Style. The cabrio body has turbo curves without signature 944 rear glass. The result is a silhouette most don't recognize. Second and third looks are common.
Handling. Power. Value. Sport seats.

Windshield antenna, poor reception.
Torque at low rpms less than I enjoyed in the 911, of course. But the 3.0 liter four(!)performs well enough in general to appease even a V-8 (Corvette) driver.

I love convertibles. That's why I let my C4 go and purchased this 944. I have a pre-93 Saab turbo convert for use as a daily driver, and still love the style and feel. But the Porsche is another thing altogether. The seats with side bolsters are superb, even the child-sized rear buckets. Acceleration is great. I don't find a great deal of difference in road handling between the 944 and my former C4, except the latter made more noise when I cornered at high speeds. I found this delightful car in the PCA magazine, Panorama. I highly recommend it, not just as a "cheap performance car," but a relatively unusual and timeless classic. By all means get one in as near new condition as you can find. Mileage is less important than overall condition. Mine came with full maintenance records and recommended mods (eg turbo engine mounts.) With pristine paint, 70k, very good leather, good top, and a number of extras, the price was 16000. No doubt one can be had for less, but I'll bet no one would mistake the car for new, as many do mine.

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1991 911 C4

I love the feel, and the handling. The NA 3.0L is no slouch either. I can take most non-turbo cars on the road and watch out on those curves!

Cost of maintainence. 2K to get the car up to snuff (belts, water pump, filters, etc). But still very worth it.

I paid about 14K for the car. For a 9 year old car it is great shape, but needs a few cosmetic things (aside from the mechanical noted above). I just replaced the boot shifter and the seal around the rear hatch lock. I still need to re-do the steering while and replace the cracked dash. The center console needs replacement. But over all, with 73K, this is a great car!

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911SC, ThunderBird Turbo

Awesome driving machine. Fun to drive at any speed, especially fast. Timeless styling. Fairly reliable.

High cost of parts and repairs.

I paid $8400 in 1993. At the time the car had 40K miles on it. It was fun while it lasted. I never had any major break-downs, but some of the repairs were pretty major. Fortunately, I only had to take it to the shop once or twice a year, but when I did, it usually cost me at least $1000 - $2000. I just finally got tired of keeping it on life support.

I highly recommend a 944 as an introductory sports car, but don't plan on keeping it long. That said, beware. You will fall in love with this car and spend whatever it takes to keep it going. New buyers, take your time and find one that is well taken care of with all maintenance records. High miles isn't a big deal. I've known people who ran them up to 300K.

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Porsche 911

The first car I've ever bought and I've treated it like this ever sicne. Roomy, fast awesome handling, and still turns heads. The old man still does the job considering its 13 years old.

Pricy repairs. What do you expect its
German and it's a Porsche. That means parts aren't cheap.

The car has been very fun and very reliable. Keep up with maintenance and it will help in the long run. Prevent big problems by taking care of small ones. Have the clutch replaced on time cause the job is costly and you don't want it to get worse. Buy this car it will make you happy for a long time. Their are two for sale in my area and I'm thinking of buying another one.

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I've used a smorgasboard of German. I know own a grand total of 3 german cars and I won't drive anything else. They are all great but nothing goes like my baby.

* handling
* responsiveness
* the sound!
* the girls love it..
* the looks

* parts aren't Toyota-cheap
* ride is hard, but firm.. sporty
* rear seats are a bit of a joke
* the pre-85/5 interior is pretty poor

I paid AUD$13,500 (about USD$10,000.. but this country is expensive) for my 83 944 NA. It's in great condition, I had it checked by the local Porsche specialist and everything was fine.

It's the first manual car I've driven, and the first car I've owned. It has no power steering, so it's a bit heavy when you're trying to parallel park and the like; but the handling is flawless. Cornering at > 60km/h (40mph) is great :-)

any questions.. mail me!

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Mercedes 190E

Unmatched quality and performance.The very "handmade" feel of the car.Handling,Handling,Handling.

Too many produced...making this model under-appreciated.
Price of repairs

Paid about $9000.00 for it in 1989.Came with all records.To be honest with you I never have kept a car longer than 2 years and this one has been with me for 11 now.
I have driven the unimaginative , cookie cutter Japanese knockoffs and while they have that Japanese reliability...they also suffer from being a bit on the boring side.The molded dashes ,shared with several other models,and the generic suspension setups. Nothing compares to the hand made feel and engineering of a Porsche automobile.Sure the Honda 2000 will beat a Boxster in the quarter mile,but...it is still a Honda.There is a reason why these cars cost so much and cost so much to maintain...They are worth it. I will be adding a 944 Cab to my garage as soon as I find the right one.

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Mazda RX7 , Corvette , Ferrari 308 , Datsun 280Z , Porsche 911SC and Carrera

Speed, speed, and more speed.
Timeless looks. Still looks like a 2000 model car.
Handling.
Understated yet definitely all Porsche

Repairs can be expensive
Fit and finish is not Japanese quality
The ride is unbelievably harsh

I paid $9400 for a 86' Turbo with only 63K miles on it in superior condition. There were a few minor details like the third tailight being unhooked and the power drivers seat inoperable but other than that it was near mint compared to all the other onces I looked out. Be advised, do not buy the first Turbo you look at. The first five I looked at a completely decrepid and in horrible shape.

My Turbo is Stage 3 chipped. Thats how it was when I test drove it from the private seller (a lady who acquired it from a 4-Star General). I considered this a plus but in all honesty its overkill. Its just too fast to enjoy after a certain threshold. I know its pulling 300 horses easily and its so fast I cannot honestly shift the car fast enough at full acceleration.

The Turbo is an entirely different car than the base model. They are similar in name only. The key is finding one thats been pampered like a baby. By all means, pay the extra 10-20% for a superior condition car with maintenance records than one that needs some TLC immediately. Preventative maintenance is the other key. If you take care of the car, it will take care of you. Never skip anything. If you replace everything at the scheduled intervals and treat it well, it can be a VERY reliable car. It's not inexpensive to drive by any means, but it can be well worth it. My Turbo is strictly a weekend car so I only put 2500 miles on it a year. I want it to last a long long time and not fall apart which leads me to..

The fit and finish is not up to par. They delved into the Volkswagen parts bin and it shows. A rattle here, a rattle there. Dont manhandle the knobs or switches. Be gentle and it will pay off.

Overall, I love my car. Its not as smooth and refined as an NSX, or has the build quality of say a 300ZX Twin Turbo, but the 944 Turbo was never meant to be all things to all people. It's a sports car first and everything else second. After all, the Porsche engine roar and crest mean "there is no substitute."

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Ive driven a little bit of everything. The Porsche is better, and worse than all of them.

Handling (BIG Strength)
Looks (fender flares ROCK)
Adaptability (throw bags in the hatch, go :)
Fuel Economy with regard to performance
Did I say Handling?

Upkeep can be a bit expensive if you:
a. Get a lemon (don't do this...)
b. Are stupid (see above)
c. Buy parts from Porsche
d. Have work done at a dealership

I paid $3200 for my 944. All in all, I think that I will never own another vehicle outside of the 944 series. While with Porsche's decision to quit making this prolific vehicle line (with the 968 serving as the final 944esque model), they may have made the "popular" choice, no Boxster can mirror the attitude and finesse of any vehicle in this series.
My current 944 was my first car. I have been an EXTREMELY lucky buyer, as I made a number of mistakes in purchasing my vehicle,(no real records, etc...) and have yet to be bitten by anything serious (I still need shocks - heh) I backed her into a pole while getting off of work one night, but that was hardly the vehicle's fault ;) This has been my only costly repair.
I drove my car for a year without knowing the age of the timing belt (a big, big no no) but have since replaced this item. Again, if you are looking at 944's, HAVE THE TIMING BELT/WATER PUMP changed asap if you are not sure of the last time these items have been replaced. If either one fails (the belt snaps, pump seizes, etc.) you are in for an engine rebuild. I still have my waterpump to take care of, but am low on $$$... crossing my fingers. The timing belt is generally stated to be good for 60,000k, but plan on changing it at half that just to be safe. It is standard procedure to change the water pump while replacing the belts - but again, this is considerably more money (new water pumps are a steal when under $200.)
This having been said, the 944 is probably the best handling vehicle in the world for the money. This fact does not become apparent until you take the vehicle through a series of turns daily.. and one day switch cars. You'll know halfway through the first bend that you need to get on the brake...
The NA models are not drag racers (as if this is a bad thing.) 0-60 speeds for the early years up until the S model in the later 80's are generally in the very high 7's. S model's will do it in mid 7's, S2's in high 6's, etc. Even an early model will surprise you in second and third gear however, and the base NA non S vehicles will pump out speeds exceedingly close to 140 mph. Keep in mind, this is a vehicle that gets 31 MPG at highway speed. Not too shabby...
The later Turbo models (86 being the first year) are "scary." I have heard stories of Turbo S models (those turbo's produced LATE in '88 and throughout '89) tearing apart new ('99) 'vette's with very minor modifications. Of course, this performance comes at a price - higher costs for maintenance, lower gas mileage, etc.
Insurance is tricky. I can't afford full coverage, and PLPD runs me around $450-$500 every six months. Keep in mind, I have a NA model and am still paying these prices. I have had a speeding ticket (get a radar detector) but as I never reported my pole-backing incident to insurance, the real detractor has been my age. An 18 year old (17 when I bought it) and a Porsche don't mix with the men and women who shell out cash for mistakes.
As far as practicality is concerned, the 944 isn't that bad. The car is fairly good in snow (a little hard to get moving, but extremely spin-resistant thanks to 50/50 weight balance in the front and rear.) A ton of stuff can be crammed into the rear, especially with the back two seats folded down. The rear seats themselves are functional - but barely. I used to haul 3 buddies from track home after practice while in High School. We crammed two in the back, and although it worked, I imagine that both of them still have nightmares :)
I am a college student, and so I don't have a lot of money. This can be a conflict - but if you shop smart, and PREVENT things from happening rather than repair them when they occur, then no serious problems should arise. Online parts suppliers (www.vertexautos.com, etc..) offer fairly good prices - but keep an eye on what you are getting. It is a good idea to pick up an official parts manual (DO NOT get one off of e-bay - the prices are crazy) so that you can be exactly sure of the part number and not pick up the wrong part for your year or the like. Buying from/Having a Porsche Dealer work on your car is insane. I'm not trying to shoot down Porsche here (well, wait a minute - I guess I am..) but they have a tendency to be exceedingly expensive. Find a foreign car mechanic in your area who you can trust (talk to them, have them show you the problems with your car personally, etc..) and then stay with them. Just because there is a crest on the sign out front doesn't mean that the place has been blessed from above, even if the prices claim otherwise.
I guess my final point is, and this is the real kicker - the 944 series allows you to choose the model that is best for you, while still holding onto the basic spirit of every other car in the family. Want a practical, everyday driver? Get a late 80's S. Want a Z-28 Killer? The Turbo is for you. Luxury your thing? Look at an early 90's 968. As for me, I'm sure that my little NA and I will be slipping through the "twisties" for many years to come. In the hopefully not so distant future, I plan on giving my NA to my fiance, and getting my hands on a turbo or S2. In any case, the little P car that has served me so well isn't going to be retired any time soon, and that's not bad for a car two years younger than me that is pushing 150,000 miles.

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I haven't used anything else - but you should see other "sports cars" try to take me on the curves through exit ramps. Heh.

I have an 87 944S What a great car for the money- Lots of space for a sports car- Comfortable daily driver - good looks

Shop rates and parts from the shops
24 mpg @ 93 octane is not too bad

I only gave 6k for the car. I put a quick couple thousand into it and have a car that is great. There are some very special maintenence items on the "S" that the 8 valve cars do not have. I joined a web ring with like owners and learned all about this jewel. There is no car that can give you the same level of fun/comfort that you can get with this series of Porsche. What a deal these cars are. If you can work on them yourself, you have a steal. If not still a good deal. Before you buy one make sure it has had a timing belt and water pump, maybe motor mounts and check the clutch as this can be a labor hog due to the front engine/ rear tranny setup. If you buy an S you must get the cam chain and tensioner replaced as this is an overlooked item that can cause major bent valves and broken cams if it fails. Bodies do not rust and build quality is great. Get one. This is not a first car for a 16 year old.

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Performance, Corners on rails and a terrific track car due to the weight distribution.

cost of maintance; however, thats the price you pay for driving a PORSCHE

7 Grand, My first was an 86 944 which I raced on the track for a while. I took this car up to 300,000 miles. My second was a 92 968 by far, best of the breed of the front engine 4 water cooled Porsches. I currently own an 87 944S and I see it as a happy med. for the time. Cost of maintance is fair and for the price one can buy one, it's a no brainer. If you like Porsches and want the real deal buy one and see for yourself. I'd like to add the 944 turbo's are fun to drive but not an every day car due to maintance costs. In my opinion, the 944s or 968 is the best of the so-called touring (everyday cars) In addition to the above, for those who don't have a second car, the 944 is not so bad in the snow. You can put 4 studded snows on or new tires do the trick just fine.

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Never used any