1987 Porsche 944 S review from North America
"Not the best car ever built, but the best for the money."
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Clutch, the factory original died at 92,000 miles.
Water pump. If you buy a water cooled Porsche, this will die.
Cam chain. If you buy a 16 valve Porsche, replace this. I was going to, didn't, major catastrophe.
Center console hinge. Plastic, very cheap to fix.
General comments?
Road & Track agrees, best handling car of the 80's, and beyond. For the money, nothing offers such a neutral handling car.
If you want more power, just buy a Turbo, I wanted a 16 valve, very unique, and a smoother motor.
Anybody who complains of the high repair cost of a 944, has never owned a real sports car before. These are a $32K - $45k or above car. They are not going to be as cheap as a Saturn to fix, even though a new Saturn is worth about the same as a used 944. This is a Porsche, you will pay Porsche prices for parts and labor, if you don't like this, buy a Camaro. I currently own a New Beetle, 86 VW Scirocco 16V, '90 Audi Coupe Quattro, and a '83 Mercedes 380SEC. This car is not anymore expensive to fix than the others, when you remember, it's the only 'true' sports car of the group.
Recommended reviews
  | A very fun car, but id like to add some power |
| I will never sell this car, ever |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| First year of ownership | 1996 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2001 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.5L 16v Manual |
| Performance marks | 10/10 |
| Reliability marks | 10/10 |
| Comfort marks | 10/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 6/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 87000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 112000 miles |
| Previous car | Audi Coupe |
| Date of Entry | 25th October, 2001 |