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Which one?

Wow! Ta you lot... I thought gettin an S2 was the option because it was the latter model, and everybody wants the latest model. Know what I mean? Then I thought a turbo would be good because they are nearly as new - and they look the same!!

I understand buying an earlier 2.5 would be a little cheaper - but reckon every time I saw an S2 about with their different lights / valance etc I would wish I had got one of them. Does this make sense? There again, there's not much difference in appearance. Mmm, I am getting confused now.

Am I right in thinking that the 'S' is 8 valve and "˜S2' 16 valve?

Right, I'm gonna put my R reg black Ford KA3 on eBay. See what I get for it. Then make a decision. Keep an eye on it - I'm starting it at £750, new tyres, recent lower wishbones, new idle control valve....
 
Wow! Ta you lot... I thought gettin an S2 was the option because it was the latter model, and everybody wants the latest model. Know what I mean? Then I thought a turbo would be good because they are nearly as new - and they look the same!!

I understand buying an earlier 2.5 would be a little cheaper - but reckon every time I saw an S2 about with their different lights / valance etc I would wish I had got one of them. Does this make sense? There again, there's not much difference in appearance. Mmm, I am getting confused now.

Am I right in thinking that the 'S' is 8 valve and "˜S2' 16 valve?

Right, I'm gonna put my R reg black Ford KA3 on eBay. See what I get for it. Then make a decision. Keep an eye on it - I'm starting it at £750, new tyres, recent lower wishbones, new idle control valve....
 
OK, 944 Lux (ie non S!) is 8 valve, as is the Turbo, the S & S2 are both 16 Valves.

For Oil's benefit, I think the additional weight of all of those superfluous valves is what makes the S models slower than the Turbos.... runs and hides[:D]

My folks have got a 924S, which effectively is a 8V Lux running gear under a 924 bodyshell, and the 8v engine has a nice torquey power delivery and is deceptively quick, especially as the handling of the 944 is so good that you barely need to slow down for the twisty bits!

I have driven a 968 (not an S2 though) and I did like the linear 'grunty' power delivery, so I would say you need to drive a few cars and see what suits. I am obviously biased, but the Jeckyll & Hyde characteristics of the Turbo aren't for everyone, although after STIs and the like, you are probably used to a little off-boost lethargy![;)]

Just make sure you buy one with lots of recent & expensive invoices....[8|][:D]


 
I'm trying to recall what the Impreza's power delivery was like. It was so memorable that I can't be sure [8|] but I think it was a bit like the VAG 1.8 20v turbo unit in that it doesn't feel turbo'd because it makes good boost low down but then payback is that it runs out of puff well before the red line.

If I'm right (and if later Imprezas shared the trait) then Trev (sorry if I've made a wrong assumption based on user name) will find the 944T very old school to drive. Even the S2 has a noticeable point around 4,000 or 4,500 rpm when it finds its feet and starts to go and 16 valvers love to scream round to the red line. Either way I think power delivery is going to be different to a Scooby.
 
One of our company cars is a tuned WRX. You're about right Fen, the boost kicks in very early and very smoothly but doesn't feel like it's doing much higher up the rev range. The power band is a lot lower down the dial than that of our 944Ts. I've never quite got used to the Scooby's hair trigger accelerator, I find it makes the car tricky to park in tight spaces!
 
Yeah, the STi was crap low-down. My Ford KA is better. Honest. But high-up is was remarkable. The WRX has even power throughout - much better everyday. As mentioned I am not looking to replace the Scoobie like-for-like. The power/performance issue is not paramount in the Porsche. The 944 will be used as a second car (even the wife will drive it, hope I have not started something here...) and I just want something in nice condition, pretty much factory standard, leather interior (or part leather), air-con (idealy), and something with good recent service history. And about £3500 or £2500 and a grand to 'do it up'.

The KA is on eBay now. Get bidding...

Trev
 
I'll chip in and echo what has already been said ... if your budget is £3500 or £2500 with some left for some maintenance then a Lux may be the better bet ... they handle as sweetly as anything else, have decent torque through the range and are a blast to drive. Yes, I know what you mean about the front end but you don't look at the headlights from the driving seat and they are less complex to maintain (8v head, no rust-traps in the bodywork, no expensive brake calipers to get plate lift on etc) so you'll be able to sleep soundly at night without worrying about big bills bankrupting you.

While you might get lucky with a good S2 at that price, you might also buy a dog, need to find a good £1500 a couple of months after buying it to fix brakes, clutch and belts, and find yourself needing to sell it while it is still drivable ... and that's not a happy thought.

If you buy a good Lux (and that money will get you a very decent Lux) you can spend any extra on insurance and petrol, and trade-up to something brisker in a couple of years. (One thing that has struck me on this forum is that quite a few people with Turbos seem to have had Lux's sometime in the past, and 'gone over to the dark side' when they have more experience of the 944 and some more pennies.)


Oli.
 
I'd agree with everything Oli just said ( what d'ya mean "makes a change"?!) and would like to add that all of these cars are at least 17 years old now and just as the galvanised bodies won't stay rust-free for ever (as most of us are now discovering[8|]) then the mechanical bits are also far from being in the first flushes of youth and as the parts are not Ford Escort cheap, you can easily spend £1k even on a supposedly good car, just through trying to improve and refresh various bits and bobs..

Ask me how I know....[8|]
 
£1k! - you were lucky....... [;)]

I daren't even look at my spreadsheet any more...[:D]
 
Should have added before ... I keep the running costs of my S2 listed on the PH website, here:

http://www.pistonheads.com/members/showServiceHistory.asp?carId=35695

That's a pretty complete list of just about everything I have spent on it (apart from tax and insurance.) I bought that car for just over £4k a bit over 2 years ago, and reckon the bills I have run up have been about par for the course. It is in better nick now than when I bought it as I fully refreshed the suspension (£700-odd), but I have done almost all the work myself (with the exception of the belts just after I bought it.) I know that I will be needing a new clutch within the next 12 months as well, and am pondering whether this is a DIY job or whether to bite the £1000-odd bullet and get it done.

They aren't expensive cars to run, but they aren't cheap either.


Oli.
 
ORIGINAL: edh

£1k! - you were lucky....... [;)]

I daren't even look at my spreadsheet any more...[:D]
Click to expand...

I've stopped counting now - that was just a theoretical figure as opposed to my somewhat higher figure.....[8|]

Still worth it though and car is in a better state than when I bought it [:D]
 
At least a grand I'd say. No mention of what work has been done, it would need some very careful question and answers to command anything near that figure but if all the answers came up right you could get Specialist Cars at Malton to do you a PPI.
Sadly even 3K for a lux is quite a lot.
I think Poprock still has his for sale in sunny (or not!) glasgow - known vehicle and a good bit less...
Or you could come south and see mine[;)]
 
Nice looking car, and 2.7's are rare, but you can't tell if it's a good deal from the ad sadly. If the paint is perfect, it has no rust and the recent history is spot on then I'd say £4k could be money well spent. Trouble is the advert says nothing to suggest that this isn't just a nice ordinary, average condition car in which case I'd agree £3k would be closer to the mark (or much less if there's rust or lack of proper servicing).
 
As far as I can see there is nothing there to say its a 2.7.
The only figure I can see is 2.5 on the engine size.
2.7s are far more rare - not sure they are any more desirable but I stand to be corrected.
David - from Wiltshire south
 

ORIGINAL: DavidL

I think Poprock still has his for sale in sunny (or not!) glasgow - known vehicle and a good bit less...
Or you could come south and see mine[;)]
Click to expand...

Yep, I still have a metallic black '87 Lux for sale with a very sexy black leather interior. Unfortunately, somebody managed to reverse into it during it's last trip out to meet a potential buyer so it is currently in the bodyshop. On the plus side, that means it's getting some new panels and fresh paint before anybody gets to buy it. Can only be a positive thing!
 
ORIGINAL: DavidL

As far as I can see there is nothing there to say its a 2.7.
The only figure I can see is 2.5 on the engine size.
2.7s are far more rare - not sure they are any more desirable but I stand to be corrected.
David - from Wiltshire south
Click to expand...

You're spot on, I read the post and not the listing. I'd revise my valuation down to £2.5k then [:)]
2.7's are supposed to be the nicest of the non S2/Turbo's to drive (more torque) so assuming they're as good as I've read I'd happily pay extra for one.
 
Well I'll be the wet blanket here, but at that sort of budget (unless you've got a fair bit in reserve?) I wouldn't buy any of them. I think you need to spend quite a lot on them just to make them work decently, but it does really depend on what you want the car for. I won't go into any track based mods because you will definitely need a lot more, but even if you're not looking at that, I would say definitely don't buy a turbo unless you can do a lot of work yourself and are prepared to spend a good chunk of change on top of purchase price. If all you want is a nice cruiser then maybe an S2.
As for you chaps who back off on the boost of a stock 220hp car....well I wouldn't be admitting that on a public forum. [:D]
 
Boys. I have spotted a nice looking Guards Red 2.7 model near me in Bradford. But it's automatic. Are thy for girls? Will it be shite? Will I hve difficulty re-selling?

Trev (again)
 
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