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I'm just back from the "Grune Holle" in an E36 M3 (non-Evo) with supposedly 280+ bhp. It felt much slower than an S2 to me, but I think it hides it's light under a bushel when driving as 2-up it was only marginally slower than PRJ's 303bhp Turbo which I was driving (alone) behind it up the steep hill at Exmuhle. I was in someone else's car and on my second lap ever while the M3 driver was into his high 20's of laps in a car he bought specially for the 'Ring so I didn't try to keep up much longer. That would suggest to me an S2 is slightly less quick in a straight line than an early version E36 M3 coupe with 70k miles that is 100% standard if that helps.
Search on here for S2 buying information - aside the usual 944 bits the cams and chain are crucial and if they need replacement will wipe out the difference between a £3.5k and a £5k car to put right. Also there is effectively nothing you can do to an S2 to make it significantly faster so be sure you're happy with the performance before you commit. They aren't slow by any means, but they aren't the quickest things out there by a long chalk.
944 suspension, even with M030, is still not track-stiff and the single biggest difference to me between Paul's Turbo and John'n M3 at the 'Ring was that the Turbo was very prone to body roll and squat/dive whereas the M3 was very flat. That left me thinking it was all too obvious that the Turbo was an 80's car and the M3 a 90's car. I realise the E30 is an 80's car also, but all I have read says it is better than the E36 that followed it.
944 seats are comfortable to most people (not especially to me), but even in sport spec (which is relatively rare in S2's that I have seen, though both of mine had them) they are not great on track as they have loads of support in the kidney area and nothing at all for the shoulders. They also have no facility to use a harness and weigh a vast amount.
As an aside I have stated many times that I can't see the point of a 968 when it's now an old car itself and effectively a 944 S3 for 2-3 times the price. While driving the M3 home yesterday with its owner in the passenger seat I raised the subject as he also owns a LHD low-mileage 968 ClubSport with bucket seats, M030, half cage, no sunroof and air-con (perfect spec if it was RHD in other words). He is also a dealer trained Porsche technician of 944/968 vintage. He agreed straight away that the CS is not worth much premium at all over an S2 on the basis that they are so similar and that an S2 can be made effectively the same as the 968 CS by spending much less than the price differential on upgrade parts (M030 hubs to enable fitting the bigger brakes would be hardest to source, but hardly any CS's had M030 so wouldn't have them either). You'd also have the advantage of new parts on the S2 whereas the 968 would be tired. John also offered that M030 isn't that great and is out of its depth on track. It's (as I think I posted last week was my belief) merely fast road suspension.
Search on here for S2 buying information - aside the usual 944 bits the cams and chain are crucial and if they need replacement will wipe out the difference between a £3.5k and a £5k car to put right. Also there is effectively nothing you can do to an S2 to make it significantly faster so be sure you're happy with the performance before you commit. They aren't slow by any means, but they aren't the quickest things out there by a long chalk.
944 suspension, even with M030, is still not track-stiff and the single biggest difference to me between Paul's Turbo and John'n M3 at the 'Ring was that the Turbo was very prone to body roll and squat/dive whereas the M3 was very flat. That left me thinking it was all too obvious that the Turbo was an 80's car and the M3 a 90's car. I realise the E30 is an 80's car also, but all I have read says it is better than the E36 that followed it.
944 seats are comfortable to most people (not especially to me), but even in sport spec (which is relatively rare in S2's that I have seen, though both of mine had them) they are not great on track as they have loads of support in the kidney area and nothing at all for the shoulders. They also have no facility to use a harness and weigh a vast amount.
As an aside I have stated many times that I can't see the point of a 968 when it's now an old car itself and effectively a 944 S3 for 2-3 times the price. While driving the M3 home yesterday with its owner in the passenger seat I raised the subject as he also owns a LHD low-mileage 968 ClubSport with bucket seats, M030, half cage, no sunroof and air-con (perfect spec if it was RHD in other words). He is also a dealer trained Porsche technician of 944/968 vintage. He agreed straight away that the CS is not worth much premium at all over an S2 on the basis that they are so similar and that an S2 can be made effectively the same as the 968 CS by spending much less than the price differential on upgrade parts (M030 hubs to enable fitting the bigger brakes would be hardest to source, but hardly any CS's had M030 so wouldn't have them either). You'd also have the advantage of new parts on the S2 whereas the 968 would be tired. John also offered that M030 isn't that great and is out of its depth on track. It's (as I think I posted last week was my belief) merely fast road suspension.
Diver944
Active member
Nice one Fen, nice to see you lose your cherry. I've just arranged to go with some folk from www.northloop.co.uk over the weekend of 30th September. I only hope I have a bit more oomph to get up that hill after ExMuhle this time [8|]
I've never driven an M3 but I remember a trackday at Mallory when I still tracked the S2, and an M3 owner and I traded laps for most of the afternoon. The cars were virtually neck and neck everywhere (I was on full slicks) and the M3 guy was surprised because he had sold his old 944 track car to buy the M3. I have no idea what type of M3 it was, but it did look pretty old.
Pikey - another familiar name from PH! (I've been skulking here for a while, but haven't posted before). I thought you had a Cayman - non?
Anyway, 944 S2. I paid just over £4k for a good one about 4 months ago. Full service history, fairly recent belts, and it flew through an indie inspection (the guy inspecting it said that if I didn't buy it, he would seriously think about it.) It does have a load of very anally-organised history from it's last 3 owners ...
The E30 M3 wasn't the fastest tool, but was one of the world's finest driving machines. My S2 seems to have been a disappointment in all respects - I came to it from an (excellent) Mk2 Golf GTi, and the S2 really doesn't seem any much quicker in day-to-day driving. Having said that, it plainly is quicker, a glance at the numbers on the speedo tells you that. Perhaps it's all about refinement. I know that the power figures (211) and weight (1300kg) mean it won't be a match for the E36 and E46 M3's, but I guess it should be about equal with an E30.
Steering wheel - I felt the same as you, but in practice the standard-fit one is fine, and really suits the car. A more modern one is a common retro-fit, but the standard one can stay as far as I am concerned. Seats are poor though - mine regularly give me backache, and I'm looking at having them re-contoured.
Let us know how you get on. If you are in the London area and fancy a spin in an S2 then drop me a line - more than happy to oblige.
Oli.
Anyway, 944 S2. I paid just over £4k for a good one about 4 months ago. Full service history, fairly recent belts, and it flew through an indie inspection (the guy inspecting it said that if I didn't buy it, he would seriously think about it.) It does have a load of very anally-organised history from it's last 3 owners ...
The E30 M3 wasn't the fastest tool, but was one of the world's finest driving machines. My S2 seems to have been a disappointment in all respects - I came to it from an (excellent) Mk2 Golf GTi, and the S2 really doesn't seem any much quicker in day-to-day driving. Having said that, it plainly is quicker, a glance at the numbers on the speedo tells you that. Perhaps it's all about refinement. I know that the power figures (211) and weight (1300kg) mean it won't be a match for the E36 and E46 M3's, but I guess it should be about equal with an E30.
Steering wheel - I felt the same as you, but in practice the standard-fit one is fine, and really suits the car. A more modern one is a common retro-fit, but the standard one can stay as far as I am concerned. Seats are poor though - mine regularly give me backache, and I'm looking at having them re-contoured.
Let us know how you get on. If you are in the London area and fancy a spin in an S2 then drop me a line - more than happy to oblige.
Oli.
Welcome. Show us some pics then [
]
]
Welcome to the forum.
You will soon find that the forum is just the initial visual indication of an iceberg of 944 fun lurking below the surface. (How cool is that? - though it does sound like more of a link for Titanic [])
I have every confidence that you will soon get the urge to come out to play, which is when the real fun starts. []
You will soon find that the forum is just the initial visual indication of an iceberg of 944 fun lurking below the surface. (How cool is that? - though it does sound like more of a link for Titanic [
])I have every confidence that you will soon get the urge to come out to play, which is when the real fun starts. [
]
944turboS
New member
Welcome Jonathan,
Its always good to have new people join the forum.
This explains about your member status.
http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=70284
Its always good to have new people join the forum.
This explains about your member status.
http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=70284
Suffolk944
Moderator
As requested a pic - hopefully ! []
Have had to crop it to get it small enough to embed but hopefully it does her justice.
]Have had to crop it to get it small enough to embed but hopefully it does her justice.
Suffolk944
Moderator
Another...
Suffolk944
Moderator
Have got the hang of this now ! Last one...
Thanks for the tip about membership status - will look to sort that out.
Thanks for the tip about membership status - will look to sort that out.
Thats a very nice looking car, good pics too. I'm curious to see that you also have the headlight washers which I had heard somewhere were not included on the 85 model?! But since we both have them its likely they were (or atleast an option)? Anorak like I know, but I do love knowing pointless facts about my cars.
Ben
Ben
Suffolk944
Moderator
Actually is there anywhere that lists the optional extras that were available at any one time ?
Apart from the headlamp washers the original owner may well have splashed out on quite a few...
She has metallic paint, leather seats with electrical adjustment, aircon, central locking - would all these have been options?
Is there any way of me finding out what options she does have - maybe some which are not so obvious ?
Apart from the headlamp washers the original owner may well have splashed out on quite a few...
She has metallic paint, leather seats with electrical adjustment, aircon, central locking - would all these have been options?
Is there any way of me finding out what options she does have - maybe some which are not so obvious ?
944turboS
New member
You can find a list of options fitted to your car either in the front of your service booklet or on the paper sticker that should be on the panel behind the carpet between the lights in the boot.
Then try this site for option codes
http://www.kindel.com/Porsche/options.asp
As a last hope your local OPC parts department can tell you if you supply the chassis number.
Then try this site for option codes
http://www.kindel.com/Porsche/options.asp
As a last hope your local OPC parts department can tell you if you supply the chassis number.
Suffolk944
Moderator
Yep that options site worked a treat thanks []
Mailed PCGB couple of days ago confirming forum name and membership number but see am still labelled as non-member []
]Mailed PCGB couple of days ago confirming forum name and membership number but see am still labelled as non-member [
]
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