Daily driver?

[944fla]

ORIGINAL: dozzer

So lets say I bought a decent looked after 944 privately. I'm sure some of you guys must use yours as a daily driver? It might not be the brightest move just fancy something different. Lots of experience with 911's but not the 944 so thought I would ask the collective before I have a look at one or two []

For me 6 years ago with my first it was a no brainer..It was what I always wanted, even sold my brand new Seat Leon Cupra ..People thought I was mad buying a nearly 20 yr old car, but I had to have one,and a daily driver at that.Buy a decent one, budget per year and as we say over here "keep her lit"[]
Variety is the spice of life, You know it makes sense...Go for it!! I know a good one for sale in Ireland

 

[Veerzigzag]

and they always had some small niggle or other which needed attention

That is exactly my experience with 911 vs 944: in the 944 basically everything works and for example my only current outstanding job is to follow the master's (aka Paul McN) instructions and take off the wheel arch covers to clean and de-rust what lies behind.
Yes the air-cooled flat-6 noise is wonderful, but my 944 has a nice rasp to the exhaust between 3k and 4k revs that adds greatly to the experience.

 

[Mike_Pollock]

I don't use mine daily - van for work - but it lives outside, has done 270K, gets used 2-3 times a week at least, around 3K a year.

In 6 years of 944ing I have had one trip home by AA (split fuel pipe) and one broken injector wire which caused an hours head scratching (thanks Tony!). I have had many happy hours tinkering as well as driving. I do have other cars (our Galaxy did 998 miles in 15 months between MOTs - oops!)
so I dont HAVE to have it running, but it always does!

 

[supersport]

ORIGINAL: Veerzigzag

and they always had some small niggle or other which needed attention

That is exactly my experience with 911 vs 944: in the 944 basically everything works and for example my only current outstanding job is to follow the master's (aka Paul McN) instructions and take off the wheel arch covers to clean and de-rust what lies behind.
Yes the air-cooled flat-6 noise is wonderful, but my 944 has a nice rasp to the exhaust between 3k and 4k revs that adds greatly to the experience.

I wouldn't agree with that, both my 911 and 944 are 1987 cars and they are completely different beasts, if it wasn't for the amazing quality and reliability you could almost believe they were built by different people.

Opening the door of the 911 and turning the key just pleases so many senses; smell, hearing, touch and it is just so right and a joy to drive. Just watch the Peter Bradley video, he just says it so well and puts that sense into words.

The 944 doesn't evoke the same feelings in me. Carol feels differently, and the 944 is still a joy to own and drive. Recently I felt it was starting to feel its age, but a track day and driving there and back soon got rid of that madness. They are fantastic cars and so easy to drive, you just get the sense that it would keep going if it only had one wheel and one piston left, but too me its not a 911.

 

[Lowtimer]

ORIGINAL: supersport

I wouldn't agree with that, both my 911 and 944 are 1987 cars and they are completely different beasts, if it wasn't for the amazing quality and reliability you could almost believe they were built by different people.

Nerdy factoid #1: They were built by different people. Your 911 was built at Zuffenhausen, whereas your 944 was built at the Audi factory at Neckarsulm (originally the NSU works).

I believe a few *very* late 944s were built at Zuffenhausen and they built the 968 there, but not the 924 or the944 in general.

Nerdy factoid #2 - car maker NSU, which later merged with Auto Union to form Audi) took its name from the town where it operated, Neckarsulm i.e. NeckarSUlm

 

[BlackMagic]

I would fully endorse all those who say that a 944 is a daily driver.

My S2 cabrio (which I have owned since 1993) does 150 miles a day and is currently at 260,000. She is always reliable, safe in the wet, comfortable and not too expensive (is a sportscar sort of way). 28-30mpg for commuting (less when enjoying the drive) and a service every 6 months.

Yes the running cost is a bit higher than a euro box but the depreciation is zero.

In fact she is so good that she is being beautified by Daytona at the moment in the hope of another 20 years and 250,000 miles of motoring.

William

 

[Veerzigzag]

currently at 260,000

Great to hear about these "lunar craft" (the moon is 238,900 miles from earth). Fun on the way out, fun all the the way back!
Glad to hear you are investing in a restoration: unlikely to be commercially valid, but when you are in love, does that matter?

 

[dozzer]

As an update I'm about 70% with a possible purchase... You guys have a lot to answer for [] if it doesn't work out no worries (no rush) just keep looking until it happens.

 

[eddieedmo]

will it involve a drop of the black stuff ?

Nick []

 

[Diver944]

944s are perfect daily drivers. Mine is used every day come rain or shine and has racked up to 210,000 miles in the 14 years I've owned her. She has only let me down once with a failure to start one morning but luckily it was the classic DME relay failure which we all know about and keep a spare in the glovebox.

She did 20k a year in the first few years but I now work less than 5 minutes away from home so she only did 6k between the last two MOT's (passed today by the way [] )An average year now costs circa £1500 in maintenance, but this year will be closer to £3000 with a head refresh, head gasket,engine mounts, pedal box, water pump, belts, etc.

Just get one and enjoy []

 

[ChasR]

I used my S2 as a daily for some time (almost a year). The fuel consumption was not too horrific comparably speaking (a Ford Ka I had a while before that (relatively new as well!) used to average barely any more on a motorway run, especially one done at 65-70MPH).

For me the 944s strike the balance right. They are relatively easy to drive and are great cruisers with them being back road pleasers as well. OK the gearing of the Turbos may be a little annoying in town but they are still more than capable of keeping up with modern traffic.

 

[George Elliott]

e and has racked up to 210,000 miles

I had an EOSTI (early off-set turbo itch), recently, it resulted in a low mileage 1985 turbo scratch, only 199k miles []

lovely old thing

George
944t

 

[Copperman05]

My car is also a daily drive, track car and only car averaging about 11,000 miles year, a role it handles pretty well for a 25 year old car. I'm also of the opinion that a well used 944 with frequent heat cycles through winter keeps moisture at bay and helps prevent rust in the sills and other areas. Having said that good winter prep and frequent cleaning is essential to reduce corrosion during the winter months, but when carried out they are surprisingly robust.

Des I think you will find the 944 a decent performer, as a daily I would suggest one of the n/a models especially the S2, whilst it doesn't quite have the pace of the later turbo models its probably easier to live with on a day to day basis, its still lots of fun too.



Edd