Considering 944 as a weekend car: £1,500 Challenge

[Chunk49]

ORIGINAL: jwindwood

ORIGINAL: Chunk49



Jwindwood - thanks for the offer but I really like the look of the 944 much more than the 924. And then there's the whole 944 is a proper porsche and a 924 isn't etc. Out of interest though, why is the 924 cheaper to maintain?

The 924 is just as much a proper Porsche as any of the others-heck, it's the car that saved the company in the 1980s! The reason its so much cheaper to maintain is basically because of the many VW Audi components it uses and the simplicity of the design. For instance, a 944 cambelt etc can cost £300 to get changed. A 924 cambelt kit costs £30, takes about an hour to fit and if it breaks, it won't damage the engine as it's a non-interference engine.
Front suspension bottom wishbones-S2 944 use alloy at up to £400 a piece. The 924 uses steel VW Golf ones (Like the very early 944) that cost £15ish each. Need I go on? []

Ah I see - yes there is a MASSIVE difference in parts prices (ignoring labour which I may or may not be able to do myself).

Is the compromise/answer to go for an early 944? Would that achieve a compromise by getting the looks of the 944 (which I want) with the cheap parts of the 924?

At the moment my head (based on all the helpful advice I've been receiving) is saying go for a 924, but my heart still says 944! Out of interest, are there any other cars (not necessarily Porsche) that I should probably be considering too? the thing I like about the 944 is that it's a proper manly coupe not a slightly girly (in my opinion) MX5.

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: Chunk49
you all seem like really decent blokes

We're not - we're a bunch of gits who sometimes play nicely on a forum! [] (Apart from McNulters, who owns the forum and is kind enough to let us play here. And Edd - he's a copper, and my parole officer says I'm not allowed to be nasty to them any more!)

The prices of 944's vary, alot. Fat Albert got a real bargain with his turbo. Peter Empson got a complete bargain with his S. You should be able to buy a decent lux for £1500 in a private sale if you shop around and go to look at a number of them. Yes, you have a bit of a challenge on your hands but it's far from impossible, you just need to do the legwork. A good 924 for £1500 would be much easier, for sure, and be cheaper to run. But, as you said, the 944 is a bit more of a car to look at.

If you find one that looks like a real possibility then take someone who knows what they are looking at with you before you buy it - that could save you a lot of grief.

Whereabouts are you in London? You could do worse than drop in on Tower Porsche and talk to Jon. He may well know of someone local who would be thinking about selling, and that could be a good starting point.


Oli.

ETA: I would have bought an MX5 were it not for the fact that I needed four seats and a decent boot. They are really, really good cars and significantly cheaper to own than a 944. But they are more limited and a chunk slower than an S2 - which is what I ended up going for. Get over the girly image and they are really, really good cars. (I know I shouldn't say all this on a 944 forum, but I just have, so there! The mods can delete it if they want! [:'(] )

 

[Chunk49]

Cheers. I live in West London but work near Moorgate, so popping into Tower Porsche would definitely be doable.

Re the MX5 - it just doesn't look substantial enough for my liking (I'm not that bothered about speed) and I want the flexibility to be able to get 4 people in it if needed.

A trader who is registed on this forum called Elliot has also dropped me a line and seems to have an early Porsche 944 and is looking for £1700 for it - anyone bought from him before?

 

[Copperman05]

The MX5 is a good car and might be a better proposition as a first car over a 25 year old porsche, other options? Fiat coupe? BMW Z3?

Edd

 

[Chunk49]

ORIGINAL: Copperman05

The MX5 is a good car and might be a better proposition as a first car over a 25 year old porsche, other options? Fiat coupe? BMW Z3?

Edd

Yes I do realise I may be being a tad abitious here for my first car, but I am obsessed with Porsches and have wanted one for ages. I may have a look on the general forum over at pistonheads for ideas so to a potential alternative. However, given that I don't actually need a car at all, if I do buy a car, I want it to be one that I really want - and therefore I'm back to the 944...!

 

[Copperman05]

Needing a car for driving a to work everyday and owning a car for pleasure are different yet equally acceptable means of car ownership. I too dont really need a car to drive to work everyday, yet find there are other pleasures in owning and driving the car to various places both here and abroad which can be alot of fun. Owning the car then becomes more of a hobby than a necessity, an expensive one mind but a good hobby none the less...[]

Edd

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: Chunk49
A trader who is registed on this forum called Elliot has also dropped me a line and seems to have an early Porsche 944 and is looking for £1700 for it - anyone bought from him before?

Yes, Elliot is a well-known character on here. I think he more often sells parts than cars, but certainly seems to know his 944's.

I haven't had any dealings with him personally, but others speak well of him.


Oli.

 

[robdimond]

Chunk,

I live in west London (near Turnham Green tube) if you want to pop round and see my S2.
I normally don't keep it in London, but I'm bringing it up tomorrow en-route to Rutland.

Rob

 

[Chunk49]

ORIGINAL: robdimond

Chunk,

I live in west London (near Turnham Green tube) if you want to pop round and see my S2.
I normally don't keep it in London, but I'm bringing it up tomorrow en-route to Rutland.

Rob

That's really kind of you, cheers. I live close to Turnham Green too - I would love to come and see it! I think it may confirm the itch though... haha.

What time will you be around Turnham Green?

 

[robdimond]

Chunk,

PM in your inbox.

Rob

 

[Diver944]

ORIGINAL: Chunk49

A trader who is registed on this forum called Elliot has also dropped me a line and seems to have an early Porsche 944 and is looking for £1700 for it - anyone bought from him before?

Elliot has been on the forum and involved with the club for some time and has a very good reputation - he'll not sell you a duffer so it would be well worth a look

 

[Chunk49]

I have been calling classic car insurance companies re 944s, 924s and a couple of other cars that have been suggested to me on Pistonheads as alternatives (i.e. Jag XJ-S).

I am having an absolute 'mare.

Every company I have spoken to have quoted me ecstatic and then said - but we can't insure you as you're not 30 or we can't insure you because you haven't had your licence for at least 2 years. I only passed last year and this is my first car.

It seems I may need to revisit this whole decisions decisions dilemma in 2 years time unless someone knows of a classic insurer that will insure me!?.

Absolutely gutted.

 

[zcacogp]

How old are you and do you have any No Claims Bonus?

Talk to Edd- he has his S2 on a classic policy, and I seem to remember it was with Classicline. Although, as a point of reference, I called them up (having asked him for the number) and they declined to quote for me, stating my area was 'too high a risk'.

This was always going to be your problem; young drivers in RWD cars in London with little experience are never going to be looked favourably upon by insurance companies. There is a thread on here about insurance and quotes, but for reference I pay about £600 for an S2 kept on the road in E3, aged 36, more NCB than I can count on my fingers and limited to 8,000 miles a year. SDP & Class 1 business.


Oli.

 

[Chunk49]

ORIGINAL: zcacogp

How old are you and do you have any No Claims Bonus?

Talk to Edd- he has his S2 on a classic policy, and I seem to remember it was with Classicline. Although, as a point of reference, I called them up (having asked him for the number) and they declined to quote for me, stating my area was 'too high a risk'.

This was always going to be your problem; young drivers in RWD cars in London with little experience are never going to be looked favourably upon by insurance companies. There is a thread on here about insurance and quotes, but for reference I pay about £600 for an S2 kept on the road in E3, aged 36, more NCB than I can count on my fingers and limited to 8,000 miles a year. SDP & Class 1 business.


Oli.

It isn't the cost - as I said, they quoted me ecstatic e.g. £290 for 3,000 miles a year social use (that was a 3.6 litre Jag XJ-S that someone on Pistonheads recommended as an alternative to a 944). It's that they physically won't insure me - damn them!

They must realise that their particular stance on things will lead to lost business, but they obviously think it's worth it as generally it will mean their customer's in general have a lower risk profile. The silly part is that in September 2013, if I have still not owned a car, they will insure me for £290 a year on a rear wheel drive sports car, but in August 2013, they won't.

 

[Chunk49]

The alternative is to get a "normal" policy from Admiral for £2k. It's pretty much £2k whether I got the 944, a big Jag or a Fiesta.

Crazy.