divil

+1, unless there is something different about the very late models that were not sold in the US.

Still, the one exception to that is the battery tray. They rust badly on late 944s (presumably early ones too). In terms of value for time spent, there is no more worthwhile thing to check when buying imo.

odurandina

he knows the quality of materials and a lot more about these cars than many of us ever..... having first hand experience living in a part of the country where cars rust, I would agree; the late 944s seem to have an increased tendency to rust above the rocker panels fore and aft of the wheels. as well as other places near the door sills, sunroof and under the rear decklid.


*amended with reverence to the Almighty God.

morghen

Early 924s rust quite badly, indeed...but late cars seem to be catching up with quite a lot of rust

morghen

Forgot to mention, the above pics are late 944s.
While i would love an S2 i would be very picky to choose one with no rust problems.

EMan 928

Thanks for all of the responses. So, as an example, take a look at these two cars:

1984 944: (160k miles one owner)
https://rennlist.com/forums/vehicle-...-for-sale.html

1985 944: (33k miles )
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Porsche-944-...m=141669054602

Both are around 8k asking price. Which one would you choose? Is it even a question that the 85 would be the better purchase?Or, is the seemingly great condition of the 84 make it a great option?

odonnell

I've seen that 84 posted around a lot, he's been trying to sell it for quite some time. It looks like a really nice car and he is an enthusiast. I've just never seen an early car sell for that much, although the nice ones are becoming more and more rare every day and look really nice when taken care of.

J Berk

Both cars are nice! I owned an 84 which had around 70k miles and I still own a 91 s2 with 200k miles

They are very different cars.... The 84 felt light... And nimble.... But underpowered. The s2 feels more. Refined... More comfortable... Definitely more powerful... Dare I say quick. It also feels more solid.

The car you should buy.... Early vs late.... Is a personal choice depending upon what you are looking for.

I prefer the feel of the later cars.... And having lived with both interiors.... I prefer the late to the early.

I don't think there is any difference that I saw re: rust.

Cole

Those pictures of the rusted late 944 look like it had body damage replaced and repaired at some point in its life prior to the rust. Which means it wouldn't be a valid example.

mrgreenjeans

As an owner of several normals in each body series, and of an '89 - 951, I will comment that the early cars have a lighter, more nimble feel as well.

I like the interiors of both. Each represent a stage of Porsche for the time they were built.

I feel the non powered steering cars make a qualified appeal lost with the '84 and up power steering cars. AS well, the same goes for the simplicity of the non powered sunroof of the '82 and '83 cars.

The models I look for in collecting and tracking this brilliant model of water cooled tech, is the M456 Sport Suspensioned optioned units, specifically with the sport seats, LSD, and the sunroof delete body.
Of the turbos, I will say without a hesitation, the best and most brilliant are the 44/52 engined 944s from '88.2 thru the last built in early '90. With M030, LSD, ClubSport Fuchs wheels, Sport seats, and the hardened gearsets and forged internal componentry within those engines.

Some ARE better than others. Club Sport variants, M030, and the M456 cars are the best within both series of the 944 body structure.

morghen

That early car looks VERY well cared for.
In my opinion, unless going for a similar condition S,S2 or turbo I'd choose that early 944.

Scott at Team Harco

They both look to be in good condition. But if the 85.5 actually has 33,000 miles - that is the clear choice between these two.

Personally I prefer the later cars to the early cars - but they both have their good points (most have been covered here).

These prices are well beyond what I would be willing to pay for either. I do my own work and can fix any deficient maintenance or mechanical woes. If I had to pay for service or repair - I would not be able to afford these cars.

Having said that - between my wife and myself, we have 5 944s and have paid no more than $2500 for any one of them. None are concours material but they are mechanically sound (those that run) and good reliable, fun transportation.

My first 944 (Herbie) was an 85.5 that I purchased for $1000 about 15 years ago. I rolled over 220,000 miles with it when it got rear-ended by an inattentive driver. Much of that drivertrain is expeted to go into a RallyCross car I plan to build (from an 86 turbo shell).

My wife's first 944 (Penelope) was also an 85.5 ($2400) and she got many good years service from it. Unfortunately I damaged the engine last year at a RallyCross. Many of its parts will go to improve the 86 model (Nico) that I bought last November (for $1800).

I picked up an 89 S2 (Stu) to take the place of Herbie. This car had a dead cylinder so the price was right ($2000). After fixing the broken valve spring, it has been reliable and a great car for the past 6 years.

The last one is an 87 (Butch) that is a very solid and clean car. Unfortunately the previous owner riced out the interior with all the eBay crap he could find. Also, he didn't care for the engine, so it does not run. The price was very reasonable ($750). So even if I don't get it running soon, its value in parts exceeds the entry fee.

Not everyone shares my hobby of buying cheap cars and fixing them up. For those people, spending more to get a good solid car makes more sense. Sure I save a little in the long run, but it's not for everyone.

grenadiers

Check out Craigslist, there are quite a few in your area. Don't forget the '87-'88 Porsche 924S. Same drivetrain, same crap dash as early cars, same weird electrical system as early cars! I have two '88 cars, one is a dedicated track car, and the other, is a Special Edition. Hard to find an SE, but they pop up once in awhile. You can't beat the M030 stock suspension, lighter car than normal too.

I also have a mint low mileage '89 951, a real head turner with the Guards Red paint job. The car is fun to drive even at highway speeds, when boost isn't really 'on' so to speak. Very solid car, $47K window sticker back in the day.

And, I have another track car, a 1980 924 Turbo, with Carrera GT body kit. You run out of boost quicker in these cars than a 951. And hard to find one in decent condition anymore. And as Scott mentions, best bet is to work on these cars yourself, saves time and money. After suffering through early cracked dashes made out of flour and water, I prefer the late-model interior. And in the north country look for a car that has sat out the previous winters in a nice comfy garage!

mike77

Yes they do rust. Here in the uk there are a lot of 944s around with rust issues and it does appear to affect the later models. One suggestion is that the plastic trim along the bottom of the sill lock in dirt and water. It's also important to keep sill drain holes clear

EMan 928

Thanks, guys. Tonight or tomorrow I'm going to drive a 87 944 Turbo. I know it's a not the NA model that I originally started this thread about, but curious about the car since it is close to me. Anything in particular to look for? Is the 87 a good model year?

mike77

The 88 S and later years have 250 bhp the 87 is 220 bhp. 86 cars have 220 also but apparently have a stronger engine which is better for performance upgrades. Also you can put fuchs on the 86. That said if it is close by it is worth taking a look