BODY & IDENTITY

As ever, let's address the basics first. The 944 S2 you’re looking at should display a matching Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on its V5 registration document and on the identification stamp located on the bulkhead. Elsewhere on the V5, you’ll see the engine number. For early 944s, the engine number is stamped into the left-hand rear crankcase, visible when looking top-down in the engine bay. For the S2 (and, for the 944's successor, the 968), the engine number is stamped into the right-hand rear side (UK offside) of the engine, just below the number four exhaust outlet.

Spend a couple of quid at mycarcheck.com, where you can download a history report outlining any insurance claims, change of registration number, recorded mileage and whether there’s any outstanding finance on the car.

You should also enter the vehicle’s details into the DVLA’S free-to-use MOT history database, which can be found at bit.ly/dvlamot. The service will return all test passes, failures and advisories registered as far back as electronic records are stored (which is helpful in identifying any ongoing mechanical or safety issues) and, if you have the V5 document number at your disposal, you can even see which test centre carried out the inspection.

Damage may have been inflicted upon 944 S2s driven in anger, so check panel gaps to make sure they’re straight. Look for signs of mismatched colour and don’t be afraid to ask questions. You might be eyeballing a Porsche which has simply been tapped with a trolley in a car park, but then again, the car might have been stacked into a tyre wall at a race circuit. Either way, Porsche body repairs shouldn’t be done on the cheap, so ask to see receipts relating to the work, if applicable. A paint thickness gauge will help you to determine if you’re looking at quarters full of filler.

Almost all 944s have required new inner and outer sills at some point in their lives. When the work was carried out will largely be determined by how the car has been used (e.g. in all weather) and how it has been stored (e.g. outside). Remember, 944s — especially naturally aspirated models — spent decades at the lower end of the Porsche price spectrum, with spend on maintenance reflective of the vehicle's financial worth. In other words, money spent on the upkeep of an S2 is likely to have been commensurate with the car's past value. Bear this in mind when you're examining service history documentation. Thankfully, renewed interest in the model (not to mention an increase in the financial worth of well-presented examples) means many of today's owners are treating their S2s to corrective surgery in order to ensure vehicle survival for decades to come. Demand for sills means they can be bought from any one of a number of parts suppliers at reasonable cost, while new door panels and wings are simply bolt-on items that can be replaced with brand new components or salvage spares.

Dirt collects behind wheel arches, trapping moisture and causing rust to form. Blocked roof drains, compromised tailgate glass, sunroof seals and the hoses flowing rainwater through the cavities behind the rear wheels (below the battery tray) can prove problematic. Poke around to ensure the car isn't suffering damage through moisture ingress.

SERVICING

Porsche recommends a service schedule involving the replacement of spark plugs, fluids and filters no later than every twelve thousand miles, though we recommend halving that figure to six thousand miles to promote mechanical longevity. If your 944 S2 is likely to only come out on sunny days, be sure to service it at least once a year irrespective of how much ground is covered. It’s also a good idea to have an S2's fuel injectors ultrasonically cleaned. They’re unlikely to have been serviced in the car’s lifetime, but are prone to trapped dirt particles resulting in inconsistent fuel spray patterns inhibiting performance. Expect to pay £10-20 per injector when using a mail order service, such as that offered by injectortune.co.uk.

BRAKES, SUSPENSION AND GEARBOX

944 transmissions don’t tend to throw up problems, although it pays to listen out for whining noises, which might suggest bearings need to be replaced. Replacement parts are available at low cost from independent Porsche parts retailer, Design 911. The same fault might also encourage the gearbox to sweat transmission fluid, so get on all fours and have a good look beneath the S2 you’re poring over.

Higher mileage cars may be in need of a replacement clutch, so be sure to observe how easy your prospective purchase is to get in and out of gear, as well as how smooth shifting is when you're on the move. The same age/mileage condition also affects the effectiveness of suspension components. With this in mind, pay special attention to how the car behaves when driven over sleeping policemen or bumps in the road. Any knocking sound or vibration felt through the chassis or steering wheel indicates bushes are past their best. You can opt for OEM replacement parts or ‘fit and forget’ polyurethane bushes. Worn engine mounts may produce the same complaint. Fortunately, new genuine and aftermarket parts are in good supply.

S2 aluminium brakes are good, although old pads and tired backing plates can cause calipers to stick. Again, the 944’s popularity means all parts are readily available. The majority of 944s feature single-piston calipers and vented discs at each corner. Turbos and S2s, however, benefit from four-piston 911 Turbo (930) Brembos as standard equipment. The famous M030 cost-option gave lucky owners even bigger Brembo calipers housing larger discs. These parts are more difficult to get hold of than regular Turbo calipers and rotors, but came as standard equipment on the 944 Turbo S and some special editions, including the rare 944 S2 SE, which served as inspiration for the 968 Club Sport.

TUNING OPTIONS

Before you’re tempted to tinker, make sure the car is properly serviced and is running without fault in a standard state of tune. Once you’re satisfied this is the case, airflow updates unleashing trapped ponies can be easily bought and fitted to your S2. A direct-fit K&N panel air filter, an enlarged stainless steel exhaust system (Dansk and Fabspeed should be your first port of call) and renewed hoses will make a world of difference to the performance of your new toy.

Unlike modern Porsches, the S2's electronic brain can’t be mapped, meaning chipsets need to be installed on the original circuit board. For more control over fuelling and performance, refer to the products of Gloucestershire-based 944 tuning outfit, Augment Automotive, which produces a modern standalone 'plug and play' Bluetooth-enabled ECU suitable for the S2. Visit augmentautomotive.co.uk.