starr944

Well, when I first bought the 944, I made an agreement with my wife: If we found the new house that we'd been looking for, I would sell the 944 to help finance the purchase. Guess what? She found "the house." We've been pre-approved for a mortgage for about 6 months - we really haven't been able to find exactly what were looking for - now that "we" have found a house, it looks like the Porsche will have to go.

Unless I can find other methods for funding the down payment and closing costs, I will be forced to sell the car. I have to sell the Z28 regardless.

Just wanted to let everyone know that I will most likely be offering the car soon (within 30 days.) If so - I'd love to give everyone here a shot at it first. As you know, I'm in the Southeastern region of Michigan - not far from my neighbors in Indiana, Ohio, Chicago, Kentucky and others.

I really need to get $5000 for the car, which shouldn't be a problem here in Michigan - there's not many 944s in this region, let alone any cars that are as clean as mine.

Maybe by some odd twist of fate, I'll be able to keep the car - that is my hope. But as it stands, it doesn't look good. If so, you can bet that I'll be in the market for another (possibly a 951) within a year or so. It just sucks to have such a nice example and be forced to let it go. Will I be lucky enough 6 months from now to find a car an similiar condition for the same price? Probably not. Oh well. Family comes first, and I'm sure my kids will appreciate a new, big back yard vs. the weekend rides in the 944.

I'll keep you guys posted. In the meantime, if anyone has interest in the car, you can look at the pics on my profile pages or email me for more info.

I've got the dealer service docs, original window sticker($35,000 with options), maintenance book with scheduled maintenance dealer stamps, etc. Has had recent belt & the 951 water pump upgrade - only serviced at Porsche dealers since new. I am the second owner, first owner was a doctor - he bought it new and owned it until Feb 2004 when I purchased it. Garage kept. No winters. Nice body, super tight interior, 18" Cup 2 wheels with new Dunlops, Momo aluminum door sills. Of course, it runs and drives like new - a super tight car. A nice example.

I'll keep my fingers crossed.

-Jeff

starr944

billybones

NIce car, is that the one I waved to going into troy beaumont some mornings last year? IF it is that is one sweet ride..

Porsche-O-Phile

Good luck with it. . . it's a nice looking ride but I'd be skeptical that a n/a could command that much price tag, even when done nicely. If you do get it, let us all know; it'll be a motivation to continue with my obsessive restoration. . .

tifosiman

I respectfully disagree. His asking price is low for the area of the country he is located in, and the year/mileage/(apparent)condition of the car. He should have no problem selling that one for $5K. YMMV

MM951

I'd keep those wheels for your future 951 and stick some other wheels on there (dont you have twists?)- You wont loose much on the 944 if you swap the wheels anyway

starr944

Well - it's official - the car must go. My heart is broken. I've only been able to drive it 4 or 5 times since I bought it - not more than 30 minutes each time. My wife wants this house, and as much as I'd like to hold my ground here, it looks like the 944 and I will soon part.

Thanks Tifo for your comments - I agree with you not simply because it is my car, but because I looked for several 944s in the region and couldn't find anything even close to this in the 4-5K range. As we speak, there's a Euro dealer just down the road from me that is asking $8995 for a really nice 1987 NA with 120K miles - not that they'll get that price, but it's just a reference.

I'm sure she'll go for $5000 no problem. If this car isn't worth $5000, then I'd probably not buy another - that would just be ridiculous if the resale on these is that bad.

I'll miss you guys - it's been fun while it lasted. I'll update you on her selling status.

Porsche-O-Phile

Wow, if I ever need to sell mine, I'm going to take it to the midwest then! Seems like the average price of n/a 944s on ebay is maybe $3-4K, I don't think too much different out here. And I thought everything was more expensive in SoCal!

Henry964

Very nice car!!!!

I would gladly buy it at much more than 5000 U$s, here in Argentina I saw a similar car 88 N/A 944 with fewer miles but not as well kept, and they ask 18000 U$S for it.
If only I could find a way to import the car here !!!!

starr944

Do a seach of completed Porsche 944 auctions on eBay - Priced between $3000 and $4000. When I did, I couldn't find one with less than 120,000 miles, with the average being about 150,000. My car, not only has about 50,000 less miles, but I also have Porsche Dealer records and Dealer Stamps in the Maintenance Handbook, important upgrades, the original window sticker + it's verified a 2 owner car. That's what makes the difference. Plus, it's a nice car. Period.

Sure, an average 944 without records will go in the $3000 range. But, like everything else, you get what you pay for.

starr944

Here's your average 944 for $4000 in Cali - with only 150,000 miles and it's even an automatic!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...&category=6434

prophesized

i dont suppose youd be interested in a trade for a 99 camry plus a little cash?

tifosiman

This post has convinced me that I need to start a little project (that I have been thinking about for awhile) here in Ohio. Everytime I see an ad for a 944 for sale locally (let's say within a 100 mile radius), I'm going to look at it. I will gather the following info:

1. Asking price
2. Miles
3. records/maintanence
4. condition (with photos)
5. factory options or PO-installed upgrades (wheels, 951 underspoilers, trans, clutch, etc, etc.)
6. Whether it is a private sale or dealer sale (this may skew price, we may need to consider a factor to be applied to dealer cars for mark-up)
7. My opinion of how much $$ and effort it will take to get it to proper condition.

I will GUARANTEE you that those who think that $3K-$4K is the range for a proper 944, in this area, are dead wrong. By "proper", I mean a car that has the following:

1. Good paint
2. Good tires
3. All maintanence up to date (can be proven with documents/receipts)
4. Everything in working condition (AC, heater, sunroof, clutch, etc.)
5. Good interior (dash can have a "few" cracks or a well done coverlay, but no holes in seats, no hacked up consoles for cellphone installs, no missing pieces like the console box cover, no odd holes cut in the doors for non-factory sized speakers).

From experience, I would venture to say that a car at the top of the stated range ($4K), is still going to need money poured into it to get it "proper". Probably belts, rollers, water pump, seals, new clutch because the rubber center is blown, tires, plugwires, and battery. Throw in the other normal interior culprits that are always screwed up (center console box cover and hinges, visor clips, front sunroof latch covers), and you are easily at another $2K-$3K worth of money to spend. Add in the fact that these cars are getting old, and there may be a big bill looming very close on the horizon for CV's and the dreaded pinion bearing failure in the trans (unless there is a record of replacement sometime in the past, but we won't factor this in unless it shows symptoms of these problems during the test drive).

So, a $4k car will easily turn into a $6K to $7K car by the time it is brought up to snuff according to my definition of good condition. So with that being said, that average price range that people keep quoting on here doesn't mean crapola.

And then there is the argument: "I can get a 951 for $5K!". Right. Show me a $5K 951 (in this area) and I will prove the same theory to you again, with even more money thrown into the equation. All these people that advertize dirt cheap 951 cars are trying to bail out and get rid of their bastard child before it kills them in their sleep. If someone thinks they can find a 951 for that price, that is as stated above in "proper" condition, then I have a bridge in Brooklyn for sale.

I'm hopping on autotrader.com right now and look for some ads. If nothing else, posting my results here on the board may educate a few people and also help some of the sellers sell their cars with a little more exposure.

Cheers.

Tifo

icat

In the condition you've described the car is easily worth $5000. If I wasn't in the process of buying a house myself I'd write you a check today.

Which brings me to the point of my reply. Family and house come first - period. Never (as you have determined) let a car come between you and your life goals. A new house is a far greater accomplishment than a 15 year old car will ever be. As much as I love and cherish my 951 - I would sell it in an instant if it meant the difference between getting "the" house and having to stay in my current house (not that my current home is that bad mind you - it's just that Joyce also found "the" house).

As it is, we qualified for our loan without having to sacrifice the 951. But I did decide not to do one upgrade on the house that I really wanted. The model has an awesome media room that's a $15,000 upgrade. To stay where I want the payments on the house to be I'd have to sell the 951 and pay cash for the media room. I thought it over and decided the car was more important than one room in the house, so the 951 won that round. Luckily I had the choice. But if qualifying for the loan required the sell of the 951 then it would be gone. If I've learned one thing in my 47 years it's this - there is ALWAYS another car. But housing markets like the one we are in right now only happen once in a blue moon.

Tom R.

i agree with you guys. jeffs price is fair.

i looked at an 86 na in september with 48k. it had the original clutch & belts, about 500 in body damage (all minor) and new tires & brakes. i used the 7200 my brother paid two years earlier for an 84 with 34k and a new clutch & belts as a baseline.

I came up with low 4s for the car because. add 1200 for clutch, 500 for bodywork, 1000 for belts & water pump and i came up with about 7k, and no sway bars or sport suspension like my brothers NA came with.

thats why i spent under 9k for the Z28, which needed nothing but an oil change in 4k miles.

I think Jeffs price is a fair asking price if the clutch was replaced, and there was no bodywork. his car has 40k more miles, but is 2 years newer. I PMd jeff asking if he would sell it without the wheels. He doesnt have the PDs.

If someone between Jeff and Covington KY, Covington and NY wants his 18" wheels, and has a set of clean wheels with decent rubber they want to trade, contact me. maybe we can work something out when I go out there in may.

Also, you cant put too much reliance in ebay. most of those deals dont go through.