Which one?

[Peter Empson]

First link isn't right, but the second one works.

Some paint issues and a dodgy door handle sound reasonable to me when looking at an S2 at £2,700, but you were right to walk away if you had any doubts.

The V car thing is becoming increasingly common. It could be a big concern or just a good bargaining point (as long as you remember you'll have the same issue when selling). Find out what category the write off was, that's the important bit.
It doesn't take much to write off a Porsche worth £3k, a new door from Porsche is probably something like £800 I guess, respray one side of the car and add in all the seals and odds and ends the average bodyshop will try to fleece the insurers for and very quickly it becomes uneconomic.

These cars do feel heavier than modern cars, but for all the right reasons IMO, after a hundred miles it'll feel normal and almost every other car will feel artifically light with diminished feedback in comparison. However low tyre tread, tyre pressures or poor alignment will amplify this effect substantially.

 

[trev260764]

My mistake on the link. That's my sons Lego. If you want any. Try this...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200248851731&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=010

 

[zcacogp]

Trev,

Well done - looking at one. Bravo!

I can't really disagree with what Peter has said; you need to find out more about what happened to get it written-off. If it is something trivial and recent then you could well have found a bargain. If, on the other hand, it had a major 'off' when nearly new then it's a slightly different matter. (My own 944 possibly should be a write-off, on account of a minor dent on the front of one wing about 18 months ago. Suffice it to say that the other guy was a complete w4nker about it, and I ended up with a Boxster for a couple of months as a hire car. The cost of the hire of this alone would probably have exceeded the value of my car, and hence written it off.)

The other thing to ask is how long you intend to keep this car for? It will be a pain when you come to sell it, but if you are in the habit of keeping your car for a long time then it will be less of a problem then if you keep your cars for - say - 6 months before selling them on.

They are more weighty cars to drive than a modern Focus. Think of it as being more meaty ... you'll notice it most when moving from one car to another. Drive a 944 for a couple of weeks, and a little light hire car driven on holiday will appear to have the steering wheel and both brake and clutch pedals disconnected ...


Oli.

 

[Peter Empson]

That's a different one from the autotrader link, was it the over priced Lux or the cheap S2?
Just a guess but was it this link you wanted to post?

 

[Fen]

I haven't clicked any links (I'm supposed to be working...), but aside being on the register it sounds like it was OK. Sunroof seal is cheap, paint chips are preferable to a recent respray IMO and it's usual for the carpet to be a bit ropey round the press studs - you are looking at quite low down the market for an S2 with the money you want to spend.

In terms of weight - you'll get used to it and when you do you'll see why I love the Impreza sooooo much.

 

[Peter Empson]

ORIGINAL: Fen

(I'm supposed to be working...)

Lol, good one Fen!
It's black but has white wheels, so I'd have bought it on the spot []

 

[Diver944]

ORIGINAL: Peter Empson

It's black but has white wheels, so I'd have bought it on the spot []

....and they are not magnesium as the advert states.

If they were genuine Cup 1 Mags you could sell them to the 964RS boys for close to the asking price of the car []

 

[Peter Empson]

ORIGINAL: Diver944

ORIGINAL: Peter Empson

It's black but has white wheels, so I'd have bought it on the spot []

....and they are not magnesium as the advert states.

If they were genuine Cup 1 Mags you could sell them to the 964RS boys for close to the asking price of the car []

Lol, yes indeedy, I'd just assumed it was the name of the colour []. I really do like the look of Cup two's on our cars (not quite as much as Cup ones, but a very close second nonetheless).

 

[swright]

That car is just down the road from me!! Literally 2 minuets away by car!! I saw it the other day as i drove past. If it was 3 months ago id have probably snapped it up.

Hmmm, i wonder if they'll give me a good price on trade in for my ropey turbo

 

[trev260764]

I BOUGHT IT!!

After thinking it over in the evening I thought that with so much positive points that I would struggle to find one much better for the money, £2600. Worst case is that I don't like it, so I sell it and probably won't lose...

Impressions on M1 on way home were loads of power, especially when keeping revs up! Feels a bit like a tractor after a modern Focus turbo deisel - but I guess the idea is being in charge of the machine - rather than the other way round!

Strange (and quite loud) 'whining' though - sounds like it's coming from the front rather than the rear. Stops when depressing clutch. Guess it's not the gearbox then. Are thrust bearings an issue?

Trev

 

[swright]

Hi trev, well done mate. I have sent you an email about the car(before i read this post) so apologies for my reply to your last email to me mate[]

Stu

 

[Fen]

Well done! I'm still supposed to be working, but from home today so nobody is going to see what I'm surfing in my own time and I've looked at it.

I agree 100% with Peter in terms of Cup 2 vs. Cup 1 and that either is infinitely preferable to D90s (or Bogster wheels [:'(][:'(]). It looks a very nice car, enthusiast owned judging from the 'Ring sticker and clear indicators, and those lovely linen sports leather seats are superb. I'm not such a fan of the white wheels, which is odd as I don't really do silver wheels (my Mini has satin black, my Jeep is about to have black 8 spokes, my 944 has anthracite, my 964 had blue, both my MX5s had gunmetal etc.) I think it would look better if the wheels were either gunmetal or (better) black centres with silver lip like my 964 had.

If the sills are as rust-free as you suggested (and I have no reason to think otherwise) then you seem to have got a nice car at a good price. You might want to get the cams checked pretty quick in case it's missing teeth, but worst case you could probably have them replaced by the right indie and still not be too far over your original £3,500 budget.

Sometimes the belts can whine, but clutch wouldn't change that. Could be as you say the release bearing which is unfortunately expensive enough to replace in terms of labour that you may as well have the clutch done while you're in there.

 

[Peter Empson]

Congratulations Trev, welcome to 944 ownership. To be honest at that price you could part it out and get most of your money back, so I think you've done really well.

I'd get someone to sit in the rear seat and listen for the whine, just in case, as you might find it is from the back (which is always normal to some extent). It's odd how sometimes noises appear to change position as you move around the car. Just be aware that most adults will only be daft enough to get into the rear of a 944 once, it's not the most comfortable of places to be.

Ignore Fen, he's clearly delusional, white wheels are where it's at [] (until you have to clean them)

 

[Fen]

ORIGINAL: Peter Empson
Ignore Fen, he's clearly delusional, white wheels are where it's at [] (until you have to clean them)

[peterkayegarlicbreadimpression] Clean... wheels... ?[/peterkayegarlicbreadimpression]

Seriously now, on a white car they look the canine's cajones (when clean), but really, tell me honestly it wouldn't look fantastic with the blue bits in black...

 

[Peter Empson]

ORIGINAL: Fen

ORIGINAL: Peter Empson
Ignore Fen, he's clearly delusional, white wheels are where it's at [] (until you have to clean them)

[peterkayegarlicbreadimpression] Clean... wheels... ?[/peterkayegarlicbreadimpression]

Seriously now, on a white car they look the canine's cajones (when clean), but really, tell me honestly it wouldn't look fantastic with the blue bits in black...

Lol! OK black wheels are good too, however too much black just reminds me of THHGTHG:

"It's the wild colour scheme that freaks me. I mean, when you try an' operate one of these weird black controls which are labelled in black on a black background, a small black light lights up black to tell you you've done it. What is this? Some kind of intergalactic hyper-hearse? "

 

[Fen]

So my black Jeep with black wheels and the red stripe replaced by a black one is too much?

 

[Peter Empson]

Yes, unless you get Rick to make up a white sticker for the back saying "intergalactic hyper-hearse". I think you should limo tint it too []

 

[Fen]

ORIGINAL: Peter Empson

Yes, unless you get Rick to make up a white sticker for the back saying "intergalactic hyper-hearse". I think you should limo tint it too []

I'm liking both those suggestions []

Maybe we should give Trev his thread back now?

 

[Diver944]

Why should we? If he can't be bothered to stay up later than our 'down under' correspondant then he doesn't deserve such a nice looking car

Well done Trev I hope it turns out to be a really nice one at a bagain price. Ignore the wheel jibes - black is best []

 

[Peter Empson]

ORIGINAL: Diver944

Ignore the wheel jibes - black is best []

Oi, don't you start []