New 944 Owner

[John Sims]

Hi Mike, Welcome to the joys of the 944. I can understand why Mrs Mike is so enamoured, Belinda loved driving our Lux. On the fuel front, you may well find petrol works well. [] It will run happily on cooking grade but will run better on Vmax. Oil - Do NOT use 0W/40 Mobil 1 (or other true fully synthetics that light) as it will bypass the seals. 15W/50 Mobil 1 is tops in my book. Tyres - 2.5 Bar all round.

 

[edh]

Looks very nice already - I hope you enjoy it. It might be worth flogging those Boxster wheels though - they never look quite right on a 944, and may even be making the car more understeery if you're running much wider tyres at the rear. standard unleaded is fine, oil is another thing altogether..... although to be honest these engines are very robust & I bet would cope with almost any grade (not too thin mind..) for road use. 10w40 is a good place to start. I'm sure you've done your research - but dont forget the belts etc.. - if they haven't been done for 3 year or so it's worth getting them changed (and possibly water pump, rollers, seals .. )

 

[Mike_Pollock]

Hi and welcome to our wonderful world. Ive had my 2.5 for 18months and love every minuite. As John says normal pump for everyday but mine seems better on 98, so I treat it occasionally. Again 10 40 and check up on the belts. Mike

 

[supersport]

Hi All,

I am new 944 ownership but not the club also having an 87 911. I picked up my Stein grey 1987 2.5 Lux on Saturday having bought it privately from a club member in Lancashire. Here she is just before she gets her first wash and wax. I am also new to Photobucket and it seems to have added some jaggies to the image.

also

Sadly I only got time to wash her and give a good claying, so another wash and then paint cleaner and a couple of coats of wax. She has been living near the sea side for the last couple of years and there appeared to be a fine layer of sand or some gunk welded to the paint work. The clay bar soon lifted that off though and she is silky smooth to the touch.

First impressions are very good she appears to be in fantastic condition which isn't bad for a 22 year old with 180,000 miles on the clock. The only downside is that my wife likes the car too much so I don't think I am going to get to drive her much, although the upside to this is that she will keep her hands off my 911[] She never really like the 944 and I do apolgise for her here, but thought that they ought to come with a medallion, what did she know. Having driven the car 130 miles home she has come round to a proper way of thinking and now loves it to the point that as we crossed the A59 on our own in convey she finally understood the point of being on the road in a fantastic car and really enjoying yourself. I think she summed it up quite well when she said that she never really felt in control of the 911, but the 944 just feels like an extension of the driver and feels right.

Obviously it doesn't have the shear oomph of the 911, but it is still good.

The 944 is replacing our now dead Mondeo as a daily runner so is going to be well used but loved. There are couple of things that I need to get sorted, the usual things like what fuel to use, what oil, what are the correct tyre pressures for the Boxter wheels it has. But I am sure that a quick search on here and the faq will help out.

 

[supersport]

Thanks chaps. All the belts and bits done recently along with water pump and engine mounts so happy there. I wasn't sure about the Boxster wheels when I first saw the pics but in the flesh I think they look better than tele-dials or cookie cutters. By preference I like the cups but we shall see. I guess the tyre pressures should be as per the boxster? I have never had to worry about anything being non standard before so not sure how it works. I would assume that is based on tyre size?

 

[andrew_churcher]

Nice looking car mate! Looks cracking in that colour. I need to detail mine!

 

[Mike_Pollock]

I run mine (early 944 215/60x15) ot 2.25 front 2.5 rear - book says usually 2.5 all round. Boxsters have different weight bias - would start all at 2.5 and see how it feels. Mike

 

[supersport]

ORIGINAL: andrew_churcher Nice looking car mate! Looks cracking in that colour. I need to detail mine!

It's only been partially done so far, but by bed time it should have two coats of Swissvax on it and hopelly have that lovely soft wet look that this colour can get.

 

[andrew_churcher]

two questions Mark. How long did it take you to clay bar it? What Swiss vax product are you planning to apply? I wouldnt mind having a go at it myself.

 

[Fat Albert]

Welcome Mark, very nice looking, especially for the mileage, how did it get away with so little stone-chipping to the bonnet?! My wife doesn't like my 944, I thought she would as she has had 2 Scirrocos in the past as well as my Scooby that she loved, but I think she finds it so different to her BMW auto, and the boost isn't as predictable as the scoob so she rarely drives it....

 

[supersport]

ORIGINAL: andrew_churcher two questions Mark. How long did it take you to clay bar it? What Swiss vax product are you planning to apply? I wouldnt mind having a go at it myself.

This car took quite a lot longer, normally my 911 is done pretty quickly. I was at it for 2 hours yesterday, but still have the front/rear valance, driver side skirt and windows to do. The Wheels will come off at another time and be done then. I am guessing that there was a lot of sand embedded in the paint work (it came from the coast), it felt very rough after washing but nice and silky smoothe after claying. The bonnet was really bad and took three goes and quite a bit of time. I assume because it gets hot etc. I give my 911 the full monty wheels off etc clay, two coats wax, interior feed of the leather and it takes me two gentle days when I send the wife away to her parents. Once it is clayed I will use Swissvax Paint Cleaner. I will use the basic one and that should do the trick. Then I will apply two coats of Swissvax Zuffenhausen which will really make this colour look the business. I think the paint should look a bit like this:

This had been waxed with Zuffenhausen that morning, the paint goes really soft and glossy. I will then use Pnu on the rubber bits and tyes, polish up the windows and it should look pretty impressive. I was talking to Stuart at Swissvax UK (Gmund cars) on Friday about cleaning up cloth interiors. He
ecommend using an upolstery cleaner with a weak mix and gently scrubbing with a nail brush.. Then use there cleaner and it will hopefully come up nice. I think it is going to be really hard to keep the interior really clean, my feet rub on the doors sills every time I get in or out.

 

[ChasR]

That makes another person who their Mondeo with a 944 as a daily! Welcome to the fold. That certainly isn't a common 2.7 in that colour and it looks better for it .

 

[Eldavo]

Have started on mine today, spent nearly two hours on the front wings. They were badly swirled so were dull with poor reflections and a bit pink in places. Clayed them first and then taped them off and got cracking with the rotary taking paint thickness measurements as I went as there is no clearcoat on the paint. Polished up to a deep glossy red and then an extra bit of shine from a coat of Megs 7 glaze, sealed with Zaino CS and waxed with Zymol Concours. Old camera broke and picking the new one up tomorrow so will start a thread of my own with some before, during and after comparison shots.

 

[Eldavo]

For cloth interiors, a weak mix of Meg's all purpose cleaner (10:1 with clean water) through a foaming spray head and gently agitated with a nail brush works very well too. Then you can use a wet vac or leave it to dry with the windows open.

 

[Frenchy]

Supersport, That colour is lovely and will look well when finished, i presume the turbo body 911 is yours as it looks stunning very nice and much better than a Mondeo. As for oomph in the 911 compared to the 944 buy a sorted 944 Turbo it will enlighten you performance wise, took a guy out with a 930 Turbo in mine then let him drive............................... he was surprised. Jim

 

[PSH]

As for oomph in the 911 compared to the 944 buy a sorted 944 Turbo it will enlighten you performance wise, took a guy out with a 930 Turbo in mine then let him drive............................... he was surprised. Jim

No contest, even a standard 944 turbo will out perform a 930.. a sorted 944 turbo will out perform most that Porsche can throw at it then and now... Welcome to 944 ownership Mark, both of your cars look great congrats...[] Pete

 

[andrew_churcher]

Mark - you have inspired me to have a crack at detailing my car this weekend. I am going to start early Sunday and see how long it takes. I just bought the Race Glaze Signature Series Valet Kit with a Clar Bar and the 55 Wax product. I spoke to the proprietor and he runs a 944 turbo so new exactly the right products to bring up Guards Red paint work (and protect it) and to enhance and protect the rubber (boot spoiler on mine needs it). He also talked me through the process with some hints and tips. I also bought a mobi washer (as advertised in last mths evo mag [link=http://www.mobiwasher.co.uk/]http://www.mobiwasher.co.uk/[/link])....given that in my complex (London based) accessibility to water isnt very practical....plus it has a rechargable battery...carries 17 ltrs of water and has adjustable pressure strength...looks like a great product...be interesting to see how it goes in practice. Should be a few hours of fun on Sunday ..[] I will take some photos before and after and post them if I do a good enough job

 

[supersport]

Andrew it looks like you have an enjoyable Sunday ahead of you. My time has not been my own for the last couple of days so last night was a late night for me, but she is done. I will pop up a piccy when I get back on my own laptop later. The outside has come up a real treat and is now silky smoothe rather than the sandpaper like quality she had when we got her home. Ok here is a pick of her cleaned up: