Porsche 944 - kollected again

[barefoot]

Where's Barefoot? He has one.

 

 

 

 

Sorry, I was walking the dog.

 

I will have had mine, a 944S - not an S2, for 25 years next July. It has cost an arm & a sodding leg to keep on top of, but the fair wife uses it every day for a 54 mile commute and it's done 300,000 miles. I take it to a local specialist and just about everything has been replaced over the years.

The boot is very shallow, the fuel tank and the transaxle are below it, but with the seat folded, TADTS, I can fit in an adult racing bike with the front wheel removed. The suspension is firm, but never harsh and the seats are IMO very, very supportive, although I have the optional 'sports' seats with monster bolsters. Is it fast/quick? I had 125 from it on the limiter - but I'd got in 4th, and according to the WIKI's and a load of contemporary road tests it will sprint to 60 in 6.5. The best bit is the way it corners though. It is very nicely balanced and it's great to be pottering along at the speed limit, 30, 50 whatever with a car right up your arse. And then take the bend at the same speed and watch the following vehicle vanish!

They are tail happy and do spin a bit until you get to grips with them. Oddly they understeer in the wet, but the line tightens up if you apply a bit more throttle! Mine has consistently returned 29mpg no matter how it was driven including a trip to Cornwall in the day time where we covered 280 mile in 4 hours dead. The back seats are ideal for folk with no legs, you also need to tilt the sunroof if they have a head - but I'll bet your child would think it great.

Cavendish Porsche do a fixed price service for £260 ish, with another £260 to do the belts every 40,000 miles.

[barefoot]

Oh, and I think it's really crap to drive in slow moving traffic queues.

First feels like a very high gear, Fifth is relatively low at 3,400 @ 70 and the other three are squeezed in really closely together. 

It's got pop up headlights.

[Snipes]

I had a 924 and really didn't like the driving position or the floor mounted pedals. I think they were galvanised, so you'd hope they weren't too rotten?

I much preferred my Opel Mantas.

[motorpunk]

These are ace. I made a film about the water cooled Porsches for the YouTubes. 924, 944, 928 and 968. The 968 was my own car and I really regret selling it. It felt so much quicker than the 944, but I actually had the most fun in the scabby 924S shown.

 

 

I'm the cliche-quoting Gary Lineker soundalike presenting. 

[John F]

I've driven a few different versions of the 944 and I used to work on a mate's 944S... all seem very well balanced with good weight distribution, I was surprised at just how many beans I could give them while cornering without the back end stepping out.

 

The 2.5 and 2.7 8v models have a reputation for being pretty tough, the 944S (early 16v) less so but I wouldn't rule it out if it's otherwise OK and has good history. The later 944S2 16v model is apparently more reliable than the 944S.

 

There used to be a specialist Porsche breaker in Leeds not far from the railway station, dunno if they're still there but they were friendly & mega-helpful. Speaking of breakers though, parts generally aren't cheap - for example, a used ECU (mounted under a piece of factory-fitted wood in the front passenger footwell...!) for the 944S cost £200 about 10 years ago.

[barefoot]

No one seems to have mentioned yet that there are early 944's with the square 924 dash up to MY 85.5

And then facelift or 'oval' dash models from 86 onwards.

The later ones are about 100kg heavier.

There are different engines, most are 2.5 litre 8v 163 bhp - 137mph

There's a fragile 16v version, the S, 190 bhp made 87/88. 142mph.

The S lacks torque below 4,000 but is mentally fast above that.

All turbos are 2.5 but come in 210 & 250 bhp - these will do IRO 150mph

The turbos have a different more modern front spoiler with long, narrow indicators.

There are a few 2.7 8v - which are apparently well torquey, but have little more power than the 2.5 8v

And then there's the S2, this is a 3.0 litre 16v, ISTR 211 bhp. This resolved the earlier S's lack of torque.

But is again heavier. 

Although it is only as fast as the earlier car it is far easier to drive.

This also has the later spoiler from the turbo.

 

Finally Cabriolets, as far as I know they are all S2 spec, but are as fragile as fuck and are written off if you sneeze near them.

[dome]

I have waxed lyrical about 944s on here before. I love em.

 

I've had 3, two early square dash cars and an S2.

 

The square dash cars are some of the best handling cars I've driven. A lovely balance of power versus grip and so much fun.

 

The S2 was a different beast-more solid and grown up feeling but also very capable-an ideal long distance cruiser but damn capable on the twisty bits.

 

My girlfriend and I went camping to Skye in it and averaged 30mpg whilst loaded with camping gear and not hanging about.

 

2 bikes fit in easily with wheels removed. 

 

I looked at 968s before I bought the S4 but that ship had sailed-values have shot up. 

 

I sold my S2 with a years MOT for £2750 about 4 years ago, try finding one now!

[JimH]

They are loathed by those too thick to understand but they are the best car Porsche has ever built. Dull four cylinder and lacking the sheer joy of a proper air cooled engine possibly but as something to live with day in day out they are without equal. NIce ones cost little to run, they are well behaved, ride nicely, have a big fuel tank, emergency/child seats in the back and room enough to get building crap in the back. All dead handy things to have. Let's see you live with a 911 quite so well. Oh, and it you can find one with a pasha interior then its double plus good.

 

I had a 2.5 Lux and my old man had a very late model Turbo SE and I bought a low mileage '83 2.5 a while back just to have in the pending file to stop it suffering where it was.

 

These days rot seems to be the killer. If you are looking at a banger for naff all then I'm sure it can be bodged but then again it almost certainly has been already. From looking at this '83 one the wing bottoms go first followed by the sill/ floor pan/rear wheel arch all along the seam at the bottom. Genuine 944 wings are a bit steep (just under a grand each last time I looked) and repairing them properly is a bit of a chore which means most are snotted back together with a MIG and plenty of filler. The wings also go at the leading edges too just where they meet the bumper. Genuine sills aren't too expensive but as far as I can see you are on your own tin bashing out the panels to let into the floor plan. Doing one properly is a lot of work and it is easy to spot one that's been lashed up.

 

Early round dashes crack to buggery but there is a brilly company in Belgium (or is it Holland) remanufacturing them in both black and brown. About a grand a pop, however. On the upside you would have a nice new, round dashboard which everyone who knows understands is much better than the later ones. Oh yes it is. Cloth seats go eventually but the same company does the dashboards also remanufacture the seat fabrics so it can be all put right again.

 

Sun roofs are a bit crap and can be a fiddle to repair or you can go cheap and get some of the manual latches from 924s. I believe the peasant spec ones in Germany had these anyway. There are other things but, meh, it's not as if you are going to be paying Porsche garages to mend stuff any more.

 

If you can find a good one you'll have a friend for life. Or find a slightly crappy one and put it back together properly. The final option is sell the kids and scrape together the money together for a 924 Carrera GT which is the bestest car ever ever ever.

[AMC Rebel]

They are loathed by those too thick to understand but they are the best car Porsche has ever built. 

 

 

This place

[JimH]

Handy outfit http://www.werk924.com

 

Check out all the seat fabrics in their shop and try not to weep for what we have lost to crappy black leather.

[Kringle]

Roly poly thing

What is that contraption you have to reveal the underside and where can I get one? Perfect for undersealing and general bodgery without laying on my back and having the blood drain from my hands.

 

Care must be taken to stop it going beyond tipping point I guess?

[Tadhg Tiogar]

What is that contraption you have to reveal the underside and where can I get one? Perfect for undersealing and general bodgery without laying on my back and having the blood drain from my hands.

 

Care must be taken to stop it going beyond tipping point I guess?

 

Rotisserie?

[JimH]

No mention of an SWL in the description. They look stout enough for a shell but I'm not sure you'd want to hang 1200Kg of fully kitted out 944 in it.

[JimH]

Chod shot of round dash 944 just after it was removed from its water tank home of a few years and before it was moved to its current resting place of waiting to become a barn find. It looks pretty good at this distance but there isn't much by way of sills left in it. The interior was horribly abused too. Still. Only 72K on the clock and a brand new engine from Glen Henderson at about 56K after a previous owner didn't realise you needed to check the oil every now and again.

 

 

It will rise again one day.

[Tamworthbay]

Oh, and I think it's really crap to drive in slow moving traffic queues.

First feels like a very high gear, Fifth is relatively low at 3,400 @ 70 and the other three are squeezed in really closely together. 

It's got pop up headlights.

Can confirm that after using my Gold one as a wedding car for my mate and having to navigate London on a Friday evening, it was hell on my left leg after a while.

[Marm Toastsmith]

Oh, and I think it's really crap to drive in slow moving traffic queues.

First feels like a very high gear, Fifth is relatively low at 3,400 @ 70 and the other three are squeezed in really closely together. 

It's got pop up headlights.

 

Can confirm that after using my Gold one as a wedding car for my mate and having to navigate London on a Friday evening, it was hell on my left leg after a while.

 

This is exactly what I need to hear having wanted one forever and consistently failed to buy one over the years.

 

Similar thing with the 325i E30 I had not long ago. Heavy clutch (and throttle)... was really hard work in traffic. Oh and a barely functional handbrake to add to the fun on hill starts. Mrs M loved* driving it. Shame, was a really nice car out on the road.

 

Someone tell me a 911 is even worse please.

[Tamworthbay]

This is exactly what I need to hear having wanted one forever and consistently failed to buy one over the years.

 

Similar thing with the 325i E30 I had not long ago. Heavy clutch (and throttle)... was really hard work in traffic. Oh and a barely functional handbrake to add to the fun on hill starts. Mrs M loved* driving it. Shame, was a really nice car out on the road.

 

Someone tell me a 911 is even worse please.

They are, and far more expensive to buy, run and fuel.

[HillmanImp]

What is that contraption you have to reveal the underside and where can I get one? Perfect for undersealing and general bodgery without laying on my back and having the blood drain from my hands.

 

Care must be taken to stop it going beyond tipping point I guess?

 

Its one of these (although mine works with a drill). 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=762iV4YVnug

 

Bought it on here from Flat4Alfa after4 Tickman poited it out to me and SixCylinder let me have a go first before he borrows it off me (if I've missed anyone out I apologise).

[spike60]

Can confirm that after using my Gold one as a wedding car for my mate and having to navigate London on a Friday evening, it was hell on my left leg after a while.

The clutch on my 2.7 944 is fine in traffic but the 2.0 924 I used to own wasn't, it really made my achilles tendon smart and went through 2 cables in the short time I owned it. Clutch kit price against car value at the time meant it didn't get done.

[dome]

Aye, I remember my S2 being hard work in traffic too now everyone mentions it. I got round this by not driving in traffic

[Alusilber]

I don't think 924's are shit, i just think the 944 look well weapon in comparison. I'd still consider a 924 but would always be thinking I should've bought a 944 if I'd got one.

 

The 924 and 944 have quite different looks despite having a lot of metal in common, the 924 is very much a 70s car - lithe and elegant; the 944 OTOH is a very 80s design, like the ladies frocks they had back then with big shoulderpads.

[inconsistant]

Yep, very true, and this explains a lot of the differences... the 924 is a 70s car with 70s styling and a 70s engine/mechanicals, the 944 is an 80s car with 80s styling/engine etc.

Also one was designed to be an 80s Porsche and the other was designed to be a 70s Audi Coupe.

[HillmanImp]

All very helpful chaps, very much appreciated.

 

Deposit paid, collection thread to follow.

 

[Tickman]

All very helpful chaps, very much appreciated.

 

Deposit paid, collection thread to follow.

 

Excellent outcome

[The Moog]

As if it was in doubt ... 

[dome]

Good work! I'm sure I have some spares somewhere from my last square dash car, let me know if you need anything and I'll have a rummage.

[HillmanImp]

As if it was in doubt ... 

 

It is unusual for one of my crazy whims to actually happen before I'm distracted by something else or common sense kicks in.

[motorpunk]

I looked at 968s before I bought the S4 but that ship had sailed-values have shot up. 

 

I sold mine to pay my mortgage off. Fucking stupid money. It's only a car.

[John F]

All very helpful chaps, very much appreciated.

 

Deposit paid, collection thread to follow.

 

 

Good darts, Scotty - I look forward to seeing it.

 

I bet you're pleased you didn't decide to buy my old Maserati when I was considering selling it...

[HillmanImp]

Off to look at this and hopefully collect it tonight. 

 

Packed my towrope, toolkit, cable ties, bottle of water, hammer, torch.

 

Got my insurance. I checked to see if it was worth doing a 24hr cover but nobody would insure it, so it's just as well I checked. Got it on my classic policy for not much though. If I don't buy it, it can just be taken off.

 

Mrs Imp not happy. 

 

No idea where I can keep it, I'm already spilling out onto the road in our nice residential area.

 

If owt goes wrong with it, I've neither got the time or the money to repair it on top of all the other knackered cars I've got.

 

The worst thing though is that because all this happened whilst she was away at a hotel having a spa treatment it will mean that I'll never be trusted to be left on my own again. At least not with several bottles of red wine in the cupboard.