Yup, get a copy of Consumers Report Auto issue, get in the rocker on the porch with a soft pillow for your buns and read about all the CR recommended cars with good service records. :)

" I'll simply force myself to replace the Saab with something boring, reasonable, and reliable."-Matt

John_AZ

Since I'll probably end up with a Camry, I'll find a fluffy frilly pillow to protect my delicate bottom.

http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/car/730650374.html

You will love it Matt! :D

Shaun, I'm seeing a theme with you and rust. Sell your 4Runner, I'll sell you my 9000 Aero!

the theme is called poverty Matt.:D

You too? I'm forced to rent a car today because my A/C doesn't work, and I have to drive 2 hours with my family to buy my wife's new minivan. A '93 Saab with 227k and no A/C doesn't make for the best family car.

Having owned both an early 944 and a 951, I think I'll chime in.

The 944-series can be reliably used as a daily driver as long as all the maintenance is done. When I bought my 1983 944, I thought it was great that it only had 40k miles on it at the time, until I realized that I would end up replacing almost every major component and performing every major service over the first 4 years or so. I saw almost every major issue that these cars face - clutch, CV joints, the vents that constantly blow hot air, water pump failure, head gasket failure, oil cooler seals, and even a broken timing belt. That being said, the car only needed to be towed twice over a six-year span- when the head gasket went and when the timing belt went (I won't count the time that I hydroplaned into a wooden mailbox).

The early 944 had undergone some mild suspension modifications and had a lot of weight taken out of it by yours truly. It was a blast to drive and could carve corners like no other. That being said, it was a little much to drive daily, especially on very hot days or in the snow. It really should have been a weekend "fun" car (and was, for a while).

My 951 is much more modern, and much easier to live with daily. Previous posters are right when they say that working on the 951 is a huge pain. It is. There is hardly any room in the engine bay, and a lot of ducting and piping need to be removed in order to perform many repairs. Trust me, I finished a head gasket job on mine back in April. I have had the 951 towed only once over a year of ownership, and the problem was kind of my own damn fault - I didn't tighten the ignition rotor enough, and it came loose. That being said, the head gasket did fail on me, and the clutch is on its way out.

I would say that in general, the NAs are more reliable and easier to work on as a daily car, and the later NAs are generally more comfortable and modern than the early ones. The 951 is a rocketship that begs to be driven hard, so for most of the year it really should be relegated to weekend/nice day/fun drive kind of use... right now I am driving the 951 daily (Volvo needs a radiator) in light use (5 miles to school until I buy a used bicycle, and 11 miles to work, on back roads). It has been an absolute pleasure, as it is running well and the weather has been gorgeous.

I have driven a S2 and a 968, and based on what I experienced I can definitely see how they would make the most comfortable daily drivers.

Having owned a 951, you don't have to tell me what a PITA they are to work on. Mine never stranded me, but never ran 100% right either. Turbo lag and tall gears made it a dog around town. I don't think I'd buy another for a DD. For a fun car, sure. I've never been in a car that would blast up freeway on-ramps like my 951.

My next 944 will likely be an S2 cab or a 968. If the right 951 came along I'd consider it, but it honestly having mine go up in smoke was kind of bittersweet. Yes, it was a kick in the gut, but I certainly don't miss the endless hours wrenching, busted knuckles, having that last intake bolt drop down into the bowels of the engine 10 minutes from being done with reassembly (necessitating 2 more hours of DISassembly to retrieve it), etc. They're fun cars, but maybe they're better for someone who's retired, independently wealthy or otherwise has a lot of free time to futz with one.

I really love the S2 cab. I almost bought one before deciding on my 911. . .