Porsche Enthusiasts Club Forum

Well I've gone back into the motor trade and have just got my traders insurance through but they won't cover me for my 944, to carry on using my 944 on the road it will cost me an extra £1000 to insure it separately plus other road associated costs of tax and MOTs, I begrudge paying £1000 of extra insurance, when the MG is covered on the trade policy, so would most other cars if I were to sell the '44 and get a different car. My '44 probably will only be used about once a week at the most now I have a business to run!

Which brings me to the point '44s are fairly hard to sell, nor am I that fussed on selling it really ... so recently I've been thinking of maybe making it into a track day car, anyone done this? I've not considered it really as I thought I'd do this with the MG instead of the Porsche.

Transportation shouldn't be too much of an issue as I did want to get a car trailer and either a large saloon or a large 4x4 to tow cars bought and having a track car might just push me to go get my trailer licence (too young to have this already on my licence)!

So what would you do?

Nicola

If you won't be using the 944 much, why not get a classic insurance policy?
Cost for that should be around £200.

Simons comment about classic insurance is a good move. Tracking it could be fun but you'd soon be down the slippery slope of upgraditis even on a 944.
Be careful if looking at towing with a 4 x 4, you rapidly get into operator licence area because of the train weight being over 3,500Kg. It needs investigating because VOSA are investigating these very thoroughly now & the fines can be very high.

I may be speaking out of turn here, but I've previously suggested classic insurance to Nicola and I believe...........wait for it........she's too young.
I think she's 22, and most classic polcies kick in at 30 or maybe 25 at a push.
Maybe Nic can clarify this?

Some will start at 21 I believe but you MUST have a primary car to get classic insurance.

Could you get it insured in someone elses name and then drive it under your trader policy?
I know the actual car needs to be insured, but this may be a way round it.

I had my first 944 at 20 and I know I struggled. I think I paid £800 odd in 1995

Good luck!

Regards
Paul

IMO out of the two I'd track the MGB . Cheaper and a friendlier group of people, a good way to start off in racing IMO. I wouldn't go balls out on the engine but concentrate on the other areas.

Insurance wise I'd say to look at Lancaster. I got my first Porsche (an S2 at 24 (just 24 then)) and was paying £600. When I was 22, Elephant wanted £950 Fully Comp to insure a C Reg Series 1 944.

Friendlier than us surely not . Sorry I'd fall asleep tracking an MGB , it is a 2 seat Morris Oxford & leaf sprung. Racing is a whole new ball game & very expensive.

You know what I mean . I was referring to racing. ATM I'm debating between racing the 205 in the Hot Hatch Series or the 'B in the MG Car Club events. I know which one of them have more respect for you on the track. With a bit of work, the 'B isn't too awful around the track. AFAIK, the 944 would be eligable to enter the 944 Cup and Future Classics, both of which have more modern, and quicker machinery in more ways than one.

Morris Oxford? This is coming from a man who owns a car based on the Dolly, (although I am wrongly tempted to buy my mate's Dolly Sprint at the moment...)

EFA And the 7 was a huge step forward on what had been before both MG & Triumph. A guy who I worked with had a 76 BGT & my 850 Fiat Sport could leave it for dead!

Sorry Chas. I've driven an MGB. About as much fun as watching paint dry. The '44 even the 8v is in a different league. Even after messing with a 90K Aston i got into my 944 & it wasn't a let down. It didn't even feel slow. If I had the money I'd run a 944. 90K is silly money to spend on a car. An MG needs a supercharger to keep up with a stock 944. A Dolly sprint was a good car. Race one of those........

I have driven both . I can safely say the MGB was a better handler despite old tech to the Sprint. Not as quick in a straight line but it understeered way less than his (his is on 2" SUs, Polybushed, lowered on Spax and Robsport springs, Yokos all round, not what you'd call a poor setup by any means). That's not to say that I'd prefer the Sprint or as some have done, a Toledo Sprint.

I admit the '44 is a much better car in every respect (it's about the first car that ticked almost every box for me). To say otherwise would be ridiculous, but from a racing POV, where you will spend alot of cash, the MGB will make more sense over a 2.5 from couple of people I have spoken to who race in the 944 cup in a number of manners (more classes it can enter, cheaper to run and easier to compete) (bear in mind almost all of the 944s are S2s or Turbos in that series not to mention the 968s, almost all of which will have seen a rebuild many a time).

From a pure fun trackday toy, I'll agree the '44 is a better car definately. I got off on the wrong foot when I saw trackday, so I apologise for that (I took it as racing/competing). No point in arguing that in the slightest . A guy who was looking to buy my car said himself that his old 944 felt quicker than his RX8, so we're not alone in that thought.

On the rest I'll agree to disagree .

Thanks all

I am currently on a classic policy with Lancaster and that is £1000! BTW I'm 21 and Lancaster have always been fairly good for me but I now have this traders policy, which does not cover the '44.

Thanks for advice re. towing with a 4x4, maybe a large saloon (7 series / XJ?) maybe the way to go? On that one?

Still thinking what to do at the moment, will be fun no matter what though!!

Biggest problem with large saloons is how much the auto boxes can take I have found. Some go on for ages, some need an oil cooler to take the stain. Besides, half decent Discovery Tdis can be had for not much money assuming you get one that is not rotten.

I started off with a £1000+ classic policy from Lancaster for my first year with a 944, and I was 29 at the time. It wasn’t so much my age that brought the prices down quickly from there as just owning cars for longer, getting a garage instead of keeping them in the street, and so on. It’s only four years later and I’m now paying £300 a year on a 944 Turbo. Much more civilised!