944 for a kid's first car? - Page 3

rammstein · 09-26-2007, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by porsche4life

but if i had it to do over i would get something a little more dependable...Perhaps a jetta or golf

Out of the frying pan and into the fryer?

I know too many friends that have been burned by VW products. Its too bad, because when they work they are great cars.

JeremyD · JeremyD's Garage

I'm going down the same route with my soon to be 15 year old... fun times

gt350mike · 09-26-2007, 08:09 PM

I guess I'm a little qualified to chime in on this one because both of my boys started off with a 944. The oldest son had a NICE 87 N/A with only 86k miles when it bought it. It was our father/son project (replaced t-belt, tires, speakers, DME, and water pump). I made him pay for 1/2 of the car (I thought he would take better care of the car but he didn't). He hardly kept the car clean and I had to make him work on the car when it needed attention. He ended up with a speeding ticket (118 mph!) and after I finished having an aneurysm, I told him the car was mine. I took his equity in the car and bought him the ultimate chick magnet....97 Subaru Legacy. He's been driving it for 2.5 yrs and there isn't a day that goes by that he doesn't think about his 944.
Looking back, I should have bought the 87 for me and my wife (as a weekend car) and bought him either a 83-85 944. Keep in mind that most kids WILL wreck the car so don’t make the mistake I made by starting them off with a “A” condition car (unless your daughter is a fanatic about caring for the car).
Regarding the maintenance, they do require lots of attention. T-belts are the first thing to check, but there are other areas that are prone to breaking (based on my experience).......window switches, radiator cooling fans, fuel injectors,water pump, DME (engine control unit/computer), & fuel pump. Considering the car is 20+ years old, the mechanical problems should be expected.
Since I didn't learn from my first experience, I decided to get my younger son an 83 944 that was a basket case. What should have been a 3 month "father/son" project turned into a 12 month nightmare. THANK GOD I bought a parts car (already disassembled and in storage containers) or I would have burned that car! We got it running very well, but I reminded him of the promise that I made (and kept) with his older brother……you get a ticket and the car is mine! So far we have thoroughly enjoyed the car, but it still needs minor attention every now and then.
The best advice that I can give you is to find a solid car if you are dead set on getting your daughter a 944. I highly recommend an 87 or 88 model because I think those years are the best bang for the buck. If I had to do it over again, I would have bought an 87 or 88 instead of the 83 (for the younger son). My younger son and I like turning wrenches but we bit off more that we could chew with the 83 and we spent way too much time getting the car back into presentable condition.
One more comment.....my mechanic has been working on Porsches and BMWs for over 30 years and he told me that I should have bought a 3 Series for my boys because the cars are much more dependable than a 944. If you think she is going to abuse the car (like my older son did), then I would seriously consider getting her a 3 Series.

gt350mike · 09-26-2007, 08:24 PM

Don't know if someone has mentioned this, but if your daughter doesn't know how to drive a manual transmission, it could be a very expensive endeavor teacher her how to drive a 5-speed with a 944. I'm not a 100% sure how much it cost to replace a clutch, but I think it is around $1,000 or more. I was lucky with both of my boys.....the 1st one learned how to drive a manual with a Miata. The 2nd son learned almost overnight w/out burning the clutch!

Tim Hancock · 09-27-2007, 05:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gt350mike

Don't know if someone has mentioned this, but if your daughter doesn't know how to drive a manual transmission, it could be a very expensive endeavor teacher her how to drive a 5-speed with a 944. I'm not a 100% sure how much it cost to replace a clutch, but I think it is around $1,000 or more. I was lucky with both of my boys.....the 1st one learned how to drive a manual with a Miata. The 2nd son learned almost overnight w/out burning the clutch!

My daughters both learned in my '77 924 and it is still on it's ORIGINAL clutch

They both rode dirt bikes with a clutch prior to driving cars, so they had the whole clutch /shifting thing down all ready.

We also have an E36 325i in the stable with 280,000 miles on the clock and it runs/drives/looks great still (original clutch still hanging in there in it also). I use it often to drive to work and my daughters use it on occasion when they need to haul 4 people around.

The clutches in the newer 924S and the 944 cars typically should be replaced at some point, not typically due to wear, but due to the fact that they have a rubber center that deteriorates with age and should be replaced with a spring centered clutch. I have installed new clutches in the 944/924S series and it is a time consuming job, but not too expensive if you DIY.

onewhippedpuppy · 09-27-2007, 06:23 AM

Quite frankly, unless your daughter loves to spin wrenches, you are insane to buy her a 944. Even a mint condition 944 will have more maintenance than a newer Japanese car, so you'll be hearing lots of, "dad, my car is making a funny noise". Either you get to foot the bill, or you get to fix it. Even worse, what if she doesn't tell you? Most girls think that turning up the radio is like fixing a funny noise, not a good attitude to have with a Porsche. Could get expensive fast......

Further, do you like the thought of your daughter breaking down on the side of the road? At night? On a deserted road somewhere? The odds of it happening in a 20 year old Porsche are much greater than in a 2 year old Civic. 944s started life as a car that required regular maintenance, 20 years later it will require more work than most newer cars. Stuff breaks, especially on old cars. I sure don't want my daughter stranded when it does break.

Get her something newer and Japanese. It may not be as cool as a Porsche, but it will be reliable, and cheap to keep up. If you insist on getting her something sporty, there's still plenty of good choices.

Tim Hancock · 09-27-2007, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Quite frankly, unless your daughter loves to spin wrenches, you are insane to buy her a 944. Even a mint condition 944 will have more maintenance than a newer Japanese car, so you'll be hearing lots of, "dad, my car is making a funny noise". Either you get to foot the bill, or you get to fix it. Even worse, what if she doesn't tell you? Most girls think that turning up the radio is like fixing a funny noise, not a good attitude to have with a Porsche. Could get expensive fast......

Further, do you like the thought of your daughter breaking down on the side of the road? At night? On a deserted road somewhere? The odds of it happening in a 20 year old Porsche are much greater than in a 2 year old Civic. 944s started life as a car that required regular maintenance, 20 years later it will require more work than most newer cars. Stuff breaks, especially on old cars. I sure don't want my daughter stranded when it does break.

Get her something newer and Japanese. It may not be as cool as a Porsche, but it will be reliable, and cheap to keep up. If you insist on getting her something sporty, there's still plenty of good choices.

Matt, I understand what you are saying, but my daughters have not been stranded in their 924's and I enjoyed fixing them up for them. The key here is the fixing them up first.

the · 09-27-2007, 08:11 AM

Tim, you have to remember you aren't a normal person. I'd drive a piece of crap (no, I'm not talking about a 924 or something like that, but an ACTUAL PIECE OF TURD), if I were lucky enough to have you around to work on it and fix it up.

For the 99.9% of other humans on earth, buying an old 924 as a first car for their daughter is a bad idea. Neither daughter nor dad are going to enjoy it.

onewhippedpuppy · 09-27-2007, 08:42 AM

the nailed it, Tim isn't exactly the average guy. For someone that has to pay a mechanic to do maintenance and repairs, it is a very bad idea.

Tim, while I'm glad that your daughters have not been stranded, you have to admit that the risk is higher in an old car. Age takes it toll on plastic, wires, and rubber, even on a well kept car.

Dueller · 01:14 PM

I'll chime in here with my recommendation...I have twin stepdtrs. My wife and their dad agreed to each buy a car, $5000 max budget. Dad, married to the country music heiress, goes out and buys one a 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse for like $9K. So much for sticking to budget.

Mom was adamant to not spend more than $5K. So it falls on me to find an equally cool (to 16 y.0.'s) car. I shopped on ebay and came up with a 1999 318ti (the little hatchback) flew to Miami and picked it up drove it 900 miles home in 14+ hrs. A really fun little car...with automatic and the anemic 1.9 litre it looks a lot faster than it is. Dual airbags, reasonable back seat, gets 33mpg on highway. It already had a killer stereo installed, which apparently was part of the cool factor. Picked it up for a tick under $5K. They are becoming a cult classic.

She's now driven it 10,000 miles with no problems whatsoever. Conversely the Eclipse has had a myriad of problems and rattles and clunks and shakes. The baby bimmer is as tight and quiet as the day it rolled off the showroom floor.

Dueller · 09-27-2007, 01:11 PM

Oh yeah...obligatory pic. As you can see it had been mildly customized lowered, tint, M3 bumpers/17" wheels, etc

stevepaa · 09-27-2007, 01:16 PM

My brother bouhgt his 86 944 new. Over the last ten years he probably spent $2000-$3000 per year on maintenance. He does not turn a wrench but writes a check to the dealer. He fianlly sold it and warned the young kid buying it that it was very costly to maintain.

I'd look at a Subaru, BMW 325, Volvo 740

Tim Hancock · 09-27-2007, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by v8_ranch

I can do a lot of the mechanical maintenance and upkeep on it for her. But I do not want to have to work on it every weekend either(after it is up and going - depending on what we purchase).

I also do not mind buying one to fix up a bit if needed over the course of the next year.

I just wanted to know your opinions on this idea. Are they decent dependable cars if well maintained?

Thanks,
Shane

Shane stated the above in his original post. My comments were assuming he was going to go all thru the car initially repairing all the gremlins it has accumulated due to years of neglect and abuse.

After some good baseline repairs, they are pretty well built cars IMO. More reliable than a two year old Honda? Probably not, but more reliable than a 5 -7 year old Jetta, Neon, Grand Prix etc.... I think so based on my experience over the past 15 years of owning and operating 3 of them all bought with major neglect issues initially.

Hell, there are days when my wife, two daughters and myself are daily driving all 4 of the 20+ year old P-cars and I honestly cannot recall a day when any of them have left us stranded. My wifes much newer Audi has broke once and our BMW 325i has broke twice over the past 9 years stranding my wife (the Bimmer gets a pass, however as it has been and is VERY trouble free with over 280,000 miles on the clock now). I like Hondas, but my dad's similar mileage Accord has also broke twice on him in the same time frame and I can think of many folks with "new" American built cars that have broken down.

My youngest daughter drives her '77 924 daily to school (only 6 miles), but twice weekly she drives 35 miles each way to gymnastic practice and I do not worry one bit. The d@mn thing just won't die!

lookin · 09-27-2007, 09:45 PM

My choice: A car that is not too fast and can survive being hit or crashed. My dad had us all start in the wagon. We all hated it but is saved some of our lives.

Some big car little car memories:

My sister was hit by a drunk who was driving a volkswagen rabbit. Wagon: had a dented bumper and creased fender. Rabbit: had the engine in the passenger compartment.

Six years ago I drove over a ford escort being driven by a drunk driver. I missed the passenger compartment by a foot. I was in a ford F150. Within six months of my accident two passemgers were killed in separate accidents at the same intersection. One in a honda accord the other in a toyota truck. I love my wife and was happy I happened to be driving my truck that night.

I don't mean to scare you, I just think your daughter is only 16 and it would be great if she had the cards stacked in her favor if she happened to get in an accident.

Good luck with the decision.

Dale

kqw · 09-27-2007, 11:21 PM

It's a Hospital on wheels. Give her the AAA and Visa card to keep in glove box for frequent use.

mattdavis11 · 09-28-2007, 04:19 AM

Good gawd! Porsche must have gone through some huge changes at the 944plant after 1/83 that turned them for the worse. Zero issues here, cheapest car I've ever driven maintenance wise. Compared to newer cars, parts seem to be pretty cheap when I need them. A complete tie rod assembly (had to have the inner) was kinda steep but that was less than $100

Gas Tires Oil, and change the belts every three years. I put about 300 miles on it every week.

tcar · 10-01-2007, 10:29 AM

I would NOT put my kid in a Miata, and I've owed 2. Incredibly reliable but...

One step above a motorcycle in safety department. Virtually no protection.

The chances of a new driver getting in a wreck are pretty high and it's just not worth it.

They both have Subie Outbacks (it snows here).