Would you be left wanting more with an N/A 944?
Discussion
doing the age old PH'er pass the afternoon dreaming of what if, i suddenly noticed fairly good nick 944's aren't 'that' expensive e.g.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1724857.htm
i was looking more at the later 3 litre ones, as a possible contender for mx5 replacement. would a 944 offer the same sort of handling dynamics albeit more polished than a 5?
and would i always wish i'd bought a turbo model? only reason i'm not looking at tubbys is price and my perceived view that they'd be more fragile
oh, and how pricey are we talking if i melt the clutch, HG goes etc. etc. compared to more mainstream cars of the era?
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1724857.htm
i was looking more at the later 3 litre ones, as a possible contender for mx5 replacement. would a 944 offer the same sort of handling dynamics albeit more polished than a 5?
and would i always wish i'd bought a turbo model? only reason i'm not looking at tubbys is price and my perceived view that they'd be more fragile
oh, and how pricey are we talking if i melt the clutch, HG goes etc. etc. compared to more mainstream cars of the era?
Edited by dylan0451 on Tuesday 3rd August 16:36
You'll always have a hankering for the boooooooooooooost. Maybe 
A sorted S2 will beat the pants off a ladies car. With the added benefit that you can break the speed limit too.
As far as parts and service stuff goes, bear in mind that it cost a lot more than a contemporary Sierra, with major mechanical buggrups reflecting that. Do not take near an OPC and labour rates at an indy aren't too bad.
A sorted S2 will beat the pants off a ladies car. With the added benefit that you can break the speed limit too.
As far as parts and service stuff goes, bear in mind that it cost a lot more than a contemporary Sierra, with major mechanical buggrups reflecting that. Do not take near an OPC and labour rates at an indy aren't too bad.
this is what i like to hear chaps 
i thought the ones closer to 4-5k were a bit... leggy? well, again i assume they are merely because it just seems odd to spend so little on a porsche, without wondering if it'll come back to bite you...
what about all that vario cam malarky, that sounds like an expensive bill waiting to happen? do they suffer from rust at all or in any usual places?
i thought the ones closer to 4-5k were a bit... leggy? well, again i assume they are merely because it just seems odd to spend so little on a porsche, without wondering if it'll come back to bite you...
what about all that vario cam malarky, that sounds like an expensive bill waiting to happen? do they suffer from rust at all or in any usual places?
As ever buy on condition and history not miles. Lots have big miles because they are reliable and can be run as a daily for sensible money. The youngest of them is approaching 20 years old so that times 10k miles a year = moon miles.
Links for you:
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~dr_scott/944s2.htm
http://www.connact.com/~kgross/FAQ/944faq.html
http://www.944s2.com/
http://www.clarks-garage.com/
Links for you:
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~dr_scott/944s2.htm
http://www.connact.com/~kgross/FAQ/944faq.html
http://www.944s2.com/
http://www.clarks-garage.com/
Personally I wouldn't consider an N/A 944 that wasn't an S2. They are all a bit slow by today's standards, about 160hp ish. S2 is 208hp. I bought a rough one for £1800 and did 5 ring laps and 150mph (indicated) on the autobahn in it, so it felt like it had plenty of power.
Oh make sure the brakes and discs are in decent condition - massive brembo calipers and discs are expensive, unlike the parts on lesser 944s.
Oh make sure the brakes and discs are in decent condition - massive brembo calipers and discs are expensive, unlike the parts on lesser 944s.
Edited by LayZ on Tuesday 3rd August 16:54
The missus had a '99 MX-5 for a couple of years, and I have a 2.5l 944, and so am probably moderately qualified to compare. Overall, the 944 feels far more solid - but no slower. The Mazda always felt a little skittish at pace, where the 944 feels much more planted. Neither of them is going to win a drag race against the Imprezas\Evos\etc of this world, but the handling on them both is great. I'd say that the 944 is better through the corners tho, it's much easier to keep a loping flowing pace in it, imo.
The 3l S2 is going to be quite a bit quicker than mine, and the owners I've spoken to have never compained about its pace.
Servicing and parts aren't as expensive as you think that they might be, as long as you avoid the OPCs. http://www.pro-9.co.uk/service.php should give you some indicative prices from independents. Mileage is less important than condition and service history - be especially careful that the belts have been done by a specialist, they are quite easily done badly and failiure can be catastrophic.
The 3l S2 is going to be quite a bit quicker than mine, and the owners I've spoken to have never compained about its pace.
Servicing and parts aren't as expensive as you think that they might be, as long as you avoid the OPCs. http://www.pro-9.co.uk/service.php should give you some indicative prices from independents. Mileage is less important than condition and service history - be especially careful that the belts have been done by a specialist, they are quite easily done badly and failiure can be catastrophic.
well, this is the thing, i bought an mx5 for the handling, it's upgraded to 140hp so not skin - rice pudding slow but it needs more
i'd like to turbo the ole girl but i'm not sure £3k worth of turbo kit would make it as good an all round package as a late s2 3 litre
regarding the 200sx comment, i assume you were talking about the 2.5/2.7 ones?
will look through those links.
so scare me. how much if i need reconn'd calipers, what if the clutch/flywheel needs doing, rings are blowing etc. ?!
i'd like to turbo the ole girl but i'm not sure £3k worth of turbo kit would make it as good an all round package as a late s2 3 litre
regarding the 200sx comment, i assume you were talking about the 2.5/2.7 ones?
will look through those links.
so scare me. how much if i need reconn'd calipers, what if the clutch/flywheel needs doing, rings are blowing etc. ?!
dylan0451 said:
so how well would they put up with track/fast road use? i only say that after reading through ben lovejoy's ring reports and it costing him an absolute packet to keep running, although, as a track toy i can't remember how much he paid/what condition it was in to start with
The track will very quickly show up any faults in what is a 20 year old (even older for some of them...). If its a good car, sorted with fresh parts then it'll be as good as any other. But if not the track will soon fit itMy Turbo was a good/un, with a recent wastegate (dual port wastegate) but a hose came off and I lost boost on a trach. Took ages for the car to cool down enough for me to re-attach it.
As a road car, great. I used my Turbo in all weathers. Even deep snow and heavy rain. As a Turbo with a boost gauge, as long as you changed up before the boost came on, the car was just like a normal, n/a car- therefore easy to drive. And you could still do more then the legal limit without waking the Turbo up
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