End of an era dawns.... another turbo for sale

[sawood12]

Well everyone, though i've been an strong advocate of mixing 944's with family it seems that events have caught up with me and I have now decided to sell my wonderful 944 turbo because I simply can't find the time to drive her enough due to the demands of a growing family on my time. The concept of doing track days, Nurburgring trips and interloping across Europe, which is what I originally bought her for, is just a pipe dream for the foreseeable future, and even though i'd rather commute to work in a 944 turbo than almost any other car, it's not really what the car was designed for, so it's about time I passed on the baton to someone who will be able to drive her and continue to look after her in the manner to which she's become accustomed.

I am not going to be actively advertising or trying to sell her until later on this year or early next year as she's up for a timing belt change at the end of the year, but I thought i'd let the word out on this forum just in case there is anyone, or a friend of anyone, considering a decent 944 turbo in the near future as i'd prefer her to go to someone off the forum. If anyone expresses a keen interest before I put the new belts on her I will reduce the asking price by £1000 as when I renew the belts she'll be due a service as well. The actual bill will come in a couple of hundred quid below this, but it will be saving me a bit of hassle as my Specialist is the other side of Nottingham, which means it is easier to get to Timbuktu on the back of a walrus - or even a walrus on my back. I'll also be taxing and MOT-ing her next month.

This is a real wrench for me and I still can't believe I am actually going to do it, especially since i'm not getting rid of her for something else as exciting as i'd originally envisaged, but i'll be getting rid of her to dip my toe into the very mundane world of people carrier ownership!! Something i'd vowed i'd never do, but with a 5-week old and the in-law's becoming more and more decrepid in their old age it looks like the extra 2 seats will be needed over the coming years. So Ford S-Max here I come[] - and maybe even a CARAVAN!!!!

She's a 1987 220 Turbo model, just shy of 125k miles young, has a full service history from new. There is also a ton of receipts and maintenance invoices so you'd be struggling to find a car with as good and complete history as this one. Condition wise, she is a peach. You'll struggle to find anything in as nice condition without going garage queen. Solid sills and wings, no dents, a few minor stone chips on the badge panel and tops of wings, which i'll get sorted, but generally as good as it can get. All the electrics work (well the sunroof will work after i've replaced the switch), and the A/C has been converted to 134a, just had a recent a/c radiator and dryer canister fitted and is fully functioning, has been pressure tested and works as well as any modern cars climate control. This car has been absolutely reliable in the time i've had her, and relatively cheap to run (mods excluded!), she's never let me down, i've carried out a fairly constant programme of pro-active maintenance on her replacing the usual bits and peices that are reported by others to be failing regularly. The fuel pipes have also been replaced with OEM ones.

Mods are well documented on the forum and summarised in my signature. I wont go into any more detail here or this post will end up three times longer than it is already. So that's that. I feel like a chapter of my life is coming to an end! And all that's left to do is to click the 'OK' button to submit this note (which i've been hovering over for the past 40 mins now)....

 

[pauljmcnulty]

And all that's left to do is to click the 'OK' button to submit this note (which i've been hovering over for the past 40 mins now)....

I could use my moderator's power here if you want.....[]

 

[sawood12]

Paul, thanks for the offer but please don't put temptation in my way. I might just fold.!

 

[Neil Haughey]

Life moves on as they say and its a car at the end of the day, nothing like as important as family so good luck for your future Scott.

 

[sawood12]

Cheers Neil, and your's too - was that you and your new wife I saw pictured in this month's PP? If so congratulations.

 

[Suffolk944]

Ah thats a real shame Scott - she is a cracking example of the breed. I know what a wrench the prospect of selling her is, I went through the same a while ago and decided I couldn't go through with it. Some lucky soul will be getting a lovely car.

 

[PSH]

Sorry to see this Scott... As a family man myself with a large family you do realise that the 944 can carry it's fair share . Ok it's no people carrier but young kids fit in it nicely for many years, hey even older ones do. I have 5 kids all grown up now of course with their own cars but there was a time when I adapted the middle hump with a seat and belt just so i could safely carry 3 in the back... hell i remember giving friends a lift home from clubbing with 5 adults in the car... was a tight fit in the back though and i had to open the roof for the middle guy's head. The rest were girls btw....[8D]

Hope you find a way around this Scott, even if you have to buy a second car... used MPV's are fairly cheap these days...[][]


Pete

 

[pauly]

Keep it in the garage on a limited mileage classic insurance policy.

 

[944 man]

I agree. Unless you need to sell the car to fund another, or if you simply can not store it, then consider keeping it.

 

[Diver944]

Sorry to hear this Scott as I know your car is a lovely example that you've looked after well. I've been through the same problems myelf as the family grew up with only a 944 to transport them around. They are now starting to fly the nest so pretty soon we'll not even need the rear seats at all.

Good luck with the sale, but may I suggest you actively try to sell her now while summer is still here, as over winter the market will dry right up (or is that your sneaky plan [] )

 

[Gordon Attar]

ORIGINAL: PSH


Sorry to see this Scott... As a family man myself with a large family you do realise that the 944 can carry it's fair share . Ok it's no people carrier but young kids fit in it nicely for many years, hey even older ones do.

Hope you find a way around this Scott, even if you have to buy a second car... used MPV's are fairly cheap these days...[][]
Pete

Pete my sentiments exactly. THe 944T is perfect for a small family and has plenty of boot room for buggies and the shopping

To put an objective slant on this, I purchased my 944T as a daily driver because I was fed up with the daily drive in a Citreon I also have a family MPV(Zafira) which is a '52' reg done 50 odd k its worth £2,500 on a good day the car has been v.reliable for past 6 years, so you can keep the Turbo and spend a few k on an MPV and by the way the MPV is meant to be for the wife.

So dont do it.........

 

[zcacogp]

Alas! Another bastion of 944 ownership bites the dust! That's not a happy post to have read, Scott. Very sorry to hear it.

All the best with selling it. You didn't put a price in the post, although I imagine it will be suitably high, on account of the TLC it's had over the years.


Oli.

 

[dlknight]

NOOOOO.... I hope you find some way to keep it but good luck whatever you decide.

Is there anyone in the family who could take care of the car for you?

Dave K.

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: dlknight

Is there anyone in the family who could take care of the car for you?

I'll take care of it for you!

(Please note, I would be slumming it. It's not quite as good as an S2 ... ) []


Oli.

 

[sawood12]

Oli, your enthusiasm and dedication to the S2 is a credit to you!!

Believe me, I have been mulling alsorts of options in my head about mixes of cars to allow me to keep the 944 and in my heart it is what I want to do. And now i've made up my mind evertime I driver her I'm appreciating her more and it is making my decision even more difficult to accept. However it is not so much of an issue of affordability now, but with two daughters and a wife it will be an issue of affordability in the future, especially when I want to buy a mod or two. I think the best thing for me to do is to cut and run and put up with a decade of being one of the minions who are not Porsche owners (how ever do they cope?!) and maybe in 10yrs time in true Arnie style "I'll be back...". I certainly hope so.

The main issue for me is that I wont be able to drive her as I want to. I don't see any point in having a garage queen as I'll derrive no pleasure of owning her unless I can driver her. If I can't find the time to driver her properly and regularly then i'll end up resenting her and every penny she costs me.

The car is essentially up for sale now, i'm in no rush to get rid, but I realise the summer is the best time to sell but i'd rather see her go to someone off the Forum. In terms of price, I havn't really decided yet, i've got an idea, but i'm not after a 'high' price as such in that i'm not looking to ask for a premium or anything, I'll be looking for a 'fair' price. It has been said many times on this forum to buget £1000 - £1500 for the first year of ownership for all those things you'll need to put right, but put it this way, if I was keeping her, apart from the timing belt (which i'm taking into account of in the asking price) I wouldn't be expecting to spend anything on her over the next 12 months. Granted i'd never tell anyone not to buget anything as there are always those unforseen things that can crop up, it is a 22yr old car afterall.

Also there are many hobbies i've given up over the past few years which i've got a hankering to get back into while i'm still young and fit enough and will be a bit more conducive to sharing with my kids as they grow, whereas the 944 will really be my hobby. So, i'll be targetting a well spec'd up, nearly new S-Max, keeping it for an age and, if I feel the need, maybe get a fiesty little hot hatch, like a Fiesta ST or break a rule and go French in the guise of a Clio 182 cup (or whatever the modern equivalent is) in a few years for some mild driving kicks when the Focus gives up the ghost. Basically i'll be weaning myself off cars.

Gut wrenching, but someone out there will end up with a corker of a car - one of the very best Porsche has ever made, and will enjoy her.

 

[Neil Haughey]

ORIGINAL: sawood12

Cheers Neil, and your's too - was that you and your new wife I saw pictured in this month's PP?  If so congratulations.

Yes that was us, cheers for noticing. It proves ppl really do read PP. Stephanie already had 3 kids in the past, they are more or less grown up now so no kids on the horizon for us.

I can only echo the others comments. I had a very tricky situation a few years back, I was made redundant about a month after a 5K garage bill. Really I should have sold up but instead I was convinced I couldn't loose the car having spent all that money as it would have meant giving it away. Luckily I managed to live off savings and the credit card for long enough to weather the storm. At this point in time a 944 turbo is never going to be worth less then it is now so mothballing the car a little should be doable. I have managed to go a year and only spend maybe £200 in maintaining the car but of course this is a rare event.

Estate cars also seem to be better buys then MPV's. I keep trawling autotrader as I need something similar to use next year as a tow car and will be leaving it as late as possible.

 

[nathan 1981 930 G50]

How much did you want for your car Scott?

 

[sawood12]

Neil, I know what you mean about estate cars and that was my first choice and are cheaper than the equivalent MPV, however the in-laws live locally and really help us out with the kids alot and as such we do go to places together quite often and with them getting too old to want to drive alot the extra 2 seats is what is really driving me down the route of an MPV.

Nathan - I will put an advert in the 'Members' for sale' section tomorrow.

 

[George Elliott]

Scott,
sorry to read this, sounds like you're mind is made up.
your 951 enthusiasm will be missed if it disappears
good luck either way,
George

 

[TTM]

Sorry to read this, Scott.

May I also suggest you keep it and use it as a practical car - will hopefully be less hard for the wife to swallow.

I dread the day I will find myself in a similar situation.