Discussion
Iv been looking at getting a 944 for a little while now. However i saw an ad for a 968, and im really liking them. Iv never seen 1 before and know nothing about them. Which is strange because i spend hours a week trailing the classifieds looking for interesting cars i could afford to own and drive. Does anyone know of any common problems they have, and why are they not as popular as the 944. Just a price thing maybe?
Better off checking out http://www.porsche968uk.co.uk.
Solid cars but a couple of well documented probs.
Only made for 3 years so you don't see many around. Unlike 924/944 the 968 was actually made by Porsche rather than Audi.
Great cars but not cheap to run.
Solid cars but a couple of well documented probs.
Only made for 3 years so you don't see many around. Unlike 924/944 the 968 was actually made by Porsche rather than Audi.
Great cars but not cheap to run.
Many less sold when new hence why you also see fewer for sale secondhand, having said that though you always see a good smattering in the PH classifieds. They are a pretty rare sight on the road these days, I have yet to see another 968 on the road at the same time as mine for example.
A neighbour who must be in his late 50s has just swapped his 944 for a lovely guards red 968 similar to this http://www.porsche968uk.co.uk./images/for_sale/gua...
I say go for the 968 if you can.
I say go for the 968 if you can.
Excellent car mine was not expensive to run, but as stated there are a couple of engine and gearbox issues you'll need to learn about and avoid.
I've had both and whilst in many ways the 968 is a series 3 944 it just felt that bit better. Overall it seemed better balanced, but that might just have been becuase it was better set up
I've had both and whilst in many ways the 968 is a series 3 944 it just felt that bit better. Overall it seemed better balanced, but that might just have been becuase it was better set up
I had a 944 turbo and then a 968 sport.
968 is a much more composed car, very similar to the 944 S2. It has a 6 spd gearbox and variocam technology.
The build quality is outstandingly good. A very very well put together car. Porsche really sorted out all of the problems that the 944 had with the 968. Not to mention the rarity value.
Usual 944 S2 things to look out for, i.e the cam chain tensioner slippers.
I would go for a sport if you can as these were a good compromise between club sport (uber expensive now) and the standard model.
968 is a much more composed car, very similar to the 944 S2. It has a 6 spd gearbox and variocam technology.
The build quality is outstandingly good. A very very well put together car. Porsche really sorted out all of the problems that the 944 had with the 968. Not to mention the rarity value.
Usual 944 S2 things to look out for, i.e the cam chain tensioner slippers.
I would go for a sport if you can as these were a good compromise between club sport (uber expensive now) and the standard model.
My very first Porsche was a red left hand drive 968. Great car- totally sublime handling and well put together and a generally nice place to be sat inside. A real drivers car with the best power steering I have ever experienced. I also liked the gearchange alot - it was kind of meaty/springy as I recall. Mine had a few issues- the major one being a blown coolant valve (for the heater I think) that left me stranded on the A406 on the way to a wedding and also a juddering clutch (though it had a new clutch and flywheel)...I had a runabout 944 2.7 after this for a couple of months whilst I was looking for a good 993. The 944 was not a patch on the 968- just felt old and crinkly
AFAIK later 944's were assembled in Stuttgart and not by Audi but indeed that really doesn't matter either way.
968's are excellent cars but then again so are 944's and folk I know who have driven S2's and 968's say that the difference isn't that great (especially taking into account the price differential) assuming both cars are equally well sorted. Of course the difference between a 968 and a Lux would be much more noticeable.
Not quite sure what the "problems" of the 944 were that were supposedly sorted by the 968 ???
I have a 944 turbo and its an excellent machine and a real joy to drive.
22K for a 968CS ??? hmmm no thanks.
968's are excellent cars but then again so are 944's and folk I know who have driven S2's and 968's say that the difference isn't that great (especially taking into account the price differential) assuming both cars are equally well sorted. Of course the difference between a 968 and a Lux would be much more noticeable.
Not quite sure what the "problems" of the 944 were that were supposedly sorted by the 968 ???
I have a 944 turbo and its an excellent machine and a real joy to drive.
22K for a 968CS ??? hmmm no thanks.
Edited by Jon951 on Thursday 18th June 09:24
seancp said:
Iv been looking at getting a 944 for a little while now. However i saw an ad for a 968, and im really liking them. Iv never seen 1 before and know nothing about them. Which is strange because i spend hours a week trailing the classifieds looking for interesting cars i could afford to own and drive. Does anyone know of any common problems they have, and why are they not as popular as the 944. Just a price thing maybe?
968's are wonderful cars. Blunt and brutish and very weighty but on the first bend you'll be in love. The only car i've driven that rivals it for delicious balance is the esprit. Don't expect the drivetrain to tingle your spine though, they aren't about that. The 4 pot is beautifully smooth and efficient and well up to the task of a very fast road drive but you will love this car for its pure and foolproof handling, balance and old school mechanical feel. At its heart it's an old fashioned sideways hooligans car and can be driven so hard and with such wild abandon. I also happen to love the weighty feeling you get with rwd/front-engined/long-bonnet cars... its more stimulating on the senses than the more numb, rotaionally efficent feel from a mid engined car.Reliable well built cars but a few issues definitely need checking out when you buy... a car at a good price can easily need ~5k spending on it the moment you take posession so when thinking about prices trust those who have been through the process. I notice a recent thread suggesting that a 100% sorted CS should be ~12.5k but really that's not even close. Those bills quickly add up.
968 weak points:
cam chain/sprocket wear
gearbox pinion wear
caliper plate lift
belts
Premature cam chain & sprocket wear... porsche never specified a chain service interval ! Get the cam cover off to inspect if over 60k miles. If teeth are missing on the sprockets then you really have to replace both cams and the chain and tensioner pads etc... Cost will be ~1100+vat with new cams or a little bit less if you have your existing cams rebuilt (by RSBarn for instance). I would be inspecting it every ~20k miles after that and fitting a new chain to prevent any wear. Some people only replace just the offending cam (intake is usually worse) but you need to get the other cam properly measured to ensure that its not too badly worn. Hartech offer a service like this.
Brake caliper plate lift. Steel friction plates push upwards from bimetallic corrosion underneath and they trap the pads and cause poor braking performance. Eventually the caliper body will be eaten into and destroyed. Reportedly about 1 hour labour per corner just to fix, 150 per corner to completely refurbish calipers like new. Visual inspection can sometimes detect it (look for white deposits at underneth the metal plates) or try and remove pads and they won't come out.
Premature pinion bearing failure because of excessive pre-load. Reportedly from around 800 quid to fix. Listen for a distinct 'fighter jet' whooshing noise <80mph ... I am told that when you have this symptom you will know about it ! see: http://www.porsche968uk.co.uk/technical_tips/pinio...
Belts, ensure they have been done on time. Consider a thorough inspection when acquiring a car including the rollers. Most enthusiasts change them much more frequently (say every 30k or 2-3 yrs) than the suggested interval of 5 years or 48k, or 60k interval with the new upgraded 1993 belt. 5 hours labour.. works out at around 350+vat. Get the timing done by someone who knows what they are doing as well. The BHP output can vary wildly depending on what specialist you use !
Its obviously worth checking all the 968 suspension as well as they are old cars now and you want them to drive as good as you can get them. Castor mounts and bushes can require replacing as can front and rear dampers. Rear dampers more likely to go. Personally, as with any odl porsche, i'd be renewing the suspension if its never been done, preferably with something more modern and up to date. make sure you have the best 968 experience you can have because they are fantastic cars.
see my site for more info: www.jackals-forge.com/lotus/
Edited by jackal on Thursday 18th June 09:59
oh and about the power.... you cannot 'tune' a 968. You can supercharge them but that's a whole other conversation.
In fact very few cars make the claimed 240bhp and you might have to put consdierable work in to achieve that:
decoke head, injectors cleaned, valve guides, timing done carefully
So my advice .... don't go trotting off to the local rolling road with your mate in his 750bhp R-33 the day after you pick one up
I can say that a single mass flywheel is well worth it for a perfomance upgrade. The car spins up much faster and feels significantly swifter and more manic at the top end. Obviously a bit clattery/noisy though.
In fact very few cars make the claimed 240bhp and you might have to put consdierable work in to achieve that:
decoke head, injectors cleaned, valve guides, timing done carefully
So my advice .... don't go trotting off to the local rolling road with your mate in his 750bhp R-33 the day after you pick one up
I can say that a single mass flywheel is well worth it for a perfomance upgrade. The car spins up much faster and feels significantly swifter and more manic at the top end. Obviously a bit clattery/noisy though.
[quote=seancp]Iv been looking at getting a 944 for a little while now. However i saw an ad for a 968, and im really liking them. Iv never seen 1 before and know nothing about them. Which is strange because i spend hours a week trailing the classifieds looking for interesting cars i could afford to own and drive. Does anyone know of any common problems they have, and why are they not as popular as the 944. Just a price thing maybe?[/quote
I prefer the looks of the 968 and I very nearly bought one, but the ones I had a test ride in didn't feel all that fast compared to a 944T, and I don't think they handle a lot different to an equally fettled 944. As to the value of 968's it's usually people that own or are trying to sell one that will have optimistic opinions of their market value, putting aside the CS which is largely a sport with (hopefully) some nice hardback seats, £8k is where reasonable ones start, add £4.5k to sort out any possible issues and that seems near to £12.5k to me.
I prefer the looks of the 968 and I very nearly bought one, but the ones I had a test ride in didn't feel all that fast compared to a 944T, and I don't think they handle a lot different to an equally fettled 944. As to the value of 968's it's usually people that own or are trying to sell one that will have optimistic opinions of their market value, putting aside the CS which is largely a sport with (hopefully) some nice hardback seats, £8k is where reasonable ones start, add £4.5k to sort out any possible issues and that seems near to £12.5k to me.
blade7 said:
As to the value of 968's it's usually people that own or are trying to sell one that will have optimistic opinions of their market value
is that bit like when you wanted to buy my KW's but woudln't pay the 'optimistic market value' only to see them get sold to someone else ? 
jackal said:
blade7 said:
As to the value of 968's it's usually people that own or are trying to sell one that will have optimistic opinions of their market value
is that bit like when you wanted to buy my KW's but woudln't pay the 'optimistic market value' only to see them get sold to someone else ? 
And then you asked me if I knew where you could source another set ? Didn't mean to have a dig at you really, thought that was a good sum up of the 968 you posted. Re the KW's I've ordered a set now some retailers are discounting them a bit.This always raises animated discussion!
There is no doubt that a well-sorted 968 is better than a well sorted 944, the question is around value.
Does the difference in performance/driving between them make a good 968 worth twice that of a good 944?
No
the 968 will be 10-20% better, but the image/quality/style/rarity of them means that people are prepared to pay a bit more.
I have a friend that used to have a 968, now a 993 (via a 996), and is amazed how close my 951 is to the feel and drive of his 968
There is no doubt that a well-sorted 968 is better than a well sorted 944, the question is around value.
Does the difference in performance/driving between them make a good 968 worth twice that of a good 944?
No
the 968 will be 10-20% better, but the image/quality/style/rarity of them means that people are prepared to pay a bit more.
I have a friend that used to have a 968, now a 993 (via a 996), and is amazed how close my 951 is to the feel and drive of his 968
Guess if I was the owner of an S2 then I may at some point be tempted to look to "upgrade" to a 968 (though I actually prefer the styling of the 944 personally).
However, think I am far too addicted to booooost in my 951 to ever contemplate such a move myself
However, think I am far too addicted to booooost in my 951 to ever contemplate such a move myself
Edited by Jon951 on Thursday 18th June 14:58
Fat Albert said:
This always raises animated discussion!
There is no doubt that a well-sorted 968 is better than a well sorted 944,
If you mean 968 v S2 I would agree, 968 v turbo I wouldn't, the 968 would be a better everyday/city car maybe but that's not really where the cars shine is it ?.There is no doubt that a well-sorted 968 is better than a well sorted 944,
Gassing Station | Porsche General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff