BRB_85.5_NA

HI

My bro in law is thinking of buying a 968, coupe, maybe with the Tip so my sis can drive it. We've done some searching here re: the pinion problem etc. Still have some questions.

So can someone explain exactly what the weekness is with the pinion and why they fail?

968s seem to be most reasonable on maintenance costs. True?

What seems to be a reasonable price for an excellent, well-maintained with service records, 968 coupe in the sub 100k mi range that has had the pinion replaced and is otherwise mechanically sound?

If you can point us to other threads we may have missed, we'd for it.

Thanks,
B

Royal Tiger

You can do what I did when I was considering a 968 Cab, go over and join 968.net I have recently decided on a 951, but the guys over there are top notch. Many are on here as well.

jgporsche5

I think most of the 50K - 60K and above 968's have probably already experienced their pinion failures. A well maintained 968 with records should be able to tell you if it’s been done. I’ve heard of quite a few 968’s with no pinion issues. I would be wary of the timing belt / balance belt / cam chain more. I’ve seen decent examples at 10k – 12k. Not sure if they will have the resale value of the older 911’s, old 944’s are fairly inexpensive but they weren’t real expensive in the first place. Hope you’re mechanically inclined. If not buy a Miata.

cavlino

My wife has had her 968 Cab for 2 years now and she uses it regularly at DE events and has had zero problems with it. We have it serviced once a year in the fall and tech inspected just before each DE event with zero issues. I don't see any reason why you would have to be mechanically inclined to own a 968.

Byron_944

For the 968 you are looking for, I would think you can get one for around 13K-14K, and even less for not as well maintained versions. Dont forget to have a pre purchase inspection done at a qualified Porsche mechanic. I had a PPI done on a black 968 that seemed pretty good, but the PPI uncovered lots of problems. Its the least expensive insurance you can buy.

ZPmadA

I wouldn't necessarily say that. As long as you get a PPI and the car turns out good everything should be fine. 944/968 don't scare me away as much as other Porsches like the 911/928. Sure something goes wrong once in a while, and a Porsche will cost more than a Ford to repair. I bet it wont break down as much as a Ford. There was actually a guy that posted here with a Miata claiming their 944 is more reliable. I'm very surprised at the build quality of my 86 951. It's reliability exceeded my expectations (my mindset was like jgporsche5's), but don't go on thinking it'll treat you like a new Toyota. $2000 or so a year for upkeep should do it, and that might be 1 issue a year maybe less assuming you buy a well sorted example.

Byron_944

911s are generally viewed as the cars that are bulletproof, perhaps even more so than the 944s

The 928, on the other hand, is different. Parts are extremeely expensive, and they are hard to wrench on, from what I hear.

Stephenwz968

They are not maintenance free, but they are not hard to wrench on either. I would get a ppi done to a car and make sure you get some records with it, the more recent, the better. (An oil change 50k miles ago makes no difference). The pinion bearing only was a problem on the 6 speeds, although on the tip the flex plate can wear over time and can fail. Good luck in your search,

Steve

sasilverbullet

Things to watch out for...

Same as the usual stuff for the 944 S2 series. Good news is the clutch is easier to replace on the 968's. Keep in mind on the high mileage 968's (and 944/951's) that a head gasket will probably need to be done around 125k miles. That's not a defect, just the physics of a high performance aluminum engine. And as on the S2's, the variocam chain tensioner needs to be watched. If you replace the pads for it and inspect the chain and sprockets when you do a head gasket every 125k or so, no need to worry about the variocam.

I've owned a 87 944, 87 951, 02 Boxster and now my 93 968. Of all the cars I like the 968 the best. Great looks, build quality and rides better than the others did.

As with any Porsche, keep up on the preventive maintenance, and you'll be happy with the car!!!

Happy trails,
sasilverbullet

ZPmadA

Well thats good news for me. I'm happy with my 944. When I can afford a 911 (while keeping the 951 ofcourse) it looks like I can expect even better

When I was looking at my current 951 the owner was selling a 968 too. I drove them both, one right after the other and went with the 951. Needless to say it was very difficult to decide. But being young, I went with the one that had more acceleration Gs and was less flashy. I don't think I would look right driving a modern beauty like the 968 even though they were identical in price. Negative attention I guess.