veleno

Hey Guys,

I'm going to look at a 1990 S2 cabriolet this week and might purchase it if everything looks good. Are there certain things I should be looking for during my inspection to avoid costly maintenance down the road?

Thanks for any help or suggestions given.

Sorry if this is in the wrong section

John_AZ

My choice is the "chain pad and tensioner". Make sure the maintenance is current.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...d-failure.html

GL on the buy.
John

sydneyman

mechanical stuff you can get up to date and/or replace. cosmetic issues, especially exterior are far harder and more expensive in my opinion... also if the car is in better shape cosmetically, you'd be more inclined to properly maintain and enjoy the car yourself over the years...

not to mention that a cosmetically good car is an indicator of loving care over its life.
good luck!

veleno

Thanks for the info guys. I'll be sure to check the maintenance history especially on the chain pad and tensioner!

86_951_

Buying a 20 year old Porsche without a pre purchase inspection is not wise. A car in great shape, and a car in serious need of repair will both "look" the same to your (and my) untrained eye. Pay a professional to find out the truth for you.

My $.02

racer

ROOF Mechanism. They didn't make too many cabs overall and there are very some very expensive "cab specific" parts that are expensive to replace. I am told that the roof is one of them.. Not so much the canvas, but the metal bows. I imagine the winshield is not standard 944 size either.

Then you also have the regular "944 worries".. TB/WP sevice; chain tensioner pad; power steering racks; electrical issues etc.

That said, I can't recall if it was '90 or '91, but not all years have a rear seat. I *think* '89 does, if that is of any concern.

veleno

Agreed! I do plan on doing a PPI.

Yes I've been reading about the rods in the top that break and it's wise to convert the "power" feature to a manual to save them. If I do purchase the car I'll do more reading to make sure I understand the pros/cons to doing this. If it's as simple as disconnecting a harness then no worries as it's easily reverted back to power if need be.

I would love rear seats to take the kids but won't know if this car has it until I see it (hopefully today/tomorrow).

**update** Just got off the phone with the seller and it does have rear seats!

SeaCay

Check to see how water tight the area where the a-pillar and the door quarter glass is. This can be an area where a good amount of water can intrude creating lots of headaches.

mazdacoupe

Hi
I ve got a 1991 944 black cab,it too has rear seats,BUT with lap belts fitted,my two 6 yr old boys fit in the back,but i m not convinced if they are good enough or indeed legal in the UK for my boys so i don t let them travel,can t find anyone that can install regular seatbelts ,looking at getting harnesses fitted in there instead

Jfrahm

The cabrio seals that fit around the side windows are also very expensive. The cover for the folded cab top can be expensive. Some do not bother with it but if the top is in nice shape it helps keep it that way.

mhr

Roof seals, All roof bows and glass are all cab specific, hard to get and expensive when you find them so check that they are good. Otherwise regular 944 S2 stuff as said already belts, WP, cam chain and tensioner and pads.

I got my s2 cab on a whim without knowing anything or a PPI and in retrospect I was stupid. By chance I got lucky that the car is fundamentally good.

Jrboulder

Anything to look for? Yeah, a coupe...

porci944

Hi
I bought one 3week ago 1990 S2 cab. 123,000mi on it.
I did PPI. I even open up valve cover to check the tension pad.
I paid $500 extra, but I know what to expect and I can wait around 10,000mi for TB and pad change.
I think it's money well spend.
I love mines and this is very original and everything working for now...
cross finger...

Luis de Prat

All 944 cabs have rear seats.

They were only deleted on the US 968 cabs in MY 92 and up due to the DOT requiring 3-point seatbelts for the rear passengers.

fittrjoe

Check the stiching on the rear ( plastic ) window... Right where it folds when top is down, the stiching can fail. Im just now replacing the top on mine ... they call them " rag tops " for a reason. And yes , convert to manual its real easy ( do a search ) I even stripped the motors out of mine for weight savings .
Also replace those 22 year old rubber fuel lines that run over the exhaust header and the shorty ones on the damper . These cars are a blast with some TLC.
good Luck

1990 944 s2 fresh everything