Advice for a 944 virgin
Discussion
As a boy the 944 was my dream car and at 31 i have finally decided to get one. I would like the s2. I would appreciate some advice what to look for when buying one and are they expensive to repair compared to bmw audi ect. As i use my van to go to and from work i would not need to do more than 3-4 k. Would i be able to purchase a good one for 5-6k and are they reliable cars. i dont mind spending a couple of hundred a month if i have to but dont want to spend thousands at once. any advice will be greatly appreciated. I am looking forward to purchasing my first 944.
Theres plenty of independent specialists which will do an 'AA' type inspection, if you buy a copy of 911 and Porsche world magazine from your local newsagents theres plenty in there.
Not sure how much they charge, but as well as this there are plenty of ads.
PCGB (Porsche Club GB) have an ads page and would probably a good place to look.
Make sure you buy one with good and full if you can service history (i.e cambelts changed - money spent in the right places etc etc).
I would never buy a porsche without this!! Unlike the idiot on Wheeler Dealers the other night.
Make sure all electrics work, inc sunroof windows mirrors and pop headlights, being a Porsche this all costs big money if it goes wrong.
Other than that theres lots of fellow owners here that are willing to help.
Happy hunting
LD
Not sure how much they charge, but as well as this there are plenty of ads.
PCGB (Porsche Club GB) have an ads page and would probably a good place to look.
Make sure you buy one with good and full if you can service history (i.e cambelts changed - money spent in the right places etc etc).
I would never buy a porsche without this!! Unlike the idiot on Wheeler Dealers the other night.
Make sure all electrics work, inc sunroof windows mirrors and pop headlights, being a Porsche this all costs big money if it goes wrong.
Other than that theres lots of fellow owners here that are willing to help.
Happy hunting
LD
What good taste you have! 
If you take a look at my car's profile it should give you some idea of the costs involved in a running an S2. Budget about £1k per year for maintenance and you shouldn't have a problem 
The main costs in running an S2 are replacing the cambelt/rollers etc and the cam chain + tensioner. The exhaust cam is driven by a single pulley on the cambelt, with the inlet cam driven by a linking chain. It's not an official service check, but seems to be an achilies heel - so make sure the one you get has had this maintained properly!
Good luck!
If you take a look at my car's profile it should give you some idea of the costs involved in a running an S2. Budget about £1k per year for maintenance and you shouldn't have a problem The main costs in running an S2 are replacing the cambelt/rollers etc and the cam chain + tensioner. The exhaust cam is driven by a single pulley on the cambelt, with the inlet cam driven by a linking chain. It's not an official service check, but seems to be an achilies heel - so make sure the one you get has had this maintained properly! Good luck!
i have only been looking in autotrader at moment and there is not that many decent ones in scotland. i dont want a turbo or a 2.5 or 2.7 as i have heard many good things about the 3l s2. i am happy to spend 1k a year and i have a great mechanic and he is honest as day is long so he will do all nessesary work for a decent price. Its about time i treated myself to something I want. There is some nice s2s in autortader and most are down south. (im from glasgow) so i will have a look at local ones for a while and get an idea what im after. I wont make the mistake of buying first one i see. And i want a black one unless im beign too fussy. thanks for the advice and i will be on this site every day to learn about what i should be doing. One other thing what belts do i need to check has been fitted recently?
Apart from the engine here are some things you should make sure of before buying :
- brakes ; calipers can be a problem if the pad guides go out of shape (because of heat)
- on high milers the steering rack and control arms will have their best days behind them ; both are expensive to replace.
- beware of noisy transmissions that may be caused by gearbox or torque tube bearings needing replacement. They're cheap parts but are a lot of hassle to replace so ££££.
>> Edited by Thom on Friday 9th September 06:05
- brakes ; calipers can be a problem if the pad guides go out of shape (because of heat)
- on high milers the steering rack and control arms will have their best days behind them ; both are expensive to replace.
- beware of noisy transmissions that may be caused by gearbox or torque tube bearings needing replacement. They're cheap parts but are a lot of hassle to replace so ££££.
>> Edited by Thom on Friday 9th September 06:05
brankster said:I think the power could best be described as 'adequate' and makes for very relaxed driving
nice car aj. Im really excited about the prospect of owning my own porsche. What is the power like. Is it good to drive and the classic shape will always look class. Whats the best part of driving or owning a 944s2
It may not have the kick of the turbo, but the nice smooth torque curve is good in a road car and above 4K RPM it goes really rather well! It's a very nice car to drive and comfortable too. Mine has the sports seats, which probably help quite a bit You certainly won't regret buying one - great value, good quality sports GT. They don't make them like this anymore!
Absolutely wonderful cars. I have owned two. The latter I bought as a damaged repairable from a scrap site.
I wouldn't hesitate in owning another one. They are pretty much bombproof as long as well serviced.
Have a look on www.clarks-garage.com
I wouldn't hesitate in owning another one. They are pretty much bombproof as long as well serviced.
Have a look on www.clarks-garage.com
Fabulous cars, get a good one and you will never regret it.
One word of caution though, you might struggle to get a really nice one for your budget, and you might be better off getting a top-notch lux or S for around £4k, and keeping the rest for insurance, first service, a cambelt change, and a bit of backup fund for sorting any niggles.
As with most older cars, buy the best you can afford, it will be cheaper in the long run. Good luck and happy hunting!
One word of caution though, you might struggle to get a really nice one for your budget, and you might be better off getting a top-notch lux or S for around £4k, and keeping the rest for insurance, first service, a cambelt change, and a bit of backup fund for sorting any niggles.
As with most older cars, buy the best you can afford, it will be cheaper in the long run. Good luck and happy hunting!
As mentioned here - and very important - when you get one checked out make sure it is not JUST the belts that have been changed.
When I had an S2 I religiously checked all belts had been changed at the correct intervals and at service time made sure all were checked. A sudden loss of power one day turned out to be a broken tooth on the cam, caused by wear in the cam CHAIN. This cost £1500 to replace both cams, chain and tensioner and I was so lucky the chain just jumped a tooth and didn't snap/wreck the engine.
Other than that she was a little beauty....
Get any potential purchase checked by a good independant. In my experience OPC's are a little out of touch with 944 models. Any findings can help your negotiations on price.
When I had an S2 I religiously checked all belts had been changed at the correct intervals and at service time made sure all were checked. A sudden loss of power one day turned out to be a broken tooth on the cam, caused by wear in the cam CHAIN. This cost £1500 to replace both cams, chain and tensioner and I was so lucky the chain just jumped a tooth and didn't snap/wreck the engine.
Other than that she was a little beauty....
Get any potential purchase checked by a good independant. In my experience OPC's are a little out of touch with 944 models. Any findings can help your negotiations on price.
I've had good luck with a 944 I bought with 135,000 miles on it. I've driven it hard, spent some preventative maintenance money on the water pump and timing belts, all hoses, new rubber, and that's about it. They're built tough but they need someone to watch over the maintenance schedule. Get one owned by an adult, and not some kid trying to own one on the cheap.
Check this link for lots of good info too
www.network54.com/Forum/426130
regards, Dogsharks
Check this link for lots of good info too
www.network54.com/Forum/426130
regards, Dogsharks
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