I'd like to introduce you to the Porsche 944.

First of all; Handling! Once you get these cars onto a country road there is nothing like it, it will leave modern sports coupes for dust without any problem. If you want the ultimate driving experience take a serious look at the 944. The prices are now rock bottom, though you will have to pay that little extra for a good one. Land yourself with a bad one and be prepared for some huge bills! You have been warned. Take your time when shopping for a 944, there are plenty out there. However there are many dogs out there! Find a good one though and you will not be disappointed, i can guarantee it.

They do require some care and attention. I have had mine for almost 12 months now and it has not cost me a penny. However i will probably have to part with around 2,000 eur this year to keep the car in tip-top shape. Many people maintain the parts are expensive, this is a myth in my experience. There are many good part suppliers online. www.944online.com for example is one of the best places around to buy parts. Also www.porscheshop.co.uk are very reasonable if you are in the UK. Avoid the main dealers like the plague, the parts are scandalously expensive!

Ask anyone who has taken one of these for a drive, you have to experience the handling to believe it. The steering is responsive, heavy and accurate at any speed. Even in the unlikely event that the car slides is extremely controllable, mainly due to the perfect 50/50 weight distribution. The gearbox is actually mounted on the rear axle to provide perfect balance.

The engine is a 2.5 litre inline 4 cyl, but it is easily as smooth to drive as many of todays 6 cyl cars due to the counter balance shafts used on the engine. The power really begins to come in around the 3,500-4,000 mark, but power is smooth and has no flat spots through to the the 6,500 redline. This is renowned as one of the finest engines that Porsche ever developed. As an added bonus they are practically bulletproof if looked after correctly!

Mine is the 86 N/A 2 (85.5>) or oval dash model as they are sometimes referred to. The early i.e. pre 1985 models had a very vulgar 80's style dashboard, go for the post 85 models if you can push the budget that far.

The engine in mine is a straight 2.5 ltr inline 4cyl putting out around 170 bhp. Don't be fooled by the BHP figures though, the torque more than makes up for it, and the way that Porsche engine delivers the power it will make the hairs stand on the back of your neck! Once you get to 4,000 rpm and upwards there is very little on the road that will stay with the pace. Although some cars may be faster in a straight line there is nothing that can hold the road like a 944.

Here i'd like to give you some tips on buying a car like this.

Firstly look for service history. I cannot stress this enough. Do not take anyones word on what has been replaced and what work has been done. No service history, walk away, it is that simple. These cars can cost you an absolute fortune if they have not been looked after in a past life. There are many to choose from so don't just dive in head first and buy the first one you see without thinking it through and ignoring the warning signs! Believe me you will regret it in the long run.

If you do find one with FSH then look out for oil leaks. These cars are notorious for oil leaks. The front cam seals and also the sump gasket (oil pan) is a known weak point. I have experienced this first hand.

Look out for smoke from the exhaust when you rev it hard or you are coasting down hills, this can be sign of two things. Either the car is burning oil, or more commonly the oil from the engine is leaking onto the exhaust manifold and burning off. Again i have experience of this. Worn seals in the engine are to blame. The rear cam cover is a known weak point, It is a cork seal that may need replacing, quick fix.

Don't touch anything with aftermarket replacements, i.e. performance air filters etc. Make sure it is as original as possible. Boy racers will add these mods, to be honest they will give little in terms of performance benefits and will ultimately reduce the lifespan of the engine.

Keep an eye on the oil pressure when you start the car up when it is cold. The pressure gauge should jump to 5 bar until the engine oil heats up. This will take approx. twice as long as it takes the coolant in the engine to get up to temp. ONce the engine is warmed up make sure the pressure gauge drops back to around 2-3 bar at idle or when changing gear. If it does all should be well in that department.

Look out for water in the oil and oil in the water. Can indicate a blown gasket or a faulty oil cooler. Either will cost a few quid to put right.

Make sure the gear change is slick and smooth through all shifts up and down. Rough changes can mean worn synchros in the gearbox. Although i have seen occasions where the oil is cold and can cause this. Take it for a good long spin to give the gearbox oil time to heat up. If it still feels rough, you will have to replace synchros or buy a new reconditioned gearbox ($$$$).

Make sure the temperature gauge stays within recommended limits when you have it out for a test drive. The tempo gauge should go up to the first white mark and should never rise above the second white mark on the gauge. If it does rise above the second white mark you could be parting with some big bucks.

Timing belts are crucial in these cars. The nature of the inline 4 cyl means that if it snaps you are in serious trouble, bent valves etc ($$$). Complete engine rebuild. Get some peace of mind by making sure the seller has a receipt and date of when the timing belt was changed, and obviously how many miles the car has done since it was replaced. If they do not know when it was changed replace it immediately after purchase and save yourself a fortune in the long run. Porsche recommend that you change the belt approx. every 30,000 miles.

Look out for a rough idling car, this can mean that the engine mounts need replacing. If you are replacing the engine mounts make sure to use the turbo version mounts as they are much better.

Look out for leaky sunroofs. Usually means that the rubber seals need replacing or the drainage hoses are clogged, compressed air can usually sort this out.

So where to start looking. Well i would recommend the Porsche enthusiast clubs firstly if one exists in your area. You will find that the club cars are very well maintained as the people who own them are passionate about their hobby and will spend the money required to keep one of these cars in good condition. You can also try autotrader.co.uk autotrader.ie. A few always crop up from time to time. Also www.carzone.ie is very good, this is actually where i found mine!

To sum up and as a general rule of thumb, if the car was looked after on the outside (body is in good condition, and interior looks fresh), then chances are it was well maintained mechanically too.

Happy shopping!