Awesome post, this is a great point that nobody has brought up yet I think. There is an overwhelming likelyhood that whatever car you buy as a first, you won't own it for that long and you will get a nicer car after. I would bet there are very few guys here, except new owners who have only ever had one 944.

Kidney stones suck, hope you feel better soon brother.

 

About time to add something to make this thread of some use:
.

 

I'm on board with the prospect of mixing sexy pictures as long as this thread is at the top.

But for pete's sake can we close this thread? I'm sorry but there's a big difference between gathering a few opinions and expecting a bunch of members to coddle and babysit the entire journey. I don't mean to be a jerk, but try reading existing material. I guarantee you there's plenty of it. Use google to your advantage.

Take this as YOUR adventure.

Cuda... I have something for you:

 

I just bought a turbo. An 80k mile pristine example that I pulled out of a heated garage and 10k worth of reciepts. I've owned it for over 2 months, and still haven't driven it more than about 20 minutes.

Ya, go ahead, buy a turbo. That thread will be EPIC.

 

There will be no thread I'm sure. If my first car when I was 17 was a turbo instead of an 83 n/a I'd be dead. They aren't the fastest thing In the world from the factory but I don't know one 17/18 year old that's responsible enough to have one

 

Thanks Mr. Sausage. I second your motion for a thread close, or, at a minimum, a thread merge.

Back at ya, Sausage:
.

 

Exactly you said it and on top of that he said he HASN'T driven stick CEPT when he pulled his fathers car out the garage.

A turbo and a NA has a significant amount of Hp difference specially if your not a experience driver.

So with that being said stick to searching for a NA as a starter then 2/3 years you can move up to a S or Turbo when you make the shifts good and not stall. Also I'm pretty sure turbo has a bigger insurance premium. Good luck on your search.

 

Have to chime in with everyone else, a stock 951 is a far cry from god's gift to speed, but its more than enough power for an overly excited, inexperienced 18 year to get himself killed. A modified one is a surefire death sentence in the wrong hands. Karl, please don't consider a 951. There are maaany reasons why, but the most important for you is that you'll put it in a ditch the first day you own one. Turbocharged sports cars come with a whole 'nother set of rules you have to live by.

 

Karl,

do you want to drive this thing?



whatever the combination of nice/it needs/it's sorted, a 944T is $10 k... add $2 K for misc parts, Lart, etc.

now put $8 k aside for a blown head gasket/clutch/tuning/sensor/vacuum/wastegate/turbo/what can go wrong will go wrong fund.

and we haven't even got to the tires/suspension/brakes/steering rack type stuff that will come due down the road.


Boxster is less ridiculous imo, because the engines only last 70 k miles or less.

then you're good for a Mustang V6 drop-in with actually less $$$ going in than

either replacing the M96 engine because you're not trying to make the car significantly faster.

and would be on par with a 944 v8.


so, let's review.

you're not a candidate for a 944T.

and with Boxster w/ blown engine add Ford or Chevy V6 swap, you get laid more and enjoy smooth engines for life.

here's one you might consider. I'd be thrilled for you if you hauled this one home.

dark side or not.

https://rennlist.com/forums/for-sale...pd-manual.html

 

Since I just bought one, I can give you my experience exactly:

now put $8 k aside for a blown head gasket -no

/clutch -no

/tuning -yes

/sensor -yes

/vacuum -yes -Karl, yer takin off the manifold on this one, bud.

/wastegate -no

/turbo/ -sort of

and we haven't even got to the tires -yes, brand new but 15 years old

/suspension -not YET

/brakes/ -yes

/steering rack -oh hell yes

/steering hoses -aw goddamit

/timing-balance belts -yes please

/special tools -tons

/cv's -no

/wheel bearings -no

/can't see dash -yes

/heat on all the time -yes

/air conditioning -yes

AND yo, I heard you don't like LEAKS!

 

Right now I pulled the engine out on mine

My head just went last week, car only has 101,300 miles
This what's going on right now
Head gasket
Valve cover gasket
Intake manifold gasket
Water pump
All the belts
Radiator ((oil started leaking into it thank god it wasn't the other way around so head is good gasket bad))
Changing coolant reservoir tank
Thermostat

Everybody here can tell you this is not a $1,000 job parts Alone is more

Calculate brakes,disk, axles, ball joints, bearings, bushings, brake lines ((if they go bad)) tie rods, tires, ac compressor ((if you don't delete ac))

From my experience it's good to have between 3-5,000 aside for anything concerning the car specially if you have to tow the car

 

^^^ Well put

Besides a 951 is much, much more than just a car you can learn to drive around it. A 951 is a disease...totally incurable boost addiction and it will bite you.

I've owned mine 2 years, its actually an 86 951 swapped completely into a 87S body. Since building it and getting it road ready, I've spend several times what I had in the car when it was road ready, just in modifications and the car has never seen the inside of a shop or had anyone's hands on it except mine and a close friend's.

All of the following went in AFTER the car was already just dandy to daily drive

Stage 3 clutch
Aluminum flywheel and pressure plate
Clutch slave
Clutch master
All new brake lines
new control arms
new ball joints
all new bushings
new caster blocks
new inner and outer tie rods
8 new tires and a set of wheels
New J boot
new rear shocks
front coilovers
custom strut brace
new torsion bars and carrier bushings
m030 sway bars
1 CV halfshaft
New fuel rail
FMIC
custom hard pipes
New fuel lines
4 new fuel injectors
New FPR
2 different, larger turbos and associated install parts
A set of new exhaust and intake manifold gaskets
Megasquirt ECU
WBo2 and vac/boost gauge
all new vacuum lines
New waterpump
New coolant cap
new headlights
new fuel pump
2 new cooling fans
Timing and Balance belt
new Cam key and cam seal
Solid engine and tranny mounts
BOV
Wastegate
ignition cap and rotor
spark plug wire set
Alternator belt
lots of small seals and things
and a ton of little aircraft fittings, SS line, and other parts i'm sure I'm forgetting




My point is...a 4k 951 will need 6k in catch up maintenance, and THEN you'll want to spend another 10k in mods....don't even think about it.

 

I always appreciate when people say how much they've spent in addition to purchase price. However, a weekend "touring" 951 with a good maintenance history isn't going to blow a hole in your wallet, unless you're very unlucky. It's transmission won't go, nor will it's engine if you can do the belts right. Basic maintenance and thorough care for the rest of the car will go a long way. Spending $5000 immediately after a purchase is the sign of a bad car to begin with, or you are not doing all the work yourself. I think our young padawan should know this.

 

Don't worry everyone it's all good, I'll stick with normal aspiration to keep me, and others safe on the road.

 

Where is young Karl supposed to find a turbo on a budget of $2500-4500?