944 Turbo as next car

[AlexJReid]

Hi,

I've always had a soft spot for 944s - and last year I bought a white 944 S2 which was in pretty terrible state. The seller was an absolute swine for misrepresenting a car and letting me travel 330 miles to view it.

For some unknown reason (lord knows what I was thinking) I continued with the purchase (£4K) and then after realising it was going to cost a fortune to get sorted (sills, rust on boot, mayo on dipstick, overly heavy steering even by 944 standards, water leaks, vibration issues, fuel leaks......) I got shot of it a few weeks later for less than half of what I paid. Gah.

Despite it being a complete heap, there was something about it that I loved - so I want another!

Think I learnt my lesson which was to not buy something "in need of a few jobs". It seems that 944 prices are all over the place. Better to spend "top end" money, in theory, and get something really nice.

This time around I'm looking for a turbo. One specialist has a lovely original looking red one for £11K and there's a Silver Rose model (with a big 80s TURBO graphic on it......) for £8.5K.
Now, that appears to be a lot when others are up for £6K, but if the £6K one needs £5K spending on it....

So I guess my question is - is £11K a ridiculous amount to spend on a well kept 944 Turbo, regardless of its condition?
I'd be looking to use it every day, apart from the winter months.

[blade7]

You could buy a 996 for £11k .

[marky911]

Personally I'd be searching around for a nice 968CS if you're spending over £10k, but that's just my preference.

[IMI A]

I know the car you mean - red one at Shirley', I'd bid £10k on it. Personally I don't think its worth more than that but looks like a very nice car indeed. Thought about it myself but just do not have space.

Edited by IMI A on Monday 15th July 10:04

[pauljmcnulty]

There's a very nice early turbo for sale on the PCGB forum for a lot less than that.

[AlexJReid]

IMI A said:

I know the car you mean - red one at Shirley', I'd bid £10k on it. Personally I don't think its worth more than that buy loos like a very nice car indeed. Thought about it myself but just do not have space.

Yep that's the one, would be interested if anyone has seen it in the flesh or has any comments on this place?

I've plenty of time to look - after my last 944 I got a two year Mercedes lease (very good deals there) which has a good few months to run.

Very good point regarding a 968CS. But surely £10-11K wouldn't be enough?

[IMI A]

AlexJReid said:

IMI A said:

I know the car you mean - red one at Shirley', I'd bid £10k on it. Personally I don't think its worth more than that buy loos like a very nice car indeed. Thought about it myself but just do not have space.

Yep that's the one, would be interested if anyone has seen it in the flesh or has any comments on this place?

I've plenty of time to look - after my last 944 I got a two year Mercedes lease (very good deals there) which has a good few months to run.

Very good point regarding a 968CS. But surely £10-11K wouldn't be enough?

I have bought a car from that garage. Very straight family business and if they have out it up for sale it will be a good one. 944 turbos are generally quite expensive to run compared 911 3.2 Carrera of same period. Just seem to run through consumables more. Also as you need to watch out for rot, torque tube, water pump , head gasket at around 100k miles, clutches, minor electrical glitches, steering rack, worn suspension bushes. Incredibly well built though but need to be maintained and driven everyday to stay in top fettle. Hoses for turbo , intercoolers often harden and perish too which cause boost leaks which can be a nightmare to fix if you can't find the leak!Think that just about covers it but you have to remember they are old cars now. One of the best chassis Porsche has produced in my view and a slightly suped up 944 (350bhp) finsihed 5 at Le Mans from memory - may be wrong here. Has the ability to embarrass far more expensive Porsches and if you up power with tuning and competition head/ studs to 400bhp around a race track not much touch it...

[marky911]

AlexJReid said:

Very good point regarding a 968CS. But surely £10-11K wouldn't be enough?

You're right. Sorry i should have been clearer. I meant if I was going to spend £10k+ on a 944 I'd find it hard to resist spending a couple of £K more and getting a nice 968CS in a nice colour. Obviously a different experience, so if you like boost only a 944T will do but me personally, I've always hankered after the 968CS.

Something like this, although I'd prefer bucket seats. -

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/p...

No affiliation to this seller.

ETA - You'd need to make sure it is a Clubsport and not just a stickered up Sport. The specs on these cars got a bit blurred back then.

Edited by marky911 on Monday 15th July 12:20

[blade7]

marky911 said:

Something like this, although I'd prefer bucket seats. -

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/p...

No affiliation to this seller.

ETA - You'd need to make sure it is a Clubsport and not just a stickered up Sport. The specs on these cars got a bit blurred back then.

No offence to the seller but I don't see what that has to offer compared to a similar Sport ?.

[DKL]

It has what people want - the word clubsport on the paperwork. Whether its worth it is only relevant to the individual but regardless of that future values will be determined by the market and nothing else.
Most of the general motoring press (and frankly alot of the specialist ones too) eulogise about the CS not the sport. You may or may not agree but I can't see a nice low mileage sport being worth anything like a similar CS in a few years.

[bigunit00]

rarity factory (UK 180 odd supplied) but given it seems you need to pay double that of a sport to get into a CS......not sure its worth the premium

i reckon a nice turbo for £5k would be good. There is a nice white turbo on tipec / pcgb for sale for around £6k. promax stage 2 kit and you are away

http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=774603

this is also a known car in pork circles as being a good 944 T

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/p...

[CharlieB]

Late spec car for sale at 4star

http://www.4startrade.com/Porsche-944-Turbo-For-Sa...

Looks smart to me

[blade7]

DKL said:

It has what people want - the word clubsport on the paperwork. Whether its worth it is only relevant to the individual but regardless of that future values will be determined by the market and nothing else.
Most of the general motoring press (and frankly alot of the specialist ones too) eulogise about the CS not the sport. You may or may not agree but I can't see a nice low mileage sport being worth anything like a similar CS in a few years.

If a CS has comfort seats a sunroof and poverty spec suspension I don't think it's worth much more than a Sport with the same chassis but that is just my opinion.

[mollytherocker]

blade7 said:

No offence to the seller but I don't see what that has to offer compared to a similar Sport ?.

Its just where the market is. There isnt necessarily any logic to it. Obviously, Sports are Club Sports with a few extras thrown in but the CS has the cachet.

And is more likely to be worth more in future.

[blade7]

mollytherocker said:

Its just where the market is. There isnt necessarily any logic to it. Obviously, Sports are Club Sports with a few extras thrown in but the CS has the cachet.

And is more likely to be worth more in future.

I know and if the speculators want to hype up the CS it's not a big deal to me. If I bought a 968 it would be to rag/track it and maybe stick a turbo on so the Sport is where my money would go.

[GC8]

marky911 said:

Personally I'd be searching around for a nice 968CS if you're spending over £10k, but that's just my preference.

Having run both in the early nineties I can categorically state that the 951 is a far better car!

[pauljmcnulty]

GC8 said:

Having run both in the early nineties I can categorically state that the 951 is a far better car!

When you look at the values of a 944 turbo and a 968 CS, I guess you'd have to decide if you ever want to drive the thing?

A really nice 944 turbo for £6K, that you can easily pile 10K miles a year onto, is a great car. A 968 that's seeming to be turning in to an investment opportunity is going to become more mileage-sensitive. Who wants a Porsche that sits un-used in the garage when you can buy one for half the price and actually drive it?

[mollytherocker]

pauljmcnulty said:

When you look at the values of a 944 turbo and a 968 CS, I guess you'd have to decide if you ever want to drive the thing?

A really nice 944 turbo for £6K, that you can easily pile 10K miles a year onto, is a great car. A 968 that's seeming to be turning in to an investment opportunity is going to become more mileage-sensitive. Who wants a Porsche that sits un-used in the garage when you can buy one for half the price and actually drive it?

Just because a sought after car is mileage sensitive in terms of ultimate value, it does not mean you cant use it!

I reckon that a 968CS used often but maintained well may not increase in value, but it probably wont go down either!!!

[GC8]

pauljmcnulty said:

GC8 said:

Having run both in the early nineties I can categorically state that the 951 is a far better car!

When you look at the values of a 944 turbo and a 968 CS, I guess you'd have to decide if you ever want to drive the thing?

A really nice 944 turbo for £6K, that you can easily pile 10K miles a year onto, is a great car. A 968 that's seeming to be turning in to an investment opportunity is going to become more mileage-sensitive. Who wants a Porsche that sits un-used in the garage when you can buy one for half the price and actually drive it?

Yes indeed. The whole Club Sport myth rattles my cage too, with most Sports being the same car. When you consider that when they were new people frequently swapped the seats (I did) and complained about the lack of an electrical hatch release (I didnt) then it makes the current short-stroking over Club Sports look even more silly.

For the most part, their values are driven up by people who havent ever owned one, all eager to jump on the bandwagon. Many a quickly and quietly sold, as are 944 Turbos - which says a lot about the buyers, to me.

[GC8]

User ChasR has a nice later 944 Turbo for sale on the PCGB forum. Its probably on TIPEC too where his user name, I think, Is FourFourTwo or something similar.

That would be my current choice, if I didnt have one already...