924Board.org

[quart]

A friend has offered me one of two cars for my next project vehicle….his prices are too good to pass-up on both….I can only afford one however.

The first and the relevant of the two, at least to this site is an ‘88 924S, both this and the other car have been outside for several years and cosmetically would need some freshening, but the 924 is running, has a completely new fuel system (including tank and lines) and would probably be the more practical of the two…

I never thought I would ever say a Porsche was a more practical car (of these two). It does have an A/C leak which will need to be repaired, and the door, hatch and window seals need replacing… It is the more expensive of the two however, buy about $500.

The other car is a ’93 VW Corrado SLC… this car for some reason really appeals to me, it is far rarer than the 924S and being an SLC model has the VR6 motor. While cosmetically it is on par with the Porsche, it does have an electrical issue which prevents it from starting, and thus my test driving it. He suspects he knows what the issue is and had purchased parts a year ago when it died, but never got around to repairing it. It could be up and running right away, or could be a money pit….

So as not to make a novel out of my first post, my dilemma is practicality over desire….


I like the Porsche, and as I stated before am leaning towards it, but having several VR6 VW’s already in my Garage (08 Passat and 09 Touareg) the idea of having one of the first VR6 sports cars is appealing. Although as a product of the 1980’s, and having had a friend w/ the Porsches twin when I graduated HS in ’89, it has history for me.

While I am not looking at either car as an investment, the Corrado has been slated as a “modern-collectable” (BBC’s Top Gear)assuming I left it stock…. The Porsche is RWD, and I have always said better to be pushed than pulled (the Corrado is FWD)… Parts are about as easy (or hard to find) for both cars, and both would probably be fun to drive once I was done. (160bhp 4cyclinder, vs. 178bhp VR6)

The hard part to me is only being able to select one…. Of course everyone at the VW forums I am a member of says go for the VW, I figured I’d give the Porsche brethren a shot at offering their .02 cents as well.

[Lizard]

Having driven both, the 924S will be a funner all round car to drive.
But the 924S will require more maintenance.
Do not drive or start that car without checking and most likely replacing the timing belt and all pulleys etc.
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3 928s,

[Joes924Racer]

More maintenance its a more complex beast in the bay 4 sure,
& cost. Practicality works here.
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1979 porsche 924 Na
1980 porsche Turbo 931GT Replica
Have u ever driven a turbo.

[Nein37]

Deal breaker for me on Corrados... retracting seatbelts, beyond annoying. Also the torque steer is prominent and sucks. My cousin had one, a nice example at that and it was in constant need of repair. Considering it was a 94' and needed at least as much maintenance as my 81' 931 I'd say the VW will be the most expensive to own.

The 924S is the better car... better built, easier to work on. They look great in white to.
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1981 931 CGT replica, OEM CGT intercooler, .8 BAR WG spring, GTS Headlights, Innovative Wide band A/F, A/C delete, 16" Fuchs, Weltmeister 200lb lowering springs, Bilstein HDs front, Koni Sport rears.

[Rasta Monsta]

Corrado will kill you on parts. . .many, many, one-off and NLA bits, and a poor salvage market, according to a guy I know who just escaped ownership of a pretty nice one.

I'd go for that 88.
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Toofah King Bad

• WeiBe (1987 924S 2.5t) - 931 S3

[quart]

The more I surf the web and look at stuff on the Porsche, the more it starts to win me over.... while (for before mentioned reasons) I dig the Corrado, the uncertainty of its condition is tough to stomach... it only has 80k miles and has had belts, etc replaced prior to its current condition... so has the 924s, albeit about 35k more miles (115k) - but even my friend selling it says the Corrado will be pricey to maintain....

Just curious... anyone know if the 16-inch 928 style (924 turbo) wheels where an option in 08, or does this car have a mismatch set.... I actually like these wheels on this car, but the only other one I have come across with them on it, is a white with black wheels, and doubt that was a factory scheme... if I did a period restoration, I am wondering if these could stay.. very unique looking on this car.

[morghen]

VR6 sounds AWESOME...but i'd take the 924 in a heartbeat
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Supercharger and EFI kits
https://www.the924.com

[gohim]

That's a tough choice. If it were me, I'd find a way to buy both cars. If the restoration turns out to be too much, you can always abandon ship and sell the cars off.

What bothers me about the VR6 is the maintenance costs. Seems like they should be less trouble than the G60 supercharged Corrados (with supercharger replacement every 20K miles), but the 100K mile chain replacement concerns me. Chain replacement on a VR6 can be compared to FOES on a 2.5L Porsche engine in cost, except you have to pull the engine out of the car to perform the chain replacement.

[Joes924Racer]

I meant the 924s by the way. Com,on the vw is ugly.
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1979 porsche 924 Na
1980 porsche Turbo 931GT Replica
Have u ever driven a turbo.

[Khal]

You are joking, right? Surely it's not even up for debate. The 924S.

Three words... Front. Wheel. Drive. *shudder*
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'80 924 Turbo

[emoore924]

Gotta go with the crowd here and say the 88 924s. It has the best drivetrain of the bunch, the most hp, and there are a quajillion parts sources because it is essentially a 944 in 924 clothing. Lots of aftermakret still out there. A good club and forum infrastructure.

And the Corrado, is, well, a Corrado. The early 90's were not good to VW. They earned a deverved reputation for building cr*p back then.

[bnoon]

I can speak from the heart here and say that the Corrado is one of the cars I lusted after back in the early 90's... until I drove one. It just didn't seem to live up to the hype.

The 924 turbo that I have now is one of the cars I lusted after all my life pretty much. The 924 is one car that actually lives up to the hype.
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'80 924 Turbo - SOLD!
1986 Porsche 944 Turbo - SOLD!
Porscheless

[quart]

Thanks all -- while I do sort of lust after the Corrado, I realize that it is what it is... the following it has and the options for updating it, etc tend to lean more towards the tuner crowd, which I use to be a part of but turning 40 this year has changed my outlook on my cars... the 924 just seems classier to me and deserves to be left stock, or close to it.


I'm heading over to look at it again today and see what sort of deal I can cut with my buddy.... it'll take me about 30 days to come up with the money he wants for the down-payment, but at that point he has said I can take it home... the hard part then will be putting the cash asside to pay ot off, versus starting working on it, since it runs already though... I think it is the better choice.

[John_AZ]

The '88 Porsche 924S will need about $2000 in parts the first year. More if the head gasket has not been changed or if it still has the rubber clutch disc.

The members responding know the cost for parts. If you need a mechanic to help you this car may be a money pit.

Does he have any records or receipts?

GL & welcome

John
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'88 924S 67K
'87 924S 122K -DD
Past: 1970 914 1.7, 1977.5 924, 1979 924, +++== Gone, Past tutors

[JayZzzz4]

Wish that 88 S was farther north.... $500 is a steal!
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White 1987 Porsche 924S manual