Chris Martin

Dealer for service? Argh. What side of town are you? Ralph's in Owings Mills has been good to me over the years. Sure beats driving to DE.

Daily944

I wouldn't get rid of it because of the mileage. If the maintenance has been kept up like you said it has, you don't have too much to worry about in my honest opinion. If it still runs and drives great, then that more reason to keep it.

My '86 944 has 251,000 miles, actually a little more but I need to fix the odometer gear. The motor was rebuilt last summer professionally(a So. Cal. dealer) and the maintenance was kept up well by the PO and I have a ton of receipts that came with the car. I do know more issues will come along the road as it's my daily driver, but to me its worth it.

Make sure you think things through completely, you'll be spending the money on this car or a new car(in the form of payments and then maintenance)

Just my $0.02.

AndyK

I don't know you, of course, but if it were ME, and I owned the same car for 20 years, I would SELL IT in a minute! Get something different! An S2 with lower miles, a 968 with "only" 100k miles, etc. Take the proceeds from your sale ($3-4k?), add another $6k (2 years "maintenance"), and get another car!

You will be amazed at how much better a lower miles car that is 5 years newer feels!

My .02. But, I have had 3 cars in 4 years--maybe not the best person to give you advice, if you're the sentimental type over cars!

Legoland951

I had a 86 944 turbo that was not well taken care of at all and had 346k miles with the original engine, transmission, and turbo. Mileage is not a major issue as far as the engine mechanical is concerned. I had my first new car in 1986 though not a Porsche but I would still have kept it if it weren't totalled in 1990 by someone turning left in front of me.

At a certain point where engine work needs to be done, its worth it to "recondition" the whole car and have everything done at the same time since most everything will have to come out anyways. Its cheaper in the long run since you won't have to do anything to the car for a few years other than maintainance.

Lawn Gnome

There are also a couple of nice shops in harford county that should be right up I-95 from you depending on what part of baltimore you are in.

alordofchaos

Here's my .02

You can probably cut down your maintenance costs by doing some of the routine stuff, like oil changes, or simple "remove and replace" fixes yourself. Things like that are "nickel and dime", but add up over the year.

If it were me, I'd be torn too - between a car that has all records and has been well-maintained, and won't be needing lots of stuff in the future (cuz it's already been replaced!) or selling it and buying a 944/968 that is newer, but expecting that there will be some repairs for the first year or so - depending on how well it was cared for and how badly it was driven.

Either way, I'd really like to hear what you decide on and how it turns out

Zen dude

At least go drive a different model with lower miles, That might help you make up your mind. Good luck.

Justitia

So I just picked up my car today and 10 minutes on the road, a problem that started a couple of months ago, occurred again. I am not good enough with cars to describe with accuracy but it was like the power just dropped out. It lasted for about 3 seconds, then it was normal, and then another, briefer, less intense drop in power, and then it was fine.

But even when I started the car this time picking it up from the dealer, it didn't feel quite right. It was running rough. My mechanic had left for the week and the new service manager is KID! who knows sh*t about cars. I was a little stunned, given the caliber of the former service manager. (And the kid himself feels so embarrassed because he knows he know diddly -- but they stuck him in this position given the abrupt departure of the other service manager.)

So after driving about 20 minutes after the first couple of power losses, it was still not feeling great but no power loss, I stopped to get gas and sat in the lot to eat lunch, do some paper work, then got on the road and bam, within 2 minutes the car lost power again and now it didn't come back. I had to pull to the side of the road and turn off the car. And as in the past, in about 2 minutes or less, I turned on the car and it ran just fine and ran fine all the way home 65 miles, no power loss, no rough riding, no problem.

The drop in power seems to only occur when I start the car or within the first 15 minutes. And after that, it goes away. It had started to happen all the time when I brought it up to the dealer for the 30,000 mile service. In fact it was beginning to be difficult to even get the car to start. So I was sure it would happen with my mechanic. But it didn't. He had it 3 days.

Then after the 30,000 mile service, it ran like a dream -- for 3 days. Then bam, this drop in power thing again, several times within a space of about 8 minutes and then drop is gone. And then the engine started to shake a couple of days later and then up to the dealer and it is the camshaft. Hoping that will solve the problem. The mechanic of course took the whole engine apart and also replaced the timing belt.

But -- nope, the drop in power is still there -- (except not there when my mechanic has it.)

The Kid service manager said that he was going to see if the dealer would just give me a loaner car so they could keep the car around to see if they can get the problem to happen when my mechanic is in it. It is so weird. It NEVER happens when he has it. And he checked out everything thoroughly.

And again, this time he did more than I was charged for but now I have sunk $2400 into the car *this month.* If nothing happens until the new year I will still be within my $3000 cap.

But this pause of power is a real mystery. I don't know enough to even hazard a guess (but in truth I am thinking it is electrical --I have had this problem a couple of times before and in each case it proved to be electrical --one was a solder that a mechanic did to make my car start more easily the one winter I was in cold country--the solder had broken causing the car to have intermittent problems starting but once it started the heat "reconnected" the solder. It was my current mechanic that found that--that was 10 years ago. The second time was 15 months ago, and over time with conversations on the phone he became pretty sure it was the relay(?) switch (?) (a rectangular thing about 3 inches tall that plugs in where all the fuses are) a $10 part. He put a new one in and I have had no problems for 15 months and now suddenly, something similar is happening. I can't say that each situation is identical --I can't remember well enough and I have no experience to be able to interpret -- so they can be very different things that "seem" the same to me.)

Aggh...I want to cry. I am so worn out emotionally over this. I was so thrilled with how great the car felt after the 30,000 mile service 3 weeks ago.

I have to admit, I am torn as the posts here are torn. The idea of a newer car, the feel of it, is starting to appeal...but still the fear of inheriting someone else's headache. And I do love this car...

Justitia

I have heard about Ralph's a lot. Until my mechanic was no longer able to work on the side for me, I was so happy with him, so I looked no further.

My mechanic's name is Gregg Wilson, in case anyone knows of him. Harry Hall was originally my mechanic until Gregg took over. Both of them lived in northern MD near the DE border. Harry worked on Porsches -- setting them up for racing, etc. and Gregg would pitch in when Harry needed help. Harry had a barn built next to his house with lifts etc. installed so he could work on the cars. He did this as a sideline-- he, like me, is a unversity professor. Harry could no longer handle the 944 on top of all the 911's. Gregg took over and he really knew more than Harry, and I used ot hang out with Gregg while he worked on my car. He would explain everything. He could talk non-stop (in a goodway) and I was just rivited the whole time and some times he would let me help (in the most trivial way...only b/c Harry had rules--no clients helping.)

They were both flown all over the country to help Porsche owners get set up for racing.

And as I said in earlier posts, they just charged me cost for all parts, which they knew how to get cheap and just $50 for labor and they always undercharged me. And they are both so incredibly honest....I could absolutely trust them.

But Harry abruptly decided to mve to Watkins Glenn, sold everything including his house over a space of 2 months -- mid -june to mid August.

So Gregg's day job is as a mechanic at Winner's in Newark. So with this problem, I had not choice but to go there. They were kind..but I do think I need to find someone close by.

So who are the people up 95 in Harford County?

Justitia

So no, I am not married -- I am single -- so no back-up car (and whoever Stig is -- I am high maintenance --just like my car )

So If you see my posts lower down -- I am in even more of a dilemma....

Josho

I would also offer the advice to go test drive some newer model Porsche's. I for one am kind of one sidded when it comes to the 968. The high mileage cars are great for anyone that can work on them but otherwise the shop bills will only go up. Good luck with your delema.

apierce918

i want some backup on my suggestion, but could that lose in power be directed to fuel delivery? like FPR? i'm still learning myself, but if i make a suggestion and someone backs me up, i at least feel like i helped some

icat

Sounds like a match made in Heaven.

Just funnin' with ya. Sort of an inside joke if you will - more a dig at Stig than anything else. Long story short, The Stig is our resident bachelor...

Guess I should add something useful....
Look at the ground connections and also the Speed and Reference Sensors.

Justitia

Tonight again as I was going home, the car now has the difficulty of starting, almost stalling out. I keep reving up the engine to prevent it stalling until it seems to be going enough so I can move it. Even though I am driving it, after a few minutes the power loss starts again, in bursts (if you can talk about bursts of power loss ). I only live about 8 minutes from my office so by the time I got home the loss of power bursts had pretty much gone.

But I noticed the following: Today aftyer I picked up my car at the dealer, after the power losses and I was idling at the gas station area on the highway, the oil guage was fluttering a lot at arond 2 on the dial, going down halfway to 1 and up half way to 3. it fluttered a lot between them. I turned off the car, called Kid service manager, I turned it on again then it was mostly settling aorund 2 but fluttering a bit up to half way to 3.

But tonight, when I was driving, the oilguage stayed up at 5, it dropped (I think) a bit, like down to 3 during the power losses but I got a phone call at the same time so I couldn't track it to well.

Does that mean anything to anyone? I have until Monday to try and puzzle things out, when my mechanic is back.

The suggestions above :fuel delivery, FPR, grounds, speed and reference sensors --anyone care to explain what they are and what they do and how they might be involved here --ad I guess what might be involved to fix them?

If I can get the car past this hurtle, I think I have decided to try to get another "younger" Porsche. But I guess I wan tot take my time. I have just sunk $3000 in it this year (that includes some body work--which I don;t caount as part of my cap -because it was my fault) and about $2000 last year. I would like to get another year's drive out of it if I can but also take my time to see what I would like to buy. I have some other big expenses this year...

I am guessing that the suggestion is correct tha tif I can't work on it myself, the bills will get too high on a high mileage car. And as much as I would LOVE to be able to work on it myself....I do not have the time professionally and I have other personal prijects that consume my time as well.

Should I start a new thread with the problem I am having? Maybe others will chime in as well... This is the first time I have used a website to post about car problems.

michaelathome

Here is my .02 for what is is worth.

I have been following RL for about a year. I have a genuine interest in learning about the cars since I was an egg or so it seems. I think that others will correct me but I feel that I kinda have a little grasp on a few things SO here is my input.

What did the reciept for work say? Did they replace anything? If so what was it?

"The suggestions above :fuel delivery, FPR, grounds, speed and reference sensors --anyone care to explain what they are and what they do and how they might be involved here --ad I guess what might be involved to fix them?"

Fuel Pump Relay (FPR) - well it is just that. I would have to look that up and will.

Grounds - You have 3 big places to look at 2 in the engine bay, pretty simple remove and clean, the third is a bit more difficult as it is under the dash, way up there.

Speed and Reference sensors are just that. The sensors are determining the speed of your crank/flywheel and adjusting fuel and ignition based on that. If they are mis-alligned they don't work well. They cost about $90 each at a dealer. They would take about 45 min to replace both given the right tools and workspace.

I have seen lots of pics of sensors that wer REALLY beat up but still working.

It really sounds like you have a great car that has had too many hands in the pot, obviously not your fault based on the above posts.

We need to find you someone that can help.

"Today aftyer I picked up my car at the dealer" - to remind you of the previous posts, these cars are older than the clerk at the service desk. They are more interested w/the 100K$ car that just pulled into the service bay than they are with your 5K$ car. Sorry about that. I own one too.

The changes that you noticed could be a loose ground or some other wire that the tech that worked on your car failed to connect, didn't clean it before connecting or connected to the wrong place entirely. Not many 944's make it back to dealers now a days, people just don't have the hands on to deal w/the little problems when there is a big ticket repair or service right behind you in the 997 C4..

Have you looked at the PCA site for your region yet? There are always adds for shops that CAN and are WILLING to do the work on our 20yo cars.

Once again my .02 It's not worth A LOT but then again I hope that I can help.

Michael