So, my little bro wants a 944 turbo S, but doesn't really know what to look for when making the purchase. Are there any major problems with them that I don't know about? Any forums similar to this one? What's the most sought after year? Any info will be appreciated.

go to the rennlist boards:

http://forums.rennlist.com

select the water cooled forum then pic the 944 room

Jim

Or the Pelican BBS http://forums.pelicanparts.com/forumdispla...p?s=&forumid=10

As always... Timing belt, rollers, water pump should be replaced if you do not have a receipt of it being done within the last year.

Brando is right. Unless you have definitive proof that the water pump, tension rollers, and belt have all been replaced within the last 40-45K miles, spend the money right off the bat and document it. Leaking steering racks and sometimes lower A-arms can be problematic as well.

I switched to synthetic oil in the transaxle and got better shifting and smoother operation.

Mine is an '87 and has been a lot of fun. I have gone with a Stage II chip set from Autothority and have been really pleased with the performance. They are a lot of car for the money when you can find one in good shape but you must do that. The prices of the cars have fallen quite a bit so its very tempting to just find one and buy it. However, because of the price of the parts and the complexity, shop until you find one in really good shape with as few miles as possible that has been well taken care of. It will definitely be money well spent as opposed to trying to bring one back after you have "saved big".

Dee

Here's a decent tuner that I know of, been around 944/951s for awhile
www.lindseyracing.com
they make some big HP engines too

QUOTE (db9146 @ Jan 8 2006, 08:28 PM)

However, because of the price of the parts and the complexity, shop until you find one in really good shape with as few miles as possible that has been well taken care of. It will definitely be money well spent as opposed to trying to bring one back after you have "saved big". Dee

Hey, that's what I did! Oh, wait... $250 and a crunched good-runner was probably not the best idea...

Your friend might be flabbergasted at the price of parts and labor. Just remind him he is in fact buying a Porsche, not a Volkswagen or Audi... With that badge comes real Porsche prices. And if he can't take it, then he won't be the last of many to be fooled by the low entry price and medium repair costs (medium compared to a newer 997 or Boxster or Cayman).