mdrobc1213

Okay am thinking of acquiring a 944 to drive as a weekend toy and alternative 3rd car. Have always wanted one..well also wanted a 928 S too and remember having a cover pic of a magazine featuring an 944 on my wall as a kid growing up. Problem is I know nothing of 944's or 928s for that matter. Am well versed on 911's and currently on my 3rd car (a 997.2S w/PDK) which I love. However am a little wary of finding and buying and mantaining a 20+ yr old Porsche as its new territory to me. Read recent article in Excellence (April 2010) on best Porsches under $8000 and they list the 944 as the hands down favorite. But where to start and how to look? Budget $3-4k I think would get a good car but what do I look for?

Any advice from those who have previously been this route or contemplating such a move.

Excelerate

Look for a car with extensive records, things can get very expensive and time consuming very quickly if the car has been poorly maintained over it's lifetime. You'll want to make sure the timing belt and water pump have been serviced on schedule (checked every 15,000 miles and replaced every 45,000 for the belt, and new water pump for every other new timing belt). A broken timing belt basically means a full engine rebuild given that these are interference engines. Clutches are also expensive to install due to labor, so look for a car with a recently done clutch. Other than these two major issues, the 944 is pretty bulletproof. Check the classifieds here and on other Porsche forums first before heading out into the wide range classifieds like AutoTrader - these owners are likely to be less knowledgeable about caring for their cars than an enthusiast. I recommend a late model (post 85.5, definitely post 87 as these had a timing belt auto tensioner), but earlies are cheaper and I have nothing against them. Also look out for a 924S - this is basically a 924 with a 944 engine, which means you get to enjoy both the power of the late engine and the 924's lighter weight platform.

In any case, good luck in your search for a 944, and come on back if you have any questions.

I_am_imprezed

buy a known car. PCA member who has fully documented the work done to the car.

These are big things to look for on the list of work done to the car
-Timing belt + waterpump
-Clutch

Obviously if you can afford it go for a low mileage example thats been garaged. check the pinch welds to see if the car has truly been garaged or sitting outside.

Finally get a PPI to make sure the car is solid. If your looking to spend around 8grand you could get a mint N/A 944 or very nice S2 and still have cash to spare. You could also get a good turbo but will have to spend more on maintaining it obviously. My advice would be to shoot for an S2. I believe thats the best bang for your buck because you get Turboesque performance with N/A reliability and of course the cool turbo look.

Swagger93

I would budget more than $3-4k.

Potomac-Greg

$3-4K is a bit low for a good one. I echo everything said earlier about records. Many of these cars have passed through the hands of owners that do not care much about their cars. Find one owned by a PCA member.

Expect to pay $5K or more for a really nice one. I'm curious. What do you want to do with this third car? It was definitely ahead of its time in many ways, but a 997 is in a new galaxy in comparison. Sudden urge to go slower??

Swagger93

Agreed. Stepping into a standard 944 will feel like driving a dump truck.

mdrobc1213

Always wanted one and thought it would be a nice change of pace and a good run around car. Also could do some track/driving events in it also.

So you think after a 997 PDK car...I'd be very disappointed or just it would be a different type of driving. My current DD is an 08 M3 coupe so I KNOW it won't be anything like that.

thirdgenbird

it will be dealthy slow compared to what your used to, but its always more fun to drive a slow car "fast" than a fast car slow.

944s are very well balanced cars and very confidence inspiring. its limit may not be as high, but you will probably have a blast pushing it there. i say go for it. just spend 5k+

Potomac-Greg

It sounds like you'd appreciate a 944. It's a very tactile, involving, hands-on experience. The limited power makes you work harder on track and on the street. I think you'll enjoy it. My daily driver was until recently a C32 AMG and now is a G37 convertible, both 350 HP, super smooth machines. And I still get a kick out of taking the 944 out for a spin (figuratively).

Find a good one (be prepared to spend $4K at least), and don't worry about the repair costs!

Quikzilver

I know the 944 will be less HP than your 997, but I recently acquired a 1987 944 for $3200 to use as my DD to stop putting the miles on my 08 Corvette. My Corvette has a little over 700hp at the flywheel, so the drop in HP was very significant...but the 944 is a fun little car to drive. Between the water pump, belts and other fixes I need to do to my 944, I will end up with around $5,000 into the car, but that is still a bargin for the fun. After I get the motor work done, I plan on joining the PCA and learn how to road course the car. Once I am comfortable with the lower HP, then I will start road coursing my Corvette (currently used for drag racing). In all, I love the car. My wife even loves it to the point she is thinking of replacing her 07 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T with a Porsche as well (most likely a Boxter, if we do it). I would love to have a 911 series and eventually I will, but for now, I enjoy tooling around with the 944. Good luck!

J Berk

There will be a significant difference but as everyone has said...it's a boat-load of fun to drive !

Having owned both an early (pre 1985-1/2) 944 and now an S2, I much prefer the low end torque of the S2. It's not as much high-end ***-kick as the 951 (Turbo) but is a very reliable, fun car !

You can pick up a good S2 for around $7500 if you keep your eyes peeled....just be mindful of that old statement...there is no such thing as a cheap Porsche.

I am just after spending (another) $2500 on mine for some suspension upgrades and required maintenence....

That said....go have fun !

PS - and do get a PPI !