Which porsche should i buy, if any?

[nightmage]

Hi guys, this is my first post, big hellos to everyone!


forgive me if this has been posted before or if its inappropriate in this particular forum but i couldn't find any other porsche forums online and out of the sub-sections at this one it seemed most appropriate. anyway on to my questions.

in the next few months i will finally have saved up enough money to move onto a different car. i currently drive an '88 vauxhall astra estate/wagon (opel kadett). it's front wheel drive but the handling is ok and its light so quick. but i want something with rear wheel drive, good handling and a rev meter (lol! ).

i estimate i will have around £10k-£12k to spend on the car including insurance which will work out to be £1-3k for me depending on what i buy. in fact due to insurance constraints and what i mentioned above i've basically boiled down all my choices to either a '95-'99 bmw e39 5-series with an engine less than 3.5 litres, or a porsche 944 or 928/968. the 928's and 968's are more or less out of my league due to insurance again but i'd be willing to consider them. basically i've wanted to own a porsche for some time now for a number of reasons not least because they are reputed to make the best handling cars around! . i've not driven either the 944 or the bmw and my opinion might change on a first drive but u can't really assess a car thoroughly until u've covered a few good miles so a first drive can only provide a limited insight.

my current car is an F reg (1988) and although it has never left me stranded, it has thrown up its share of problems over the years, not least the electrical ones that cause it to fail in the mornings. i do not have a garage at home so repairs aren't all that straightforward. in light of this i'd be very wary about buying a car as old or older than my current one.

my questions are thus, how reliable are 944's at their present age? if changing the spark plugs and oil + maybe the oil filter is about the extent of my abilities when it comes to engine mechanics, should i even be considering one? if i'd be dissapointed if it failed to start more than once a month should i stay well away from them?

i don't have access to many twisty roads and track days are probably not something i will engage in more than once a year at most, would the bmw be more of a sensible option or does a 944/928/968 offer so much more in terms of driving satisfaction that regular visits to a porsche garage make it worthwhile?

P.S. i would rather have a naturally aspirated engine rather than a turbo, and air con plus leather are things i would dearly like to see in my next car, though not _strictly_ essential.

Thanks for taking the time to read my post!

[uncwSoccer]

Just as an example, I sold my 1999 mustang this year and purschased a 1986 Porsche 944. Alot of people thought it was funny, trading a reliable car like the Ford for a tempermental Porsche, but I love the Porsche. Handling is great, maybe not comparable to later model BMW's, but definately to cars of the time. I paid 4500$ for my car, from the first owner, with minimal work to be done to it. I felt pretty lucky.

I purposely stayed away from turbo's and later "S" and "S2" models because of the more elevated maintenance costs. The N/A engine isn't extremely fast in the 0-60, but the curvies make up for that and the size of the car gives a good impression of speed regardless. I spent around 1000$ on repairs initially, replacing belts and a/c junk, since then I've had no costs, or break downs of any sort.

As for insurance, I pay 400$ a year for the Porsche, and I paid 1200$ a year for the Stang with only a 6-cyl. I'm also 20 and on my 5th car...which elevates the insurance just a tad

Don't buy any porsche without a good inspection first, I'm sure lots of voices will chime in on that, there are alot of damaged cars that at first seem like good bargains or just cars that need some expensive parts. Make sure any repairs are factored into purchases, and buy some good Porsche books first, so you know what to look for. IMHO there are alot of differences in the 924, 911, 928, 944, 914, 951, 930, 356 and you should have an idea of a model you want as well as just a make, otherwise you may just end up with the wrong thing. Maybe attend a local Porsche show and get some free rides, the new cars really knock your socks off, some of the older ones too!

Dan

86 944
72 914
2000 Ford Ranger- NEW(used) CAR!!

[MrPants]

Originally posted by uncwSoccer
As for insurance, I pay 400$ a year for the Porsche,

sweet christ where do you get your insurance?
im paying 3 times that with no accidents and im over 21

but back on topic: i think the 944 is absolutley wonderful. i made the mistake of buying a cheap one that needed some work instead of shelling out the little extra cash for one that had already had been maintained. the rule is that its always cheaper to buy a car in good condition vs. paying for reapairs after the fact. my point is: despite the fact that my car isnt super reliable (though many 944s are) i still love it. i cant imagine not having it.
really look over the one youre buying as repairs are expensive (although if youre other option is a bmw that shouldnt sway you too much). try looking around and see if there is a mechanic with porsche experience in your area.

[Roger Hall]

If you are not going to do alot the repairs youself then I would probably recomend another car. Porsche mechanics are expensive and you could eaisly invest more than the car is worth in repairs.

Dont get me wrong a well maintianed 944 is a great car and not that expensive to maintian, but it may be difficult to find one in great condition.

If you are willing to learn and you have a set of metric tools they are alot of fun, and I would say buy one. This board is a great resource and there are some good guys here that will provide you with alot of assistance.

[BlueQuestTSi]

Double check with your insurance agency on insurance for a 944. My agent informed me I could insure a new Vette for less than the 944, I pay close to $800 a year for full coverage on the 944 alone.... To give you an idea, I also pay $800 a year for full coverage on my Conquest, GTP and liability on the Bug(3 cars for the price of one Porsche).....


The insurance rates are probably a direct representation of the price of replacement body parts...

[nightmage]

hey, thanks for the advice guys, i'll bear it all in mind when making my choice. my main problem is that i don't have a garage, a car isn't critical to my commute, in fact i use the tube/metro system now (i live in london), so my car could be out of action for a while whilst i looked for parts/maintained them myself. i don't suppose anyone knows of facilities in london where u can store ur car in a garage/make repairs on it? (like hiring out a box somewhere...)

as for insurance, im 21 and the 944 is one of the most sensible cars to insure, much less than a nissan 200 or a lexus, in fact a 2.7 lux (is it a 2.7?) is less than a standard 5 series bmw.

anyway, thanks again!

[flangermog]

Get yourself along to Hartech Matey.

They'll do you a lovely 944 for £10k with full service package, it's great, you pay monthly in small chunks and they will look after everything! They often throw in the first year free and they will have done most of the work on the car throughout it's life. You can get a 944 for as little as £2k but don't bother because you'll have to spend a fortune on it!

Hartech are in Bolton and every car they sell has just had a major overhaul. Hence £10 - 12k

But unless you know what to look for in a used 944, talk to them!

Honestly mate after an astra, you'll feel like a King!

BMWs are a LOT of hard and expensive work over here, (I had 3 and they nearly bankrupted me!)

Cheaper alternative - Audi Coupe but really no comparison.

On the insurance side, if you can keep the miles down you can get fully comp classic car insurance for around £400!!!!

[97XRAY]

Maybe you should drive the turbo before knocking it out of the options circle. You might find that you like boost as much as the next guy.
The euro NAs offer a nice kick though, I love mine.
It really won't win any street light races though (and it shouldn't!).
Do you have any more specific questions?
...by the way, I pay ~1800.00 a year for the three cars listed below with two drivers each.

[plandy]

Sounds like you're looking for a 928.

[nightmage]

Originally posted by 97XRAY
Maybe you should drive the turbo before knocking it out of the options circle. You might find that you like boost as much as the next guy.
The euro NAs offer a nice kick though, I love mine.
It really won't win any street light races though (and it shouldn't!).
Do you have any more specific questions?
...by the way, I pay ~1800.00 a year for the three cars listed below with two drivers each.

specific questions? yeah sure i guess i may have been a little vague. my main two queries are about the reliability of such an old car (10 years or more). this also goes hand in hand with the fact i'll be unable to do things like change the suspension myself or take any major pieces off the engine to replace seals etc. and since the other alternative i'm considering is a 5 or 6 year old bmw, if the performance and drive will be leaps and bounds better or just about the same. cause if they are roughly the same i may as well go for the beamer since it is younger... :S

plandy, 928 eh, any particular reason?

[thamlin000]

Well-maintained 944s can make fairly reliable daily drivers. Since you are blessed with a good public transportation system and don't rely on your car everyday, a 944 is a great option. I generally expect one "leave you by the side of the road break-down" per year with my daily driven 20 year-old 944. Minor things must be done through-out the year to keep it maintained and in-tune.

Also keep in mind, n/a's (especially early ones) have cheaper parts. Turbos and S2s are a lot faster.

[scottmandue]

Originally posted by plandy
Sounds like you're looking for a 928.

I love the 928 but I don't see it as a low budget ride.

[97XRAY]

With the money that you have ~10K pounds after insurance(?) I personally would find a great condition early 944 NA (<4K pounds?) and put the rest aside for any upgrades you may want or need to do.

The early 944's are fairly straight forward cars to work on and if you avoid the engine itself, a novice could learn a lot and enjoy doing some of the work himself - espeically with this board there to help.
I couldn't change the oil before I bought mine a few years back... I have since completely replaced the suspension, steering, brakes and rotors, much of the electrical, have done gauge work, fixed chasis leaks, replaced motor mounts, ignition wires, plugs, air filter, put new brushes in the alternator, and am beginning to figure out how that big weight in the front actually works (the engine - tackling vacuum lines currently), etc etc etc... so if I could do it, I think anyone could.

The BMW we have is nice and new, and runs great, but when the warranty is up and something brakes, it would be outrageously expensive to have a dealer fix it (in the states anyhow - where I'm at the dealer is $100.00 / hour labor and parts are just plain rediculously expensive).