Or any of the other non-911 models. How much do they run for a decent one? Is the upkeep on them costly? If so, is it easy to work on them to save money? Thanks in advance for the advice.

 

as you know 100's of 944's litter the side yards around so cal and can be picked up for $3,500. When it is time for a water pump, or a valve job it is less money to donate it to charity and find another 944. Not first hand knowledge, just rumors.

 

Check out these links

http://www.connact.com/~kgross/FAQ/944faq.html

http://www.clarks-garage.com/

http://www.dorkiphus.net/porsche/sho...4+daily+driver

944 is a very good car IF it's well maintained and you do most (all) of the work yourself.

John

 

..and don't forget the best resource of all , our own 944 forums .. they will give you all kinds of reasons why it's way better then your 911..

 

i oena 911 and drive a 944 (old) on the streets and road throughout all of Texas. I absolutley love the comfortable ride and space in the 944

 

or, hey, come to Canada where you can pay $14k for a POS that needs body work!

I was intent on getting a 944, read pretty extensively on this forum and around the net. As extensively as I could get away with at work, and in the late evenings.

Then I found what carp value was to be had in the local market compared to what I'd be able to pick up in the US market, so thought...why not look at some 911s, then.

Only after I made up my mind about the 911 did a list member offer me a nice 944 for a decent Canadian price. Got the 911.

I think I'll still get a 944, on day. For my son when he graduates college. Yeah..that's the ticket. So what if it's 5 years from now...I'll have it to drive around.... make sure it's good and solid when it's time to hand it over to him.

 

Well Doc everything in Canada is way overpriced compared to the US now .. great for us buying in the US .but to be selling is a killer..

 

What are the new words to the National Anthem, or, newish? "True North, hosed, and screwed"?

With the dollars at par we darn well better "stand on guard" lest we get caught off guard in arears...so to speak.

Brent

 

I think you will find 944's cheaper to buy, but more to maintain than a 911. 944's are getting old. Little things can fail (odometer, sunroof etc) or they need bigger ticket items like Clutch or Waterpump/timingbelt replacements. You will never recover the money put into a 944 meaning you can put $5k into it and still sell it for the $3500 you paid for it.

 

I paid $1800 for a 944 in really bad shape, put around $5000 into it over time and sold it for $3500 while it was still in dire need of a paint job. I don't regret it. Very fun car. Just know that a watercooled Porsche will never bring whatever money you've got in it and you will be fine. Awesome gas mileage too, and mine was an automatic.

 

I have 2 944's that share daily driver duty. one of them has been a DD for over 10 years. 160k on one, 140k on the other.
Water pump, timing belt every 40k and regular oil changes and it should be rock solid reliable.
Sure they're worth less than a good paint job but the upswing has begun and if you get one in good condition you're certainly not going to lose.

 

I owned a 944 for 7 years prior to getting my SC. Depending on where you are, the 944 used market is saturated, and a good find can be had for comfortably under $5K.

As a daily driver ... excellent choice. From a standard set-up (no track goodies), the car is very comfortable, quiet, smooth handling, and a joy to take on long-distant jaunts. AC can run cold, heaters work great. Neutral balance means good handling even in wet/snow conditions with the right tires. A little weak on the power compared to a 911, but ... it's a street car, right? With the market so soft, I think they are the most under-valued Porsche built. Great car for the money.

To buy one, go to the 944 forum for recommendations of what to look for.

From personal experience I can say to look out for the following:

-Bad clutch (Walk Away! NO ... RUN away!!)
-Groans and rumbles from the rear/gearbox (Under $1K for a used gear box ... but walk anyway)
-No records or receipts ( not a good sign)
-Head-gasket issues (see "bad clutch" above)
-Surging, idle searching, or hard starting (fuel system issues)
-rattling/clacking/clunking noises from engine (valves, rod-bearings)

These may indicate servicing that is worth as much or more than the car is valued. figure $2K for a good clutch job, $1.5K for a good head gasket job, minimum, etc.

Plan on spending around $600 for a new water-pump and timing belt/balance shaft belt as soon as you purchase the car... regardless of when the last replacement of those parts occurred. Timing belt and water-pump issues can kill the car faster than you can say "Ooops ... didn't change that."

Other than that, those cars are bomb-proof and will bring many many good miles of happy, great-handling fun. ( I sold mine with 230,000 miles and still running strong on original engine.)

Good Luck!

 

Good DD, but like it was mentioned, just as costly to service and repair as a 911.

 

I have both. I got the 944 with the expectation that I would have to work on it just like ANY 20 something year old commute beater. But my rationale was that at least it's a fun, comfortable commute beater compared to Hyundai of similar cost and/or vintage.

 

FWIW: I drove the Carerra to work today. Wow that's a fun car!