Matt a 944 will make a good daily driver if it is a decent car to start with. And no matter what 944 you get if it hasn't just had the timing belt changed, change it!

On the other hand you can get a very nice Honda or Toyota for $5K that will probably drive a long time without needing any maintenance.

A 968 engine with an S2 transmission is quite a combination too. WAY more low-end acceleration than a 944 would ever be expected to have.

I've had my 89 944 NA as a daily driver since Feb. 2003, have managed to put a little over 50k miles on it in that time. I drive it year-round here in the Boston area, it has been extremely reliable in all kinds of conditions, gets 24-25 mpg with some spirited driving, and it's fun to drive. I average about $1,500/year in maintenance costs, but I also do my own wrenching.

Matt, yes, you are insane. That $5K 944 will most likely turn into a $8-10K+ 944 that's still worth <$5K. Show your wife that the college degree was not wasted. Pull the trigger on a reliable DD. ;)

I think Matt was pulling our leg a bit. In his signature line he has owned a 1987 951.
Use the $5000 as a down payment on a Cayman.

John_AZ

I disagree.

For $5,000 you can get a pretty nicely sorted-out 944 n/a. I doubt you'd need to put that much into it and even if you DID end up putting $8k-$10k into it, you're still only talking about a total loss of $4k-$5k versus tens of thousands of dollars of loss in depreciation on a newer vehicle.

Read my earlier post. The single greatest factor to consider is depreciation. It NEVER makes sense to buy new. Ever. Depreciation will eat you alive if you do anything other than buy used/depreciated out.

I never suggested Matt buy a new vehicle, just something more reasonable, a civic like car that will run 200K miles with oil changes, brakes, and tires. It sounds like Matt is at the stage in his life where he needs reliable transportation, is averse to taking on debt, and is operating on limited funds.

I suppose if you're great at diy a 944 could be viable, but if you're a checkbook mechanic forget it. Isn't the rear window worth more than the whole car? Or is that just the 924. Plus I remember driving a 944 some time ago and being completely underwhelmed...I think a civic hatchback would be as lively and cost a lot less to keep running.

Totally agree with that. Bought a new car, once, and won't do that again.

No one is a bigger fan of the cars from the 80s, particularly the mid-80s, than I am. I was late teens, early 20s, and an absolute car fanatic. Those were my car-formative years, and anything from the mid 80s (cars or motorcycles) are very near and dear to my heart.

That being said, it is sad to finally have to let them go, as DDs. IMO, as a group, they are just getting too old. Most from the era have fully crapped out AC, blown out shocks, and need to have pretty much every bushing in the suspension replaced to make them drive nice again. Most have at least some part of the electrical system failing, and even the Motronic wiring harnesses are getting a little crispy, causing all sorts of headaches. Basically, just about every moving part (and most of the non-moving parts, like seats, dashes, etc.) are just getting worn out.

10 years ago, they were still great, and really great bargains. 10 years from now they will for the most part be gone. Today, yeah, really nice examples have some economical life in them, but the majority at this point don't IMO make economic sense any more. The value is too low, the work needed is too much.

used Miata.

OK sounds like you and I agree more than we disagree on this David. There are some decent deals to be had on used Hondas & Toyotas and they're reasonably cheap to insure. However for about the same money (or slightly more) one can get a 944 that's actually fun to drive and you can feel enthusiastic about. It's pretty hard to feel enthusiastic in a Civic. They're about as exciting as washing machines. However I'll agree - it's hard to beat their #'s in terms of operating cost per mile. The 944 would likely come in a little bit more expensive, but for most of us here I'd suspect the slight additional cost would be worth it to drive something we enjoy. . .

Get the 944. There are too many of them out there that need good homes.

If you are looking for a cheap, reliable DD that gets good mileage, an old CRX is the ticket.


Not as cool as a 944, but you can mod the susp & still get great mileage. One of the local PCA guys has a CRX-si and made it his DD, sold his 993 TT and bought a 952 but drives the honda the most:eek:

CRX is cool but sadly I need a back seat. I've pondered selling the Audi and buying a cheaper DD so I no longer have a car payment. I'm thinking Subara as I need a wagon to carry my music crap. I wish I'd never sold my '05 Impreza but mistakes were made...and likely continue to be made :p. The upside is the Audi has a warranty until 2012.

The full delete is what i did with my 928S. Condenser, hoses, compressor- gone.

Actually that is not a bad idea!

That's my forte. :)

In this fuel climate, and in the summer on top of it (drop top), you'll pay a hefty premium to get into a Miata right now unless you get super lucky.

AND the Miata might help you get "super lucky". Well, if guys are your thing. :)

Sorry, couldn't resist.

I was waiting for that one!!! But the Spec Miata class is very competitive & a fun class.

My Saab has helped me see the light. Of course, the light I'd prefer to see is it going up in flames (ala Jeff's 951), but it has instead provided me with enlightenment. Short of buying a 944 with EVERYTHING replaced, this is a stupid idea. Because no matter what, a 21 year old car will always need SOMETHING. And I'm tired of broken cars that I have to drive every day. Case in point, my Saab air conditioning that is operating perfectly, except blowing hot air. Lovely when it's upper 90s and humid. So, I'll simply force myself to replace the Saab with something boring, reasonable, and reliable. Then hate it.