Eric D

Hello,

I am new to this board but I can tell that some of you guys really know what is going on with the 944. Keep in mind my price range is about 5500-6000.

Here are my questions.

1. Are there any year 944 I should stay away from?

2. Is an 83 with 50,000 miles a better bet than an 89 with 125,000 miles?

3. If circumstances do not allow me to take the car to mechanic for a pre purchase inspection, what things should I specifically look at as a buyer.

Any advice would be helpfull on what I can do as a first time purchaser of a 944.

Thank you very much,
EricD in OC

Jonathan Martini

In my opinion low mileage means less and less the older a car is. Rubber doesn't care so much about miles, simply looking at the age means a lot of hoses, belts, and seals are up for replacing. This goes for the '83 and the '89. It is always better to have the car looked at than to go on miles. That said most of the actual engine does wear in direct relation to miles. 50,000 is not nearly as likely to need the top end done within the next 6 months.

Be aware that an 83 is going to have an earlier interiour, likely won't have power steering (was this an option in 83?) and will have a less horse power than the 89. Not bad, just different.

1. Get a PPI done on any car you are serious about.
2. Give some preference to a car will full service records and receipts.
3. Pay particular attention to when the water pump and timing belts were last done. Water pumps don't last much more than 60,000 miles. Timing belts about 30,000. Some people say less, few say more. Either one failing can lead to serious damage.
4. Get a PPI (Pre-Purchase Inspection).
5. Get a PPI.

Also do a search on the board. This is a common question.

No matter how much you pay, plan to spend $2000 over the next year in repairs if you don't plan on doing them yourself. This is not a worst case number. Keep this in mind when you set your budget.

Good luck.
These are really fun cars.

Paul C 944

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CHCK OUT THIS SITE!
Also chech the archives here.

Look for a car that has been maintained,(timing belt) with in 30 k or plan on doing that.Thse engins are interferance ,so if it goes it takes the motor out too! Clutch should have been replaced if high milage or old.$$$ If you need a clutch.Check for any leaks.oil or coolant.Check AC

A pre purchase inspection really is important,it will save you money down the road,ask me how I know!

Z-man

Eric,
I agree with everything that Jonathan stated above, and would like to add a 6th point:
6. Get a Pre-Purchase inspection done!

The $50-100 you pay can literally save you thousands in the long run: it saved me from buying a total junk car!

To help you weed out some of the bad cars, I offer you a checklist I compiled (loosely based on an Excellence magazine article). Email me (z-man@pelicanbbs.com) if you're interested in a copy. (It's in MS-Word format).

That said, here are some things to consider:
1. Get to know the different models in the 944 family: 944na, 944S, 944S2, 944Turbo, 944TurboS. The 944 line offers a wide range of cars: make sure you get the one best suited for your needs. (ex: 944Turbos are great accelerating cars, but the 944S2 is a little better suited for track driving, especially on technical tracks).
2. There are plenty of 944's out there, and it's a buyers market, so be picky and choosy.
3. Again, as stated before, maintenance records are definately a help: make sure the previous owner was as up on maintenance as you will be.
4. All 1985.5 and newer cars had an updated dash: better air ventilation, and a more modern look. Some people like the new look, some like the older look. It depends on your taste.
5. Rust should not be a concern: all of the 944's had galvanized bodies.
6. On the non-turo cars, the clutch had a rubber center hub for dampening. Over time, this would deteriorate: biggest evidence of this is drive line lash. Check for this: clutch jobs are about $1000.00.
7. On the 16v headed cars (944S, 944S2), the cam chain guide and tensioner must be replaced every 100k miles. If not, the whole head can be ruined beyond repair (too much $$ to repair).
8. Timing belts must be in good shape: throw a belt and it's at LEAST a valve job. The valves alone are $90.00. (8 in the n/a & turbo cars, 16 of them in the 944S, 944S2!)
9. Check motor mounts: these tend to go over time: biggest sign of worn/cracked motor mounts: excessive vibration at idle.
10. Mixing of oil/coolant in n/a cars: if there's a chalky-milky substance in the oil or coolant reservior, then this has occurred. Can be from a few areas, but most of the time it's a blown head gasket.
11. Front A-Arms: (on 85.5 and newer models): these wear over time, and can have some hairline stress cracks. Check to make sure the ball joints are tight. If the A-arms fail at speed, then it can be catastrophic! Because of this, I adivse staying away from lowered cars, since this puts even more stress on the a-arms.

Search the archives here for more information on this, and other things to look for in a 944.

Hope this helps,
-Zoltan.
My Gallery:
<a href="http://www.pelicanparts.com/gallery/Z-man" target="_blank"> </a>

Eric D

Thanks everyone this has been a big help.

Eric

jim968

Logan... don't forget to get a PPI... <img src="graemlins/xyxwave.gif" border="0" alt="[bigbye]" />

Seriously,there are a very few people on this board who are probably competent to do their own PPI (I ain't one, borderline, maybe). But they'd all want to get it up on a lift to see the underside. This'll happen during a PPI. No, you can't crawl under it, unless you're Flatman or Ribbon.

Jim, and get a PPI!

rpm's S2

A valuable resource:
<a href="http://www.connact.com/~kgross/FAQ/944faq.html" target="_blank">944 FAQ</a>
Also - the February or March issue of Excellence Magazine had the annual 944 Buyer's Guide. A search of this site might get you a list of all of the different years and values.

Bottom Line: Be very picky, get maintenance records, and buy the best car you can afford.

Then be prepared to spend more $$.

Eric

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Z-man:

5. Rust should not be a concern: all of the 944's had galvanized bodies.

Except in the area of the battery. Notorious for rusting--ask how I know
.

Eric D

I went to look at a 944 today. The guy had his own PPI already done. I guess tha would be a P-PPI lol. I think I would still like to have my own done but his information was helpful too.

There was a something kind of major that showed up and the guy was willing to knock off some $$ for it. I don't know if it is even worth pursuing. Here is the problem:

Injector #3 leaking.

Does anyone know what a worst case senario would be on this problem.

BTW This guy is original owner and has all svc records including water pump and timing belt replacements.

Thanks
Eric

special tool

He had his own PPI? What!!? Ask him if you can pay him with an out of state check... or coconuts.

UDPride

I agree, a personal PPI by someone other than you (the seller in this case) is prob. not worth the paper its printed on until you get one yourself to either back it up or refute it. Go to a qualified Porsche mechanic or dealer and have them give you their honest opinion. As others have stated, if you cant afford a PPI you cant afford a P-Car. A lot of folks on here are fairly serious wrenches turners. For people like me who feel special when they successfully change a tire, a PPI is a must. PPIs will save you hundreds or thousands. Also, look at more than one 9-series. You never know if this one is any good unless you have 3-4 others to compare it to. After that, you may think wow, this is in great shape compared to those crappers, or wow, this is a piece of crap compared to those pampered babies.

I wouldnt worry so much about miles. A lot of people have close to 200K on here. Perhaps low mileage means a car was a secondary car and garaged and taken care of as a hobby toy instead of a daily grinder, but you should always make sure the mileage reflects the state of the car too. I would always choose the car that seems to have been the most cared for, then use the mileage as a bartering tool if needed.

icat

Logan,
With your budget you might also look at a 924S. They are less expensive to purchase and they have the 944 engine. That said, I'll second what everyone else says - get a PPI (your own) and budget $2000 or so for needed repairs.
Have fun,
<img src="graemlins/burnout.gif" border="0" alt="[burnout]" />

Dave

[quote]Originally posted by Logan5:
<strong>I went to look at a 944 today. The guy had his own PPI already done. I guess tha would be a P-PPI lol. I think I would still like to have my own done but his information was helpful too.

There was a something kind of major that showed up and the guy was willing to knock off some $$ for it. I don't know if it is even worth pursuing. Here is the problem:

Injector #3 leaking.

Does anyone know what a worst case senario would be on this problem.

BTW This guy is original owner and has all svc records including water pump and timing belt replacements.

Thanks
Eric</strong><hr></blockquote>

I have heard of people getting a PPI done before selling, but you still want to get your own done. If the guy is honest, they should match.

A leaking injector is a relatively cheap and easy thing to fix. There is only one thing that can leak out of an injector, and the only place it can leak to, is a hot engine, I'd get it fixed quickly if I were to buy that car.