Stefndogg

I am 18 years old and have decided to get a 944. I am going to sell my moms van that i have been driving(its hell!). I have a couple of questions about owning the car.
-The 944 i was looking at is a 86 NA black on tan leather...has had very recent belt change and valve job...I know this is important....has 133k miles...has all records...body is in pristine condition...no dent or scratchs or anything...4200$...is this a good deal?
- I was wondering if anyone has the Huntley Racing supercharger kit...is it reliable...what is the price like....block mods nessacary?
- I would really like a turbo 944 or a S model but it is so hard to find one for 5k or under that hasnt been driven to destruction...does anyone have a good turbo or S for sale in LA area that would make a decent daily driver?
-How is the performance for the 86 NA...i know it only has 150hp but is it really that worse than a S or turbo?
- Is 133k miles alot for a well maintained 944...will i have to put a lot into it just for regular matinance?
I really appreciate all the help...if anyone wants a 1994 nissan quest mabye we can trade..lol
-

joseph mitro

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Stefndogg:
<strong>-The 944 i was looking at is a 86 NA black on tan leather...has had very recent belt change and valve job...I know this is important....has 133k miles...has all records...body is in pristine condition...no dent or scratchs or anything...4200$...is this a good deal?

sounds like a decent deal. especially with all records and recent timing belt. have you considered a PPI (pre-purchase inspection)? could save you lots of money down the road.

- I would really like a turbo 944 or a S model but it is so hard to find one for 5k or under that hasnt been driven to destruction...
-How is the performance for the 86 NA...i know it only has 150hp but is it really that worse than a S or turbo?

there is a big difference in the na and the turbo, especially in performance potential. the S is definitely faster although not as fast as the turbo. expect to pay at least $7-8000 for a good turbo if not more.

- Is 133k miles alot for a well maintained 944...will i have to put a lot into it just for regular matinance?

yes but if it's been well-maintained it should last for a long time. regular maintenance could be anywhere from $500-2500 per year, depending on what needs repair in the future. it would help to be able to perform a lot of that yourself. check out the 944 sale prices on this site - would be very helpful for you.
-</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">

joseph mitro

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by joseph mitro:
<strong> </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Stefndogg:
<strong>-The 944 i was looking at is a 86 NA black on tan leather...has had very recent belt change and valve job...I know this is important....has 133k miles...has all records...body is in pristine condition...no dent or scratchs or anything...4200$...is this a good deal?

sounds like a decent deal. especially with all records and recent timing belt. have you considered a PPI (pre-purchase inspection)? could save you lots of money down the road.

- I would really like a turbo 944 or a S model but it is so hard to find one for 5k or under that hasnt been driven to destruction...
-How is the performance for the 86 NA...i know it only has 150hp but is it really that worse than a S or turbo?

there is a big difference in the na and the turbo, especially in performance potential. the S is definitely faster although not as fast as the turbo. expect to pay at least $7-8000 for a good turbo if not more.

- Is 133k miles alot for a well maintained 944...will i have to put a lot into it just for regular matinance?

yes but if it's been well-maintained it should last for a long time. regular maintenance could be anywhere from $500-2500 per year, depending on what needs repair in the future. it would help to be able to perform a lot of that yourself. check out the 944 sale prices on this site - would be very helpful for you. -</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica"></strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">

Tom R.

first figure out what you want then look for the car. if all you have is $5000 don't talk supercharger in the same breath. if you want to buy a 944 for 5000, then put 5000 in modifications to end up with a 5000 car, go ahead. just realize the foolishness of your actions. when you can get a clean turbo or S2 for less than you would have invested, which would always have a resale value.

now go out and find the nicest 944 you can.

nwehtje944

I bought my 86 944 when i was 16, I bought and paid the car myself. I would suggest, like Tom said "get the nicest 944 you can find." don't buy a car that needs something or with the plan to upgrade it with a turbo, etc. these cars can get very $$$ very quick for just parts and labor. watch the maintenance!! learn to do your own work on the car. buy a good set of tools and find a place were you can work on the car.

the NA is a great car to get started with. the engine isn't as complex as the turbo, S, or S2. but they don't have the potential for modification that the turbo does. at times I wished that I bought a turbo and not a NA. but on the other hand I glad that I bought my NA bcs if I got a turbo I would have probably killed myself/someone else or crashed the car by now.

if I could do it over again, I would have spent alot more time searching for my car. I would have spent alot more time and money inspecting the car before I bought it.

fix every little mechinal problem with the car, before you even begin to think about adding modifications to the car.

I would recommend that for what ever car you decided to buy, that you get a professional inspection done on the car and set aside a "oh **** fund" of least $1000-1500. Take you time to find a really good example that needs nothing.

Stefndogg

Thanks alot for all the help guys! About the supercharger kit...I know that it is stupid to buy an NA car and put a whole lot into it to make it as fast as a turbo when i could just find a turbo in the first place...but, there are a couple of reasons i dont want a turbo...1.I cant afford a well maintained one right now...2.A good turbo is hard to find..while i have already found a couple of decent NA cars or S cars...3. The main reason I would want a supercharged NA car is that if I decide to auto-cross the car, I wouldnt want the on-off power-curve of a turbo...in comparson to the rather well rounded power curve of the supercharger...Well anyways I will see what I can find and make a decision from there...Thanks!

SidViscous

"-The 944 i was looking at is a 86 NA black on tan leather...has had very recent belt change and valve job...I know this is important....has 133k miles...has all records...body is in pristine condition...no dent or scratchs or anything...4200$...is this a good deal?"

No this is a terrible deal, my god it's so overpriced. He's probably trying to take advantage of a young kid like yourself.

Give me his phone # so I can give him a money order... I mean a piece of my mind.

Damn, there I go thinking out loud again.

DangerIsland

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by Stefndogg:
<strong>Thanks alot for all the help guys! About the supercharger kit...I know that it is stupid to buy an NA car and put a whole lot into it to make it as fast as a turbo when i could just find a turbo in the first place...but, there are a couple of reasons i dont want a turbo...1.I cant afford a well maintained one right now...2.A good turbo is hard to find..while i have already found a couple of decent NA cars or S cars...3. The main reason I would want a supercharged NA car is that if I decide to auto-cross the car, I wouldnt want the on-off power-curve of a turbo...in comparson to the rather well rounded power curve of the supercharger...Well anyways I will see what I can find and make a decision from there...Thanks!</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">1) Then just wait. Buy the NA now, then when you save $4k (that you would have spent on the SC), sell the NA and buy a turbo with the $8k you'd have.

2) good reason... again, just be patient, buy what you can afford now, and save for the turbo.

3) I've never heard of anyone seriously AutoXing a supercharged NA (alhtough there aren't many out there at all, I suppose), you'd get more performance out of $3k worth of suspension, tires, and weight reduction than you would from a supercharger.

Go for the NA, sounds like a decent deal, get a PPI and go for it!

Tremelune

Don't go messing with turbos for $5000--if you can't afford a good one, it'll spend more time on blocks in the front yard then on the road. Superchargers are a mistake unless you really know what you're in for. Every dollar you spend is immediately traded for power and the problems they bring...I'm no authority on this, but all that horsepower will smoke your clutch, gearbox, and your dif. Plus, a clutch is $1500. The belt is a couple hundred bucks every 15,000 miles if someone else does it...My car's got 137k miles on it. When we first got ahold of it at 85k, it was perfect, no issues. The car has been paid for at least twice over the last five years--Sometimes due to ignorance (belt issues), and at least one bad run in with a crap wrench at a local gas station.

I got my 944 when I was a senior in highschool. The sucker is bombass to drive. There's no substitute for horsepower, but I'm not really missing a turbo. Keep it high in the revs and everything's smooth.

Save your money for tools, repairs, lighting upgrades, and a subwoofer...and new wheels if it's got phone dials <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

Legoland951

Get the car, especially if the clutch has been done and if you don't know how to work on the car yourself. Drive it, get used to it, save money and upgrade to a turbo later. Forget the supercharger. I bought one of my turbos with 285k miles on it and it cost me $4200 along with weeks of work including timing belt, balance belt, a/c compressor, steering rack, complete interior change, headlight motor, clutch, and other stuff I don't even remember. I had all the parts in my garage and costed me about $300 for parts and I did all the work myself. Simply put it, don't buy a beater turbo unless you can get real cheap parts and do the work yourself. Its worth paying for a clean one if you are 18 buying your first 944. The drivetrain is very durable because my 86 turbo has 330k miles on the original turbo, engine, and transmission and I was able to get it to 150mph in january to lose my license for a month and almost went to jail (hell of a way to get my 1 ticket in 10 years). 133k miles is nothing for a well maintained car. Email me if you have questions I can help with since I am only 15 minutes from LAX and probably not too far from you. I love these cars and would recommend you to get rid of that darn nissan van and get yourself a 944.

T. Bjerk

Buy the 944n/a. If the car is in the condition indicated, that is a very good price. Buying a 951 someone is selling for around five grand is a sure-fire way to drain your bank account of another five thousand to get it right. I would strongly recommend taking the car to a reputable PORSCHE garage (not necessarily a dealership) and getting a thorough pre-purchase inspection. Good luck and have fun with your new ride.

Devia

I would run a Carfax first (pay for the month long option), and if it turns up clear, then a PPI. BOTH are the best money you could spend.

I would get used to a N/A before buying a Turbo. Get used to the problems first, that can occur, and doing regular maintenance.

Also, check with your insurance company, and see if there is a dramatic difference in costs. For me, the regular comp & collision w/uninsured motorists is the same. But the turbo runs a few hundred more than the N/A for close to "full insurance". If you took Driver's Ed in High School, your rate will be a little lower. If you didn't, you could also take an adult driver course, and knock a few bucks off.

These cars are demanding of proper care. Check out:
<a href="http://www.clarks-garage.com" target="_blank">www.clarks-garage.com</a> for other tips, and care. We also have a nice faq and past threads you can look up, at the upper right hand corner, when you read this.

I live in the LA area, and have seen several nice N/As for $2500 - $4000, but that's before a PPI; I have also found 5 Turbos in decent condition for $4700 - $6500, before PPI. The only reason I haven't jumped on any of these is money and color. I want a black/black, so you know the pain it can be for a specific color.

I personally would like to put my boyfriend in a N/A automatic, and then get myself the 951 in matching color, if I could, hehehheh.

But back to you, for the $4200, it had better have the original Glasko paint, or I wouldn't rate it so highly. I'm very picky.

Good luck! If you have any questions, or if other colors are okay, email me, and I'll send you what I have found. But make sure you put "944" in the header, or I will flush it like spam.

Good Hunting!

Julie

Red 944

If he's asking $4200, he's expecting to get $4000, so offer him $3800. You can never make a good deal if you want something too badly. I'm 18 too .. I paid $3000 for my '83 which I had thoughts that I overpaid once I got here, but now that I got over the initial "running right" hump, it runs .. right. 188-190 compression in all cylinders and mint pretty much everywhere without much work at all. As I've noticed so far from people on the forum, if you keep up with maintainance, it's a doll .. if you slip, it's a bear. They're not cheap cars to fix, I think that's why the buy-in is so low. I think if it was the exact same car, but a Ford .. they would be selling for 4x as much. Insurance is expensive, but as long as you're taking handouts, life is good, right? Whatever decision, best of luck.
-Preston

JLeake

I was about to type up my advice, and then realized nwehtje944 had pretty much summed it up. I bought my Turbo when I was 25 (I'm 26 now), but when I was 18 I had a Stingray. I was always working on it, and typically spending way too much money modding the engine for power when I should have focused on getting it in good running order first. You WILL need a reserve fund for your 944, and you REALLY, REALLY should spend time looking for the right car and get a PPI. It can save you thousands.