944 turbo
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Discussion

Portmyster

Original Poster:

113 posts

214 months

Sunday 25th September 2011
quotequote all
http://www.lewisjamesporsche.co.uk/used-cars/267-p...

Has anyone seen this car and own a 944 turbo?
Are they a good modernday investment for a weekend toy for 2-3k miles per annum and will this type of car be reliable with the possibility to gain extra performance such as reducing the cars weight via deleting the back seats, changing the front seats to 968cs seats with tweeks to engine performance. I know it comes with Promax kit but are they other reliable mods for the car. A very good looking car in my opinion and a great entry porsche without going through the boxster route.

Appreciate comments as I will pop and have a look at the car over this comming week.

rallycross

13,763 posts

268 months

Sunday 25th September 2011
quotequote all
Looks to be a nice example

Fabulous old cars once they are given a bit extra power like this one, no need to worry about weight loss it will feel genuinely quick like this.

More than capable of giving you reliable regular use as well.


Portmyster

Original Poster:

113 posts

214 months

Sunday 25th September 2011
quotequote all
Thanks for the reply rallycross, from your experience of your 944 turbo and 968s are they as quick as the stats sugest i.e 250bhp = 6s top speed 150? if so the promax kit must certainly put that into mid 5's. My thought is the 944 similar to the 968cs but I cannot attain one of these yet and with a source of some seats and rear delete kit bring it in line with the feel of the cs.

Are the value of these cars now going to go up over time as the latter turbos are becoming rarer.

RichB

56,468 posts

315 months

Sunday 25th September 2011
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Personally I wouldn't bother ripping out seats etc. because they make them more of a usable weekend car. Yes, you'll find they are as quick as they claim to be. If you see what I mean.

p.s. Yes I think the value of these cars will stabilise and increase. Take a look at the sills and lower wheel arches. Bubbling will suggest they are corroding from the inside out.

Fat Albert

1,462 posts

212 months

Sunday 25th September 2011
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I have run one for 2.5 years/24,000 miles and love it.
I am at the opposite end of the price range as mine looks cosmetically challenged and has 218,000 miles on it!
That is top money for that mileage, so it had better be a good one! Try a few as they do vary in quality

They are eminently tunable, there are a couple of guys in the PCGB forum running 300-400BHP (please join, you don't need to be a PCGB member) Due to the mileage I have just left mine with a Promax Boost enhancer that removes a lot of the lag.

It is still a good car that stands out and keeps good account of itself in modern traffic

thegoose

8,077 posts

241 months

Sunday 25th September 2011
quotequote all
Properly sorted they are very quick. A friend got one last year and has had the head rebuilt (new valve guides etc - circa £1500) followed by a visit to Chip Wizards (circa £350), where it was tuned specifically for usable extra power (i.e. not just maximum).

It's around 290 genuine bhp but torque AFAIR is 450Nm and lots of it from very low down the rev range. It had no trouble getting to 250km/h on a Euro trip and would've gone a bit faster with a bit more road.

Jon951

257 posts

218 months

Sunday 25th September 2011
quotequote all
Yes they are properly quick when even mildly tweaked which the example here has been. Their real through the gears performance strength is in the mid range. Mines now running comfortably north of 300bhp and it really flies when you call on the boost - the 290 claimed on teh cxar you are planning on looking at will still be rapid.

The modifications at that sort of level will not affect reliability at all and not only increasde power but lesen lag (though still dont expect it to be anything but 80's style lag which is half the fun imho). Top condition/well modified examples will hold their value and may over time increase in value a little but dont hold your breath waiting for major increases...

If the suspension/geometry are as intended they are also superb handling cars. Woudl echo other in suggesting that you register with the PCGB forum where the 944 section is a vibrant mine of information and support for these great cars.

blade7

11,311 posts

247 months

Monday 26th September 2011
quotequote all
Portmyster said:
http://www.lewisjamesporsche.co.uk/used-cars/267-p...

Has anyone seen this car and own a 944 turbo?
I think someone on one of the forums made a long trip to see that car and wasn't impressed, one of the owners at Promax has a turbo for sale.

james S

1,620 posts

276 months

Monday 26th September 2011
quotequote all
I wouldn't go mad on the interior. the rear shelf is 15kg and you can just pop it out when you want to.

Taking our the main rear seats is messy and just not worth on for weight saving as they are light.

The front seats weigh about 22k each, so if you are happy to lose the electrics you can alter these, but remember the seat belt 'clip' is integral so you have to refit elsewhere or move to harnesss.

BillyB

1,436 posts

289 months

Monday 26th September 2011
quotequote all
Great cars. Feel genuinely quick. But unless you do a fair bit of spannering yourself they are not cheap to run. Bear in mind a 944 Turbo was more expensive than a 911 at the time. If you are handy with a spanner a lot of work can be done yourself however.

If I were buying one again I'd look for one with:

- no rust on wheel arches and sills (most are rusting here)
- recent belts (£500 job)
- refreshed suspension (as they need it by now)
- new fuel lines (they all need doing around now)
- recent clutch (~£1000 job on a Turbo due to having to remove the turbo crossover pipe and wastegate)
- Usual mods - boost enhancer etc

Portmyster

Original Poster:

113 posts

214 months

Monday 26th September 2011
quotequote all
Thanks all for input, I will firstly join the forum tonight and then start some research regarding these cars. It sounds like a sound investment i.e money should be retained a few years down the line, then go down this week to have a look at the one in the garage. I like the colour and the wheels&brake callipers seem to be uprated and refresh the look of these cars.

I have seen a larger turbo conversion for this with intercooler upgrade has anyone done this.

BillyB

1,436 posts

289 months

Monday 26th September 2011
quotequote all
If you are looking for any kind of "sound investment" I would go for / keep it fairly standard. You never see your money back with mods and if these cars ever appreciate (which is many years off IMO) standard will be best.

RichB

56,468 posts

315 months

Monday 26th September 2011
quotequote all
Portmyster said:
I have seen a larger turbo conversion for this with intercooler upgrade has anyone done this.
Out of interest can I ask why you are labouring the performance upgrade path before you have sampled the car, perhaps better to buy a car live with it for a while and then consider what you want to improve; brakes, suspension, tyres, performance...

Portmyster

Original Poster:

113 posts

214 months

Monday 26th September 2011
quotequote all
Yes Rich,

Just like to be aware of modifications if there are any for future ref; if there was none it would not put out me off a car just nice to know of any mods for any car. Still will pop down and have a look at the car and check for mentioned areas.

RichB

56,468 posts

315 months

Monday 26th September 2011
quotequote all
Portmyster said:
...check for mentioned areas.
Bubbling of the sills behind the front wheel and ahead of the rear wheel.

evoboy69

51 posts

227 months

Monday 26th September 2011
quotequote all
I have an S2 and I absolutely love it!

Just don’t expect running a 944 to be cheap...

Fat Albert

1,462 posts

212 months

Monday 26th September 2011
quotequote all
If you look at whole-life costs they are good value compared to a lot of cars, compared to my old SAAB 93 my tyres are £1 more expensive, my brakes a fraction of the price, my tax is the same and my insurance half.
My servicing is about the same and my depreciation is considerably less....oh and it is 10x the fun and pride of ownership!