944!

"Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle" (1500sand535) 08/24/2016 at 13:29 • Filed to: None

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I’m three weeks into 944 ownership and as for the car doing what it’s supposed to do, it’s been great. There’s a little oil leak that I’ve got a gasket for, and an engine mount that needs replacing, and some AC issues(but with the arrival of fall, this is less important). The gas tank may have a crack which is very common in these cars but it’s hard to tell as the pump jockey at my last fill up overfilled my car(“you had one job!”).

It drives like a boss. It’s somewhere between quick and slowcarfast, it feel great in corners, it looks good, and learning manual has actually been pretty easy. It could be a little softer in the ride department and the gap between 4th and 5th gear just doesn’t feel quite right.

So, all is well, right? Not so fast. I thought my kiddo would be a tight but workable situation, so that family day trips would be doable. So far, I’m not so sure. Also, we’ve now got 3 cars, which I’m not crazy about and my wife is very not crazy about. Soon my daughter can ride in a different style seat so, the space issue may be solved but we are now that family wi two cars always on the street. So maybe I should have gotten...

Audi Coupe Quattro

Similar price to what I paid, similar 80s sporty style, just a little more spacious all around and Group B in its soul. Would look less out of place with a rack and cargo box. Similar in speed and reliability to the 944. But man, these are hard to find and even when I see them they have lots of mileage.

Subaru Impreza 2.5RS Sport Wagon / Outback Sport

A little bit more than what I paid for the 944 but could have covered the gap by getting rid of our current family hauler. There are lots of suspension options for improving handling and it would be only marginally slower than the 944. Reliability is a plus as long as we are not talking head gaskets. I have always liked the looks of these cars.

E36 328i

I had convinced myself that I shouldn’t look at E36 cars because it wouldn’t be that different from my E34. This was a mistake, because I really like my E34 even with its quirks, and I think this would have been a logical step and a good choice with a manual.

Porsche 911 rolling shell

Why? Why do I search for 911s when I can’t afford one without an engine and a trans? I’d need a loan to even buy the shell, let alone build it up. Ahhh but I can’t help myself from dreaming.

So sell the 944?

No. I had my heart set on a RWD sports car and as you’ll note above, none of them are truly that. The Audi and BMW are close but not quite in the same vein. And I’ve enjoyed the 944 for its small, agile feel. Of all the cars I looked at, the 944 seemed the best fit for my wants and budget. But my ownership may not be forever because life.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 08/24/2016 at 13:34

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None of my damn pictures showed up. Damn.

Pickup_man > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 08/24/2016 at 16:05

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Does your 944 have seat belts in the back seat? Because my 924 does not, as much as I like it and would love to keep it forever I can’t even entertain the idea of putting my eventual children back there.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Pickup_man 08/24/2016 at 16:14

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Why do you think your car is so much stinking lighter than mine!?

Yes it does have lap belts. Another thought, in my state a child can ride in a front seat as long as there is no airbag/it’s disabled. And I’ve driven with my daughter there a couple of times. And, riding with them facing back would be impossible for three people, so you’re looking at waiting until they’re over 2 to even try and squeeze three people in.

Chasaboo > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 08/24/2016 at 16:22

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Hey, the 944 is like the one car I’d really love to see make a comeback. It just looks so right.

Pickup_man > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 08/24/2016 at 16:34

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I could put one of them in the front seat eventually but I doubt I’ll have the car that long anyway. It’s actually on CL right now because I’m trying to save up some money for a new bike, not that I’m in a hurry to get rid of it though.