F-Body Europe

Our son had decided that he is pretty sure he wants a Porsche 944. If anyone knows anything about them or knows someone who is trying to sell a good one, please post and let me know. Thanks.

In Germany they are often called "housewive-Porsche" (Hausfrauenporsche), because many people think that´s no "real" Porsche, because its predecessor, the 924, consists mainly of Volkswagen parts (Audi engine, Golf body parts) and also because it has a watercooled front engine...

I´ve heard its hard to find one in good shape, because they are relative cheap, often not serviced (Porsche Service = $$$) and just beaten by idiots.
There´s the 944 (2.5,165hp), 944S (2.5 16V,190hp), 944S2(3.0 16V,211hp) and the 944 Turbo (2.5 Turbo,250hp).

Please don't let him buy a 944. That's like the poor man's Porsche. Please convince him to want a 911. You can find plenty of them here. He will look and feel much better with a 911 IMHO...

The Porsche 944 had a run of wins in the best-handling car shootouts in the 80's and 90's but I think they're past their prime now. The S2 is the one to have but the ride is rock-hard and it suffers from bump-steer when it wears big tyres. The quality is there but the mileages tend to be high. I think time has overtaken it to some degree and it looks less appealing than it used to. The later 968 (?) was the last hoorah. I once raced one of those in my '85 Corvette. He took a wide line round a bend and I took the inside, very tight line and I span it. He must have laughed his pants off. A new Supra would kick the 944's azz and I suspect the last 300ZX would be cheaper to buy and just as fast. The lower spec 944's only chuck out about 165bhp. I don't know about Germany but insurance is expensive on a car like that too.

There is a 944 sitting on a trailer outside of Spang. It looks pretty nice but we haven't started it yet, and it does need all new tires. And Jack you right about the poor mans 944 verses 911 but he is fresh out of tech school so he is poor... He has his heart set on getting a German car while he is here, he said that he couldn't afford a German car back in the states, and the porch is the one he really wants. I know to fix them is expe$ive but he is great with doing engine work so I don't think that will be much of a problem, now the parts maybe another thing...
We also called USAA to check on insurance and it really wasn't as bad as we thought, actually it was pretty good as long as he doesn't get a new one.
Jerry is still trying to talk him into a f-body but he isn't having much luck yet...

I understand. I was just under the impression that you guys were going to try to get him a new fbody, so I thought that if you were spending that much money, you would have no problem spending the same on a decent used 911. If you go to Stuttgart, you can find tons of used Porsches. Good luck. At least he doesn't want a Yugo.. :p

There is a very good page from a friend of mine who also drives a 944 (at the Nuerburgring as I told you yesterday), it's http://www.944-fans.de. Lots of links to other pages. Only in German but the technical details should be understandable, I think. Some links also lead to English pages.

Ben

My 944-friend would kill you if he saw that you wrote that.

Ben

Yes, he'd strangle you with his apron strings after he'd hit you with his rolling pin. Then he'd have to dash for his next hairdressing appointment. Only kidding...

Jack I wish I could afford a new f-body for him, then I would know Jerry isn't spending any more money on his car ha ha...
We thought maybe Nick would want a f-body over here but NOT, he wants a German car. He said that he could have a f-body back in the states. And as far the price we are looking for a champain car on beer wadges...

There is one in the KA for $3000. Is that the one you found? There is also a 928S. I like those better than the 944.

If you are getting this car for your son, then I would not reccommend to get 911. For 944 money you can get pre'89 911 and compared to that 944 is much better handling car and not that dangerous to drive for young guy.

I would get 968, 944S2 or 951(944 Turbo). Standard 944's are not that powerful and they have very fragile gearboxes.

Well unfortunatly we don't have as much say anymore in the car as we would like, because we are not paying for it, he wants to pay for it on his own. Boy how things have changed, I would love someone to buy me a car, I would even let them pick it out ha ha...
I have been telling him what everyone is saying about the car he wants and he said thanks.
I don't know if it is the one from the KA as we drove by it up at Spangdahlem and saw it and got the number from the car. There is also one at Ramstien that he is looking at so who knows...

Well, as long as he is happy with whatever he decides to get, that is what matters. It would be nice to have another member in the Ktown area, though.

Well, let's see how he feels about gettin' the Porsche once everybody running an F-Body skull-drags him ... (OK, he'll kill most everybody in the curves, but ... )

Hihihi. I just thought that. A bit less mean is "Volksporsche"...
But you have to admit: A 4-cylinder-Porsche, that´s like a 6-cylinder-F-Body, that´s...
Uhh, I better shut up. J/K


ROTFL

What is the 928S as compared to the 944? I don't know Porsches at all.

The 928S has a 5 litre V8 engine with approx. 300 horses!

I recall a road test done by CAR magazine back in the ZR1 days where they pitted the 928GT against the ZR1. They picked the 928. They wouldn't if they had to run it and pay Porsche parts prices though. I drove an older 928 once. Very fast but everything was really heavy - steering, controls and despite the vendor telling me what a great car it was, I still went and bought my first Corvette instead and never had any regrets.

Well, we got one. He is coming down and picking it up Thursday. It is a 82 with a little over 140,000KM. It is really clean and appears to have been driven decently and kept in a garage. The interior is almost like brand new and the paint is really good. The best thing is that there are a bunch of parts that go with it. The guy bought one at auction at the base salvage yard and pulled a bunch of parts off of it. It has things like another engine, rear hatch, complete front suspension, dash, guages, two computers, and a lot of other small parts and also 4 almost new tires. I don't think it was too bad a deal for $4500. We looked at two others that were about 3 that weren't near as nice and didn't have any of the parts. I sure hope he likes it. I'm sure you will see it in the summer.