944 maintenance costs

[944Turbo]

My turbo has varied between 5k and 25k miles a year biggest bill I have had was just over 1k, for a load of extra work on top of an annual service (gearbox reseal, 4x new cvj's, wheelbearings allround etc.) - it needs bodywork now which will probably be well into the thousands and some engine work so say 6k for both - this will put it back worth close to what I paid for it.

Unfortunately I am not going to sell it but it will be good for at least another 6 years. Gearbox might die in this time it has abuse - still be cheap motoring though.

I have done some work myself - headgasket / clutch / turbo replacement / upgrades / brakes which does help, they are relatively easy to work on - if a bit time consuming and sometimes awkward.

Tony

 

[Peter Empson]

ORIGINAL: sc0tty

The problem with this forum is you won't get a balanced opinion as most people on here service the cars themselves (thus making the car less desirable at sale time) and thus have no real understanding of running costs.

I thought the problem was this forum was that not all of us care about originality? [&:]

I have almost always paid for work to be done on my cars (simply didn't have the time and inclination), I am lucky to have a fantastic independent (RPM Technik) on my doorstep (who earned many extra browny points this morning by fitting me in with no notice to replace the droplink on Lux(ish) ready for a trackday later on this week []).

Recently I have been doing more maintenance myself and these really are pretty simple cars to work on that anyone could do it.

ORIGINAL: sc0tty

For example, belts service plus water pump plus cam chain tensioner and pad, plus rollers, pulleys, labour and vat is over £1000. Then add little jobs like starter motors, radiator fans thermoswitch, dinitrol and waxoyl treatments, new tyres, wheel refurbs, clutch, etc.  I have clearly spent a lot on mine to get it faultless, and I mean faultless. The car is perfect. You could of course just do as everyone on here suggest, run the old girl everyday and settle for a mediocre car, and do some cheap diy servicing if you want?

Anyway, do what you like.  

I still don't understand the costs you're mentioning, the belts are 30K or 3 years (if you want to play it safe), so we'll both change ours at the same time. The water pump is likely to be changed at the same time too.

I've never replaced a starter motor in 115K miles, I've done one clutch (orignal rubber centre gave way at 115k miles). One of the regular wear points I can think of is the ball joints, which are expensive if you buy new (on oval dash cars), but refurbished ones are much cheaper, and most people are likely to get 5-10 years out of them anyway). Tyres are less than most modern cars (can I ask what everyday car you run James?), wheel refurbishment is a couple of hundred pounds every decade or so...

 

[Alpine]

I don't think you can run these cars with one eye on fuel economy. I just fill it up and drive, I've never worked out the fuel economy, it would only upset me. My other car is a 3.2 Jag so the 944 is very economical by comparison. If you are worried about fuel, buy a diesel.

 

[tref]

It reminds me I must finish the LPG conversion!

 

[ChasR]

I did consider doing it to mine (I ran an LPG conversion outfit) but I'd make the car unsellable, and the 50 50 weight distribution makes tank fitting interesting (but not impossible). I reckon I could do it without losing bootspace (but I would lose the spare, but that goes for most conversions).

 

[lawsi]

I'm quite pleased with 20mpg![] It's an addiction to 3rd &4th & sussex tarmac... Tyres seem to be fastest consumables - last set of conti's lasted all of 5k - trying Yoko 452's next at a very reasonable £250 all round. I try not to think about the 1st year spanner bills for what checked out as a sound car- fingers crossed for 2010! Worth every penny though - depreciation on it's predecessor M3 make it look like a pauper.

 

[tref]

ORIGINAL: ChasR

I did consider doing it to mine (I ran an LPG conversion outfit) but I'd make the car unsellable, and the 50 50 weight distribution makes tank fitting interesting (but not impossible). I reckon I could do it without losing bootspace (but I would lose the spare, but that goes for most conversions).

I chose to loose 3/4 of the back seat, maintaining the 50/50 weight distribution, and fit the filler in the rear side window - with a spare inlet manifold I am aiming for the conversion to be fully reversible...

But I'd be interested in your experience... probably worth digging out my old LPG thread (or one of the others) rather than take this too far off topic!

 

[James_G]

ORIGINAL: Copperman05

I still dont think these are expensive cars to run, but it does show that you should be a little prudent and try and make sure you buy one thats recently had the belts and clutch done where possible. It wasnt that I purchased a car with poor service history, far from it, it was just that I purchased it when all these thing needed changing at the same time. I was also being cautious having the cam chain replaced.

Sensible advice but I wouldn't be put off by a car that's due a belt change - just factor it in to your negotiations. A belt change is a well known aspect of our cars and almost has a "fixed" cost.

Bodywork repairs on the other hand can remain very difficult to estimate at point of sale. Strip back some rust and before you know it you need a new sill. Likewise, if the suspension is tired you'll be looking at £600 in parts alone, before you've fitted it. And since you're there you may as well do the camber mounts and the bushes. £1000 fitted isn't unusual if you're paying somebody else. And Boge aren't making OEM 944 S2 shocks anymore (well that's the rumour anyway) so it's pukka Porsche ones only or the slipy upgrade path.

Purely for observation I get 30mpg out of my S2 pretty much all the time, although who knows how accurate the trip is????

 

[Diver944]

ORIGINAL: zcacogp

I know that Paul Smith keeps a similar log on PH as well, which is worth a look.

Oh, and an S2 can return more than 30mpg as well .... []

Oli.

Yep - here's mine:

http://pistonheads.com/members/showServiceHistory.asp?carId=6921

After nearly 12 years covering 94k miles it is averaging out at around £1100 a year. The first five years were adding about 15k miles a year, but now it is much lower since my job changed. It is definatley costing more to own now that it only averages about 5k a year.

 

[Copperman05]

ORIGINAL: James_G


Sensible advice but I wouldn't be put off by a car that's due a belt change - just factor it in to your negotiations. A belt change is a well known aspect of our cars and almost has a "fixed" cost.

Bodywork repairs on the other hand can remain very difficult to estimate at point of sale. Strip back some rust and before you know it you need a new sill. Likewise, if the suspension is tired you'll be looking at £600 in parts alone, before you've fitted it. And since you're there you may as well do the camber mounts and the bushes. £1000 fitted isn't unusual if you're paying somebody else. And Boge aren't making OEM 944 S2 shocks anymore (well that's the rumour anyway) so it's pukka Porsche ones only or the slipy upgrade path.

Very good points James, and I agree a prospective purchase should not be put of due to a belt change alone, but if it also needs a new clutch, gearbox change, chain chain, well you can see where I'm going...

Luckily the bodywork on mine seems very good and the car has recently benefited from a recent respray. As for the suspension I dont seem to be having any problems with mine, although I hear from others that once replaced/upgraded they say its the best upgrade theyve had on a 944.

Edd

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: James_G
And Boge aren't making OEM 944 S2 shocks anymore (well that's the rumour anyway)

Ouch. Hadn't heard that rumour ...


Oli.

 

[John Sims]

ORIGINAL: DavidL

ORIGINAL: GC8

ORIGINAL: Peter Empson

ORIGINAL: sc0tty
At 10k a year you will be spending a fortune on fuel, let alone wear and tear, servicing and maintenance. Good luck !!

...Sorry, but that's really not true in my experience...

+1. Absolute piffle.

+2 - use them daily they prefer it that way. Ok so not the most fuel efficient thing in the world but frankly who cares!
Most of the cars on here get used (with one notable exception it seems) and are all the better for it. Think of the depreciation you aren't having.

Ditto.

The other thing that becomes apparent when comparing my Turbo to my (relatively modern) X Type is, while the modern car may be more frugal, if you drive it gently, if you drive it like you stole it it drinks like a fish. The Turbo seldom gets driven gently but doesn't seem to need filing up any more or less than the Jaaaag.[]

You can spend spectacular amounts of money keeping 944's going and more so if you track or modify them. On the other hand you can have years (even with a modified car) where you spend almost nothing aside petrol and oil.

 

[Mike_Pollock]

I didnt buy my '83 to look at the cost of it.

I drive it 'til it needs fuel and fill it up.

I drive it 'til a noise is wrong and fix it.

I bought it as a hobby, one to enjoy, and as one of our number says " a hobby is something of which the true cost is not shared with ones significant other" or something similar.

I just made sure it was simple enough for me to do on the drive ( engine , gearbox, all shocks, trailing arm, bodywork from an off road excursion, wishbones front bushes etc)

It lives on the drive and I'll drive it to ASDA 1 mile away.

They are fun and hopefully everybody has their fun from them in whatever form it takes.

Mike