One-of-One Porsche 944 Turbo S in the Marketplace

Porsche 944 Turbo S is the only one original sold in the United States in Nautic Blue Metallic.

If you are looking to get into a Porsche that doesn’t need a world of work on a small budget, your best bet is to search for a 944. If you want the best possible performance from a 944, you want a Turbo S and if you want a very rare 944 Turbo S, you may want to contact “Arains44”. He recently posted his 1988 944 Turbo S in the Rennlist Marketplace, which was the only Turbo S that Porsche built for the United States market in Nautic Blue Metallic.

In other words, this is a factory one-of-one Porsche 944 Turbo S and while it needs some cosmetic work, it sounds like a great project car that can be driven right away.

Unique Porsche 944 Turbo S Introduction

When the OP first posted this 1988 Porsche 944 Turbo S for sale, he began by explaining why it was available for purchase.

This is the only US destined 88′ 951S in Nautic Blue Metallic (Code Q2). It’s really a shame they only made one with this color, it’s absolutely beautiful! I got married in 2019 and moved to an apartment with my wife. I no longer have suitable interior storage for this car and it deserves a nice garage spot. I’ve enjoyed driving it almost daily for the last year and a half, but it’s time to let it go.

I have all service records from my ownership. (A little over $10k since Sept. 2017). I can provide pictures on request.

Happy to provide start up and driving videos

Car is in solid mechanical condition. Daily drive-able right away. Needs brakes soon though.

Roof paint is rough – The owner before the PO stored the car outside in Florida. It’s easy to find history on this car because people have posted about it all over the internet!

I have some spares as well as the original tire pump, the original Koni shocks and springs, and other misc. items.

The OP also included 21 pictures of his 1988 944 Turbo S, showing the car from pretty much every angle inside and out. We have only shared a few here, but if you are interested in this car, you should click here to check out the sale thread.

The Good and Bad

Next, the OP listed some key upsides and downsides with his Porsche 944 Turbo S, starting with the “pros”. He talks about all of the key maintenance that has been performed over the years along with modifications and general notes about the vehicle.

The Good:
-All maintenance performed by Eurasian Auto in Birmingham. I have all of the services records/ receipts
-171k miles – the Odometer works!
-Being driven so mileage will increase
-3-5k mile oil change intervals – well maintained, Liqui Moli Oil (10W 60)
-Timing belt done 13k miles ago at 160,419 in Dec. 2018 (water pump, accessory belts, balance shaft belts, auxiliary water pump replaced etc.) – 15k miles left before timing belt service!
-New head gasket (Dec. 2019), coolant flush, replaced hoses, coolant expansion tank replaced
-New Wastegate (Tial 38mm) (car had OE wastegate, it was not working properly). It’s boosts much better now!
-Stock DME/KLR chips
-Full stainless exhaust system
-Alternator replaced (Feb. 2020)
-ABS relay replaced Feb.2020, fixed ABS fault
-New battery installed Feb. 2020
-Sunroof is in perfect working order
-Common 944 power steering leak fixed
-Less than 1,000 miles on tires (BFG Comp 2′s)
-In excellent mechanical condition
-Beautiful color combination
-88′ 951S, not much more to say there. Lovely car to drive. Fast, durable, somewhat practical as well!
-Daily driven for the first 18 months of ownership

Then he listed the downsides, the most significant of which is the condition of the paint.

The Bad:
-Roof paint is rough
-Will need brakes soon (front rotors and pads all around)
-Rear springs need vibration dampening – rattle over bumps (might fix before selling, needs some rubber isolators)
-Various interior issues – central locking does not work, dash cracks (2), minor wear and tear, but overall the interior is in good shape.
-Typical 944/ transaxle car shifter slop
-Radio does not work well – only plays AM/FM, Aux plug does not work (upgraded sound system). It does work, but sound is poor. Could be the speakers themselves, install of new radio, or wiring.
-Dash lights are dim
-Cruise control does not work properly (It will hold the set speed for a while, and then begin slowly accelerating)
-Rear hatch opens, but sometimes requires you to push down on the hatch for the key to unlock it
-Windshield is very old, maybe original to the car. It doesn’t need replacing, but it certainly lacks UV protection and has no sun visor strip on the top

If you are looking for a great Porsche project car and you have the ability to repaint this 944 Turbo S, you could have a rare vehicle for a great price.

Join the Rennlist forums now!

Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

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