The wife needs a better car for going to work, she is tired of the beetle, wants heat, hard start in the rain, yada-yada.

I can get a '84 944 for a deal, but not a steal. The shop just wants to get their money out of it.

It has new waterpump, timing belt and a bunch of other odds and ends. No milkshake (cooler seals) problems, paint Ok (but not new), fuchs, 222,000kms and seems to run good.

The bad is it will need a power steering pump soon and it has been sitting for 3 years. It was just driven for 2 hrs with no problems.

What's it worth?
Can little kids fit in the back OK?
Good car or bad car?
What to look for?
Anything else?

Thanks Mark

Mark I have looked at 9144s for years, they keep going down in value and the repair and parts cost are still high.
I have test driven the cars and been swayed by the great prices that you can get one fro. But after talking to the real people who own one, 95% have said, walk away and look for something else.
They are or can be a real money pit with zero chance of recovering your costs.
PM me about a car I have that might work.
CCLINNO944

If you want a 944 get an '85.5 or newer (many updates, most importantly the electrical system and HVAC system) and get a really nice one, but I agree with Craig about the costs vs. car value.

I had a nearly perfect one, but I just could not live with the fact that it was one major failure away from going from a top-dollar car to basically worthless.

That said, it was a great car while I had it; the wife loved to drive it and kids fit good in the back.

I thought I should add that it's a customers car and she justs wants out of the car, as does the (good friend) shop.

I can it myself.

[QUOTE]I just could not live with the fact that it was one major failure away from going from a top-dollar car to basically worthless



Had an '89 S2. Loved it.... but like the man says -one major failure and you may have to drop double what it's worth.

If you can get it REAL cheap and drive the wheels off it maybe.....

If you just want a VW type mule I see nice VW fox's all the time for $500.

Yes, but they don't get very expensive even for the best of them.

I also it myself, but the parts can be $$$$.

Getting one with a new water pump and belts and seals is good--that means it'll be 60,000 miles before you have to spend money equal to the value of the car for regular maintenance again.

Unless you want to buy the stupid Porsche-only $$$ tensioning tool with the non-standard units and do that work yourself.

In the long term, maintenance will be a killer. In the near term, it could be a nice ride. But the 85.5s are nicer.

--DD

have a '89 2.7 love the car, handles great, decent hp for the road, BUT like the rest said if it breaks, if it needs a clutch or anything its a major bill based on what it will be worth. Mine's goy 180k on it and still going....cross your fingers.

Check front suspension for cracks and wear (I seem to remember that the A-arms changed in 85 or 86), look over all the electronics to see if it's been F*^%$^'d with, do a compression check on it, look for oil leaks-they're more problematic on the water pumpers than on our air cooled, and pay low$$ for the car.

-There are sooo many of these out there, that I'd probably hold out for a later model, lower milage car, but if you look it over and its tight, origional and you can get it at a good price, go for it.

Yep all that stuff is done, but the gal who owns it choked on the bill and want's it gone.
I can borrow the belt tool anytime for free, run-in is done and we would recheck the tension.

I'm looking for a nice/cool ride for the wife (the fox idea is a big no) without going for a loan. Also any car over 20yrs old is smog exempt here.

The other idea is my dads 2000 GM Impala with 70,000kms, but I would need a loan, smog check, etc.

The plus side is it's like new and it will pull a bug or 914 on my trailer.
The down side is it's a bit of a gas hog (compared to a four) and the proper brake pads just cost me $300 for all four wheels. Next time it will need all new rotors as well.

Haven't really looked around yet.

Just buy it. If it croaks part it and move on.

They are great cars. If I were looking for one on purpose, I'd move up a few years. When I was looking I found bunches of them downed by the "wrong ownership profile." By that I mean the guys (kids mostly) that had them couldn't afford to stay on top of the PM. As said earlier in the thread they can bite if you don't stay on top of them. From my mechanic a clutch replacement is ballpark ~$1500 for my '90 944S2 compared to ~$1000 for a '11. The timing and balance belts require maintainance every few years and checking every other year or so. I just had the belts checked and retensioned yesterday and along with an oil change and coolant flush. I spent $243.

Interesting cars cost...

For me it's just fine. It's an honest 149MPH car in stock form (redline limited), handles real nice, returns 20MPG in my SoCal commute, 25MPG on the road going 85+, and has a nice wide powerband that lets you ignore the gear shift if you want.

It's reasonably comfortable given the performance envelop and is now a unique ride since most '44s have died horrible deaths already...

If you haven't had a WC Porsche ya oughta get one. It's a totally different expereince.

Have fun,
Kevin

Back before Christmas I found a 86 944 turbo that a local bank had repoed. I called and talked to a lady at the bank after looking at the car. She said just make a offer so I said all I wanted was the wheels and brakes so I made her a offer of what I would pay for them. She said that It was way too low and hung up the phone on me. Yesterday she called back and said for me to come and get it if I still wanted it. 150k miles and never wrecked. I know the car and had located a LSD transmission for a shop to install in the car last summer.

This thing is fast reads 2 bar of boost

OK, so now you know that parts are $$$, and that the car up for sale is on the wrong side of the '85.5+ improvements, and to offset the pricey parts you'll have to supply your own repair labor. Since you weren't too enthused about their asking price, it sounds like it would only be worthwhile to you if you got a really good price to offset those liabilities. Forget what the shop/customer is asking for, let them know what it's worth to *you*, and wish them luck. If they come down to you fine, if not, you avoided lining someone *else's* pockets. BTW, I see a lot of 944's at my local DE's, especially the turbo's. Good luck!

Mark, I think you should look around and see what other 944s you could get for the same money and then make whatever appriate offer on this one if you still want it.

I think asking 914 owners about 944 maintnance costs is asking the wrong demographic. From my point of view, if you are getting the car for a cheap price you can afford a couple $2K repair bills down the road. One just has to know that going into the deal. I think in the end you get a lot of car for the money except you pay for it as you go instead of paying for it up front.

On the other hand, for the same money, you could probably get a nice VW Jetta for your wife. Does the wife want a sports car?

for a good economical driver look for a jetta, german built. the 1.8 w/ hyd lifters are damn near bullet proof and the routine maintanance is low. mine has 240k mi, delivers 34+ on the freeway, and uses little oil between changes. original engine, trans, and clutch. it has a back seat you can live with.

kevin

Read the latest issue of Excellence about a fellow teener that went astray

BTW, When a turbo reads two bar of boost, its really reading one bar.. The 1st bar is 0 bar, under that its vacume, over that its pressure.. 1bar of boost is about 14psi.

I like our 944's, A stock one is a nice drive compared to a 914. Smooth. If you can go with the 85.5 or later. Updated interior and other stuff.

But the repair cost is pretty hefty.

Andrew

(not dan)

When I was at the bird the two despised cars there were 914 and 944 the reason was that the owners were cheap. I can still hear Thomas harping on those two. steve

Mark,
Look at my signature...I specifically got a parts car with my original 84 944...the reason...parts...that went with my driver...have never regreted that decision...then along came a 914 roller..and as they say... the rest is history....

a side note...my 84 driver is a non-turbo...but will still "cruise" at 130 w/o any hesitation...and will do it very easily...for the whole day.. the only thing it won't pass on the highway...the gas station...but at a 130...the rest are a blur...until I figure I need the juice.

So how bad of a gas hog is it compared to other 4 cyls. This one also a N/A standard 944.

Ever since we got the 914 the wife has the sports car itch. I just want to keep her off of rice.

Mark If you think your wife might be interested in a BMW. PM me.
CCLINROUNDEL

Sorry, we want stay in the Porsche or VW family, you're a bit too far away as well.

Is this a typo or did they still make the 924 in '87?

Year: 1987
Make: PORSCHE
Model: 924S
Price: $8,995.00
Mileage: 119000 km
Date: 3/7/04
Features: Red w/ black interior,5 spd., 160 hp., S-car electric roof, AC, correct alloys, cd, low kilometers, perfect car., cert. and E-tested, warranty available. 119,000 km. ,$8995 Canadian

Yeah, they brought the 924 back to use the 944 engine with the more aerodynamic 924 body. Sort of a 924 bodied 944. The best of the 924's I think.

DaveP

Sorry I got into this thread late, but I went through the same thing
about 9 years ago. Had a 88 924S till a few months ago, strangest
thing it lost one cyl (not the head ). So I got an 87 924S
parts car cheap and made it reasonably whole.

The '88 was the track car/commuter for the wife, she liked it and
it really didn't give us much trouble over the years. I don't know
about CDN$8995 for one unless the thing is SPOTLESS. These cars
do not have a high value since they are perceived as at the bottom
of the line.

Keep in mind with a 944/924S that a clutch job will cost you ~$1500
minimum.

I am trying to keep track of the mileage on my current one since
I'm now 35miles from work. It has 205/55 tires which don't help
mileage at ~75, but I get 25mpg. I hear gas is better in summer
and perhaps mileage will go up.