ORIGINAL: pauljmcnulty
Difference between S2 and turbo cab similar to differences between coupe s2 and turbo
Obviously, the turbo is betterand rarer.
Paul still awaits the first owner of an S2 who's unhappy with the driving experience, so chooses to modify it at tens of thousands of either pounds or man-hours, then sells it having never driven it much. [&:]
Turbo is better I can understand. Rarer is something I'm struggling with these days. With the numerous ways you can spend £20K I'd really fail to justify a 944 that will only hold it's value if you don't use it. £30K will buy you a DB9, albeit a scruffy one that you'd be happy to use daily. Rare cars are dirt-cheap, common cars, good ones, are available for less than the price of a 12K-mile service on a 944.
Got a client who bought a Bentley CGT for just over £30K last year. Ran it for a few thousand miles and sold it for what he paid. No costs other than the oil-change minimum service. Compared to what I've spent on my 944 I know who's laughing! [&o]
I will always upset people with my opinion that 944s are cheap cars, albeit hugely undervalued, and wasted if you're not putting at least a few thousand miles a year on them. They aren't a future-classic, there are too many other cars competing for that accolade, and cars are going to become so expensive to run that owning a "fun" car will appeal to a shrinking market. The up-side is that 944s will always be relatively easy to run, with spares so plentyful, but they will always be stuck between cheaper modern cars, and more "classic" older cars. 944s, and for that matter Boxsters and Caymans, will never hold a real "classic" value like a 911, despite being better value, and arguably better cars.
Rarer as in they made fewer, so if you want one you have to look harder for it, DB9s and CGT's are much more common! Arguably a 4 cylinder is never going to have the appeal of something with a V8,V12 or even a flat 6, but on the plus side running costs are less - this won't matter so much to those with a bigger budget.
There are owners who wish to modify their S2's (or s2 engined cars) usually it costs a lot more than a turbo for less return, so they get discouraged. Modifying a turbo can be cheap, at least initially! and the improvement is addictive and that is where the trouble can start.
I haven't modified the cab despite having some bits lying around that would fit quite nicely. I think mainly because of its rarity and original condition, also it still makes good boost and I am very happy with how it goes! On the other hand I am reasonably happy to use it and obviously adding miles will affect its value to most.
Tony
