slvr993

In an early thread I mentioned that I was looking to get a 944S or S2 that i wanted to use as a solid DE car but still good as a road car. Well the search is on...my question is how important is mileage. Assuming the car has had the proper maintainance and things like belts and rollers and tensioners have been done. Will the standard leakdown and compression tell the story.

Is 150K car with solid numbers one to avoid?

I know 911's inside and out, but these cars are new to me so sorry for the newbie questions.


Thanks

Jeff

Legoland951

My 86 turbo had 346k miles on the original engine, turbo, transmission, and ran well enough to hit 150mph reliably on a drive across the country.

Luis de Prat

I agree with Legoland. As long as the maintenance has been done at proper intervals, a car with 150K is "normal" and worth considering as a prospect. Happy hunting!

eohrnberger

Mine is at 184K miles, and still counting!

Here is the maintenenace log.

Sure, quite a bit of work done on the car, but nothing on the major side, mainly maintenance stuff, so it's still in good shape.

My goal is to have it be a DE / street car for a long time, get historic plates for it, when I can, and perhaps replace it some day with a GT3.

nickg

personally, anything over 100k is high miles to me. But really overall condition of the car is a better indicater of value

Legoland951

Anything over 100k is high for resale due to lack of maintainance of previous owners or ignorance of buyers but means absolutely NOTHING in terms of wear. 50 miles driven with no oil will blow up the best of motors but with normal use and not very regular maintainance, I have 8 944 n/a cars with over 200k miles running absolutely great all able to pass the rigorous California smog with no smoke or noises. Many high mileage motors I have freshened up from wrecked cars show no wear on the cylinders with over 200k miles and I have never seen lifter wear at the flat surface where it contacts the cam. The only other engines with such longivity I have seen are some BMWs and diesel engines.

slvr993

Logoland951

So with reasonable documented maintainance and solid compression and leakdown numbers..thats about the best input i could get? I'm looking at a couple ranging from 100-135K miles.

Jeff

Rrrockhound

I've got to swim against the current here and say that compression/leakdown numbers and complete maintenance records are one thing...but overall wear and tear is something else. To me, high-mileage cars just feel tired. I mean the overall structure and "tightness" of things. You can replace fluids and bushings and seals, but the body structure you're pretty much stuck with. I used to drive taxis and the slackness in old Crown Victorias -- the suspension and steering especially -- used to drive me nuts. Of course, those cars have frames. European cars do seem better in this respect.

schwank

For a track car, you are going to immediately or eventually replace lots of the wear items anyway - bushings, brakes, hoses, seals. Maybe a top end rebuild, or the rod bearings and hardware. Personally, on a track car, I'd be doing those things regardless of whether the car has 80 or 150K miles... I don't want things blowing up under duress on the track.

My 87 NA had 154K when I bought it, and other than needing a new clutch (original went the full 154K), it ran solidly. Still, I practically replaced everything of importance on the car for peace of mind.

Given how many of these cars I see advertised with 150K+ miles, they seem to have been well constructed and will last quite some time with proper care and maintenance.

luckett

I have a 968 with 160k miles and it gets beat on regularly at the track. I recently had my head off and the head gasket had begun to deteriorate. Other than that, the top end looked very good. I'll be doing the bottom end this winter and it will be interesting to see it's condition.

Expect most of the suspension rubber to be on it's last legs.

I believe there are more S2s out there than S, so it will be easier to find parts (someone correct me if I'm wrong here).

If you get an S2, replace the heater control valve with an all metal one immediately.

jgporsche

My 944S has 167K miles, the engine has about 145K. But the only way an S or S2 is going to make it that long is if the proper care was taken. Otherwise it would be in a junk yard because someone didn't want to replace the 16V head that would be trash if you didn't do proper PMCS.

SchnellerUmsetzer

OMG he said it!

You sound like the guy who I pay to work on my car! I agree! Be prepared to go through the car if it has 50K on it. Why? It is 15-19 years old. Rubber ect.... brakes down and grease can only last so long!

MM951

hey nick g, what would you consider your VW Golf with 400K+ miles on it? LOL, I've got to say that car looks like it has 130K..

M758

My 84 race motor has 143k on it before I started racing it in jan 2003. I have some 45 races on it. I did reseal it completely and put in new main/rod bearings, but the piston rings are original.

Chris_924s

well crap- I'm over 150k in the drivers seat since ownership. I guess that makes me a frikkin "oldie"

HELLO WAKE UP.. Calling SOW!

Wade and Andy chime in- Both have over 300 K Porsche 944 watercooled miles....

MAN- what a compliment.

JJJR - where's the Audi? 250K?

What a bunch of panty-waists..