PCA SDR

I turned around the other day and realized my 10 year old is now 15 and a half. He's ready for his training permit. Yikes. Anyway, I'm thinking a nice 944 for him. Something he can AX, not too fast or expensive, well-balanced, etc. What years, etc. should I consider, avoid? Any other considerations. Thanks.

Should have bought david's 944 spec car and you could have also campaigned it for yourself

kary wrote:Should have bought david's 944 spec car and you could have also campaigned it for yourself

Just looking for a street car for the kid at this point.

How about a street 914? Very nice car. '73 2.0 S

No 914's, The last desirable model is 30 years old and will cost twice what a comparable 944 will cost. I won't even mention what will happen if he comes in contact with one of those SUV's that are ruling the roads these days. Plus it will haul all his crap and is very comportable, smooth and safe. Oh and A/C that works!

You are correct is thinking 944. This is what my 10 year old will be driving in 5 years and 10 months (we have a count-down calender). We even have the exact 944 picked out. (Shhh...The owner isn't aware of this but that is all part of the plan)

You want a 1985.5 or later. Good condition that the other guy has done all the upgrades to. The later the car the better. There are just a lot more '86's than 89's. 944S2 is a great car, just a lot more expensive and faster than a 16 year old really needs IMHO.

Good luck in your search and I will keep my eyes open.

I agree with Steve, the only caveat, for the extra money of the S2, you do get dual airbags and ABS (occasionally available on '88's like mine, but std on S2's).

Definitely don't look for the deal, pay extra for a well maintained and sorted car, you will be way ahead. Also, be sure to do the maintenance like belts and oil, maybe even rod bearings if the miles are high.

Good luck.

I'm available for adoption ...maybe a GT3!

I'll look for a late model 944. Heck, even the most expensive one has to be cheap compared to a new car, right?

Top money for an S2 would be under $10K, a nice ~86 would be ~$4-5K.

Major maintenance, clutch $2k, belts/waterpump $800, rod bearings ~$1k with the while theres.

Or you could get a nice Korean car.

How about a '97-99 Boxster? Every one is always complaining about how down on power they are . I think there might even be a black one for sale from a certain turn-coat in our midst...

Jack:

You can find a good, tight, well maintained 944; I'd recommend '86 and later. $4K to $5K should find you a nice one.

I found mine, an '87, in 'good' shape, then I took the PDS, and slipped on the banana peel of competitive driving. To date mine has:

a recent clutch-job, waterpump and belts/rollers, very well set-up suspension (Weltmeisters in front, Bilstein Sports all around fully tuned/corner-balanced/lowered), 1-year old rod-bearing job, throttle cam, K&N air filter system, fresh leather seats, 5-point harnesses and bar, 2 sets of wheels (street and track), bra, car cover, keyless entry/alarm, new Blaupunkt CD stereo system and speakers, H4 headlights, S.S. Danske "sport" muffler, fresh rotors, 3 sets of carbon-kevlar (Porterfield) pads, S.S. brake lines, Euro-DME computer, (Phew - I've been busy!), spare parts galore in the garage. All electrical components work, with a chilly A/C.

For all that, I'll be lucky to pull $5K out of her when she's sold. Moral of the story, there are some nice 944's out there. Who knows, I may want to upgrade to a 951, and could be talked into a sale ...

Ya never know......

OK, I will have to sound off here and mention that a 928 could also make a good car. Although the extra power is an issue, the prices are right and as far as passive safety, the 928 is a tank .
Also, starting in 1986, ABS was standard and airbags started in 1990.

Greg

Hey, I'm sure that my Mom NEVER considered that I should get a Porsche as my first car... Actually, I do believe the instructions were: "anything BUT a sports car" (I came home with an MG Midget)

Loved that car, dual carbs tuned with a garden hose and your ear. It was just all of those extra parts I had after rebuilding the engine that were the problem.
Bryan

I think the 944 is a great choice for a first car. He can feel good about himself and the car is VERY forgiving. I agree with all the points Steve and Jad made. The big evo for these cars came in 1985 and a half. The 1989 944 models have a 2.7 engine.
How do you find a 944 that has been well maintained? Contact the independent shops and also run an ad in our web Classifieds. I get emails from across the country about my 944 program. Lots of people see those ads. I'm sure you can find a great car locally though. If I can help, let me know. Seriously.