First Time Buyer

[924Srr27l]

Hi all,

I've been interested in the 944 since my Dad first started taking me to Porsche events and now I'm finally in the position to:
a) Afford a car
and
b) Get insured

So I wondered if I could get a bit of a discussion going on:

• Which model is the most enjoyable to drive and in terms of investment where is the market at, what is likely to appreciate most in the coming years (square dash vs oval dash), (turbos vs NAs) (S vs S2)?

Please help a young enthusiast out and any advice on things to look for would be welcomed!

I'd recommend a late 924S (160bhp) version, as they are rarer than S2, and 944 2.5's and hence they'll have more chance to hold more of your purchase price.
They are faster too, narrower, lighter although the nicer version is the Manual steering which I don't think you'll get in the later 160bhp models..

Something like this...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/it...p2047675.c100005.m1851


R

 

[Frenchy]

Luke, I know of a friends car for sale, Guards Red 87 944 Turbo, black leather sport seats and it is in lovely condition, it has been stored and only used occasionally over the last few years, it is too cheap at circa 14k.
If interested call Steve on 07967 349487 he will give you full details and send some good quality pictures.
If calling leave it until later on in the afternoon tomorrow as he will be attending a funeral.
He has a back issue hence the reason for sale, it's way better than most out there.

 

[Eldavo]

I’m a big fan of 944s but with your budget I wouldn’t buy one unless it really had to be one.

A 987 Boxster/Cayman S or a 996 would be where my cash would be heading.

If it must be a 944 then it must be an S2 or Turbo - everything else feels pedestrian next to a modern diesel never mind hot hatch or the like.

 

[944Turbo]

Comparing a 944 to a RS 2000 doesn't take into account the fanatical following the Ford has. Obviously the 944 is a better built car, but in my euro millions garage There would be several RS Fords and no 944's.

Whereas I would have no fords at all! (except maybe the one built by reliant) I guess you can thank the ford marketing dept. for the fanatical following, I almost put lotus cortina as well but I would rather have a lotus sunbeam.
The ford buyers just need educating
Tony

 

[924Srr27l]

Budget is maximum £20,000 but ideally looking around £10,000

That's a very wide budget ! as you've mentioned your younger than some of the members (heading towards if not already at the bus pass stage)
what's your intentions with such a classic car ?

Are you:
- looking for a totally standard car and you'll keep it this way 100% ?
- Have desires to modify and tune the car, change the wheels etc...?
- Would like to try track days etc.. ?

Answers to these main 3 questions will alter your budget...

R

 

[944Turbo]

the iris blue 968 may be snapped up and reappear at a mark up!

https://www.porscheclubgb.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1031199#1031385

Tony

 

[blade7]

Comparing a 944 to a RS 2000 doesn't take into account the fanatical following the Ford has. Obviously the 944 is a better built car, but in my euro millions garage There would be several RS Fords and no 944's.

Whereas I would have no fords at all! (except maybe the one built by reliant) I guess you can thank the ford marketing dept. for the fanatical following, I almost put lotus cortina as well but I would rather have a lotus sunbeam.
The ford buyers just need educating
Tony

I'd have a GT40 as well as a RS200. I had a lot of RS Fords in the 80's and while I think the prices are silly now, if I had more money than I could ever spend I'd probably buy a RS500 and a RS 2.8 turbo Capri. I'd modify and thrash them rather than polishing them though.

 

[blade7]

the iris blue 968 may be snapped up and reappear at a mark up!

https://www.porscheclubgb.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1031199#1031385

Tony

Someone may catch a cold if the cams and gearbox need attention.

 

[Dan944t]

Comparing a 944 to a RS 2000 doesn't take into account the fanatical following the Ford has. Obviously the 944 is a better built car, but in my euro millions garage There would be several RS Fords and no 944's.

Whereas I would have no fords at all! (except maybe the one built by reliant) I guess you can thank the ford marketing dept. for the fanatical following, I almost put lotus cortina as well but I would rather have a lotus sunbeam.
The ford buyers just need educating
Tony

I'd have a GT40 as well as a RS200. I had a lot of RS Fords in the 80's and while I think the prices are silly now, if I had more money than I could ever spend I'd probably buy a RS500 and a RS 2.8 turbo Capri. I'd modify and thrash them rather than polishing them though.

Im with you on this one! And a few other classics too, an intergralle evo hc , Fiat 126 all rallyed up wide arches , different rebuilt lump in the engibe bay, lust goes on and on!.......this is what I’d love to do when I retire but do up and thrash old beutifal classics that Ive always loved ??

 

[PSH]

but.. and this is the big point to consider, the RS 500 is slower than a standard 220 turbo and not half as pretty... just saying.... when talking GT40, I'd be a 917 chap....

 

[924Srr27l]

I’m a big fan of 944s but with your budget I wouldn’t buy one unless it really had to be one.
If it must be a 944 then it must be an S2 or Turbo - everything else feels pedestrian next to a modern diesel never mind hot hatch or the like.

Yep that what the OP said, he wants a 944 and he's young (And a new member) so let him go for what he desires as you and many others do, putting him off and suggesting Boxsters etc...is just not cricket ! or is members dreaming about and discussing lottery winning garages full of Fords !

R

 

[blade7]

but.. and this is the big point to consider, the RS 500 is slower than a standard 220 turbo and not half as pretty... just saying.... when talking GT40, I'd be a 917 chap....

You'd need a young boy and some jump leads, just to get in a 917 you old duffer .

 

[Dan944t]

I’m a big fan of 944s but with your budget I wouldn’t buy one unless it really had to be one.
If it must be a 944 then it must be an S2 or Turbo - everything else feels pedestrian next to a modern diesel never mind hot hatch or the like.

Yep that what the OP said, he wants a 944 and he's young (And a new member) so let him go for what he desires as you and many others do, putting him off and suggesting Boxsters etc...is just not cricket ! or is members dreaming about and discussing lottery winning garages full of Fords !

R

I agree with this ^^^

i was 17 when I decided to buy my first car which was a 1986 944 lux ( which I still have to this day stored up in a garage I’m now 38

only thing was back then there wasnt internet access available so I didn’t have this great forum of wealth to ask what not to buy!!!

So asling as you biy the very very best you can and look at the important things like service history/ belts water pump/sills ect you will have a car for life. ??

i learnt the very very hard way and now I have 2 944s my new one is a turbo that I’ve been bitten by the modyfying bug on but that was my choice and it gives me allot of buzz and joy but so did my non turbo ??

 

[lukegueli]

Just want to say thanks to everyone who has taken the time to comment and shared their experiences. This is a bigger response than I thought I'd get and it has really given me a lot to think about but please keep the comments coming!!

 

[lukegueli]

I’m a big fan of 944s but with your budget I wouldn’t buy one unless it really had to be one.
If it must be a 944 then it must be an S2 or Turbo - everything else feels pedestrian next to a modern diesel never mind hot hatch or the like.

Yep that what the OP said, he wants a 944 and he's young (And a new member) so let him go for what he desires as you and many others do, putting him off and suggesting Boxsters etc...is just not cricket ! or is members dreaming about and discussing lottery winning garages full of Fords !

R

I agree with this ^^^

i was 17 when I decided to buy my first car which was a 1986 944 lux ( which I still have to this day stored up in a garage I’m now 38

only thing was back then there wasnt internet access available so I didn’t have this great forum of wealth to ask what not to buy!!!

So asling as you biy the very very best you can and look at the important things like service history/ belts water pump/sills ect you will have a car for life. ??

i learnt the very very hard way and now I have 2 944s my new one is a turbo that I’ve been bitten by the modyfying bug on but that was my choice and it gives me allot of buzz and joy but so did my non turbo ??

I obviously appreciate everyones thoughts and I haven't even really considered getting something more modern but I'm definitely focussing on a 944 or 24 at the minute!

 

[lukegueli]

Budget is maximum £20,000 but ideally looking around £10,000

That's a very wide budget ! as you've mentioned your younger than some of the members (heading towards if not already at the bus pass stage)
what's your intentions with such a classic car ?

Are you:
- looking for a totally standard car and you'll keep it this way 100% ?
- Have desires to modify and tune the car, change the wheels etc...?
- Would like to try track days etc.. ?


Answers to these main 3 questions will alter your budget...

R

I am quite a purist so I would want to be looking for something as close to original as possible and then try my best to keep it that way!

 

[lukegueli]

Luke, I know of a friends car for sale, Guards Red 87 944 Turbo, black leather sport seats and it is in lovely condition, it has been stored and only used occasionally over the last few years, it is too cheap at circa 14k.
If interested call Steve on 07967 349487 he will give you full details and send some good quality pictures.
If calling leave it until later on in the afternoon tomorrow as he will be attending a funeral.
He has a back issue hence the reason for sale, it's way better than most out there.

I'll be sure to follow this up thank you!

 

[blade7]

If you didn't want a Turbo or S2 the next best thing would be a 2.7 944. Limited production run, and an easy uprate to a stealth 3.0 if you ever wanted more out of it.

 

[markrreid]

I can strongly recommend this 944 S2 []
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201906259371830?sort=distance&advertising-location=at_cars&year-from=1990&postcode=ky30bu&make=PORSCHE&model=944&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=New&price-from=500&radius=1500&page=1

i spent a lot of money getting it to this standard.
ive owned 911’s, Boxster and now the S2. I loved them all - theyre all great in different ways.
Just don’t buy one that needs work. You’ll never get your money back

good luck

 

[John Sims]

I’m a big fan of 944s but with your budget I wouldn’t buy one unless it really had to be one.

A 987 Boxster/Cayman S or a 996 would be where my cash would be heading.

If it must be a 944 then it must be an S2 or Turbo - everything else feels pedestrian next to a modern diesel never mind hot hatch or the like.

Full on the money again IMHO.

I accept that if you must have a 944 then you must have a 944 but things have moved on. When a lot of us bought our 944's 951's etc they were cheap performance with a lot of cheaply available upgrades. As a result I could supply Churchillian gestures to exotica I could never dream of owning.

Now, in comparison to newer cars this is no longer the case. 944's come from a time when sub 10 second 0-60 was quick. Today anything more than 6 seconds to 60 is unlikely to be deemed swift. If you are happy to move over when Audis, BMW's, slightly above shopping spec Fords, pretty much anything with GT or Turbo in the name produced in the last 5 years, even a good number of SUV's, are up your chuff on the dual carriageway then get a 944. If you are thinking of heroically leaving them in your wake those days are long gone.

I periodically thumb the pages "Classic & Sports Car" and am starting to think the name is a misnomer. Often featured are cars I would drool over (polite version) as a teenager. Now, when you read the Top Trumps type specs the common response is "How slow!?!?" Thus, what might have been deemed sporty "back in the day" is seldom especially impressive today.