MarkDK

Two questions:
1. How does the performance and handling of the Evo compare to a 944 Turbo S? Can anyone comment from personal experience. I have a chipped 944 Turbo S - when the turbo kicks in, it's like turning on an afterburner - you are literally pinned to your seat. The 944 handling (and braking - 928 brakes) is excellent - like a slot car. Does the Evo provide the same feel?

2. Any ideas on how to get out of a lease early - last year I needed an AWD car in Dec. (daily driver) - the 944 sucks in the snow - couldn't wait for the Evo to come out in Feb. - so I leased a WRX. While I like the WRX (it is fantastic in the snow -even with all season tires), it doesn't have that afterburner feel (yes, I know you can mod it to boost HP - but I don't want to do that to a leased car). I am interested in getting out of the WRX lease so I can buy an Evo. Thoughts?

MalibuJack

iTrader: (5)

Look at the lease agreement, there's usually an early termination clause. Some dealerships will sometimes "buy out" a lease if you want to trade in a leased car, Honestly I don't know if they'll put you over a barrel for that though.

I recall one of the magazines doing a comparison of several german cars vs the Evo.. I don't recall if it was the 944 turbo though, but it was one of the higher-end porches.. The Evo came out really high in comparison.

FWIW I've had several Porsche owners either give me the thumbs-up or comment on how sweet the car is. From a porshe owner (especially a Carrera4 or turbo owner) its a compliment. I can say that I've raced my car against a few porsches, and won, but my car is modified, and straight lines aren't really where these cars shine, plus on the street, you could be up against a schmo driving so its really no way to tell since its not a fair comparison.

With the stock tires.. the evo also sucks in bad weather, however with a good set of all season or snow tires, it ROCKS..

my evo stock used to give me a 'pinned to the seat feeling' un acceleration, and at highway speeds in 5th gear, its just about in the RPM range where the boost is almost right there so you still get a nice surge.. After the car was modified its a cranky banshee and just wants to take off at every opportunity when it swings into boost.

Hope that gives you a little insight.. The Evo is quite a bit more raw than the Porsche, but I actually prefer the raw utilitarian feel of this car over most of the other cars I've driven.

Drift4

iTrader: (12)

Hello...you cannot compare a 944 turbo S aka 951 to the EVO or
vise versa.....power wise the 44 will win if the engine is in good condition WITH chips. If it was a stock 944T forget it. I used to own an 86 with autothority massflow, tial external wastegate, K27/29 from powerhaus, o-ringed head and several internal work done. The car was crazy fast with 20psi.

But looking at more advance cars today the EVO is the best bang for the buck...thats why it is the CAR OF THE YEAR.....

LDB

Call your leasing company and ask for the payoff amount. It's no different in that regard than a car you financed to own. They'll give you a number and that's what you have to get for your car or make up the difference.

Your other option would be to go back and look at upgrading to the STi. The dealer would be much more interested in getting you out of your lease penalty free if you are upgrading than if you are abandoning. The STi isn't as edgy but will pin your ears back on par with the Evo.

kimletrim

iTrader: (18)

Exactly, you are still liable for the total amount of the lease due. Some leasing companies will accept your "voluntary return" of the vehicle but don't think for a moment that you will benefit from such a move as it will impair you credit history. The last point may just affect your ability to get that next vehicle. Leases suck for the most part.

Meeyatch1

iTrader: (1)

I have personal experience with both the 944 Turbo S and the Evo VIII. They are totally different cars. A modified 944 Turbo S is a very fast car, but the Evo VIII is a better 'out of the box' vehicle. By this I mean that the Evo VIII has amazing grip, quick acceleration, unstoppable handling, and you can fit 5 people in it. Owned both cars, and they each have their own special place with me.

MarkDK

Thanks so far for all of the posts. Meeyatch1 - since you have owned both cars - forgetting all other attributes (because the 944 Turbo S (aka 951S) glows in all of the ways that you describe the Evo) in terms of acceleration - do you get the same "shot out of a cannon" feel from the Evo that you did from the 951S (i.e., if you are in second gear at low revs, and you floor it - in the 951S, as the turbo spools and hits maximum boost, it feels like all the blood rushes to the back of your head and it is difficult to move your head forward off the headrest).

prowler

I had a similiar setup to Drifts 951, cept mine was an 87... The 951 was amazingly quick when the boost came on, it was faster than my Bpu Supra TT.

The 951 was a quirky car for me though. It was very sensitive to weather for some reason. When it would be a moist morning it would run rather poor...even when it was cold outside.
I put 53k miles on it and eventually the head gasket blew. So I fixed 'er up and sold it.

I never had any brake upgrades, but I did have 17 inch Potenza S0-2 tires and a Koni adjustable suspension on it. I don't think that it is as capable as the EVO. The EVO, though harsh by todays standards, has a higher upgradable ceiling. That being said, they are different beasts. I loved the top end of my old 951, but for some strange reason, I cannot stop grinning when I do a simple lane change on the highway in my EVO now.

Vaievo7

I have this friend of mine who owns a yellow 944 T. She did some work on it and it runs somewhere around the region of 330 whp. A stock Evo cannot match the 944 T but in terms of handling the Evo gets the upper hand. The 944 is kinda twisty around corners. But i'd bet a nicely modded Evo with around 380 bhp would smoke the 944 good.

Cheers!

www.SpeedXS.com - Center for Japanese Performance Cars

WINSTON

iTrader: (6)

I own a 86 with 400 hp to the rear wheels, she is my daily driver. I am responsible for several fast 951 through out Arizona and some other states. I worked with Chris Cervelli at Technodyne (no longer in existence) and together we have built some fast 944 turbos.

The EVO and 944 are so different yet so similar is in many aspects. Both are extremley easy to drive fast and respond well to mods. I love them both, maybe the 944 a little more. I have had my 944 since 89 and it now has 210,000 hard miles on the clock.

My 944 (highly modified) will smoke my EVO (stock) in just about everything. The EVO starts out with such a good platform that with small mods I think I can close the gap easily. The stock 944 was a good car but no way near a good as the EVO in stock form.

Winston

apexernsx

iTrader: (11)

Having owned 5 944 Turbos including two dedicated race/track cars, one a Rothmans Porsche 944 Turbo from the Canadian series and two of great street 951's, one being a Turbo S, short gears, cam and chip and the other having been dynoed at 408 rwhp, and having driven the Evo on the track twice, the all around winner if $ is not a concern is the Evo. Right now with my Stage 2.5 Buschur mods I am faster in a straight line than a stock Turbo S. A chipped S with exhaust and running 17# boost would be a good comparison in a straight line. Brakes are comparable-both excellent. As to steering, feel on the 951 is better but the nod goes to the Evo due to its quick steering. Tires are also very good for street tires. Shifting goes to the Evo. And now that my dedicated track 951 and trailer have been sold I am super happy that I can carry my extra set of race wheels and tires to the track for DE Events in my back seat. And, on the track I do not have to worry about a part that was made in 1989 failing due to wear as for example the control arms. After 5500 miles with the Evo I am glad I switched.

apexernsx

iTrader: (11)

PS-If you go to another great website, rennlist, you will find a thread that basically says you are crazy to buy an Evo when you can drive a 951. So I guess you will have to make your own decision. But don't do it until you try out the Evo and remember that for a few $ more it can be significantly upgraded if you want more straight line performance.

svillata

I find this thread really interesting... had an S2... obviously that was a dog compared to the Evo (but I loved that car.. was fun). But have driven a 944 T (lightly modified) and 944T S (stock), and the Evo just seems better. That somebody, even the Rennlist crowd, would say one was crazy to switch from a 951 to an Evo seems strange. Thats like my buddy with the boxter telling me I was crazy to buy the S2 (this was in '98)... he didn't know how well the S2's performed for spirited driving (not track) until he drove it... every bit as fast and handled as well as his boxter at 1/3 the price (used). I can think of reasons to prefer a 951 over an Evo... but can also think of good reason to switch to an Evo. Neither decision (951 or Evo) seems crazy to me..... Test drive the Evo and see what you think. I think though the Evo might perform slightly better, you might miss your Turbo S.... not that you would really regret trading it for an Evo, but you just might miss it sometimes. Be careful about making a hasty decision.