How hard do you drive your 944?

[sbloxxy]

I've just bought a '88 944 2.5 to use as an everyday hack: its not pristine but its a tidy 90,000 mile car with a recent cam belt change and top end rebuild. My last few everyday cars have been a variety of much newer things such as a Golf GTi, an Astra and a particularly horrible Fiat Punto, all of which could be thrashed mercilessly day in and day out.
At the moment, I'm driving this one like an old lady, changing gear earlier than usual and generally being considerate of its age. So my question is, am I being too kind? Maybe I could push it a tad harder, bearing in mind its a quality sports car. So how does everyone else drive theirs? Am I being too sensitive?
I'm not a complete philistine - my weekend car is a Boxster S, which replaced a 964, which replaced a 944S2, which replaced a 944 2.5 etc etc.

 

[Fat Albert]

If I poodle into the station at 40 with the rest of the traffic she coughs and vibes and is completely unhappy, if I allow the old Girl to lift her skirts and stretch her legs at some point early in the journey she settles down nicely and is happy as Larry.

I had all my wheels rebalanced and my tyre pressures sorted yesterday, so I drove her home like I stole her!

Edit so say that mine is an '88 Turbo with a mere 203,000 miles on the clock, so just bedding in nicely

 

[zcacogp]

Briskly. With mechanical consideration (and never hard when cold), but briskly. Bordering on quite hard.

I know that if I break it I get to fix it, and pay for the parts, and also know that it is always kept in top-notch condition mechanically, and hence am not afraid of the rev limiter or throwing it around ...

It was built to drive hard.


Oli.

 

[appletonn]

ORIGINAL: zcacogp

Briskly. With mechanical consideration (and never hard when cold), but briskly. Bordering on quite hard.

I know that if I break it I get to fix it, and pay for the parts, and also know that it is always kept in top-notch condition mechanically, and hence am not afraid of the rev limiter or throwing it around ...

It was built to drive hard.


Oli.

...especially when Oli is trying (unsuccessfully) to keep up with a 944Turbo[]

or even a pesky Spanish diesel hatchback...

Runs & hides once more

 

[Fat Albert]

[][][]

Yes, keep on top of the fluids and make sure it is warmed through thoroughly before any thrashage, I also let mine tick over on the drive for a couple of minutes after hard driving, just to let the temperature stabilise and the turbo to spool down

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: appletonn

ORIGINAL: zcacogp

Briskly. With mechanical consideration (and never hard when cold), but briskly. Bordering on quite hard.

I know that if I break it I get to fix it, and pay for the parts, and also know that it is always kept in top-notch condition mechanically, and hence am not afraid of the rev limiter or throwing it around ...

It was built to drive hard.

...especially when Oli is trying (unsuccessfully) to keep up with a 944Turbo[]

or even a pesky Spanish diesel hatchback...

Runs & hides once more

Bastard.

Bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard

(And no, I don't give a toss about the swear filter. I hope that's broken it! [] )


Oli.

P.S. Bastard . There, another one for good measure.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

One thing, go easy on the clutch unless it's been changed. You'll have the original rubber-ventred one in all likelyhood, and that's going to be very brittle. So, no dumping it at 5000 revs from a standstill.

Other than that, I can't see how you'd be over-stressing a 944 on the UK roads unless you were being an absolute idiot. In fact, as I've said before, I think a Lux on little wheels is more fun at realistic speeds than my S2. Enjoy it, you owe it to the enginers who designed it so well. []

 

[zcacogp]

McNulters,

Here's one for you. How come a (very naughty) word like 'Bastard' is perfectly fine with the swear filter, and yet we aren't allowed to talk about s h a g-pile carpets? (They come out as shag-pile carpets.)


Oli.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

Here's one for you. How come a (very naughty) word like 'Bastard' is perfectly fine with the swear filter, and yet we aren't allowed to talk about s h a g-pile carpets? (They come out as ****-pile carpets.)

No idea!

There's no list of words that set it off that I've ever seen. And please don't try to compile one. [] [][]

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty
And please don't try to compile one. [] [][]

Spoilsport! That would have made for a great thread, all on it's own. It would have been relevant to the whole of the forum (not just 944's), and everyone could then have benefitted!


Oli.

 

[xenon]

I'd never dump the clutch on any car at 5000 rpm but once it was warm I drove my S2 like it was meant to be driven.

 

[Diver944]

Once warm then I tend to drive as hard as the road conditions will allow. I try not to hit the rev limiter as that slows you down and I never dump the clutch as that just costs you £££££'s [] This is always well within the limits of what the S2 can do and after 201,000 miles I don't intend to start 'babying' her now. The Turbo is impossible to drive hard on the road because there are too many Oli's in the way [] and someone would end up in hospital or in jail.

If they are maintained properly and have regular oil then these cars can take whatever you throw at them on the road.

 

[Hilux]

Bastard.

Bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard bastard

(And no, I don't give a toss about the swear filter. I hope that's broken it! [] )


Oli.

P.S. Bastard . There, another one for good measure.

`Scuse me [&o]

Please moderate.

At least put a few asterisks in so its assumed to be jovial.

It is a jovial comment I assume?

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: Hilux
`Scuse me [&o]

Please moderate.

At least put a few asterisks in so its assumed to be jovial.

It is a jovial comment I assume?

I'll jump in quickly and say that it was meant in a jovial manner, although that veritable bounder Nick Appleton deserves all he gets! [&:]

No offence meant. Apologies if offence is taken. I'll leave it to the mods to trim or remove my original post as they see fit if/when they see this thread.

(And the remark about Spanish diesel hatchbacks has no basis in fact whatsoever. At all. And never did. Clear? Good. I hope Nick has run fast and hidden well ... [])


Oli.

 

[944 man]

ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty

Here's one for you. How come a (very naughty) word like 'Bastard' is perfectly fine with the swear filter, and yet we aren't allowed to talk about s h a g-pile carpets? (They come out as ****-pile carpets.)

No idea!

There's no list of words that set it off that I've ever seen. And please don't try to compile one. []  [][]

Not to worry - I heard 2x 'bastard' and 1x 'arse' on Radio4 the other afternoon. That on top of a 'wanking' the night before.

Whatever is the fucking world coming to?

Disgusted of Sheffield.

 

[Neil Haughey]

TBH even the S2 is way to fast for public roads if really stretched, its still a 150 mph car remember. I think Paul is right in that the lux whilst looking like a dullard in terms of power, the power it does have can be deployed in a less life and license threatening manner that its more illustrious brethren.

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: Neil Haughey

... its still a 150 mph car remember.

The speedo on my S2 over-reads then, clearly ... []


Oli.

 

[DivineE]

Things I have learnt from driving all of my 944s hard over the years..

Do not:

a. Spin the wheels with one wheel on loose surface and the other on tarmac (the diff WILL fail)

b. Enter corners at great speed without checking the condition of your anti roll bars (if the front one has snapped at one end the front will dive and the back will pivot around it regardless of opposite lock applied - working car is very catchable)

c. Enter corners at 3 figure speeds without checking the alignment of your wheels (wheel alignment makes a big difference to the handling in a 944 because its naturally very neutral so set up can change its characteristics - which can cause brown trouser moments when enjoying spirited driving with a Caterham R500 a week or so after having new tires fitted)

d. Other than that abusing your 944 every day will result in a far longer service life than leaving it in the garage and only getting it out to drive it to a show once every 6 months. 944's love to be driven and are UNBELIEVABLY tough.

 

[Northern924]

I use mine not only as a daily commuter, but also takes me to gigs every weekend and is my only car, same as all my other front engined Porkas over the last 4 years.

If its in good mechanical condition which yours sounds to be, wait til its warm then take every chance you can to drive it without dropping beloew 3k revs []

Take note of whats been said already all the important info is there

• Clutch
• Alignment
• ARB's
• Belts (but they been done)
• Take it easy when its cold
• ENJOY!!

 

[vitesse]

Don't forget that 924S's are even faster 'cause they are lighter,more nimble & have less drag,particularly if one tweaks the AFM spring,fits Bosch superfour plugs & throttle cam to remove lost movement from the throttle.[]