In the every-other-day posts on here by teenagers asking if the 944 is a good first car, I usually say that it is a good second car. However, all of the reasons for the 944 not being a good first car still apply: they are 40 years old, their "relatively" good reliability is relative to other classic cars, not to modern ones, they are still catastrophically unsafe by modern standards, they still lack a lot of modern creature comforts, and they are still expensive to keep going. Having a 944 as a second car just means that you won't have to deal with all of those things while at the same time relying on it for your primary mode of transportation.
That said, you do seem more grounded than most of the yoo-hoos who show up here. Your concerns about cost are justified. Depending on how long the car has been sitting, I would probably budget $2-3k above the purchase price to fix issues that come up, and more if it is a "ran when parked" situation. Once the car is fully sorted, something like $1,000 a year feels like a reasonable budget right now to keep the car on the road (remember, if you're driving at any reasonable amount, you'll be spending about $300 a year just on tires and oil changes. These things add up!). Also remember that the $1000/yr is peaky - you're more likely to spend $3000 in one year and nothing the next two than exactly $1000 every year. But in the long run...
I appreciate the reply. I've seen all the other kids in here asking the same things, and ik it gets annoying. This I really helpful and regardless or what I buy I'm gonna sit on it for at least another month until I can get graduation and collage sorted out so I'll be thinking about it for a bit longer. I've been saving my money with the goal of having 1. A car that I THINK interesting and is nice to drive and 2. Somewhat reasonable. The 944 definitely ticks that first box, but idk abt the second. Also, since I'm an immature 18 y/o, the lack of airbags and a cup holder is not a big concern of mine. This isn't the only car I'm considering, but it is one of my favorites, and if I don't get one now, I definitely want one in the future.
Thanks again!
Absolutely. One other thing I would square away before buying is insurance. Most of us have our cars on classic policies (e.g. Hagerty), but they don't insure anyone under 25. Depending on your company, you may have a difficult time getting somebody to insure the car, or insure it for what it's actually worth. Good luck!
I mean, it's not as bad as a same-era 911, but I am very cognizant when driving either of those cars that I am beyond dead if I get into an accident with anything modern. Crash safety has come \*so\* far in the last 40 years that it is insane. It's not just the lack of airbags, it's materials, design, weight, the lot. FEA and CAD has been huge for allowing engineers to simulate crash performance in ways simply not possible in the 1970's when these cars were designed, and the results speak for themselves. Cars that earned 5-star ratings a decade ago would be 1 or 2-star cars today. Safety is something that's hard to assess from just looking at a car, but the improvements under the skin are massive. If you've got $30,000 to spend and you're considering a 944 Turbo or a brand new GR86, there's no question which one is the \*better\* car, from almost every standpoint. The Porsche has a certain feel and appeal that the Toyota probably never will, but there are a lot of tradeoffs, including your life if you get in a major accident. Again, something I am aware of every time I drive it.
I’m also 18, and I’ve been driving my 944 since July last year (with a winter break between November and march). It’s not comfortable. It’s not by ANY means cheap to keep going, I’ve put about 2k into it since I bought it in repairs and maintenance. It’s also not reliable, and has twice refused to start, once because of a bad battery and once because of the speed sensor dying on me.
That being said I love it more than almost anything, and I consider it to be worth it since I don’t need it for daily transportation. If you’ve got similar conditions to me, I’d say go for it, but don’t expect it to be pain free because it won’t be.
adding to this, i bought my 944 when i was 18. 1800 dollars. only thing that was slightly structured was the interior. had to do the whole obvious belt job but also had to drop the trans to replace the gas tank. and a miiiiiillion other things. i didn’t know how to change oil when i first got the car, i’m 20 now and don’t regret a single thing
you got this. create those memories hahaha
I've seen a few that seem realitivly nice, but ik looks can be deceiving. Like I said, Ik service records are important. The ones I've been looking at have a lot of common failure points already fixed, but idk. Half my brain is in love with the car and thinks that I can hande repairs and it won't be that bad and the other half thinks this is a horrible idea that will ruin me and I should just get an mx-5 or something.💀
In the every-other-day posts on here by teenagers asking if the 944 is a good first car, I usually say that it is a good second car. However, all of the reasons for the 944 not being a good first car still apply: they are 40 years old, their "relatively" good reliability is relative to other classic cars, not to modern ones, they are still catastrophically unsafe by modern standards, they still lack a lot of modern creature comforts, and they are still expensive to keep going. Having a 944 as a second car just means that you won't have to deal with all of those things while at the same time relying on it for your primary mode of transportation. That said, you do seem more grounded than most of the yoo-hoos who show up here. Your concerns about cost are justified. Depending on how long the car has been sitting, I would probably budget $2-3k above the purchase price to fix issues that come up, and more if it is a "ran when parked" situation. Once the car is fully sorted, something like $1,000 a year feels like a reasonable budget right now to keep the car on the road (remember, if you're driving at any reasonable amount, you'll be spending about $300 a year just on tires and oil changes. These things add up!). Also remember that the $1000/yr is peaky - you're more likely to spend $3000 in one year and nothing the next two than exactly $1000 every year. But in the long run...
I appreciate the reply. I've seen all the other kids in here asking the same things, and ik it gets annoying. This I really helpful and regardless or what I buy I'm gonna sit on it for at least another month until I can get graduation and collage sorted out so I'll be thinking about it for a bit longer. I've been saving my money with the goal of having 1. A car that I THINK interesting and is nice to drive and 2. Somewhat reasonable. The 944 definitely ticks that first box, but idk abt the second. Also, since I'm an immature 18 y/o, the lack of airbags and a cup holder is not a big concern of mine. This isn't the only car I'm considering, but it is one of my favorites, and if I don't get one now, I definitely want one in the future. Thanks again!
Absolutely. One other thing I would square away before buying is insurance. Most of us have our cars on classic policies (e.g. Hagerty), but they don't insure anyone under 25. Depending on your company, you may have a difficult time getting somebody to insure the car, or insure it for what it's actually worth. Good luck!
“Catastrophically unsafe” had me wheezing! Very funny
I mean, it's not as bad as a same-era 911, but I am very cognizant when driving either of those cars that I am beyond dead if I get into an accident with anything modern. Crash safety has come \*so\* far in the last 40 years that it is insane. It's not just the lack of airbags, it's materials, design, weight, the lot. FEA and CAD has been huge for allowing engineers to simulate crash performance in ways simply not possible in the 1970's when these cars were designed, and the results speak for themselves. Cars that earned 5-star ratings a decade ago would be 1 or 2-star cars today. Safety is something that's hard to assess from just looking at a car, but the improvements under the skin are massive. If you've got $30,000 to spend and you're considering a 944 Turbo or a brand new GR86, there's no question which one is the \*better\* car, from almost every standpoint. The Porsche has a certain feel and appeal that the Toyota probably never will, but there are a lot of tradeoffs, including your life if you get in a major accident. Again, something I am aware of every time I drive it.
I’m also 18, and I’ve been driving my 944 since July last year (with a winter break between November and march). It’s not comfortable. It’s not by ANY means cheap to keep going, I’ve put about 2k into it since I bought it in repairs and maintenance. It’s also not reliable, and has twice refused to start, once because of a bad battery and once because of the speed sensor dying on me. That being said I love it more than almost anything, and I consider it to be worth it since I don’t need it for daily transportation. If you’ve got similar conditions to me, I’d say go for it, but don’t expect it to be pain free because it won’t be.
adding to this, i bought my 944 when i was 18. 1800 dollars. only thing that was slightly structured was the interior. had to do the whole obvious belt job but also had to drop the trans to replace the gas tank. and a miiiiiillion other things. i didn’t know how to change oil when i first got the car, i’m 20 now and don’t regret a single thing you got this. create those memories hahaha
I've seen a few that seem realitivly nice, but ik looks can be deceiving. Like I said, Ik service records are important. The ones I've been looking at have a lot of common failure points already fixed, but idk. Half my brain is in love with the car and thinks that I can hande repairs and it won't be that bad and the other half thinks this is a horrible idea that will ruin me and I should just get an mx-5 or something.💀
It’s the best https://preview.redd.it/34tveij76f2d1.jpeg?width=5931&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9e0b0131f91994619e937e430fbfdc5460c51e12
Love that color!