Zach L

So what does the above info mean to you?

racer

Couple things.. Since the car seems to not be in a running state, its hard to know if just a "failed turbo" is the real cause to blame. Second, depending on condition of these other components, it could mean more $$ to spend. Thats fine if you want a peace meal hobby car to throw money at when you can.

So, lets say it sells for $2-3K.. then other mentioned, maybe another $2-3K in motorwork/parts. Lets assume worst case, new shocks or other suspension issues ($1,000); re-paint ($100 special or ?? $2000? more??) So now this is really a $5-6-8K project. You can find very nice, sorted and running examples for the same money.

And, while in this case the OP's labor cost will be low since he is an admitted DIYer, he really should consider the amount of time a project like this can take.. Weekend? weeks? Months? More? or a change in plan to drop in a LS1? or build a racecar out of it? It could be if he were to figure out his time/$$ relationship, its $2K of "sweat equity".. So, now its a 7-9-11K project as a worst case scenario? That gets a REALLY nice working 951/S2/968.

Of course, it just as possible that it is just a failed turbo. $1K in parts and some time spent and for say $3.5K (car and parts) out of pocket the OP has a fantastic car.

I've read LOTS of threads out here over the years of folks getting both types of deals.

sydneyman

my experience with buying a car from a guy who has multiple Porsche's is to expect deferred maintenance... unless the guy is super rich and dotes on his old cheap transaxle cars...

you'd like to think since they own so many than they really know what they're talking about, and they may, but it seems like they end up either putting all the good parts on one car or spread an already taxed maintenance budget over all of them and end up letting them all rot... ymmv

Zach L

Good points... thanks gentlemen!

Makmov

How many other issues does it have?

Power Steering Issues?
Lower Control Arms?
Motor Mounts?
T-belt, B-belt and pump?
and a number of other common and potentially expensive 944/951 issues

jpoint

A couple things to consider. This is an '86 = no ABS = won't accept most late offset wheels. If you're going to go fast it's more important to stop fast or soon a blown turbo is the small issue. If you like the challenge of the project and want to do it yourself - cool. If you want a nice turbo - keep looking. Turbos are fairly complex and have lots of switches and sensors that need to be right for the car to run well. I know a guy who spent a ton of time trying to diagnose a faulty throttle position switch. You also need to consider if you're going to rip into a turbo there is the "while we're in here" syndrom. Belts, roller, turbo pump (likely gone before the turbo blew), etc. Plus 100k could get you into a clutch, motor mounts, etc. I drove my 944 at Road America last fall, drove it home, and drove it to the shop and still spent $6k. Was it worth it? Yes and no. Its an '88 S so low numbers out there, but you can buy an '87 or later turbo for under $8k that has the recent rebuilds and is ready to go. Don't worry you'll get opportunities to tinker. But you'll get to drive a bit first. I think you're best point is knowing the history on the car's mechanic, but I haven't heard you say you've seen receipts for replacements. Better check first. You get the turbo fixed and run her down the road and break a belt - say good-bye the the top half of the engine. I'm not trying to sell you off the car if you're up for a project. But I've seen some very nice 44 turbos out there now that could be owned for less than what you'll spend and won't need a paint job. Of course - I also understand the project attraction of getting in cheap and building the car back as money allows. Search 5 times, buy one time. You'll learn a bunch while you're looking and end up with the car that's right for you - project or otherwise. Good luck.

Zach L

When it comes to unknown potential problems the car may have, the clutch is really my biggest concern just because of cost. As I've mentioned above, any work associated with high labor costs is not an issue as I do the work myself. Timing belt, motor mounts, pumps, etc. are things I'm just not worried about. I do timing belts almost every other month for friends and relatives.

I assume your reference to lower control arms is talking about bushings, right?

I've been transitioning into a mindset more in-line with yours. I think I'll take my time, continue the search, and focus on some other projects for the time being. As for wheels offsets and ABS, I'd prefer the '86. I savor low offsets as I'm a fan of DISH, and ABS is something I've actually removed from some of my other cars. It can actually be detrimental to someone that knows how to properly brake w/o ABS.

zerMATT951

I was hoping that point would be made. Sure, ABS is great when it's rainy and you can't make yourself slow down and be reasonable, but most of the time someone who is experienced with the technique of threshold breaking, knows the limits of their tire choice, and can judge tarmac grip can out-perform the ABS systems that most street cars use.