944 S2 or...???

[PomBstard]

Have just come very close to buying a very good 944 S2. Only didn't cos I couldn't sell my car fast enough to raise the required $$, and the car was sold before I could get there. I never meant to even look at a 944 - was really looking for a Subaru Liberty/Legacy 3.0R-B or E46 325i - until I found I could get one for the same sort of money.

Now, decent S2s are hard to find over here - I only know of two others currently for sale - but what else should I look at? I now realise I'm not really bothered by new'ish stuff, particularly hot hatches so no Meganes or Clios please, just fancy something a bit different and with a bit more sense of fun/occasion. Others I've thought of include 635CSi, 3.0 406 Coupe, Forester Turbo. Have looked at an RX8 and am really not bothered by them, same goes for a Monaro - not that I can afford a decent V8 anyway. A 928 would be an obvious choice, but budget's too thin for a good'un.

Limitations? Rear seats as I need to carry children occasionally and not allowed child seats in the front here. Ah, but what's your budget, I hear you say. AU$20k - which is what a tidy 944 S2 costs.

[falkster]

Without trawling through the Oz autotrader it's hard to think what is available. I know anything European is a big premium so it might make sense to go jap or Oz.
What about something like a mid 80s lancer or starion?
If you could get an old lotus - elite, éclat or excel for your budget then go for it!!
Out of interest how much are S2s going for over there? Is a 968 coupe too much more money?

[BarnatosGhost]

13 grand for a 944 S2. Crumbs.

About 400% more than in the land of the new car poseur, Blighty.

British used car buyers are so lucky with this sort of thing.

[falkster]

BarnatosGhost said:

13 grand for a 944 S2. Crumbs.

About 400% more than in the land of the new car poseur, Blighty.

British used car buyers are so lucky with this sort of thing.

I bet it would cost less to get a good one sent over.
£4k for a good one (mates just bought one for less and it's good), I think it's about £1,000 shipping but then the reeming begins - they do the equivalent MOT then you have to pay import duty, duty of import, imduty port and something else that equates to the same thing - oh and change clocks to km.
All done I think it's about £7k.
I only know this because a friend went over and it was much cheaper to take his 911 then it was to buy an Oz version.

[PomBstard]

Thought of a 968 - but they're more than an S2. As for importing a car, just not worth it for a car of this price range - and then I've got a car that's tagged as an import, which means generally worth less when it comes to sell and sometimes harder to insure. Much simpler to go with an Aus-delivered car. And I've got three Porsche specialists within a 5-min drive of me.

Regardless, I've found an S2 and a 635CSi to look at on the weekend, but am generally struggling.

If anyone's interested in searching, Aus version of Auto Trader is www.carsales.com.au