Now, if you've already seen the 'Turbo' part of this advert and then taken a look at the price of £8995 and thought 'that's suspiciously cheap for an S2 Turbo' - you're right. An S2 Turbo should be more like £20,000.
So why isn't the seller asking for more money? Well, they explain in the ad that this 944 wasn't originally an S2 Turbo, but a standard S2 that had a 217bhp 2.5-litre Turbo engine from a first gen 944 swapped into it by a Porsche specialist in 2005. The car had done 140,000 miles by this point and the replacement engine had covered 60,000 miles. Hopefully, that's cleared up any confusion.
Compared with the 911, 944 prices haven't risen to the dizzying heights of its big brother. So, unlike one Joey Tribbiani plastered in Porsche-branded clothing to make people think he drove a Porsche, you could, in fact, afford to buy an actual Porsche.
The 944 is a fine driver's car because Porsche engineers managed to balance out the weight of the engine at the front with a rear transaxle to provide a near 50:50 weight distribution. The suspension set-up strikes a great balance between handling and comfort and there's even a fairly chunky sidewall, which means the 944 rides better than most modern sports cars.
It's even quite practical, with a large boot and rear seats that fold down to increase load capacity (which is good because you can't fit humans in them). The front seats are both supportive and very comfortable, so you can use the 944 for long distance drives without suffering chronic backache.
As with all Porsche variants, a full-service history from an expert is a must, and walk away from any car that hasn't been cared for. This one has evidence of lots of maintenance work, which is encouraging news for the new owner. The seller has mentioned some bubbles of rust and other minor flaws in the paintwork, but this is, after all, a car that has covered nearly 160,000 miles and is 27 years old, so it'll never be a concourse example; rather, a well looked after used car.
And this is perhaps the point of a used 944: it's a Porsche you can use and enjoy. On the one hand, it's practical and cushy enough to be used regularly, yet it's affordable enough that you won't mind parking it in a public car park. So get in there now, because the 944 is currently very cheap for a classic Porsche. Don't expect it to stay that way forever...
SPECIFICATION - PORSCHE 944
Engine: 2479cc, four-cylinder, turbo
Transmission: five-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (bhp): 220hp
Torque (lb ft): 243lb ft
MPG: 25 mpg
CO2:
First registered: 1991
Recorded mileage: 159,000miles
Price new: £42,718 (1991 Turbo)
Yours for: £8995
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