Modifications you have made?

Exactly, really, which is my whole point.

I could understand it if you're modding something rare that's worth modding - for example, a MkI / II Escort. However, modding a Golf GTI just isn't worth it. It's driven from the wrong end for a start.

In addition to that, even mild mods are likely to make a Golf GTI more expensive to insure than a 944.

*grinds teeth*

I'll only take it so far, I havn't spent much and I don't intend to spend much more than £1000 modifying it until I finish uni. A 944 is an attractive car but it doesnt really appeal to me because they are so exclusive which means expensive to run, repair and modify I imagine?

I'm gonna go up and have a tat around now for a few hours.

No, no and yes.

But why would you modify it?

If you buy a decent one in the first place, a 944 shouldn't cost any more to run than a Golf GTI (probably less than a modded one) - most parts are available very cheaply from GSF.

Quite surprising really, a Porsche 944 2.5 manual non-turbo is only £300 more per annum to insure in my name than a 16v golf mk2 gti... still it is all a bit late now and I might as well stick with the golf for now.

Bit of an eye opener though, thanks.

what i thought when i looked at the MR2, it's cheaper for me to insure a MR2 turbo than it is a Golf GTi!

I don't know about Golf GTi's, but Porsche 944's are bloody expensive on parts - some are cheap, but more and more I'm finding that everything that goes wrong is difficult to find and very expensive!

Chris.

To be fair, yours, ISTR, was a cheap one.

Always a false economy.

It was damn cheap and I've hardly spent anything on it so far. After the MoT, the only thing I've paid for is a reconned driveshaft, costing £90 (plus a second hand one whilst I got it reconditioned) and a second hand windscreen washer pump which I think cost about £15. So, it hasn't been a false economy at all. I was just pretty lucky ;)

I could have paid a lot more for a 944 of similar age and had a lot more problems.

TBH I'm probably just in a bad mood as it still has crash damage over it and the people responsible are refusing to accept liability. Those body panels aren't cheap. The other thing I've found expensive, as with my 924, is getting original new parts. It's fine to go to a scrappy for the stuff I can get hold of, or pattern parts where available, but there are certain bits and pieces that cost an absolute fortune and are difficult to source. To be fair though, I guess that's true of a lot of manufacturers, and definately true of anything old (it's still cheaper on bits than my old RX-7, for example).

Chris.

Aye - panels etc. are going to be expensive, but no more so than any other car from the exotica end of the scale in the 80s..... general, everyday service parts are no more expensive than for GTI. IMHO, anyway, as I've looked at buying a 924/944 a couple of times.

The back window springs to mind, if the reputation is deserved... ;-)

True - but try getting one from a similar vintage Honda Integra.....

Is there any particular reason why you'd want to try and get one for a similar vintage Honda Integra, then?

Just saying, like, 'cos my dad had one.

It's a problem for anything with that kind of rear window, IYSWIM.

No worse than a Sera or anything else similar. How much do you reckon a Tigra back window costs?

Richard

Quelle Surprise, given they're a grey import, and not here in massive numbers, in the great scheme of things.

I seem to remember the cost of the rear window for the 924 / 944 being mentioned in the same sentence as 'cardiac arrest', anyway... maybe they've come down in price now.

No idea... maybe I'll ask a hairdresser next time I see one.

305mm discs, clamped by Brembo 4-pots here. As standard - no mean feat behind the wierdly small 16" alloys !

I have no idea - I've *never* owned a car with rear drums in my entire life !

Agreed. They're always the weak link in a road car.

What for ? Unless the stock items are comically bad, then "uprating" them just makes the ride even worse, and gives you even less traction, on your average bumpy UK road. On a decent surface, then yes, I'd agree - but that's not something found very often in the UK :)

Last car : '97 R-plate Rover 620 TI - 2.0 16v high-pressure Petrol Turbo. 197bhp and

240Nm as standard. Pics at Mods : I'm hard on brakes - I warped the stock 283mm discs after about 5 mins. Swapped em for EBC RedStuff pads, and Black Diamond Drilled and Grooved discs. Pads were great - Discs were comically s**te. They warped in no time, and were cracked right through, and *very* worn after a mere 12 months ! Swapped the whole lot for some EBC TurboGroove Discs, and RedStuff Ceramic Pads. This time, the pads were even better, and the discs were still pristine (warped a little, but that's a Rover design fault) when I sold it on to Fishman. Stainless braided brake hoses all round. Clear side repeaters. Boost guage fitted. Swapped the 205/55/16-shod alloys for some 215/45/17-shod jobbies. LED rear bulbs, and 100w fronts (dipped and main). Swapped out all the ICE - twin headunits, amp, sub, CD changer, etc. and the Rover Boost Controller with an aftermarket valve. Torque raised from 240Nm to around 280Nm. Power raised from 200bhp to around 210bhp.That's about all I can think of, but there were probably a couple of other things !

Current car : '01 51-plate Peugeot 406 Coupé V6 SE - 3.0 V6 Petrol. 210bhp and 285Nm as standard (it's the later XFX engine).

*Fully* loaded - pics at Mods : None whatsoever as yet, except ICE - I've swapped the headunit, creatively connected the new Kenwood to the standard JBL-amp-8-speaker-system, installed a 10-disc changer, swapped the rear 6x9s - full guide at if anyone's interested.It's got 305mm discs and Brembo 4-pots as standard - so the brakes are pretty good. Full electric-memory tan leather as standard - so the interior is nice enough. External cosmetics - well I think it's rather nice, so I won't be changing a single thing. Alloys are maybe too small (weirdly only 16" for some reason), but fitting aftermarket rims over the Brembos is pretty much impossible without messing about, so I'll prolly leave them alone.

Planned mods : When the brakes need doing, it'll be getting some EBC Yellowstuff 'R' pads - blurb at

and standard OEM plain Brembo discs. When the exhaust needs doing, it'll be getting a QUIET stainless item of some variety, probably or or similar.That's about it - I'd like more power, but it's none-trivial with an NA engine.