What does it take to get a Reliable Daily Driver?
10-10-2012, 10:54 AM
#17
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I used to think dropping an LS-1 into my 944 would be a better idea(Or atleast easier as I have a background with old muscle car restoration/repair), Then i looked at the prices of just building up a good reliable 4-banger a little at a time would be a better idea, Less things to mess up, easier to maintain if you do it right the first time.
10-10-2012, 11:55 AM
#18
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I drive my 951 daily and have been for 4 years of ownership, here's a list of my maintenance. Biggest stuff is just all belts (especially t-belt), water pump, hoses and the rest is mainly replace as needed. Some of the things replaced weren't needed or were preventative maintenance or performance upgrades. Only items I had to replace due to failure was serpentine belt, fuel pump, starter, ball joints and water pump since I've owned it the rest was by choice. I had no records when I bought the car so I have been crazy replacing almost everything I can to get it up to date at least.
944 Turbo Maintenance:
Clutch 8/01/09 ( Right before I purchased it from PO)
Cap and Rotor 8/17/09
Ignition Coil 8/17/09
Spark Plugs 8/19/09
Tires 2/15/10
Vac Lines and Venturi Delete 5/13/10
Fuel Pump 7/25/10
Rear Shocks 8/11/10
Idle Air Valve 8/20/10
Rear Right Wheel Bearing 9/05/10
Oxygen Sensor 09/05/10
Fuel Pressue Regulator 5/25/11
Mass Air Sensor 5/25/11
Map Sensor 5/25/11
Fuel Damper Hose 7/20/11
Timing Belt/Balance Belt/Water pump 10/21/11
Serpentine Belt 10/21/11
Wires 1/15/12
Front Strut Assemblies 5/15/12
Fuel Injectors 4/10/12
Front Wheel Bearings and Seals 4/13/12
Throttle Switch 4/13/12
Intercooler Coupler Kit 5/17/12
Steel Arm Conversion 10/01/12
Ball Joints 10/01/12
Control Arm Bushings and Castor Block 10/01/12
944 Turbo Maintenance:
Clutch 8/01/09 ( Right before I purchased it from PO)
Cap and Rotor 8/17/09
Ignition Coil 8/17/09
Spark Plugs 8/19/09
Tires 2/15/10
Vac Lines and Venturi Delete 5/13/10
Fuel Pump 7/25/10
Rear Shocks 8/11/10
Idle Air Valve 8/20/10
Rear Right Wheel Bearing 9/05/10
Oxygen Sensor 09/05/10
Fuel Pressue Regulator 5/25/11
Mass Air Sensor 5/25/11
Map Sensor 5/25/11
Fuel Damper Hose 7/20/11
Timing Belt/Balance Belt/Water pump 10/21/11
Serpentine Belt 10/21/11
Wires 1/15/12
Front Strut Assemblies 5/15/12
Fuel Injectors 4/10/12
Front Wheel Bearings and Seals 4/13/12
Throttle Switch 4/13/12
Intercooler Coupler Kit 5/17/12
Steel Arm Conversion 10/01/12
Ball Joints 10/01/12
Control Arm Bushings and Castor Block 10/01/12
10-10-2012, 12:39 PM
#19
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When I had my first 944 (it was a while ago...before the 951).
I bought it about 35k miles. I drove it over 100kmiles every day unless the roads were too bad with snow/ice.
I had very basic problems. A voltage regulator. Needed a clutch about 105k (total) miles. A new cap/rotor. Oil changes. Tires. One water hose went bad.
It was actually a very reliable car. So..not much to DD.
The key I think...dont modify.
I bought it about 35k miles. I drove it over 100kmiles every day unless the roads were too bad with snow/ice.
I had very basic problems. A voltage regulator. Needed a clutch about 105k (total) miles. A new cap/rotor. Oil changes. Tires. One water hose went bad.
It was actually a very reliable car. So..not much to DD.
The key I think...dont modify.
10-10-2012, 04:04 PM
#20
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Just staying on top of maintenance. It's not going to be like an old Ferrari, but it's not a Corolla either. If you tackle everything that happens immediately - make a game of it - these are very reliable cars and you'll go longer between things that need repair. That is our definition of 'reliable', btw. Keep in mind we're talking about a 25-year old German sportscar, not a new Japanese road appliance. Subjectivity.
The key is having a second car you can drive. It's more difficult to rely on one of these exclusively as your DD- it can be done, but you'll be paying more for immediate professional service, overnight shipping for parts, trying to fix stuff before work the next day, etc. Doesn't happen often, but it happens.
The key is having a second car you can drive. It's more difficult to rely on one of these exclusively as your DD- it can be done, but you'll be paying more for immediate professional service, overnight shipping for parts, trying to fix stuff before work the next day, etc. Doesn't happen often, but it happens.
10-10-2012, 07:48 PM
#21
You didn't mention miles on the "newer" motor.. Might as well check/replace rod bearings while the motor is out.
Once you get past the motor, the belts/hoses, and electrics, then check on the other 30 y/o stuff like the rubber parts (bushings), brakes, tires, suspension.
Then, once all replaced/improved, begin at mile "0" on the maintenance book and follow those intervals.
As mentioned, likely $10K. Maybe not all up front, but you'll get there.
Once you get past the motor, the belts/hoses, and electrics, then check on the other 30 y/o stuff like the rubber parts (bushings), brakes, tires, suspension.
Then, once all replaced/improved, begin at mile "0" on the maintenance book and follow those intervals.
As mentioned, likely $10K. Maybe not all up front, but you'll get there.
10-10-2012, 08:12 PM
#22
Three Wheelin'
Daily driver (with no backup) for 12 years and 220,000km.
Only let me down 4 times:
A lot of other parts replaced, but basically I drive it like I stole it.
Good luck!
Mike
Only let me down 4 times:
- clutch hub failure (which I could have kept driving on),
- FPR (= would not start),
- temp sensor (= flat battery),
- water pump impeller failure (no other damage).
A lot of other parts replaced, but basically I drive it like I stole it.
Good luck!
Mike
10-10-2012, 08:28 PM
#23
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10-10-2012, 08:31 PM
#24
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i daily drive my car. i've logged about 8 k miles during the past 6 weeks.
absolutely right. i let just a couple of things slide a bit..... (front brake pads, rear calipers needing to be rebuilt, and timing/bs belts).... and was looking forward to also pulling the engine, (thus avoiding the necessity of doing the belts at all)...... and swapping in the new engine,
then my mother gets sick. about 4 months later she passes.
4 months pass no paychecks.... but the bills keep coming in.
then i get two expensive repairs (unrelated) for an engine that i didn't even plan to be running (first the AC pump fails in east bumf_ck upstate NY near Watkins Glen..... and ten minutes from my house, the clutch fails)...... no. i don't do timing belts or clutches. don't much want to either.
one of those repairs fails after about 2 k miles in the middle of no where (bolt loosens from the AC delete bracket and the fan belt comes loose.... exotic/semi exotic bolt is resting somewhere on the piso of I-80 in western Pennsylvania)....
and the money to fix that, (including towing and hotel in State College, PA would have about paid for doing my brakes (GTS pads are pricey).
and as i mentioned before the time frame to do the timing belts again, is quickly descending into time bomb status....
so let's spend 6 grand on repairs and maintenance over the space of a couple of months for an engine you don't even plan to be running in your car.
this is what the process of daily driving your car to the extent of using it 100 % of the time looks like.
life at 163 k miles. but on the bright note, the headgasket sealer is still holding perfect at 12 k miles !
.
absolutely right. i let just a couple of things slide a bit..... (front brake pads, rear calipers needing to be rebuilt, and timing/bs belts).... and was looking forward to also pulling the engine, (thus avoiding the necessity of doing the belts at all)...... and swapping in the new engine,
then my mother gets sick. about 4 months later she passes.
4 months pass no paychecks.... but the bills keep coming in.
then i get two expensive repairs (unrelated) for an engine that i didn't even plan to be running (first the AC pump fails in east bumf_ck upstate NY near Watkins Glen..... and ten minutes from my house, the clutch fails)...... no. i don't do timing belts or clutches. don't much want to either.
one of those repairs fails after about 2 k miles in the middle of no where (bolt loosens from the AC delete bracket and the fan belt comes loose.... exotic/semi exotic bolt is resting somewhere on the piso of I-80 in western Pennsylvania)....
and the money to fix that, (including towing and hotel in State College, PA would have about paid for doing my brakes (GTS pads are pricey).
and as i mentioned before the time frame to do the timing belts again, is quickly descending into time bomb status....
so let's spend 6 grand on repairs and maintenance over the space of a couple of months for an engine you don't even plan to be running in your car.
this is what the process of daily driving your car to the extent of using it 100 % of the time looks like.
life at 163 k miles. but on the bright note, the headgasket sealer is still holding perfect at 12 k miles !
.
10-10-2012, 11:21 PM
#25
Three Wheelin'
+1 on everything mentioned.
Maintenance and especially preventative maintenance. Then drive and enjoy.
Maintenance and especially preventative maintenance. Then drive and enjoy.
I drive mine daily when my daily driver is in the shop. I would say start with the big things (belts, any other engine or braking issues) and then anything else that you can think of. After you've been driving it every day for a few days all the little issues will pop up and you'll know where to go from there.
Mine leaks, but not enough to bother me at the moment. I'll figure out which seals once I get my other car back. I'm not about to replace slightly leaky oil seals on the only transportation I have when I need it every day.
Mine leaks, but not enough to bother me at the moment. I'll figure out which seals once I get my other car back. I'm not about to replace slightly leaky oil seals on the only transportation I have when I need it every day.
dont listen to people that say buy a different car or drop in a different engine. as long as you keep up on the maintenance it will be a great dd. i drove my early 85 for two years every day, all day long. i drive my 87 turbo everyday. if you dont want to do any maintenance to your car then yes i would suggest buy a jap car
Thats funny. I sold my 18yr old honda and bought a 26yr old porsche to daily drive. Not noticing a huge reliability delta so far, but driving the porsche is WAAAAYYY more fun than cruising in my honduh.
To the OP. Maintenance is KEY. Even if you do your own work, I have found it very helpful to take it to a reputable shop, and have them go over it, so you have an idea of what needs to be done now, and what can wait 3 months. DO the maintenance. Skimping causes grief later on. Stay on top of or just ahead (preventative). Its the only way. Now that mine in dd status, I have the car looked at more often. I drop it off for an oil change, and spend the extra few $$ having them do it, and have them keep an eye out for issues. I then decide if I will do it myself or farm out the work.
To the OP. Maintenance is KEY. Even if you do your own work, I have found it very helpful to take it to a reputable shop, and have them go over it, so you have an idea of what needs to be done now, and what can wait 3 months. DO the maintenance. Skimping causes grief later on. Stay on top of or just ahead (preventative). Its the only way. Now that mine in dd status, I have the car looked at more often. I drop it off for an oil change, and spend the extra few $$ having them do it, and have them keep an eye out for issues. I then decide if I will do it myself or farm out the work.
