944S Purchase advice please

[sfierle]

I plan to buy a 944 for my next toy, more specifically a 944S. I like that it has the exact horsepower over a regular 944 and is a little more unique. Is extra maintance needed? I also heard the 944S are not as reliable and more expense to fix because of the 16v design. For those that have driven both 944 and 944S, is there a noticeable difference in acceleration? I will be looking for a great car either way, not a garage queen, but a very clean and maintained car. Please advise.

[Moneyguy1]

With the two cam design, there is more to maintain. THe chain can break. Some of the guys here can tell you more than I can. IMHO, the 944 is kinda like a ritzy girl friend. High maintenance. Don't get me wrong. If you keep ahead of it, it will treat you right but at the age these cars are today, a pre-purchase inspection by an experienced professional is well worth the cost. I would not buy one without that inspection!!

Good luck!!

[SoCal Driver]

I'll second the cam chain and add that the plastic pad that presses against it wears to the point that it comes off of it's oil pressure driven pistion. This jams into the cam gear breaking the teeth off of the cams and possibly breaking the chain. At about $50 each, replacing 16 valves can be a bank breaker not to mention the cost of the cams and possibly the head if the mounting for the tensioner breaks off.

In this case a bit of proactive maintenance goes a long way. Replace the cam belt around 30,000 miles and replace the plastic tensioner pad at the same time.

You will find that the 944's are large go-karts on steroids.

[Dave L]

Is there a difference, yes. the S will pull at the higher end of the RPM range. For me the extra maintenance is well worth the extra power.

The chain inside the head keeps the cams in time. There is a tensioner which keeps tension on the chain so everything runs smoothly. The plastic pad can wear and break causing the chain to catch on the metal tensioner, the tensioner can loose its compressability and the J tube which keeps the chain lubricated can also break. With all of these situations you can see significant very costly damage. The good news is that if you get in there change the neccessary parts you will be good for years to come.

As far as other maintenance goes I dont see any difference beyond head design so there really shouldnt be any other maintenance.

For me the question became, "is 40HP worth the cost of doing the maintenance every few years" for me it is.

[KY944S]

I'm with him^^^^^^^

[ronniebaldino]

Below 4000rpm the 8V probably feels faster. Over that the 8V falls flat and the 16V is starting to get fun. If you are driving the car every day that might get old but if it is just a toy then you will yearn for every 6000+ rpm shift. I know I do.

[gtroth]

You'll like the S, especially over 3800 rpm. Just keep up with the chain and its tensioner (in addition to all the other 944 stuff).

The other maintenence difference on the S is the disasterous placement of the throttle in the back of the engine compartment (can't easily service the TPS, and some grounds and ref/speed sensor are pretty well blocked).

Oh, and the cat-back costs more (it's got a resonator/pre-muffler).

[VaSteve]

I understan that if the chain takes a dump, the heads (and other 944S only parts) are very expensive.

I bougtht an 8v to keep costs low in the case of catastrophe.

..Well THAT didn't work. I'm presently replacing my engine due t a spun #2 bearing.

[sfierle]

This car would be just a toy, only driven a couple thousand miles per year. It doesn't sound like, with proper maintance, the 40 horsepower shouldn't cost me too much. What is the estimated cost at a shop for this head maintance? I don't think I would attempt it myself. The extra potential repairs and maintance steered me away from a Turbo.

[VaSteve]

I think, but am not sure, that 944S's are rarer than Turbos and thus the differenting parts cost more. Search out Z-man (here) and Joseph Mitro on Rennlist who have had this chain snap and but up the head.

See Jerry's data point:

http://gruppeb.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3018&sid=efba77e7521a034c3b24c762ba53002d

[sfierle]

Interesting link, maybe I should reconsider a "S", I am not made of money. $112 per value to replace!?! Now I am really confused. Maybe a Turbo might be a better bet, although the initial cost will be much more. I am afraid a regular N/A might not give me the acceleration that I am looking for. I am not sure what route to go now.

[VaSteve]

It's not about the accelleration, it's about the twisties.

FWIW, 150 HP is still a lot of fun on the trrack.

[PorscheDreamPA]

Just my two cents...but if a drag racer is what you are looking for don't by an "S". Got one back in December so I haven't driven it much because of the weather, but acceleration is not what it is about. Handles real nice though. I had a 2002 GTI 1.8T (no mods) that would blow my "S" away in a straight line. Mine came with a PowerChip installed, but doubt it added much. I have the original stock chip, but haven't installed to compare.

[legion]

As the former owner of an 'S' and the current owner of a turbo:

The one thing I like most about the 'S' was the linear power band.

The Turbo on the other hand is way faster. It has a better suspension, so it handles better. The Turbo has an 8V head. It has a lot more plumbing than an 'S' or base 944.

[Dave L]

I have gotten a quote of $980 CDN to replace the tensioner, J tube and chain. I also have the plastic guide and may just do that if everything checks out okay.

[sfierle]

I am not looking for just straightline acceleration, I had have several muscle cars that did that (with terrible handling). I want great handling and decent power. I was thinking that a 944S would be fast enough to be fun, but not enough to get myself in trouble.

[gtroth]

Oh, the S can surely get you in trouble if you lose your self control. It accelerates great from 70~100 mph in 4th, just not off the line.