porschefig

84' 944
102,000 miles

Satin Black Mettalic
Brown/Linen Interior
Power Windows
Power Mirrors
Power Sunroof
Power Steering
Cruise Control
Rear Window Wiper
Wheel Locks
Factory Alarm
?# Speaker system (has the speakers in the door)
Heated Leather Interior
Bilstien shocks (factory I believe)
Factory Sway bars

GOOD...all of those things work
AND
Still has the factory manuals, service guides, first aide kit, sunroof bag, tool kit, etc. The interior is nearly flawless with no stains or tears, but the usual dash cracks (coverlay included)

Bad...(many of these are quicked estimated diagnosis of the symptoms)
Vacuum Leak? (seems to have slightly less power than my car)
Motor Mounts (obvious)
Tie Rods (steering wheel shakes at speed)
OR
Rotors need turned? (shake gets worse when you brake)
Oil leak on back of cam housing (I JUST fixed this on my current 944)
Rock Chips and a couple small dings

I will have a compression check and leak down test done prior to buying

$$2,000

Russian Rocket

If the belts/H2o pump were done within 30K i say go for it. I bought an 84 rustbucket with too many problems for that price.

Chris_924s

BUY IT.

Only turn the rotors if after cut are within spec. otherwise buy new. You'll need brakes.
Vacuum lines are cheap and motor mounts a given.

porschefig

My plan is take the sways, springs, konis, steering wheel, etc off my 944 and sell it and my 924.

Pretty much the only reason I even question the decision is that I won't have QUITE enough to pay for next semester of college if I do and can't sell a car fast enough...HOWEVER, if I could get a loan and pay it off the INSTANT I get my money from the National Gaurd (about a month after the fee date at school). (I have more then double the car's cost sitting around right now...but you have to look to the future and college is pricey...I do plan on working part time during the semester and full time every summer)

porschefig

really the only reasion I'm questioning this AT ALL is that I would be short a couple hundred $$ for next semester of college....but I could borrow some money and pay that off the INSTANT I get money from the National Gaurd (about 3 weeks after the fee date at school)

porschefig

Does the aqua pumper really need changed that often??

Also, if the belts haven't been changed really recently I'd just do them and front seals for ~$300 cheap insurance while I'm doing brakes and ?tie rods? and swapping parts from my 83'

Chris_924s

If iin doubt- replace it. Belts are the main concern tho.

Dmitry S.

Porsche manual doesn't recommend turning rotors. I would buy new, they're very cheap for the early offset car (I want to say ~35 bucks each).

porschefig

schaweeeet. agreed!

I see myself becoming very poor in the next couple days

944na_whorhay

My steering wheel was shaking like a mother once the car hit about 60mph and would continue to do so until about 80mph. I bought new tires though just before I deployed. I then had the friend caring for the car install them and get the balance and everything checked. He says that the shaking is pretty mcuh completely gone now. I know that I need a new steering rack and pump but I think I will just go with a manual one. Anyways you might just have bad tire wear.

pcarfan944

I didn't know 944s came with a first aid kit or you could get heated seats? Where do I find my first aid kit?!

Tony K

Paint and interior cost more to make right than the usual mechanical things, so sounds like a good deal. My big question is: Clutch?

For the front end parts, go to an everyday type foreign parts place, not a Porsche specialist. Order VW Rabbit ball joints and bushings, etc. You should be able to rebuild the front end for under $100. A lot of times the early cars have a shake around 70mph if the front end is just a little worn.

porschefig

Do you know specifically what years/model Rabbit shares ball joints and bushings, etc. w/ the early 944s? My 83' 944 is worn on the inner end of the ds tie rod..and other places too I'm guessing (it is 23 years old)

Clutch seems just as nice as my ~3 year old spring center one, however, it does seem soft so I'm assuming it's the original rubber center.

I think the car has been sitting (in a garage) for years because the tires are def. old and that could be part of the problem. The reason I suspect brake rotors is that the shake gets MUCH worse when you brake and on initial braking the car pulls slightly to the right. Probaly however a combination of brakes and tie rods. I'm just worried it could be the R&P, which I've seen for $900.

porschefig

I guess I'm truely not sure if the first aid kit was from the factory. However it did look about correct vintage and PAG written on.

About the heated seats, I didn't see how to work them, but they did have the lil round "vents" in the leather so I'm assuming. Didn't have time to write down the option codes or take pictures. Dad and I went looking only out of curiousity and were shocked at how nice the interior is. Excluding some 951s and S2s at the Porsche Parade concours this was the nicest 944 interior I've seen in person.

Tony K

When you say "round vents", are you talking about the perforated leather? (i.e., little holes all over the center sections of the front seats?) That is standard for leather interiors 1984-on. Just to make your back sweat less.

By the way, the features you listed:

Satin Black Mettalic - "Montego Black" LY9V (iirc)
Brown/Linen Interior - common
Power Windows - standard
Power Mirrors - standard, DS is heated when you turn on rear def.
Power Sunroof - almost all have this
Power Steering - standard
Cruise Control - common
Rear Window Wiper - not that common
Wheel Locks - common, usually done away with . . . . do you have the key?
Factory Alarm - common
?# Speaker system (has the speakers in the door) - 4 speakers - common
Leather Interior - pretty common
Bilstien shocks (factory I believe) - upgraded suspension package
Factory Sway bars - upgraded suspension package - front is thicker than on standard, and standard doesn't have rear.

Which wheels does it have - "fuchs" (911-style) or "cookie cutters" (geometric 5-spoke, similar to 911-style from a few feet away)

It sounds like you have a pretty standard/common 84 944, but most of them have doggy interiors by now and are in overall sloppy condition, so way-to-go on the find! Congrats!