Turbo inflation!

[Lowtimer]

The Quattro and E30 M3 are cars with much stronger motorsport heritage. The 944 has always been used in motorsport for sure but only in minority-interest series, not the stuff that pulls big-league public attention. It's never cut through to being a star of stage and screen. Those of us of a certain age will always remember the Quattro sweeping all before it in international rallying as the Mark II Escort did before it. And for many years you couldn't switch on the TV on a Saturday afternoon without seeing people like Steve Soper, Roberto Ravaglia and Johnny Cecotto racing the M3 versus Cosworth Sierras .That's why all those cars have a special place in the public's heart and cost a lot of money now.

Plus of course, in the case of the Quattro, its more recent TV stardom in the hands of a certain Mancunian detective chief inspector.

 

[colin944]

Totally agree. Too many still on the road.Also availability of cheap Boxters and 996's. How ever I do hope the value of our cars goes up.Turbo's and good S's must be worth alot more than thier current value.A good Turbo should be worth £8-£10 k and a good S2 around £1.5-£2k less. We just have to move through this difficuly phase in the values and then sit back and watch them go up.

 

[MarkK]

Thats the spirit![]

 

[pauly]

Supply and demand fueled by nostalgia, add in image and the 944 will never make the silly money mk1 and 2 escorts make, when numbers have thinned out prices may top out around £10k for rhd cars, lhd possibly more.

 

[Jonny944CS]

Has anyone seen this months Octane?

It seems their frontrunner glass is half full...

 

[Neil Haughey]

The crazy thing is when fairly average stuff is worth so much. Before getting into these cars I had a Saab 900 T16S, one of the first into the UK in the mid 80's. I bought it for 1300 quid in about 1997, gave it to my brother who then scrapped it sometime around 2002. Well the other year I spotted another one, really really nice condition so I thought I wouldn't mind another as a snotter but the guy wanted like 6 grand for it.

6 blooming grand!!!!

Its the same thing with really nice condition golfs you name it pretty much everything from the 80's in really nice condition is worth as much as a nice 944. Its insane.

 

[Frenchy]

Exposure !
By that i mean not a lot of people comparitevly know about these cars, E30 M3's and Quattros are legendary due to exposure, look at the Trollop Katie Price worth 40 mill apparently all due to exposure in the press and TV.
Anyone who drives one is switched on to how brilliant they can be but unfortunately we are a rather exclusive club, more magazine articles will may be get people now trying them out as they are more than affordable considering some of them were 40k plus 20 oddyears ago.
Whatever we on here know all about them and can enjoy them, i am just renewing my insurance Turbo S 10k agreed value and 220 5k but upping that figure to 6k as they are well above average and in my book worth every penny.

 

[robwright]

I insured mine with a 6k value this year mate. If I was to attend to all the little and I mean little bodywork jobs that would have been 7k+ and that is a steal for 160 mph+ sports coupe IMHO.

 

[Frenchy]

As said Rob,
when people ask me about the car, some of them petrolheads, they have no idea / seem surprised when you tell them about them, power, handling, availability of parts, practicality, build quality Yada Yada
And how a well sorted one will blow most Porsche (911) away on a track with a good driver.
99% of people think 911 when you mention Porsche which all said and done is in the top 3 of iconic / legendary cars that people can instantly recognise and Porsche themselves have built there reputation on.
They even detuned / restricted the 944 Turbos so as not to steal the 911's crown when current..
How many people have said is that the one with the VW engine.......................Ignorance is Bliss !

 

[pauly]

ORIGINAL: Frenchy

They even detuned / restricted the 944 Turbos so as not to steal the 911's crown when current..

They did, how ?.

 

[Frenchy]

Restricted boost levels.

 

[robwright]

Standard 220 turbo = 152 mph
Standard 964 = 162 mph
TurboS = 162 mph

It's not hard to do the maths that with just a little moderate tuning the 944 turbo would have been in direct competition with the 911 (964) of the day, which is and always has been Porsche's flagship. With the simple addition of Dual Port Wastegate and 3 Bar FPR mine is pushing 270-290 HP (untested) and will eat a standard 964 for breakfast, with it's better chassis, 50-50 weight distribution yah dah yah dah I could go and get into practicality etc.

 

[Frenchy]

What Rob said,
Pauly have you ever driven or been in a tweaked 944 Turbo ?
If not i can assure you a " Fu**in Hell" expeirence.
A mate has a 250 Promax (310 bhp) 944 Turbo and a 911 (964 ) and he will tell you hand on heart that the 944 is way quicker, better to drive and is more comfortable on a long journey but granted, and i agree with him does not look and sound like the 964.
I am in no way knocking the Porsche 911 as i hope to own one, along with my 944 Turbo ( which would not be sold to fund one )

All said a 944 Turbo is a serious (old) performance car and will when discovered by the masses (doubt it) will only appreciate in value.
If a proper example. []

 

[pauly]

ORIGINAL: Frenchy

Pauly have you ever driven or been in a tweaked 944 Turbo ?

[] Oh yes. With respect, I read Porsche did this or that but does it originate from within Porsche or is it some internet hearsay ?.

 

[Frenchy]

Well Porsche would never say that would they ?
So a "educated guess" wlil suffice for me []

 

[robwright]

Experience tells it for me. I have driven a 964 and the driving experience didn't do it for me. The offset pedal box for a start wasn't good! It did have get up and go but what would you expect from a 3.6 litre engine, but only producing 250 BHP, lazy if you ask me. The best thing I liked about it was the noise. Something that the 944 is lacking I think. Apart from the turbo noise when it gets on chat. You know what I mean Frenchy []

 

[pauly]

.

ORIGINAL: robwright
 I have driven a 964 and the driving experience didn't do it for me.  The offset pedal box for a start wasn't good!  It did have get up and go but what would you expect from a 3.6 litre engine, but only producing 250 BHP,

That 3.6 engine with a couple of turbo's bolted on has done quite well for the last 20 years []

 

[colin944]

You can only imagine what would have happened if the 911 had been pensioned off after the 964 or 993. I mean what could porsche have done if they had built a proper 968 (944 S3). 3ltr twin turbo 16v 400 ish bhp, perfect balance, awesome chassis,more practical and comfortable .Maybe even 4wd. Now that would have been a ferrari killer........................................................................................................... Right who's going to build it?

 

[Elliot]

I have only had my 1990 944 T for a short while but here's my two pence worth

i have previous owned a 1980 911SC at the same time as a 944 lux and at that time i was alternating between the two for my commute. In the 2 years that i was doing this i would really look forward to getting in the 944 when i was in the mood for fast cornering and sort of non legal speeds between Bourne and stamford on the A6121 and in this time the only incident i had was hitting a pheasant at 100+ - not good for your spoiler and bumper.

With the SC the experience was totally different, steady warm up, choose your gears for the corner then accellerate out. The one time i did change gear on a corner (and thinkinbg i was in the 944) i ended up looking at the car behind me (no damage thankfully). I found that the noise of the engine and the concentration needed to keep it on the road meant that i never drove it as fast as the 944 but when i got home i did have a bit more adrenalin pumping through me. By the way locked the brakes up twice in the SC and that has never happened in any of my 944's.

Now i own a 96 285 varioram 993 and the 944T.

The 993 is a totally different 911 experience to the SC in that i totally trust it through the corners (with the right tyres) and that you feel and hear like you are in the culmination of the 911 experience (in my opinion and with my budget). The best ride i have had in it was with my neighbour who had a 997 turbo at the time. We drove to silverstone and while he could always nail it out of the roundabouts my aircooled girl would always catch up and mine sounded much better. In fact we live down a narrow street and he alway says that it sounds awesome when i pop down the shops etc.

The 944 T is however another level of confidence up from the 944 and the 993 in the cornering stakes. At the moment i would say the 993 and 944T are on a par for me and i suppose it depends where i am going and the weather as to which one i would drive.

summary (in my opinion) - based on road use only

944 lux (86 on) - Great car all round performance and dependable (if maintained)
911 SC - The noise oh the noise, steady in the corners and accelleration (in a straight line) great but watch it they bite
944T - 10 fold better than the lux but lag can catch you out until you are used to your car.
993 - iconic fast and the noise beats the 8V hands down - not as raw as the SC though.

Both have there place and at the moment i cant seperate them.

Just a few personal observations and i am sure some people wont agree but in the end that is why there are hundreds of makes and models for people to choose from.