general use of a 944
- Thread starter RJones
- Start date
Becky,
Welcome.
I had a similar dilemma to you before I bought my 944, around 4 years ago. I only run one car, so it needed to be suitable as a daily driver - used for all things. I contemplated a number of cars, and the 944 fitted the bill.
It seats two people easily, and the rear seats will fit another two for short journeys (or slightly longer journeys if they are small people), although access is a little restricted. The boot is practical and a good size. Putting the rear seat down makes it (a bit) bigger still and if maintained they are reliable cars. They aren't *that* great to drive around town as they are a little larger than you may think, but that hasn't stopped me owning one in central London. The controls are heavy compared with modern cars but you only notice them when you drive a modern car and a 944 back-to-back. Visibility is poor, but you get used to that.
The upside is that they are really, really great to drive in almost all conditions. They make great long-distance cruisers and are very comfortable for hours at a time.
I bought my S2 just under four years ago and have done nearly 40,000 miles in that time. The only time it let me down was when I left the headlights on and the battery was flat. It has averaged about 27mpg in that time (alot of that in heavy traffic), and I have seen over double the UK speed limit on the clock. Maintenance can be expensive unless you do it yourself or find a good independant expert, both of which are strongly recommended. I can't imagine what I would ever change my car for, or what else could combine practicality with enjoyment as well for the price I paid. (I took my car into a bodyshop this morning to have some very minor damage repaired, and have a Mk5 Golf as a courtesy car. Having driven it all of 5 miles I am staggered at how I could ever have considered buying one instead of the 944 - it was on the original list of possible purchases.)
Do ask if you have more questions, but you will find a number of people on here who have similar stories to tell.
Oli.
P.S. I suspect you mean prospective owner!
Welcome.
I had a similar dilemma to you before I bought my 944, around 4 years ago. I only run one car, so it needed to be suitable as a daily driver - used for all things. I contemplated a number of cars, and the 944 fitted the bill.
It seats two people easily, and the rear seats will fit another two for short journeys (or slightly longer journeys if they are small people), although access is a little restricted. The boot is practical and a good size. Putting the rear seat down makes it (a bit) bigger still and if maintained they are reliable cars. They aren't *that* great to drive around town as they are a little larger than you may think, but that hasn't stopped me owning one in central London. The controls are heavy compared with modern cars but you only notice them when you drive a modern car and a 944 back-to-back. Visibility is poor, but you get used to that.
The upside is that they are really, really great to drive in almost all conditions. They make great long-distance cruisers and are very comfortable for hours at a time.
I bought my S2 just under four years ago and have done nearly 40,000 miles in that time. The only time it let me down was when I left the headlights on and the battery was flat. It has averaged about 27mpg in that time (alot of that in heavy traffic), and I have seen over double the UK speed limit on the clock. Maintenance can be expensive unless you do it yourself or find a good independant expert, both of which are strongly recommended. I can't imagine what I would ever change my car for, or what else could combine practicality with enjoyment as well for the price I paid. (I took my car into a bodyshop this morning to have some very minor damage repaired, and have a Mk5 Golf as a courtesy car. Having driven it all of 5 miles I am staggered at how I could ever have considered buying one instead of the 944 - it was on the original list of possible purchases.)
Do ask if you have more questions, but you will find a number of people on here who have similar stories to tell.
Oli.
P.S. I suspect you mean prospective owner!
Peter Empson
PCGB Member
Hi Becky,
Yes that's no problem at all, many of us do it. I have average 10K to 15K miles for over a decade in 944's and as long as you service them properly they're fine. In fact I'd suggest they can be a lot more reliable than some modern cars, although I'd always ensure you have some break down cover just in case. In my experience not using the car regularly is much worse for them than using them every day, so there's no good excuse not to get out there and enjoy them [
].
Yes that's no problem at all, many of us do it. I have average 10K to 15K miles for over a decade in 944's and as long as you service them properly they're fine. In fact I'd suggest they can be a lot more reliable than some modern cars, although I'd always ensure you have some break down cover just in case. In my experience not using the car regularly is much worse for them than using them every day, so there's no good excuse not to get out there and enjoy them [
].
NorthernBloke
New member
I no longer have mine but I did 27k in it when I did, travelling from the North East to work in Birmingham, Chesterfield, Scotland etc. in all weathers - a superb daily driver and eats the motorway miles []
]
poprock
New member
I agree with most of the above. I use a 944 as my everyday car and it's an absolute pleasure. I'm on about 6,000 miles a year too. I disagree with Oli's opinion on visibility"”I find the visibility much, much better than in all the modern cars I drive (Subaru, Mini, Mitsubishi pickup). You do need to keep on top of the maintenance, but that's to be expected with a twenty year old car. I give mine a thorough service once a year and that keeps it right.
MRGT
New member
Well I do approx 15000 miles a year, and although I have only had mine for 6 months I have no regrets (I did have one a few years ago though, doing similar mileage). It copes fine with taking the kids to school and going shopping at Tescos as well as my 60 mile round trip commute to work, but I suspect I will notice a difference the next time I am at B+Q []. However the real test will be this summer when the 4 of us go camping, I suspect we may be taking SWMBO's car as well !
]. However the real test will be this summer when the 4 of us go camping, I suspect we may be taking SWMBO's car as well !
DavidL
Active member
These S2 drivers don't try very hard do they![
]Did you take the sunroof out?
Becky,
Like most cars they appreciate being used so 6K or more would be fine. Unless you are looking for the best of the best you will probably find the first 2 years seem quite steep on the maintenance front (£1-2K per year) but after that you should settle to normal maintenance. Console yourself with the fact that you will have no depreciation.
David
Great photo! I manage to get 120 or so bottles of (cheap) plonk into the back of my S2 each year around Christmas time, in order to make large quantities of mulled wine.
The point is that the space is large, but flat. It doesn't cope with tall (or boxy) things at all well. However for things like bicycles, squashy bags (or crates of bottles) it swallows much more than you'd expect.
To the OP (Becky): As has already been said, using cars often is much better than using them infrequently. You may find that lots of short runs makes things quite thirsty, but that's going to be the case with any car.
Oli.
The point is that the space is large, but flat. It doesn't cope with tall (or boxy) things at all well. However for things like bicycles, squashy bags (or crates of bottles) it swallows much more than you'd expect.
To the OP (Becky): As has already been said, using cars often is much better than using them infrequently. You may find that lots of short runs makes things quite thirsty, but that's going to be the case with any car.
Oli.
Alpine
Member
Becky
can I ask what car you drive at the moment, and why particularly are you thinking of the 944? That might help us to better advise you on whether a 944 is right for you.
I run 2 cars, one for wet weather and the 944 for whenever it is dry ! I think that is the best way to keep an old car in good condition, plus keeping it away from the savages of an English winter with all the salt on the road. Don't get me wrong though, they are perfectly usuable all year round, but I agree with Scotty that they might deteriorate a little. If you are ok with that and can afford some bodywork repairs each year, then no problems. I don't think a 944 should just be used as a summer weekend car, all cars need to be run regularly to keep them in good shape.
can I ask what car you drive at the moment, and why particularly are you thinking of the 944? That might help us to better advise you on whether a 944 is right for you.
I run 2 cars, one for wet weather and the 944 for whenever it is dry ! I think that is the best way to keep an old car in good condition, plus keeping it away from the savages of an English winter with all the salt on the road. Don't get me wrong though, they are perfectly usuable all year round, but I agree with Scotty that they might deteriorate a little. If you are ok with that and can afford some bodywork repairs each year, then no problems. I don't think a 944 should just be used as a summer weekend car, all cars need to be run regularly to keep them in good shape.
Peter Empson
PCGB Member
944's make such good daily drivers I think its a shame not to use them at every opportunity. I still look forward to commuting in a 944 even though I've done so, often 6 days a week, for many years. The car still feels special to me every time I get in but that's thanks to the way it drives. If I could drive my track car everyday I would, I think it's great to get some real enjoyment for all the investment.
I'd agree about the petrol consumption, it's not great (I do have a rather heavy right foot []), especially for shorter journeys, but any car I would actually want to own will be similar as I couldn't have some bland front wheel drive box. I suppose an Elise might be one car I would consider which is more economical, but I wonder about leaving one of those outside all year around (and a nice one is still a lot dearer than a good S2).
I'm not sure about maintenance argument, they're very strong and reliable cars, consumables are often quite reasonable and tend to last very well.
Rust shouldn't be a major problem if you buy the right car and look after it properly (Dinitrol it, check underseal regularly etc), although frequent cleaning of the underside is advisable during the winter, but I'd say that about any car. They non-turbo's are great fun for an enthusiastic driver when the conditions are less than perfect too.
Different smokes for different folks I guess, but I can't imagine not wanting to drive a fun car at every opportunity [].
I'd agree about the petrol consumption, it's not great (I do have a rather heavy right foot [
]), especially for shorter journeys, but any car I would actually want to own will be similar as I couldn't have some bland front wheel drive box. I suppose an Elise might be one car I would consider which is more economical, but I wonder about leaving one of those outside all year around (and a nice one is still a lot dearer than a good S2). I'm not sure about maintenance argument, they're very strong and reliable cars, consumables are often quite reasonable and tend to last very well.
Rust shouldn't be a major problem if you buy the right car and look after it properly (Dinitrol it, check underseal regularly etc), although frequent cleaning of the underside is advisable during the winter, but I'd say that about any car. They non-turbo's are great fun for an enthusiastic driver when the conditions are less than perfect too.
Different smokes for different folks I guess, but I can't imagine not wanting to drive a fun car at every opportunity [
].Scotty,
I hear what you say, but I can't really disagree more! The best way to keep equipment in good condition is to use it, and regularly. As I have said on this forum several times, my S2 used to be used about three times every two weeks, for a short journey every time. About two years ago circumstances changed and it is now used for about 12-14k miles a year, driven 40 or so miles every day, come rain or shine. It has changed from being sluggish, reluctant to start and thirsty to enthusiastic, starting on the button every time, lively and significantly less thirsty. Machinery which is not used will deteriorate, and the way around that is to start it up often, get it good and warm and drive it. (Ever heard of the phrase "Italian tune-up"?) 944's were built to be used, and used hard, and doing so will do them no harm whatsoever.
Rust is a fair point, but damp is the enemy here. Air circulating through and 'round the car will ensure everything is dry and keep the tin-worm at bay. Yes, winter road salt is an issue but as Peter has said, preventative measures are very effective.
Economy? I pay less than £500 for fully-comp insurance for my S2, aged 34, left on the streets in East London. Sure, I could pay the tax, depreciation and insurance on something modern that does 35mpg and drive it each week, but I'll bet that will work out significantly more expensive than suffering the 7mpg drop by using the S2. (Maths: Difference between 27mpg and 35mpg for 13k miles/year is £550, with fuel at £5/gallon. That £550 will rapidly disappear with the road tax (£180), MOT (£50), insurance (£350 perhaps?), etc you'd have to pay on a second car. Throw in the cost of buying it, some depreciation and a bit of maintenance and you'll be a LONG way out of pocket.)
And what's the point of owning a decent car if you don't drive it?
Oli.
I hear what you say, but I can't really disagree more! The best way to keep equipment in good condition is to use it, and regularly. As I have said on this forum several times, my S2 used to be used about three times every two weeks, for a short journey every time. About two years ago circumstances changed and it is now used for about 12-14k miles a year, driven 40 or so miles every day, come rain or shine. It has changed from being sluggish, reluctant to start and thirsty to enthusiastic, starting on the button every time, lively and significantly less thirsty. Machinery which is not used will deteriorate, and the way around that is to start it up often, get it good and warm and drive it. (Ever heard of the phrase "Italian tune-up"?) 944's were built to be used, and used hard, and doing so will do them no harm whatsoever.
Rust is a fair point, but damp is the enemy here. Air circulating through and 'round the car will ensure everything is dry and keep the tin-worm at bay. Yes, winter road salt is an issue but as Peter has said, preventative measures are very effective.
Economy? I pay less than £500 for fully-comp insurance for my S2, aged 34, left on the streets in East London. Sure, I could pay the tax, depreciation and insurance on something modern that does 35mpg and drive it each week, but I'll bet that will work out significantly more expensive than suffering the 7mpg drop by using the S2. (Maths: Difference between 27mpg and 35mpg for 13k miles/year is £550, with fuel at £5/gallon. That £550 will rapidly disappear with the road tax (£180), MOT (£50), insurance (£350 perhaps?), etc you'd have to pay on a second car. Throw in the cost of buying it, some depreciation and a bit of maintenance and you'll be a LONG way out of pocket.)
And what's the point of owning a decent car if you don't drive it?
Oli.
Neil Haughey
New member
I would add that what you want to do with the car IMHO is very closely related to condition, I used to use my S2 as a daily driver for 4 years, I used it to move house twice, fantastically practical car. However these are all old cars now and you may find you get a lot of teething problems. My 968 for example has cost me £2.5K in 6 months to sort and it still has a few niggles, but hey its a 15 year old car and I tend to want my cars to be spot on. Most of the problems are age related. Can you afford to have a car off the road for a few weeks? For many ppl they want a daily driver to use day in day out all year round except for one day a year when it has a service and you get a loan car. You can sort of do this with Porsche indies but if you do this will cost a fortune as there will inevitably be times when the car is stuck in the workshop for a week or more. IMHO the 944 makes a great deal of sense for the DIY mechanic as they are pretty robust and you can save a fortune on labour costs, however to make this approach work you really need an alternative means of transport. My advice would be to use the car as your regular car but have a mega cheap shed as a back up vehicle, this will save a lot of money on insurance as you can put the Porsche on classic car limited miles 2nd car type insurance. As an example I went from £800 PA when my S2 was my only car to £240 last year. BTW my 968 is effectively my daily driver after my Saab dumped its guts all over the street, incidently the day after I bought the 968 []. Couldn't have planned it better.
]. Couldn't have planned it better.That's the one downside of a one-car household where you NEED the car for transport. I've never had this situation with the S2 and hope it won't ever arise; a sensible maintenance schedule, being both preventative and proactive and above all being VERY aware of the condition of the vehicle will mitigate the risk as much as possible. But then, where did the assumption that an old car is more likely to be off the road come from? I have known a number of friends with cars <5 years old which have spent more time off the road than my S2.
I guess if the worst came to the worst and the car was off-road for a period I would either borrow a car from a friend, hire one for a week or buy a banger, depending upon the size of the problem. But that would apply whether I had a 20-year-old 944 or a 1 year old focus.
Oli.
germanmetal
New member
Hi there,
Just my two pennies worth but i bought mine as a second car to use at weekends and so forth.When my wifes Golf spat out its dummy and needed a new alternator i lent her my Audi until i could get hold of one,which left me using the porsche.I don't think i could could go back to using the Audi as my daily driver due to having such a great trip to work!!
Sure it uses a tad more fuel than the Audi(a 1.8t) but the happiness i get from driving it more than makes up for it.Its far easier to drive due to the greater spread of torque and req's less right foot to get to up to speed and gets lots of positive attention.
All in all i think it makes a great everyday driver and am also of the opinion that regular use will stand you in better stead than not using it.
Just my two pennies worth but i bought mine as a second car to use at weekends and so forth.When my wifes Golf spat out its dummy and needed a new alternator i lent her my Audi until i could get hold of one,which left me using the porsche.I don't think i could could go back to using the Audi as my daily driver due to having such a great trip to work!!
Sure it uses a tad more fuel than the Audi(a 1.8t) but the happiness i get from driving it more than makes up for it.Its far easier to drive due to the greater spread of torque and req's less right foot to get to up to speed and gets lots of positive attention.
All in all i think it makes a great everyday driver and am also of the opinion that regular use will stand you in better stead than not using it.
Scotty,
You're right - there is a split in the world of 944's, as in many other parts of the classic car scene: to use it regularly, or not. I happen to think that both camps are well represented on the forum here, and actually always suspected that I was in the slight minority as a 'daily-user' advocate. It's interesting that you think otherwise! My car is not a mint condition example; when I handed the keys over to the OPC bodyshop this morning to have some minor accident damage repaired it took a good five minutes to walk around the car and catalogue every slight chip and dent. Having said that, it is in absolutely top condition mechanically, and I own my cars to drive rather than to look at. (Although with a wash and polish mine can look as good as 95% of the rest.)
I certainly don't think that you can claim exclusive rights to the 'real Porsche enthusiasts' title though. Given Ferry Porsche's outlook on concourse cars, I suspect the boot may be very firmly on the other foot ... []
Oli.
You're right - there is a split in the world of 944's, as in many other parts of the classic car scene: to use it regularly, or not. I happen to think that both camps are well represented on the forum here, and actually always suspected that I was in the slight minority as a 'daily-user' advocate. It's interesting that you think otherwise! My car is not a mint condition example; when I handed the keys over to the OPC bodyshop this morning to have some minor accident damage repaired it took a good five minutes to walk around the car and catalogue every slight chip and dent. Having said that, it is in absolutely top condition mechanically, and I own my cars to drive rather than to look at. (Although with a wash and polish mine can look as good as 95% of the rest.)
I certainly don't think that you can claim exclusive rights to the 'real Porsche enthusiasts' title though. Given Ferry Porsche's outlook on concourse cars, I suspect the boot may be very firmly on the other foot ... [
]Oli.
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