Porsche 944 Turbo: PH Carpool
An alternative choice for the first RWD sports car but one that this Carpooler is very fond of
Car: Porsche 944 Turbo
Owned since: July 2014
Previously owned: "The privilege to drive my mother's Audi!"
Lots of owners but it's been cared for
"Like every other 21 year-old I wanted a light, powerful, RWD coupe as my first car. After about a six months of looking at everything from FB RX-7s to NA Miatas to 240SXs (there are no good ones left), I decided to check the prices of 944s. They were just within my budget. About a month after this realisation I had the opportunity to get a ride in a 993 Turbo. After the ride, when the adrenaline in my system had returned to its normal level, it was obvious the 944 now needed to be a Turbo. I needed a 951. With some spreadsheet wizardry the man maths checked out. Soon after a tidy looking 951 popped up on Kijiji and I immediately went to see it. The car had been well taken care of by an enthusiast father and son duo, we agreed on a price of $7,500 and that was that!"
What I wish I'd known:
"That the car had 10 registered owners before the father and son duo! It was a bit of a shock but it seems the car had just been flipped over a lot after a short period of time - one gentleman had owned it for just two days. I had researched 951s for about two months before buying it so I was aware of all the major mechanical parts that might need replacing."
Guess what's going on here...
"The purity and layout of the cabin. All the dials and knobs are simple and well placed. The seating position is also perfect. Tucked in between the transmission tunnel and able to move your hand a small distance to have it meet up with the gearlever. Another less spoken perk of 944s is the practicality. The hatch can swallow up a lot more than you'd expect. Proven by how I somehow managed to move myself up to school in it. The balance of the car is also every bit as good as the legends say. Drifting in the snow is an absolute blast!"
Things I hate:
"Not necessarily a hate but the exhaust note is just not as nice as I hoped it would be. Having a Bluetooth connection for my phone and music would also be nice. Lastly the dash light for the dials is pathetically dim, so they are a little hard to read at night."
Driving position one of many loves
"Luckily all within the established budget. The car needed a new timing belt and water pump right after purchasing which was just shy of $1,000. Then, whilst running down the 401, the AC compressor decided to seize and destroy its belt, which also runs the alternator. That plus an alignment cost another $800 to properly fix. For the winter a set of Boxster rims and tyres were another $900. Fuel has been surprisingly good, as long as the turbo isn't spooled up. Highway trips return about 26mpg while it's probably around 21 on normal roads."
Where I've been:
"Toronto to Muskoka a couple of times for some cottage visits in the summer. The driving roads up there are fantastic. After that the only big voyage has been from Toronto to Sudbury to move myself into school. Other journeys plus daily duties means that the car has put up with 3,500 miles in four months."
And even the economy is acceptable!
"The car needs a new set of front bushings and a small exhaust leak that needs attending to, so that will be dealt with when summer arrives. Otherwise I plan on attending some local Porsche meets and possibly entering some autocross events. As for modifications a cat delete and some OEM Cup rims should suit the car nicely. But really the main plan is to purchase another car next year so it doesn't have to endure another winter!"
noo ours was red and we decided owning it from october to february would be the best time of the year for an old Porsche.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff