what cars better

[billygoat]

is a1983 944 better than 1987

[Dantilla]

1983 is a tad lighter.
1987 has better electrical and HVAC systems.

[944tothefloor]

1983 has the manual steering, which is preferred by a lot of "drivers"

[sausagehacker]

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-924-944-968-technical-forum/139205-best-944-year.html

[mazdaverx7]

It really depends on what you consider makes a car better than the other and what options you prefer. Both base cars are built well and perform well and if maintained, can be extremely reliable.

[Slam]

'83.

Manual steering
Forged rods
No ball joint issues
No fuel line routing issues
Lighter
Simpler for the DIY-type owner
Cheaper parts (see above)
Steel control arms easier to work on (and, again, cheap parts)
Not lumbered with systems more at home on a luxury car
Cast header not prone to cracking
Some prefer the manual TB tensioner
The licence plate's in the right place, not hanging off the rear bumper...

Just off the top of my head, of course.

Don't get me wrong, there's a lot to like about Mandy's 87 too, but when I compare build quality side-by-side, the 83's got it. (Her car's gas door is a floppy plastic thing. My 83 and 84 have aluminum ones.) My choice would be an 82 Euro, if I could find one.

But the good thing about these cars is there's one for everybody. If they made an S2 automatic, I'd want one.

[Jfrahm]

ABS is great IMO for track days and mountain roads with gravel patches (or ice or cold plus summer tires.) Not having it is no big deal until you flat spot a set of tires or wreck. You need 87+ to get ABS.

If you are more into hard parking the earlier cars can run Fuchs and other "deep lip" wheels you can rest your phone or a dollar bill on.

[CHICKS]

No.

[alan6272]

love my 83 would never have a newer people ask to buy mine all the time will never sell

[mikepellegrini]

Driving position on the late cars is a lot better.

[Volhv]

The late cars have a few advantages:
-Plastic fuel tank, 80 liters! (we've all see the threads about cracked steel ones... and mystery fuel smells)
-Better/lower seats
-Electric speedo, not driven through hole in weakened spindle.
-Proper rear wheel bearings
-Easily replaceable nose panel (How many dented ones have you seen?)
-Does not need spacers on rear wheels for VW suspension to fit 944 body.
-Engines have bigger sumps, and better oil pumps


I find the 86 to be the best of both worlds....
Got the steel front control arms, manual steering, and AC delete on mine, so any advantage an 83 would have had, mine has.

The 86 may be a late car, but it's early offset, so you can run Fuchs, replace your strut inserts, and get cheap VW Fox upper strut mounts. And it's the last year to have an eccentric timing belt tensioner.

[Arizona_928]

86 turbo.
early offset. Lots of part interchange...

[pfarah]

I think since I can't afford a 951 or S2 or 968, my 84 NA will do just fine. Besides, I've been going through almost every assembly (inspecting, repairing, and cleaning) so I have a good idea where she stands. She'll be brand new by the time I'm finished... or not...

[guru944]

The 87 and later 944 model engines have auto timing belt tensioner. Belts last longer, less likely to jump tooth.
Later.

[alfadoc]

I think people tend to like what they have, and figure out the appropriate justification for it. Predictably, I'd take my S2 over any other variant.

[944tothefloor]

Originally Posted by alfadoc

I think people tend to like what they have, and figure out the appropriate justification for it. Predictably, I'd take my S2 over any other variant.

Hahah! Interesting point.
Do we love 944s because we own them or do we own 944s because we love them?
I can only speak for myself when i say my 944 isnt awesome because I own it. I own one because theyre awesome.

[Jfrahm]

Originally Posted by guru944

The 87 and later 944 model engines have auto timing belt tensioner. Belts last longer, less likely to jump tooth.
Later.

You are thinking of the 968. The later 944 cars just have a spring that helps you set the timing belt tension (if you trust it) and then you lock it down just like the early car. You still need to retension.
IMO it's not any better than the early car assuming you have a way to measure the tension. If you are just guessing, it's better.

The 968 has the more modern dampened spring piston that sets and maintains the tension as the belt wears and the temperature changes. Of course the balance shaft belt needs to be checked and re-tensioned so you still have to go back into the 968 for the re-tension, and you still want to check the BS belt regularly, if it breaks it can take out the cam belt and thus the head.