KenC

Ref: My post: ($3,800 takes it "as is") that post actually proves the hard point that our cars ain't worth -hit! And at best may be worth something in 10 years (Big deal!)
I look at my car and have seen how she runs and feel, how on earth can anyone think this cars isn't worth $3,800 as is. I'm shocked that it's not sold. The fact that I'm shocked shows how nieve I was at the actual value of these cars.
My car has aprox. $9,000 invested (including the purchase price) and it has a mis - firing engine due to WHAT EVER, SIMPLE OR NOT. Let's say it's a head gasket. Well then someone mech inclined should be able to do it for a few hundred invested. A total head rebuild and install is $1,300. With a $1,300 fix...a car thats had $9,000 put into it...I'd say it's a good deal!
But not a 944! Case closed! Fellow rennlisters, sell your car and buy one worth spending $ on. What a dead horse!
I know some of you will say it's the enjoyment that we get from them and Porsche isn't for everyone.....Well this pile of crap has cost me over $3.oo a mile, not even including insurance and fuel
Never been more disappointed in a car in my life and YES I have had a few others in my life that are questionable on their overall value...but at least that ran good!
I didn't buy this car to make money on, but to just enjoy...well at $3 a mile and no end in site with maint issues to keep doing it...someone else can have it!
I think it's about finding the line of no return and unfortunately to just keep the car running the point of no return is crossed with just simple maintaining and not even improving the car!

356 Replica with a VW engine here we come!

Rock

Bah. the 944 is 20 years old. Do you see any other cars of its time doing any better off?

Sounds like you got a possesed 944 though. All the **** thats fallen off mine, and gone airbone, my car has not cost me 9000 dollars. I used to beat the hell out of it, and its been beaten all its life. It still starts and runs strong. Go figure!

OH yeah and im a senior in high school, 17, and making 9 dollars an hour. I pay for most of my own food, my own clothes, gas, insurance and EVERYTHING on the car. The car gets the least of my income and still gets me from point A to B, and kids come up to me like NO WAY! YOU HAVE A PORSCHE!? I DONT BELIEVE IT! That alone is worth it. All of my buddies beg me to let them sit in my car, and my car looks like martha stewart went ape **** on it.

To each his own, so farewell see ya around buddy. Its sad to see another person leave the 944 arena.

KenC

This car is an original 1 owner/mature car that's sat for it's whole life. Ran two days a month. NOT BEAT HARD AND THINGS SHOULDN"T BE FALLING OFF. A great life for a car. Now sitting isn't good either, but maint. to replace those dry rotted items and lube parts were taken...and it's still acted like it's been at the track it's whole life. I'm sorry but MANY classics are a lot more reliable then our cars.
I know it's hard to hear you guys but lets face it!

epbrown01

I think what's hard to hear is that you've got a bad one. I also wonder if you'd be willing to pay $3800 for a non-running 944? You can find good condition cars for $5000 or so, after all - spending $1200 more to avoid the unknowns makes more sense. My $2000 '83 came with 150k miles and almost no service history, and the only time it didn't start was when the alternator went bad. I replaced it myself in an afternoon, and it's run fine ever since - the very definition of reliable. I brushed 6 inches of snow off it today and drove it to work.

Emanuel

father2nate

There has been a rash of people throwing in the towel lately. It's starting to scare me. However, I have no misgivings about a 20 year old car. I don't expect it to be brand new. So, let's not freak out the P-car newbies, like me. If you want absolute reliability, cheap, buy a new Honda or Toyota, or whatever floats your boat. To me, this car is a hobby. I do use it as a daily driver, but I have a backup. I like to tinker and this is a decent thing to spend my money and time on. It's something I can be proud of. I hate it that you had a "bad experience", but it's just that, an experience. How many people can say they have a Porsche? I don't even care that it's a bastard. It still has that beautiful crest on the hood. It's something that we've wanted since we were little boys or girls. If you want a Porsche that you don't have to worry too much about, then Lease a 2004 911. If you want an adventure, drive your 944. It's not about the money, honey. It's about the ride.

I'm spent.

michaelathome

Someone is gonna get beat up on this thread.

I am not sure what some people think but here are my thoughts.

My car P-Car is 22 years old and has been neglected to say the least. It will sit until I can do the work myself. If you are spending $'s to have someone else do the work to install a $2.00 part that's your decision, I know that is not mine or a lot of others on the list.

I hope that you don't pay more than $80ph to have your Intel 386 or 486's worked on. If you are let me know and I'll do the work for you and pay off some more upgrades.

DAMN I am making decent $ and still can't afford shop $'s on my wifes 2K Toyota because I want someone accountable for the work on her 5yo car. I don't want her coming back to me saying that "It isn't a reliable car."

I have spent more than 2x the money on my Ford in payments than the car + ALL the upgrades I want would cost of which there are a LOT.

@ 0% intrest my, less than 3 year old, the Ford has depreciated to the point where If I sold it I might break even! Needless to say I am not happy about that but at least I am still under warranty

Depreciation, technology and insurance are the obstacles for these older cars.

Affordability isn't really an issue nor is availability.

Buy a daily and relax, let the insurance costs and payments relieve any doubts.

"IMHO"

Michael

Legoland951

I have to agree with KenC that our cars aren't worth &hit especially when its not running properly. The cost of repair can be astronomical as the saying goes "the most expensive Porsche is a cheap one". If ANYONE ask me whether they should buy a 944, I will ask them 1) Do you wrench on your own car and are you a good wrench? If not, save at least $200 a month for maintenance/repair. 2) Do you have access to cheap parts or good used parts? If not, make sure you have that $200/month saved. Having a second car is a big plus also.

I wrench on my own cars and have EVERY part I will ever need in my garage. It does not cost me $3 a mile, it cost me pennies. I even use used tires and brake pads from parts cars. It cost me almost nothing to run my cars other than gas, oil, belts, and sometimes gaskets. These car require the right owners. I had an 86 turbo with 346k miles with all original drivetrain. I had to do 3 solid days of work to the car when I bought it for $3k to get it to run right (steering rack, FPR, complete interior swap, oil, belts, trans. oil- routine stuff) but I drove it for 4 years without having to replace anything other than tires. I drove that car every day and put about 20k miles a year.

Lastly, its next to impossible to find a "good" mechanic let alone a "good Porsche 944" mechanic. Many people mistaken Porsche mechanics for 944 mechanics - 911 mechs know nothing about 944 or 951s. If you find one, its gonna cost you. I can vouch for how many screw ups I have seen after I buy a car from someone. Given not many people on earth can look at just about any nut or bolt on a 944 and tell you whether its original. After working on 100s of these things, I can get around these cars fairly well. For whatever its worth, my recommendation is to find out what is wrong with the car and even if you have to pay $1300 to get it fixed, you are more likely to get $5k for a good car than $3.8k for a question mark.

944CS

dude, i'll buy your car......email me caj342@drexel.edu

dgz924s

This just proves my opinion that a Porsche that is up on blocks all it's life is a POS in waiting! One thing certain the gasket material etc need to be used or it will degrade over idle time and as you find yourself now with a boat load of issues, head gasket is a good example.

I will never consider a car never used when it comes to Porsches! This is even more of an issue on 911 cars IIRC!

Cars in this category are in need of a total rehab for the most part and it is reflected in the $$$$$ you have invested. Keep investing...the car has to come to life soon as all the stuff has been replaced and you will not get the investment back in coin but can get some dividends out of it in driving pleasure at the very least so continue to dump money into it and go drive the hell out of it so you can regain that on your face because your wallet is never going to get fatter selling it!

Chris_924s

When I bought my car she had 66K miles, and had sat for the previous 4 years. I immediately replaced all the rubber parts I coud reach. Check out my "daily driver" thread. I received No records, bad respray but it ran well. the rest is history. Did I get lucky- yes. would I do it again? yes.

These cars are normally reliable, but I doubt even Porsche had a every day a perfect one while building vehicles. some of them are simply money pits and I have no idea why.

Normally I shy away from ultra low mileage cars for just this reason- either they never ran right to begin with, or they will need a ton of work to make them roadworthy. To me it seems common sense.

I feel your pain Ken, I hate to see this happen. Best of luck with your choices, whatever they may be.

tifosiman

Now come on. You had the car posted up here for less than 48 hours. Did you really expect someone to buy it in that short of a time period, given the fact that it is in an unknown state?

You need to take a deep breath, and get the problem diagnosed. If you want to still sell it after that, then post it on the various places that you would sell a car and wait for a hit.

hoffman912

speaking of dead horse... dont beat it.

xsboost90

its hard enough to sell a sports car in the snow, let alone one that isnt running.

Chris_924s

Looks like a SOW project.. lessee, that'll be about 300 bucks each guys. Interested?

EDIT: fwiw, track cars are meticulously maintained in order to continue to be track cars. It's not like it's a demo derby.

BigRed

There you go! Well said...my thoughts exactly.


I thought wrenching on your own car was a prerequisite for ownership. I paid less than $1700 for my 944 and it was in almost not-running shape. I've spent a few bucks and some hours and now I have a runner...and I love it.

I got mine to spend money on it and work on it...maybe I'm different.