944GS Posted May 6, 2021 Report Share Posted May 6, 2021 I joined the forum a couple of years ago because every year I decide I’m going to sell my 944 S2 and buy a Boxster, last year COVID got in the way so I’m determined this is the year! I haven’t even driven one yet as I’m in Scotland and most of the ones I like are hundreds of miles away but this week three have appeared for sale nearby. There’s a 2006 3.2 but the service history is a bit sketchy and the owner didn’t really answer my questions in a way that inspired confidence so it put me off. Now there’s a dealer selling a 2005 2.7 so I’m hopefully going to see that and also find out if it’s got the bigger IMS but there’s also a 2.7 Sport Edition being sold privately. I really like the look of this one but I can’t get the high road tax out of my mind plus it’s £2k more than the dealers car. The only essentials I have in mind are manual gearbox and heated seats and think I’ve ruled out a 3.4. Any advice appreciated, also interested if anyone else has moved from a 944, I’ve had it for 8 years and love driving it but just fancy something more modern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menoporsche Posted May 6, 2021 Report Share Posted May 6, 2021 Go drive all three with an open mind, then come back and ask more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penrhos Posted May 6, 2021 Report Share Posted May 6, 2021 Hi GS, my first Porsche was a red 944S2 back in about 1997. Great cars and I still miss that view of the shaped rear wing out of the mirror. I've had a couple of 986's and a 981 Cayman S since and last year I went for a 987.1 2.7 Boxster. The difference between the 944 and 987 is obviously massive as they are completely different cars. All well maintained Boxsters are brilliant on fast winding roads. In the dry just point them in the right direction and no worries. I do not pretend to be anything other than an average driver and being in my 67th year my reactions are not what they used to be but in the wet the Boxster needs to be treated with respect. On a wide quiet wet road you can control the slide and it is brilliant but when it gets tight you really need your wits about you. There is loads of advice and buying pointers on this forum so read as much as you can. I bought privately and missed a few things for sure but I had a healthy contingency fund and having spent more than I had planned at least I know the car is very nearly as I want it. Like you I couldn't justify the tax difference between the basic and sport edition but the sport is very attractive. Best of luck with your search and if you get the right one you will not be disappointed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleStar Posted May 6, 2021 Report Share Posted May 6, 2021 High road tax = less than a half pint of beer each evening! The sport edition will give you more smiles too 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red rocket Posted May 6, 2021 Report Share Posted May 6, 2021 My 06 has the higher tax which is a bit of a niggle but i love the car nevertheless. I love the Sport Edition but would follow Meno's advice and see how you feel then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menoporsche Posted May 6, 2021 Report Share Posted May 6, 2021 I have never understood these people, and there are many on here not just you, who buy and run an 8k, 15 year old Porsche but somehow complain about 200 quid annual road tax! It's a strange bias in people's minds, I just don't get it. OP, if you say you haven't had a chance to drive any as they are never near you, carpe diem, then reassess accordingly. Otherwise you might wait another year! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFD Posted May 6, 2021 Report Share Posted May 6, 2021 24 minutes ago, Menoporsche said: I have never understood these people, and there are many on here not just you, who buy and run an 8k, 15 year old Porsche but somehow complain about 200 quid annual road tax! It's a strange bias in people's minds, I just don't get it. OP, if you say you haven't had a chance to drive any as they are never near you, carpe diem, then reassess accordingly. Otherwise you might wait another year! While I didn’t consider the lower tax as my main consideration when I bought my 2005 S, I was and remain acutely aware that the £200 saving pays for my fully comp insurance for a year. Two otherwise identical cars but one with free insurance for life... does sound kind of a no-brainer, no? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
944GS Posted May 6, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2021 37 minutes ago, Menoporsche said: I have never understood these people, and there are many on here not just you, who buy and run an 8k, 15 year old Porsche but somehow complain about 200 quid annual road tax! It's a strange bias in people's minds, I just don't get it. OP, if you say you haven't had a chance to drive any as they are never near you, carpe diem, then reassess accordingly. Otherwise you might wait another year! I understand what you’re saying about the tax and know it’s only £235 difference but I still don’t like it, having said that if I love the car it probably won’t put me off in the end. I've no problem travelling to look at cars now, just not been allowed out of my own council area until a couple of weeks ago which is why I’ve missed out on some I liked. The last car I went to see was a 6hr round trip down the A1 to test drive a 996 but it went in to limp mode while the owner was still showing me what it could do so I didn’t even get to drive it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zcacogp Posted May 7, 2021 Report Share Posted May 7, 2021 I've had a 944 S2 since 2005 and it was my daily driver between 2005 and 2018. I am (or was) a very regular member on the PCGB 944 forum and there isn't that much that I don't know about the cars. I put my S2 into storage about 3 years ago as I lived in Zone 1 in London and the ULEZ extension was coming, which would mean it would cost me £25 every day I drove my car. I didn't want to sell it so kept it for when I moved out of town. I bought a 987.1 Cayman 2.7 as a replacement until that day. The two cars couldn't be more different. The 944 feels like (and is) a much older car. It's heavier to drive, feels more solid and is clearly the less sophisticated car. When you drive it you are aware of there being quite a lot of weight in motion due to the transaxle design. It's a much more solid, stable car. The 987 by comparison feels lightweight; everything is very easy to operate and it responds in a fraction of the time to any steering input. The controls are lighter, the steering is lighter and it feels somehow hard and brittle by comparison. The interior feels VERY plastic by comparison with a 944 (despite having the extended leather in my 987.) The way the engine delivers the power is completely different between the two cars. The S2 has mid-range slug, and quite a lot of it. It doesn't reward revving it out. I had the ProMAX ECU in mine which exacerbated this but I very very rarely got to the rev limiter in the S2 as there was no point. The mid-range shove made it easy to drive fast, easy to drive in traffic, meant you didn't need to think about overtakes. The 987 on the other hand has just about no mid-range whatsoever, but if you wind it up hard then it will go quite briskly. However you need to want to go fast because it takes work to achieve it. Overtakes need to be planned, catching up with the traffic in front may require changing down a cog or two. While we're on the topic of engines then the 944 engine sounds dull. The 987 is a sonorous musical instrument by comparison. In practical terms the 987 is more fuel-efficient, quieter, cheaper in London (no ULEZ payments) and probably grips the road better. However which will I sell first? The 987. The 944 is more rewarding to drive by a country mile. It appeals to my heart in a way that a 987 simply doesn't. If you are serious about changing your S2 for a 987 then drive a few. Drive a lot of them. They are chalk and cheese. I guarantee that you WILL miss your 944, and getting a good one back is not easy these days. I took mine out of storage a few weeks ago and am currently buying the bits to get it back on the road again; balance and cam shaft belts and some engine mounts. It's currently on around 215,000 miles and I know it will do another 215,000 miles without a problem. Here is a photo of it. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveEFI Posted May 7, 2021 Report Share Posted May 7, 2021 15 hours ago, 944GS said: I joined the forum a couple of years ago because every year I decide I’m going to sell my 944 S2 and buy a Boxster, last year COVID got in the way so I’m determined this is the year! I haven’t even driven one yet as I’m in Scotland and most of the ones I like are hundreds of miles away but this week three have appeared for sale nearby. There’s a 2006 3.2 but the service history is a bit sketchy and the owner didn’t really answer my questions in a way that inspired confidence so it put me off. Now there’s a dealer selling a 2005 2.7 so I’m hopefully going to see that and also find out if it’s got the bigger IMS but there’s also a 2.7 Sport Edition being sold privately. I really like the look of this one but I can’t get the high road tax out of my mind plus it’s £2k more than the dealers car. The only essentials I have in mind are manual gearbox and heated seats and think I’ve ruled out a 3.4. Any advice appreciated, also interested if anyone else has moved from a 944, I’ve had it for 8 years and love driving it but just fancy something more modern. If the IMS is a real concern for you, your only option is to go for a later car without. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyreman Posted May 7, 2021 Report Share Posted May 7, 2021 I'm collecting my 987.1 tonight and have thought about all of the above points. I also have an issue with the road tax, whilst I do agree that it wouldn't 100% rule my purchase if I could avoid it I would and indeed have done...........coming from an E92 V8 M3 I know the pain of £585 road tax for the sake of a Sunday drive. Does the IMS scare me, maybe a bit yes but as an owner of many previous BMWs I can assure you that the stories of IMS failure and bore scoring on here are replaced by rod bearing failure and boot floors being ripped out on M3Cutters. Forums are brilliant but sometimes maybe ignorance is bliss, I'm sure that lots of Porsche owners just buy a car and enjoy it without knowing or worrying about the potential financial doom 🤪 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zcacogp Posted May 7, 2021 Report Share Posted May 7, 2021 14 minutes ago, Tyreman said: Forums are brilliant but sometimes maybe ignorance is bliss, I'm sure that lots of Porsche owners just buy a car and enjoy it without knowing or worrying about the potential financial doom 🤪 Ain't that the truth! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninesomething Posted May 7, 2021 Report Share Posted May 7, 2021 16 hours ago, Menoporsche said: I have never understood these people, and there are many on here not just you, who buy and run an 8k, 15 year old Porsche but somehow complain about 200 quid annual road tax! It's a strange bias in people's minds, I just don't get it. Mine is SORN for perhaps half a year but I still won't pay the £500+ tax. Not so much the money as the fact that the high tax rate was just a money grab by the then government. To the OP if you know the engine number you can find out if the car has the later, much stronger IMS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
944GS Posted May 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2021 6 hours ago, zcacogp said: I've had a 944 S2 since 2005 and it was my daily driver between 2005 and 2018. I am (or was) a very regular member on the PCGB 944 forum and there isn't that much that I don't know about the cars. I put my S2 into storage about 3 years ago as I lived in Zone 1 in London and the ULEZ extension was coming, which would mean it would cost me £25 every day I drove my car. I didn't want to sell it so kept it for when I moved out of town. I bought a 987.1 Cayman 2.7 as a replacement until that day. The two cars couldn't be more different. The 944 feels like (and is) a much older car. It's heavier to drive, feels more solid and is clearly the less sophisticated car. When you drive it you are aware of there being quite a lot of weight in motion due to the transaxle design. It's a much more solid, stable car. The 987 by comparison feels lightweight; everything is very easy to operate and it responds in a fraction of the time to any steering input. The controls are lighter, the steering is lighter and it feels somehow hard and brittle by comparison. The interior feels VERY plastic by comparison with a 944 (despite having the extended leather in my 987.) The way the engine delivers the power is completely different between the two cars. The S2 has mid-range slug, and quite a lot of it. It doesn't reward revving it out. I had the ProMAX ECU in mine which exacerbated this but I very very rarely got to the rev limiter in the S2 as there was no point. The mid-range shove made it easy to drive fast, easy to drive in traffic, meant you didn't need to think about overtakes. The 987 on the other hand has just about no mid-range whatsoever, but if you wind it up hard then it will go quite briskly. However you need to want to go fast because it takes work to achieve it. Overtakes need to be planned, catching up with the traffic in front may require changing down a cog or two. While we're on the topic of engines then the 944 engine sounds dull. The 987 is a sonorous musical instrument by comparison. In practical terms the 987 is more fuel-efficient, quieter, cheaper in London (no ULEZ payments) and probably grips the road better. However which will I sell first? The 987. The 944 is more rewarding to drive by a country mile. It appeals to my heart in a way that a 987 simply doesn't. If you are serious about changing your S2 for a 987 then drive a few. Drive a lot of them. They are chalk and cheese. I guarantee that you WILL miss your 944, and getting a good one back is not easy these days. I took mine out of storage a few weeks ago and am currently buying the bits to get it back on the road again; balance and cam shaft belts and some engine mounts. It's currently on around 215,000 miles and I know it will do another 215,000 miles without a problem. Here is a photo of it. Thanks for the excellent comparison, just what I was looking for and I recognise your username from the 944 forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
944GS Posted May 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2021 3 hours ago, JonSta said: Mine is SORN for perhaps half a year but I still won't pay the £500+ tax. Not so much the money as the fact that the high tax rate was just a money grab by the then government. To the OP if you know the engine number you can find out if the car has the later, much stronger IMS. That’s a good point about the tax, if they were all the same price for the same car it wouldn’t be so bad but if it can be avoided then seems sensible to do that, same applies to the IMS, I won’t be driving it around worrying about it but if I have a choice I’ll go for the supposedly stronger one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
944GS Posted August 25, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2021 (edited) I’ve put a post in the newbie section but thought I’d finish off this thread too so here it is, after deciding I would get a 2.7 with heated seats I’m now the proud owner of a 3.2S without them. If anyone is looking for a 944 S2 I know of a nice black one going up for sale soon 😃 Edited August 25, 2021 by 944GS 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Menoporsche Posted August 25, 2021 Report Share Posted August 25, 2021 What road tax? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
944GS Posted August 25, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2021 11 minutes ago, Menoporsche said: What road tax? Ha ha, yes that was quickly forgotten once I started driving them but it was £340 which was still more than £200 more than my insurance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
driving_james Posted August 30, 2021 Report Share Posted August 30, 2021 On 5/6/2021 at 7:10 PM, 944GS said: I joined the forum a couple of years ago because every year I decide I’m going to sell my 944 S2 and buy a Boxster, last year COVID got in the way so I’m determined this is the year! I haven’t even driven one yet as I’m in Scotland and most of the ones I like are hundreds of miles away but this week three have appeared for sale nearby. There’s a 2006 3.2 but the service history is a bit sketchy and the owner didn’t really answer my questions in a way that inspired confidence so it put me off. Now there’s a dealer selling a 2005 2.7 so I’m hopefully going to see that and also find out if it’s got the bigger IMS but there’s also a 2.7 Sport Edition being sold privately. I really like the look of this one but I can’t get the high road tax out of my mind plus it’s £2k more than the dealers car. The only essentials I have in mind are manual gearbox and heated seats and think I’ve ruled out a 3.4. Any advice appreciated, also interested if anyone else has moved from a 944, I’ve had it for 8 years and love driving it but just fancy something more modern. I'm over the moon with my move from a '82 911SC to a 2005 Boxster 2.7. Its so much more fun to drive and has many of the advantages of a modern Porsche Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
944GS Posted August 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2021 10 minutes ago, driving_james said: I'm over the moon with my move from a '82 911SC to a 2005 Boxster 2.7. Its so much more fun to drive and has many of the advantages of a modern Porsche Glad to hear it as I sold the 944 today so no going back now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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