First time driver looking to get a 944

[Carlosis]

Hello all,

I'm a 30 year old on the verge of finally getting my license and over the past few months I've simply groaned at the bog standard cars i see on the road and simply can't hack the possibility of getting some boring focus/polo type as my first. I recently saw my first 944 and instantly fell in love.

Now i'm well aware that setting my sights on a 944 is ambitious to say the least so wanted to stop in and get some honest opinions on if this is a viable route for me.

Aside from the actual cost of the car (looking to spend between 1.5-2.5k ideally) the insurance and general maintenance costs will be my biggest concern. I've no idea if i'd qualify for classic car insurance as this will be my main and only car, i'll opt for limited mileage though. I'd also like to have people chime in on the experience necessary to actually drive one of these, if i'll be wrapping it round a tree first day or if it's an easier car to control. I don't plan on ragging it about anyway as i'll be too scared of harming what will potentially be my second girlfriend.

I'm yet to specify which model is my preference as that will no doubt fall down to availability and budget.

All honest and brutal opinions and advice is welcome!

Thanks,

Carl.

 

[PSH]

hi Carl and welcome to the forum...you won't have any problems handling a 944, they are beautiful cars to drive and hold the road very well. To the best of my knowledge you won't be able to get classic car insurance if it's your only car, I've tried....also all 944's no matter which model come under group 20 ratings for insurance so they won't be cheap, especially for a new driver. Buy the best that you can afford, with good history, it doesn't need to be OPC stamped but a good independent would give better peace of mind. Check that belts and the parts associated with them are up to date, engines are pretty bullet proof if serviced correctly... rust is becoming a problem now, so check things like the sills, lower part of the wings etc. there are many threads on this forum that detail such things in more detail...

god luck

Pete

 

[OLD_ian]

Hi Carl

If it's your first car after getting your licence you may find that insurance on a 944 will cost you nearly as much as the car. When I got my UK license my first years insurance on the 944 was £1800ish I'd got 30 years driving experience overseas, but my previous foreign insurer wasn't helpful in providing records. Costs dropped rapidly, and is now quite cheap. You won't be able to get classic insurance until you've had a license for a few years.

re maintenance - will you do the work yourself? I don't have anywhere to work on a car and my mechanical skills are basic at best so I have to take mine to indy shops for maintenance. If you're going that route, you'll probably want to budget £1500/ year. Mine had considerably more than that spent on it in my first few years of ownership, but is now pretty good. As everyone says, buy the best one you can afford it really is cheaper in the long run.

don't want to scare you off as they're lovely to drive and own, but you're better off having a realistic view of the costs. They were expensive cars when new and running one isn't necessarily going to be cheap. If you can maintain it yourself, then the financial picture is a bit more rosy.

ian

ORIGINAL: Carlosis

Hello all,

I'm a 30 year old on the verge of finally getting my license and over the past few months I've simply groaned at the bog standard cars i see on the road and simply can't hack the possibility of getting some boring focus/polo type as my first. I recently saw my first 944 and instantly fell in love.

Now i'm well aware that setting my sights on a 944 is ambitious to say the least so wanted to stop in and get some honest opinions on if this is a viable route for me.

Aside from the actual cost of the car (looking to spend between 1.5-2.5k ideally) the insurance and general maintenance costs will be my biggest concern. I've no idea if i'd qualify for classic car insurance as this will be my main and only car, i'll opt for limited mileage though. I'd also like to have people chime in on the experience necessary to actually drive one of these, if i'll be wrapping it round a tree first day or if it's an easier car to control. I don't plan on ragging it about anyway as i'll be too scared of harming what will potentially be my second girlfriend.

I'm yet to specify which model is my preference as that will no doubt fall down to availability and budget.

All honest and brutal opinions and advice is welcome!

Thanks,

Carl.

 

[Craigybaby]

Mines my only car, 5000 miles pa, £147 a year for the insurance.

 

[Carlosis]

Thanks for the feedback so far. It's all really helpful. certainly a good quality base purchase will save me money over time so I will certainly be meticulous when sourcing the car. I plan on having a strong mechanically sound friend to accompany me to any viewings on top of researching what tell tale signs I should look out for myself. I doubt I'll be maintaining it myself, at least to begin with but I like to get hands on so will enter that world down the line I'm sure.

Insurance is the big one for me, if I can't avoid paying the cost of the car for just a years insurance it could put an end before I even begin. Craigybaby, what company are you with? I'll see if any company will allow me to start off on a classic car group.

Thanks!

 

[zcacogp]

Carl,

OK, I'm going to buck the trend here and say that you absolutely shouldn't be looking at buying a 944. If you are 30 and have yet to pass your test I'd guess you aren't really 'into' cars, non? Nothing at all wrong with that, but a 944 is not an easy car to drive. Both in simple terms (they have heavy controls and visibility is terrible) and in dynamic terms (they aren't a 1980's 911, but get it wrong on a slippery road and you need to have your wits about you to keep it together.) They can also cost quite a lot to run if you aren't into doing practical stuff yourself and can cost a fortune to insure.

If you are learning to drive then you need a Fiesta/Clio/Polo to make your mistakes in. Something that you can see out of, that is forgiving when you make your mistakes (which you will) and which is cheap to mend when you run into things (which you also will). A 944 will cost as much to insure as it does to buy, and will cost as much again to keep on the road for the first year. When you have driven a euro bimble-box for a couple of years, have some real life experience of the way driving works, have dented a few things and built up some no-claims bonus then come back on here and ask the same question again.

For now, you don't want a 944. But hold onto the dream.


Oli.

 

[944 man]

I agree completely. Buy now if you must, but keep it in your garage and work through the jobs that virtually all require. Insure it as a second car on a classic policy, and with laid up (no road cover) insurance whilst in your garage if need be.

I am as dyed in the wool a 944 enthusiast as you will find anywhere and have run Turbos as daily drivers in the early nineties and the present, and I know of what I speak - you don't want a 944 as your only car now if you are a novice driver and a novice 944 owner.

I have bought a diesel Rover to take over DD duties whilst my Turbo is being restored.

 

[Diver944]

A 944 of any ilk will feel very heavy with stiff controls and agricultural heavy steering if all you are used to is a modern FWD learner hatchback, so I would advise you to avoid a 944 until you have cut your teeth for a year or so.

My own son is 25 and passed his test 18 months ago and still pays nearly £900 to insure a Corsa in the first year. I would imagine you will be paying over £2000 to insure a 944 but please ring round and get some quotes first.

With your budget you will be looking at a less than average condition 2.5 N/A so I would budget at least £1500 a year running costs if you are paying a mechanic. Possibly more unless the bodywork is mint.

 

[PSH]

ORIGINAL: Craigybaby

Mines my only car, 5000 miles pa, £147 a year for the insurance.

that's interesting... mind me asking who with?

Pete

 

[Craigybaby]

RH classic, I've renewed twice so can't remember the original questions but they weren't in depth, don't think they even asked about my 924s lemans write off or red light offence (traffic)

 

[PSH]

Thanks for the info... I will look into it but suspect it needs to be a second car... reason for saying this is I was about to submit a request for a quote but noticed that in doing so I needed to tick a box stating that I was over 25 and that my car wasn't my main mode of transport. It does say to call if I can't meet this requirement so I'll give that a try tomorrow.

Cheers

Pete

 

[robdimond]

I bought my S2 when I was 29 and it was my first and only car, although I'd passed my test a while back.
Insurance was about £500 with Aviva back then... a lot cheaper now as a second car on a classic policy.

Managed to do it by getting a multicar policy with my wife and our Focus... quotes were £1500 otherwise.
BUT in my case I did not need a daily driver (cycled into work) and was prepared to do most of the work myself. It was off the road for weeks at a time while I did fuel lines, paid to get welding done etc.

I agree with the £1500 a year figure for maintenance if you aren't doing it yourself.

My advice would be to wait a couple of years, build up some no claims and preferably mechanical ability on something else. I know it's not what you want to hear! Use the time to look at a few and get a feel for what a really good one looks like vs a rusty shed...!

 

[Carlosis]

Thanks everyone, you all make valid points and I'm taking it all into account. I'm going to really weigh up the costs and once I confirm if it can be insured or not as my only car i'll make a definitive decision. I know the sensible route is to wait a few years which is what i'll probably end up doing. I'll still aim to test drive one at some point in the near future, just so I can say I've actually got in one. I'll come back once I've spoken to a couple of classic car insurance companies and report their decisions.

Damn you all for being so realistic haha.

 

[944 man]

If the question was: 'should I buy now?', then the answer would be a resounding yes. Its insuring and driving it as an only car with no experience and zero NCB that's the issue. Even one year will make a massive difference. A years trouble free driving and a years ownership will open the classic insurance door for any 30yr old, I am sure.

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: 944 man

If the question was: 'should I buy now?', then the answer would be a resounding yes. Its insuring and driving it as an only car with no experience and zero NCB that's the issue. Even one year will make a massive difference. A years trouble free driving and a years ownership will open the classic insurance door for any 30yr old, I am sure.

This is probably quite a good way of putting it actually. Prices are (I think) slowly going up so the car of your choice will be cheaper now than in a year or so's time, so you could think about buying one and keeping it somewhere for a while. However you will need to store it carefully and ensure it is driven every couple of months, otherwise you risk it deteriorating.

Of course there is then also the cost and insurance angle while it is off the road.


Oli.

 

[944 man]

My Turbo costs £150 per year. Garage cover is a fraction of that.

 

[Hallsy]

On the subject of insurance, my S is insured with Churchill for £175 per year, and my Turbo with Admiral for £210 per year - both fuly comp, not limited in use or mileage. I'm 32.

I do have a few years NCB though, so that will make a difference for the OP.

With regard it being a first car, yes it will be a bit awkward to drive, heavy, etc but other than the initial learner car, you won't have too much to compare it to - so maybe it's a case of not knowing any different? But I agree, being a true petrolhead or tinkerer is part of 944 ownership!!

 

[DC911SC]

I was the same with the only car situ and was with RH classic a while back.

On the American forums some of the "kids" kicking about and are only 16 and own 944s as first cars and then there are parents on with 911s buying their kids 944s as first cars! go figure! Different market there though!

You'd almost certainly be worth getting 6 months or a year driving under your belt first, very high chance of it catching you out in many situations!

I had driven for 2 years when I got my first 944 and was 20 - paid £850 for a tidy 1984 with fuchs and 80k miles in 2004 still dont know why I sold it.

 

[T3rra]

I got my first car a 944 S at 25. Probably cost 5k In 1st year. 3kcar brought from a mechanic. So you think it was pretty sound car and it was, 1k on insurance by putting my dad on it. 1k for belts and water pump, serivce. Then as I intended on keeping it for ever I spent that again and almost again. Respray and suspension etc. I think off my car as a hobby that helps to justify the cost, I do what work I can myself. After a hoilday one year and broken power steering mount, a dent in the door I was looking at another 1.5/2k to get the car back on the road, which I didn't have and ended up without transport for year till parting it out and used that to fund my turbo

Which is now £188 a year to insure with agreed valuation 13k. However my kangoo van is £480 worth 1.2k

Iv covered 50k miles in both my 944 28k in my S and 21k in the turbo. Turbo was a better buy and would have cost less then my S did to run for 1st year, but I learnt from S and 2 years ownership what to look for. My S was my only car and only used for social and I still put nearly 30k on it. I had a work van for work.

Relistlcy you need to be looking at these cars as 5k and not porch for fesita money. Would you still choose one at 5k? If you can't work on the car yourself even little jobs will be costly, there's plenty off P tax.

If you could work on it and buy a good car, you can maintain and run one for similar money for maybe a year or so.

Prangs and addicdents will happen. There hard to park and seem even harder for other to park next to them. A wing will cost £ 800 not even worth buying used due to rust. So by the time zones sorted the rust and painted a little knock can be 1k where's as it £250 in another car. If I knock or scratch my van it don't bother me but the 944 = cost, can't leave it forget. Iv seen plenty off 944 that look like they been maintained like there a fesita or family run around

But by all means do what's right for you. They can be investment but that more from light use and little miles, more you use it the more somethings going to wear or brake, at times it can feel like your driving a ticking time bomb.

Everyone was pretty much telling me I was mad or silly, but I don't regret it. If I had the money iv spent 25/30k would I buy something else? Probably would off saved it for a mortgage.

 

[robdimond]

Trying to be more positive. Only you can make the decision... get some quotes on insurance, look at a few cars and weigh up the options. You only live once, if you can afford it then why not.