gordonfink

Starting a new job on Monday, and looking to get a new DD. The first few months (4 maybe) will require a lot of driving - like 3-4k per month. Afterwards, just normal commuting. My 3 other cars are still under factory warranty, and I don't want to age them prematurely and push them out of warranty over the next months.

Due to cost and availability, I'm looking at comparable years in both. I'm planning on paying cash, with about a $3k "contingency" fund in case something comes up.

I prefer the manual transmission, which is pretty hard to find on the 928. It's not a fatal flaw, though, just a preference.

I have heard the 928 engines are pretty sound, and will last a loooong time. How about the 994T?

Last, one of the 944's has the Lindsey 340 rwhp kit installed. Does this kit affect long term reliability?

Thanks for helping a noob.

67King

If you are putting that kind of mileage on a car, I'd go with the more touring oriented 928. Not my cup of tea, but a great touring car.

Norm Swanberg

I think the condition of what you can find is more important than 944T vs 928.
Norm

TRACKIN951

Non turbo vehicle will always have less parts to break/leave you stranded. For what your describing an NA V8 will will be more solid IMO. 951 is fantastic but I am not/would not be incredibly comfortable driving that often without worrying about a breakdown here or there.

Mr.S

944+LS1=Perfect Daily Driver

brrgrr

As long as you keep the 951 stock or close to it, it's reliable. If that is your intention, don't ever look at this forum again. It will corrupt you !

Dougs951

Also what do you plan to spend on this vehicle?

Dan87951

Can't go wrong with either. I have a 928 S4 as a daily driver and its very comfortable but doesn't have that fun factor the turbo has. Still a very fun and comfortable car though. I do get a lot more looks in the 928 which ads to the exclusivity.

gordonfink

Thanks for the replies. As to cost, I was planning to spend under 10k, with some "maintenance reserves". As Norm says, I have found a few good condition 928's in that price range, but not so much 951's.

As for mod fever, I'm afraid I'm getting that already, reagardless of which way I go. My previous daily driver was a Cadillac CTS-V. Impossible not have mod fever in that car (and I dd).

Thanks again!

toddk911

I have owned both and for daily "touring" go with the touring car; 928

And just because it has no turbo it is not lacking in performance. I had an 86.5 928S auto and it would get off the line in a hurry and was very comfortable to cruise and auto was nice for heavy traffic.

MM951

I put 2-3K miles a month on my modded 951. It is my only car, although sometimes I can use another. I bought it with 90K and a blown up engine (literally, I still have a piece of the cylinder wall in my tool box) and now have about 118K on it.

The key IMO is

1) Replace belts, rollers, coolant hoses, venturi/vac lines
2) If modded, the tune must be excellent (Vitesse)
3) Don't half *** anything
4) Replace engine bay harnesses and grounds if you start to have any issues
5) Drive it, they need to be used often
6) Keep a close eye on everything (check oil when you get gas, whenever your under the car inspect for leaking seals/gaskets, loose bolts, frayed wires, etc etc) and be prepared to dump some money into it when needed. If you work on your own cars, it won't be terribly expensive (although parts prices certainly make a E36 M3 seem like a deal...) and you will learn a lot about patience and doing it right the first time

Oh, it also helps to know another knowledgeable/friendly/willing to help p-car nut in the area. (Van is my go-to guy when I need a hand )


I have had some minor down time but 2 of the 3 events were after-market parts failure and 1 was a cam-tower issue that I was able to drive home with and fix the next day.

Jfrahm

I have had two 944 turbos and used one as a DD for a while. Stoplight to stoplight the 951 is kind of irritating with the long gears and turbo lag. Unless it is all back roads and superslab I would go with the 928 in a heartbeat.

-Joel.

josephsc

I would also go with the 928 as a DD if reliability was the primary concern. But since you also bring up cost -- you should also take into account the gas mileage. I think you can expect 20mpg on a 944 turbo, but more like 15mpg on a 928. The practical difference is using 150gal vs 200gal to go 3000miles each month. YMMV.

lart951

yea, i would say if you are looking for reliability something like a toyota or nissan or a 928 will suit you well,but if you want a sport car than go for a 944 turbo.

sebastian944

This is what i thought out when buying the 944T. I moved to the inner city core, so that 95% of all traveling (work) is done through mass transit. Sunday driving or leisure driving when the traffic is lighter I drive the 944T. Because I don't have parking at my building I rent a small garage a few blocks away. Unfortunately, living in a big city means there really isn't a thing called "light" traffic. The 944T is no fun in traffic and i have to get through the traffic to get out of the city into the backroads. That adds 20 or sometimes 40 minutes to do just fun driving. It's not that bad, but i think i would have been better off buying a cheap DD car and live outside the city with the 944T.