, expect a more raw and involving feeling experience. IMO, the interior has little to do with this transition in feel. Typically older cars feel more raw, they're lighter, and less refined.

Giving up a pristine car for a mystery isn't something I'd recommend. But given that you've owned one already, I'd imagine that you are well aware of what you'd be getting yourself into. There's only one true solution here. Keep the later and pick up an earlier car to play with. If you get tired of one, than sell it. If not, live knowing that you have two sweet cars to play with.

M758

Head lights stock are not great, but other than being old the wiring is fine. If you want lights with more power the stock harness can become a limiting factor.

As for manual steering. It is nice at speed, but a real pain in the parking lot. I use manual steering on race car and like for track use, but for street driving or autocross, I prefer power. I have auto tensioner on my 88 Turbo S and my current 88 block NA race motor. I frankly like the easy of standard tensioner as I don't trust the auto unit as much doing it manually. It works, but I seem to double and triple check by hand even with the auto tensioner. It is also harder to change a belt with auto tensioner in the way.

BTW... I have or still own the following

87 924S (street car turned parts car) Owned since 1991
88 Turbo S - owned since 1997
84 944 - Show car owned from 1998 to 2005
84 944 - Race car - tracked since 2000
83 944 - Autocross/parts car from 2003
88 924S - parts car (never driven)

sTyleR

Hahaa! So true.

pcarfan944

Good advice so far. I've driven dozens of 944s and can say for certain I enjoy the early dash experience much more, even with its short comings. I get so excited when I see a nice early car, while ill hardly look twice at a late car. I guess the real problem is giving up my near minty and sorted late car, and risk having to do much of the work over again, to get the car I really want, or to be happy with what I've got and live with it. Can't have both

Mike C.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.

nate944

I love the way the tachometer sweeps from the bottom on the early cars, 6K rpm is perfectly in sight without having to take your eyes off of the road. I wish my 86 NA had the same tach. The bright yellow markers also makes things very easy to read at speed.

Arominus

Yeah, i found that out the fun way last year, its the only thing that seriously annoys me about the early dash. Got caught in a freak mega downpour with a bunch of steaming hot chick fil a for my co-workers. Couldn't see a damn thing, had to pull over and wait for the defroster to do something :P Everything else? not so bad, i like the quirkyness of the dash and I have the white letters on the gauges which is the bees knees. Never really got the yellow thing :/