Discussion
Hi everybody,
I'm trying to find out a bit of info on the 944 at the mo, as a possible next car. Like the idea of a practical daily driver supercar!!
Would be looking around the 8-9k mark, which from what I've seen might get me into a high mileage S2.
What I'm looking for, is a comprehensive list of equipment / performance specs, partly to see which engine to hold out for (maybe the 944S would be quick enough), but mostly so that I can check that the spec in any cars I view is correct...
So, any thoughts?
I know there's the 2.5, 2.7 (for 1 year only), 2.5 16v (944S) and 3.0 16v (S2) - I've found all the output figures, but I'm not sure how this translates to performance.
I've seen interior pics with full leather, leccy seats and the like - is this common, or US spec? Any with A/C? Just curious, as it will be a daily driver I want any creature comforts I can find!
Finally - what are they like to live with on a day to day basis?
TIA,
Martin.
I'm trying to find out a bit of info on the 944 at the mo, as a possible next car. Like the idea of a practical daily driver supercar!!
Would be looking around the 8-9k mark, which from what I've seen might get me into a high mileage S2.
What I'm looking for, is a comprehensive list of equipment / performance specs, partly to see which engine to hold out for (maybe the 944S would be quick enough), but mostly so that I can check that the spec in any cars I view is correct...
So, any thoughts?
I know there's the 2.5, 2.7 (for 1 year only), 2.5 16v (944S) and 3.0 16v (S2) - I've found all the output figures, but I'm not sure how this translates to performance.
I've seen interior pics with full leather, leccy seats and the like - is this common, or US spec? Any with A/C? Just curious, as it will be a daily driver I want any creature comforts I can find!
Finally - what are they like to live with on a day to day basis?
TIA,
Martin.
For everyday use I would highly recommend an S2.
Performance/running costs ratio is excellent and although you don't get the kick of the turbo you are very likely not to get as many blown headgaskets and turbo bits emigrating to the pistons (I am in the middle of a friend's rebuild).
I believe an S2 will be slightly more expensive to run everyday than an 8v but the extra performance is definitely worth the difference.
I do not know about the S much except the 16v heads of the early cars (MY87) often had/have probs.
Performance wise the S2 offers what others lack : low and mid range torque, the reason why it makes sense as an everyday car. However it can happily rev to 6,000 rpm, flooring the throttle in third even gives a little kick at 4,000 rpms.
When looking for high mileage S2 make sure the cam chain tensioner has been replaced - at least its upper pad, as a chain coming loose will have induced the cam shafts' sprockets being worn out too quickly.
See this article for full details.
Cars could indeed be ordered with many extras such as air-con, full leather seats, targa top, headlight washers, sport chassis and any other weird stuff imaginable.
(Have a look here for all options codes. Check the equipment by looking for the sticker hidden in the back between rear lights.)
Test drive as many as you can before making your choice. Handling can vary dramatically, check for leaky shock absorbers, ask when they were replaced.
Do not touch cars with no history/no receipts with a barge pole.
Most important of all the timing and balancing belts should be replaced every 40,000 miles. When the timing belt breaks the engine is most of the time good for a quite expensive rebuild.
edited to correct spelling mistakes
>> Edited by Thom on Thursday 15th May 20:10
Performance/running costs ratio is excellent and although you don't get the kick of the turbo you are very likely not to get as many blown headgaskets and turbo bits emigrating to the pistons (I am in the middle of a friend's rebuild).
I believe an S2 will be slightly more expensive to run everyday than an 8v but the extra performance is definitely worth the difference.
I do not know about the S much except the 16v heads of the early cars (MY87) often had/have probs.
Performance wise the S2 offers what others lack : low and mid range torque, the reason why it makes sense as an everyday car. However it can happily rev to 6,000 rpm, flooring the throttle in third even gives a little kick at 4,000 rpms.
When looking for high mileage S2 make sure the cam chain tensioner has been replaced - at least its upper pad, as a chain coming loose will have induced the cam shafts' sprockets being worn out too quickly.
See this article for full details.
Cars could indeed be ordered with many extras such as air-con, full leather seats, targa top, headlight washers, sport chassis and any other weird stuff imaginable.
(Have a look here for all options codes. Check the equipment by looking for the sticker hidden in the back between rear lights.)
Test drive as many as you can before making your choice. Handling can vary dramatically, check for leaky shock absorbers, ask when they were replaced.
Do not touch cars with no history/no receipts with a barge pole.
Most important of all the timing and balancing belts should be replaced every 40,000 miles. When the timing belt breaks the engine is most of the time good for a quite expensive rebuild.
edited to correct spelling mistakes
>> Edited by Thom on Thursday 15th May 20:10
Blimey 8-9K for a 944 S2, do you want it gold plated??
Decent cars are available for far far less than that and its only the head up arse brigade- for which read advertisers in Porsche post or 911 & Porsche world that would dare to ask it.
For example I will be selling my fsh, all the stuff done ie caliper rebuilds & new tensioner/belts etc '90 S2 soon & I would realistically be looking for half that figure- with £6k the absolute tops, despite Charles Ivey in London asking £7995 for the same year & miles & colour S2!!(ok moderators a blatent plug for mine I agree, so contact off line for details etc etc
)
Its got to be the nicest 944 in the world of either turbo of S2 that tops the £7k mark.
Power wise it is a very noticable step between a 2.5 Lux & an S2, and assuming you have more than a sniff of driving skill (so I don't mean Domster then an S2 will not be discraced on road or track by any (non RS or turbo) pre 993 911.
Rememeber even the much raved about 968CS only has a bit more grunt (and in truth not many of them actually kick it out anymore) and they weigh (very slightly)more so bung on some Konis and go a supercar huntin'
I shall of course deny raving about the 944 and delete this thread when I can actually afford a 968CS
>> Edited by iguana on Thursday 15th May 20:04
Decent cars are available for far far less than that and its only the head up arse brigade- for which read advertisers in Porsche post or 911 & Porsche world that would dare to ask it.
For example I will be selling my fsh, all the stuff done ie caliper rebuilds & new tensioner/belts etc '90 S2 soon & I would realistically be looking for half that figure- with £6k the absolute tops, despite Charles Ivey in London asking £7995 for the same year & miles & colour S2!!(ok moderators a blatent plug for mine I agree, so contact off line for details etc etc
) Its got to be the nicest 944 in the world of either turbo of S2 that tops the £7k mark.
Power wise it is a very noticable step between a 2.5 Lux & an S2, and assuming you have more than a sniff of driving skill (so I don't mean Domster then
an S2 will not be discraced on road or track by any (non RS or turbo) pre 993 911. Rememeber even the much raved about 968CS only has a bit more grunt (and in truth not many of them actually kick it out anymore) and they weigh (very slightly)more so bung on some Konis and go a supercar huntin'
I shall of course deny raving about the 944 and delete this thread when I can actually afford a 968CS
>> Edited by iguana on Thursday 15th May 20:04
It's about a year since I started looking for my S2 (and since I joined PH ) I had a look at Autotrader the other day to see how much the prices had changed in that time. Basically everything seems to have dropped by at least £1k - When I was looking there were few S2s below £7k and those that were had mileages well in excess of 100k. I was lucky finding mine in the PH classifieds ('91 J-reg, 86k, very good condition, FSH for £6500) I'm sure you could get a similar car today for less than I paid.
Performance figures for S2 (from Autocar)
0-60: 6 secs
50-70: 3.3 secs (through gears)
Top Speed: 146mph (though I think its more like 155 actually)
A great car for the money
) I had a look at Autotrader the other day to see how much the prices had changed in that time. Basically everything seems to have dropped by at least £1k - When I was looking there were few S2s below £7k and those that were had mileages well in excess of 100k. I was lucky finding mine in the PH classifieds ('91 J-reg, 86k, very good condition, FSH for £6500) I'm sure you could get a similar car today for less than I paid. Performance figures for S2 (from Autocar)
0-60: 6 secs
50-70: 3.3 secs (through gears)
Top Speed: 146mph (though I think its more like 155 actually)
A great car for the money
Well I must admit I haven't tried it myself though if you read this thread => www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=38947&f=48&h=0
Porsche official performance figure often seem to be a little pessimistic so I imagine the 968 would be that much faster than the S2. Official top speed is S2: 149mph, CS:150mph. It all depends on the gearing and the 968 has the advantage of the 6-speed gearbox, allowing more efficient use of the power available. The extra 29bhp must also improve accelaration at higher speeds.
However top speed isn't what these cars are about - there's no doubt a 968 will out handle an S2 on the track as it's the more developed car.
However top speed isn't what these cars are about - there's no doubt a 968 will out handle an S2 on the track as it's the more developed car.
I agree that top speed is not an issue with these cars,they are all about handling.I have plenty of magazine road tests on these cars when they were new and the top speeds are 149-150 for 968 and 145 ish for S2.
It is all very well working out gear ratios etc,,,but as we have seen at Bruntingthorpe there are a lot of other factors that come into pay in the real world.
So far I have relatively little experience of front engine Porsche,but I get the impression the fun is had between 75-120mph..
It is all very well working out gear ratios etc,,,but as we have seen at Bruntingthorpe there are a lot of other factors that come into pay in the real world.
So far I have relatively little experience of front engine Porsche,but I get the impression the fun is had between 75-120mph..
I reached the top speed twice which was 271 kph at 6400 rpms, although some measurements and comparisons with other cars revealed 944 speedos are extremely enthusiastic.
For example a turbo 250bhp indicated 291kph at full chat beside an as fast Audi RS2 which speedo read 271 kph at the time.
I believe the real top speed to be more around 240 kph which actually corresponds to the official Porsche figure.
(Sorry, can't be bothered to make the conversion in miles
)
>> Edited by Thom on Friday 16th May 12:19
For example a turbo 250bhp indicated 291kph at full chat beside an as fast Audi RS2 which speedo read 271 kph at the time.
I believe the real top speed to be more around 240 kph which actually corresponds to the official Porsche figure.
(Sorry, can't be bothered to make the conversion in miles
) >> Edited by Thom on Friday 16th May 12:19
On a mainland european road earlier this year i had 160 - 165ish indicated ( I was mostly looking at he road) the GPS recorded a max of 155 so the speedo wasn't that far out, car was still accelerating but there was a big lorry and a bend approaching very quickly, so I backed off - but mines a turbo not an S2
Tony
Tony
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