944 Turbo as daily driver

[svb]

I've been a long time 911 guy with a Carrera 3.2 and 02 996T. I found an 86 Turbo black fitted with original Fuchs with 83k miles on it. Recent new clutch and belt change. It passed my PPi (had my 911 mechanic do it as he also knows 944s) with flying colors. Car was 1 owner well maintained. Asking price is high but I feel justified given the car's condition. My question is, in terms of reliability, is this a car that will get me to the hospital every day...even with proper maintenance? (I'm a physician.) Why do I want this car? I love the 951...I think its still one of the most beautiful cars ever made. I actually prefer the overall driving experience and cockpit feel to my 911. I've never owned one, and it took me almost 1 doggone year to find a good one. Unfortunately, it seems many cars have fallen into non-enthusiast hands, mistreated and not cared for usually due to cost of maintenance. Thanks for the insight!

[Yellowb1rd]

Sounds like you really did your homework, and you got a great example of the breed. Well done. Being a 911 owner myself, I don't think you'll be disappointed. Two different worlds they are, but that's a good thing. As far as maintenance, you need to pay attention to the timing belt, and water pump, as that is the Achilles heal of these cars (or any other interference design vehicle) - like our 911's chain tensioners, you need to make sure it's tip top. Change the belt every 30k miles, and the water pump every 60k miles, and just do the routine stuff that you're used to doing on your 911. With routine maintenance, this car will run a very long time.

[UncleRay]

Since you've done the search, PPI and documentation you've got a good start on determining reliability. It won't take many daily trips for the car to tell you what you got based on how it runs, drives and behaves (that feeling of confidence). Granted it's a 24 year old car and daily use may turn up some minor bugs, but in the long run I think you'll be looking forward to the daily drive.
Thanks for considering my opinion, UncleRay

[white944cup]

My '88 951 is my DD and I've driven it about 18K miles in the last 2 years.....it's been one of the most reliable cars I have ever owned. It now has 67K miles on it. I keep up with the routine maintenance and it has never left me stranded.....the most urgent repair required was when the fan thermoswitch went bad and I had to remove the relay every time I shut her down for a few days until the new switch arrived from Pelican. If you have purchased one that was maintained properly, you should have no problem using it as your DD, and the morning "boost check" almost makes it fun going to work every day!

[Darkhorse]

The grim truth is that with cars this old there's always going to be something going wrong. Even if it isn't serious enough to leave you stranded you'll lose time taking it to the workshop. Buy a 951 for the driving experience but I'd use the 996 as the DD.

[ilikemy944]

I've used 951s for DDs and they make great DDs

However.... I would have a backup if needed at some point...
I haven't really gotten stranded or broken down on the way to work but there have been times where I needed a second car for some reason.

[natey]

I've owned an '89 turbo for 5 years, it's been my DD for two of them. I bought a good example, I've maintained it, and it's stranded me only once, on a shakedown after a major service.

The car was my DD under two vastly different circumstances. The first was in Indiana, doing ~40 miles of highway a day, with very few stoplights at either end. In this case, the turbo is a fantastic DD, and I enjoyed it immensely. If this sounds like your usual drive, then by all means go for it.

It's currently my DD in the Boston area. My drives are generally short enough that the car never really gets warmed up. There are lots of stoplights, and traffic, traffic, traffic. In this case, the car really isn't very much fun at all - it has no torque from a stoplight at low revs, and I hesitate to rev it when it's cold - and there's never a break in traffic big enough to really get into the boost. If this sounds like your usual drive, then you may not enjoy the 951, especially if you're used to a more torque-laden flat six.

That's my perspective, anyway.

[wild man]

My 89 951 has been my DD from day 1. Ever since that day back in 08 when I bought it, I would never consider my DD being anything else. To put it bluntly, there simply IS NO SUBSTITUTE! It did leave me sitting one time though, when the inner right-side ball-cage blew out on the CV shaft (it did have 135K miles on it). So it would be wise to have a backup vehicle (especially if you are a physician). Mine is a 924S, but I also have a motorcycle.

Since all of our days are numbered, my motto is: Enjoy WHAT you can, WHILE you can.

[dondarnell]

I agree that 951's are one the most attractive cars ever. So are Ferrari 308's. Funny how these two cars are so remarkably well done, but not loved by the rest of the marque. Unlike a 308, 951's are quick, very quick.

I use mine everyday when weather permits, and that's really everthing but snow. A/C works great. Only real downside for me, hatch sqeaks on rough roads, making mobil phone use tough. Also, only power outlet is unusable for nav, mobile phone, detector etc. Need to install more outlets in discreet place. Other stuff is obvious, like no remote locks (on mine anyway). Flip up headlights seem kinda weird now.

I used to have one with sport seats, that car was hard to get into. I hated it after awhile for that reason, and got rid of it.

Finally, I feel like I get "the business" in a 951 like no other car. I have even had it spit on while I was in a bar. Maybe its because both of mine are red.

[wild man]

For me, weather ALWAYS permits, unless snow on the road surface is deeper than about 5 inches, after which I would actually be "plowing" snow.

I know what you are saying about the lighter socket though. Why (in the hell) does porsche feel the need to use a 22mm socket instead of the standard 20mm one? I makes all of my 12V accessories, such as my cell phone charger, laptop, G-tech, tire pump (the porsche pump takes up too much space), spotlight, laser/radar detector, coffee cup warmer, ionizer, dashboard GPS, inverter, AA/AAA cell battery charger, massage cushion, and socket multipliers, so much looser - so that they fall out, or loose connection, easier and more often?

My 951 did get all keyed up, not too long after I bought it. It cost me $110 to get a quart of (PPG) paint mixed up for it (it's got like 8 different things in it, not including the thinner or hardener). And I didn't do such a great job of applying it, unfortunately. Temps should have been warmer, the surface should have been prepped a little bit better, and I should have exersized more patience (something that I am not particularly know for) throughout the whole process. But at least now it is protected from deterioration.

[Smiledr996s]

I just recently retired my 951 DD of 6 years. I put about 70k miles on it, ontop of the 90k it came with. I could have continued to use as a DD when the engine let up, but went w/a BMW 330ci instead. The 951 will be now a DE car w/ 50/50 track street use. I was going w/ a full on 951 track/race car w/ my other 951, but have abandoned that project for now.

I tell you for DD I like the 330 sooo much better,

--no gas/exhaust smell
--cruise control works
--more comfortable seating
--everthing works


Also it will give me more time to complete and work on my 951 w/o needing it to drive as a DD. My Chevy 2500hd 6.0 tow vehicle gets awful gas milage so not an option for longer then a day. As I put about 75miles a day to work and back.

Plus it should make the occasional drive a blast. But if not tracking at all, maybe.

Steve

[M758]

I use my Stock 88 944 Turbo S as an occasional daily driver. It has 140k on it now and runs fine. It is not my primary daily, but I have used it daily for 2-3 weeks at a time. Lately I have been driving the week before race to get familiar with the clutch use and heel & toe. My other daily is an auto so no gearing practice there.

I have 40 mile one way commute, but I go into work early and get out early. This means no traffic and 60-70 all the way. I get 28 mpg as well.

[89-944NA]

My 88 Turbo S is my 3rd 944, all of them have been used as DD's without ever having a problem (other than ones I created). I am sure you will enjoy the car, as they are very reliable as long as you keep up the maintenance. All told, with the 3 cars I have driven over 250,000 miles with no disappointment. Heck, when I sold the first car (89NA), it had almost 300,000 miles and never even had the head off....leakdown and compression checks were still well with spec. The 2nd (S2), had 135,000 when I got t-boned, and the current 88 Turbo S, is sitting at 123,406 and running like a charm......even tracked it at California Speedway (Fontana) this past weekend. Buy it, You'll LOVE it.

[AaronM]

A solid 951 will be as reliable as any well-cared-for 24-year-old car can be. As always, maintenance is key and it's very important that you stay on top of that. Otherwise though, they're solid cars.

I'm not sure about the condition of Smiledr996s's car, but it sounds like he's got something of a basket case. In my 951, everything works, including the cruise control, and there has never been any gas/exhaust smell. I would expect that a car that checked out as well in the PPI as the car in the original post did will be much like my own car; that is an example in which everything works. Seats are obviously different for everyone, but for me, the 944 series cars feel as though they were built specifically for me; I've never sat in a more comfortable car (though the fact that mine has the sport seats may play a role there). Obviously, people who are not shaped like me may legitimately disagree about the comfort.

The lack of low-end grunt does get a little old in city driving; the car likes to stretch its legs and feels best when it's not stop and go all the time, but that's something you'll need to decide for yourself and isn't really a maintenance or reliability thing.

The bottom line here though is that while my Volvo is more cushy and more practical in everyday use, if it came down to it, I'd sell the Volvo and keep the 951.

[choinga]

My 87 951 isn't my DD, but I wouldn't hesitate to use it for a few weeks if I needed to. It's a car I intend to keep for a long time and I was fortunate to buy it with a new clutch and 85k on the odometer...so not a garage queen, but not beat into the ground either. My PO's were a middle aged woman who bought it new and drove it for 65k and the guy I bought it from was a certified Porsche mechanic at a dealership. So, I got a nice car that had been well taken care of and I intend to keep it that way.

I agree though, driving in traffic in this car sucks...driving in traffic in any car with a stick sucks. This car LOVES third gear and the more time you spend in 3rd and 4th the happier you'll be.

[chip18]

Well my 951 was suppose to be my daily driver for the summer while I turbo my Tercel, but the 951 decided it doesn't want the job!
Currently up on jack stands while I change out the clutch slave cylinder. It did not want to go into the garage either, me and a buddy and a hand winch had to literately drag her into the garage!
Got her from my buddy and she is a well maintained and documented example. So crap happens. But it's all good.

[Lawrence Coppari]

Mine's been a semi daily driver for 14 years. It also has slightly over 100 DE's on it. It has only left me stranded once and if I had been on the ball, I would not have been stranded. Can't complain.