944 Daily Driver: Am I Insane?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Part 10 of my continuing series: Let Pelicans Help Me Pick Cars.

So, those that know me know I've been down this road before. Against the advice of many on here, I bought a '70 911T as a DD. That lasted about a week until the clutch pivot pin broke and I had to do an engine drop. After fixing, I drove it for about 6 mo before I gave up and sold it. Trying to restore an old Porsche AND drive it to work isn't a good combination, especially when you're broke. About one year after that, I picked up a 944 Turbo as a DD, and it worked out slightly better. Never stranded me, but annoyed my wife by always needing SOMETHING. Again, not good when broke.

SO, it's a few years later, and I'm finally done with the hell called college, earning decent money. We've finally sold my wife's Cadillac SRX, and will be replacing with a cheaper minivan. I plan to sell my Saab, leaving me with about $5k for a DD. For the money, you can pick up a very nice 85.5+ 944 or 944S. The question is, should I buy one to use as a daily driver?

Something like this is within reach: '87 944S, Guards Red over Linen, sport seats, recent t-belt and waterpump, lower mileage engine. Very nice looking in pics. 51k on the motor, 108k on chassis.
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=p&car_id=246207208&dealer_id=62766109&car_year=1987&model=&num_records=25&systime=&make2=&start_year=1981&keywordsfyc=&keywordsfyc=&keywordsrep=&keywordsrep=&engine=&certified=&body_code=0&fuel=&awsp=false&search_type=both&distance=500&marketZipError=false&search_lang=en&make=POR&keywords_display=&color=&page_location=findacar%3A%3Aispsearchform&min_price=1&drive=&default_sort=priceDESC&max_mileage=&style_flag=1&sort_type=priceDESC&address=67226&advanced=y&end_year=2009&doors=&transmission=Manual&max_price=6000&cardist=352

[Tim Hancock]

FWIW, I keep a '77 924, an '87 924S (944 in 924 clothing) and an '87 944 turbo on the road. As long as you do not need to replace the clutch, they are not too bad as daily drivers although all of them have minor issues (squeaks/rattles, minor oil leaks, leaking AC systems requiring 1-2 cans per summer etc). They all sem to get 20-25 mpg which is ok I guess.

My daughter's have driven the 924s daily for several years and I bounce between the 911, 944t and the BMW to drive my 40 mile each way commute to work.

[Jim Richards]

Buy as new a 3-series Beemer as you can afford. Or a Honda Civic / Toyota Corolla.

[Dantilla]

I bought a 944S for a race car project.

The first time I spent $100 to fill my pick-up, I wondered why I've got a 30 mpg Porsche sitting in storage while I drive a 13 mpg truck.

Bottom line? I've been using the 944S as my daily driver for a while now. Fun to drive, good gas mileage, lots of cargo room, what's not to like? My daughter fits in the back seat just fine, so we've been using it as our family car.

[Jims5543]

Procon on this board DD's his 944 and is always bragging about the 30MPG he is getting with it.

[svandamme]

i drove a 924 for 2 years, and a 944 for another year, then a 944S as DD
it's fine, you can haul plenty of stuff in it, milage is not to bad if you don't have to much city traffic

i didn't need my car to get to work, i would not recommend that, at least not if you don't have a backup car.. they are 20+ years old

[livi]

I think the 944 is a lot of car for very little money. I have been contemplating one as a daily hack and commuter. Back in the days when I was twenty years old, I had a 76 924 as my only car. I drove it every day for at least three years. Threw Swedish winter storms and all. Never let me down.

[VINMAN]

My '44 is my daily driver. I have 82 mile round trip commute. I usually switch between it and my two trucks , but basically have only been using it and my harley for the past yr or so due to the gas prices. I just turned 200,000 on it. Basically trouble free.Only major thing was a clutch change. My mileage is in the mid 20s

[Robert Adams]

I’ve been driving my S2 now for about 3 years as a DD. Yes, it’s great on gas, comfort and handling! But, it’s 18 years old and as a DD it needs repairs and maybe an upgrade now again (like the AC); and I mean more than the average because it’s a performance car before it’s a DD. It starts out innocently enough; a clutch here, steering rack there, new tires, new brakes, new cat, new muffler, etc. These are not exactly low priority items on a DD that as a weekend car you can let go until you have the money. They need to be fixed NOW! So, being it’s a daily driver I tend not to have the time to fix it when things need fixing, so, just figure sending the monthly college tuition money to your mechanic.
For $5000 I would go find a nice Acura GSR and save up for a newer Porsche DD. Just my 2c.
That said, I do love driving the S2 and I get a lot of compliments and more than a few parking lot conversations, but it’s come at cost that I could have pretty near owned a decent 993.
Good luck !

[mattdavis11]

The 944 is a daily driver for me. It gets on average 25-28 mpg on the highway, sometimes it'll get procons numbers. I do my own maintenance and the total runs less than $100 yearly. Sometimes this car bothers me because there is nothing to wrench on. Honestly, it's more reliable than my newer Toyota. For a guess, I'll say it has 180K miles. The odo gear was broken for 10 years, so who really knows.

[herman maire]

I would buy a nice E36 BMW .... way nicer motor than a 44. I have driven a lot of 944's and the motor just kills the car for me. The turbo is nicer but I would still buy the E36 325/328IS.

They are wicked reliable to.

Have you driven a nice E36?

[VaSteve]

When I took the seats and bar out of my 944, I DD'd it for a little bit to the train station and back. It's a good car for one person to drive....small, easy to manuever, good on gas. I wouldn't necessarily buy one to be a DD, but if you already had one. I think sometimes we're too tied to the Porsche marque on this board....If I had $5000 to buy a DD, I'd look for an older Bimmer. But then again, that's because I haven't had an older Bimmer. 3 main things on the 944....pump/belts, a-arms and clutch. The rest is relatively easy to fix.


Oddly enough, when trying to sell mine I got more calls from people wanting to DD it then track it. I don't get it.

[the]

944T, SRX, Saab, and now thinking a 20 year old 944, sheesh, buy a decent car for once and be done with it.

[greglepore]

One here as well. Timing belts are expensive, and clutch is stupid expensive, but otherwise its a great driver. You'll likely put up with climate control switchgear failure and like nuisances, but it is a 20 yr old car.

[Tim Hancock]

Of these cars, the Porsches are the only ones that have NEVER left one of my family members stranded. The NewBeetle (just bought to replace the '77 924 for my youngest daughter to commute this fall to college with) broke down due to a failed waterpump. The Audi twin turbo took a crap on my wife and needed to be flatbedded home (fuel pump took a crap). The BMW 325i is a great car with 287,000 miles on it, but the radiator neck broke stranding my wife about 4 yrs ago (this what I DD the most as it gets about 27 mpg).

Bottom line is that the P-cars, all with well over 100k on them, are well built in regards to major components and if you buy a clean one that has had the timing belt and clutch replaced, you should be just fine.

the "pretty good" apples



the "bad" apple

[mattdavis11]

Originally Posted by greglepore

One here as well. Timing belts are expensive.

It's only $8. The clutch, if it's the original rubber centered, should have been taken care of by now. The climate control on the early car is one headache you'll never worry about.

[onewhippedpuppy]

I think you guys overestimate what $5k will buy for a normal car. I have the choice of a nice 944 with 100k or a worn out Japanese appliance car. And to whomever mentioned the E36, no thanks. Of all the cars I've had the E36 was probably the most poorly built. I would however consider an E30.

[Aerkuld]

I DD'd my 1984 944 for over a year and only replaced it when we got the 996. The 944 did need a lot of attention but it made a fantastic DD. As long as you go in to it expecting to have to do some work on it then I don't see the problem. If you're expecting to drive it and never work on it you're kidding yourself.

[John_AZ]

Keep looking. If you read the small print on the AutoTrader ad:

"Car odometer shows 108417miles but has a new used engine installed that presently only has 51,000 miles, looks and runs great, excellent gas mileage, all maintenance records available, new fuel pump, new water pump, new timing gears, seals/gaskets etc. installed when new used engine was installed, moon top totally can be removed and stored in te trrunk"

I get stopped at the constant word -used. "new used engine"? The odometer may show 108K (?-ODO break often) but the new used engine may have 150K.
The clutch or head gasket (both 20 years old) will be the next big ticket items to go. Parts/machine shop=$1000 for either (includes a few extras while apart). Labor-$1000 up and up-take your pick.

Consider the purchase of a 924S/944/951 as a 2nd or expensive hobby.

John_AZ
1988 924S 58K Owned 12 years-To Show
1987 924S 112K Owned 10 years-DD To Go
1998 Cherokee (2nd one) Owned 3 years-To Tow

[Racerbvd]

I've had a 944 as a DD, ran well, as long as it was maintained, but that is the secret to any car isn't it. I have also used a 924S as a DD, fun little car, great speeper too. You can find well maintained 924S pretty reasonable, many weren't driven as hard as the 944s, as they just don't have the same look, but have a very low wind resistance. If you want mileage, go with one of these, and you can add 17" Boxster wheels to them too (raising the gearing. Plus, 944 racers love the top gear (slightly lower than a 944 to keep it from have a higher top speed) and and want those trannies
We are doing some more upgrades on mine, or I would be driving it