hockeyhead019

Hey guys,

Just out of curiosity for a car in decent shape (not one that has been loved and cared for by a rennlist member but ITS NOT one that's just been sitting in a field rusting) how much would you put aside budgeting wise to run it for a year (excluding gas costs)? Car is an '87 944 NA

Info on car:

Total mileage on car: 152k
Clutch has been rebuilt w/in last 50k miles with spring centered
Timing belt was done before purchase
Engine replaced @ 25k miles (has 125k miles on it)
Water Pump replaced @ 25k miles as well (also has 125k on it)
All new fluids put in before purchase
Fresh tires
10k miles on new suspension
No AC (not that it really matters but idk what the cause is yet so idk the repair cost)
Interior is do-able until extra money is available to toy around with
Will be driving ~750mi/month as a daily driver

What do you guys think will go wrong with the car? Please be realistic, I wanna know about some common problems you guys think will happen, not so much catastrophic failures that happen every now and then and it's just a craps shoot if they actually happen or not

MAGK944

If it's been sitting in a field rusting I would have someone knowledgeable in these cars go over the whole car. There's a lot than can fail, these cars don't like to sit, rubber components and electrics are most prone to fail.

Before I used it as a dd I would service the whole car, lube stuff like door handles, locks, hinges, etc. Check/replace all the coolant rubber, belts, power steering lines, ignition leads. Check and clean all the critical electrical items, sensor connectors, AFM, grounds, etc. Was the water pump changed with the belt change? If not that might be your first major failure. Check for clutch noise/operation, if it was replaced and then sat for a while it tends to bind. Oils, filters, plugs. A leak-down test and coolant system pressure test wouldn't be a bad idea also. GL

hockeyhead019

Well I assume you missed it in the original post but the car has NOT been sitting, just hasn't had love and car like a rennlist member would give. And I don't know if the water pump was done with the timing belt. And in terms or lubing and checking connections that was on the list anyways because I'd rather pick it apart and check most of the systems before I start driving it day to day

BlackOp

If the water pump has 125k on it...it should be changed asap.

Assuming the clutch is done...I'd budget $1500 in the first year. There is a lot that can go wrong with these cars.....replace your fuel lines and jumper if it hasn't been done. Vacuum lines.....@152k check your hoses/radiator/all sensors, DME relay, alternator..the list goes on. Things will fail...you need to have cash in the bank. Head gasket...rod bearings, wheel bearings. This is worst case scenario but things I did to my NA w/ 84k.

Tedro951

Best case = 20 cents per mile for gas, oil, and filter.

Worst case = Picking a 25 year old car apart and checking most of the systems will get VERY expensive, especially if you aren't equipped to do all or most of the work.

hockeyhead019

Picking apart was the wrong term haha inspecting and cleaning necessary components ie electrical connects mostly is really what I meant haha

MAGK944

Ah, ok, I must have miss-read the post. I would still check those items I listed before using it as a dd. So there would be some initial expense to make it a reliable car but once you are there it shouldn't cost any more that a newer car to maintain. Just check fluids, tire pressures, etc weekly and you sould be good.

One other thing I would do before using the car as a dd is brakes and bearings. Clean and repack the front wheel bearings and the cv joints at the rear. Messy job but well worth doing before you use the car a reliable daily transport. As for the brakes, replace the fluid. check the disc wear and fit new pads.

ZR8ED

By your basic description of the car, and using it as a DD, I'd expect $1k per year for the first few years until you get neglected maintenance caught up. I'd also want to have a an extra $1k readily available if one of the neglected maintenance items that has not been caught up on catches you first.

TexasRider

It is certainly going to need a water pump ( 3 years or 30,000) and timing belt and possibly a head gasket, before you find out the hard way that one is needed.

How hard are you going to run it? 4,000 - 5,000 rpm or more. Track days or sedate driving. If you are going to run it hard, things will fail quickly. Rod bearings are prety cheap but maybe you dont do them as some have been ok. But if one fails, now you can be in for a whole motor job and a lot of time and effort.

Hoses, rubbers, etc will need something.

How often you going to drive it. Once every two weeks you might let some things go. If every day, those things will find you.

These cars are 25 years old and required service and maintainance at regular intervals when they were new. And now they are old.

Not to scare you but I say $2500 easy for a couple of years until you get it all done.

hockeyhead019

No no worries about scaring me I just want to try and be as realistic as possible...

So ok to answer a couple of questions, no track driving, just daily to and from on highway (rpm's < 4k I'd say)

Timing belt was just done, however I can plan on doing it myself again, and just doing the water pump then. In terms of regular car maintenance (tire pressure, oil all that good stuff) that's not a problem. Since I don't wanna have any engine problems or any cooling problems this will most likely be done soon

I was thinkin around 1k per year with another 1k on reserve for "o ****" problems haha

And MAGK thanks for the advice about the bearings/brakes. I knew I'd be looking at the brakes just to be sure I wasn't gonna just keep rolling at any point but I didn't think to repack the bearings

BlackOp

You have to remember that the head gasket is 25 years old.....all the seals are. Oil cooler seals, AOS seals...this will definitely, at some time, fail if driven everyday.

If your fuel line/jumper cracks..your car will likely catch fire. It will spray your exhaust manifold with gas.. Do a quick search here..

techartisan

Budget $3k.
The first year with a car can be very trying.
The first year is when you discover so many things that were just barely okay when you bought it.
If you Budget $3k and at the end of the year youve only spent half that....consider it a successful start.

ernie9468

A good rebuilt (such has ZIMS) or new water will last at least 60Kmiles + on a 944,usually owner will change them every second TB/BSB changes,I can't see the reason for changing it every three years or 30K miles unless there is something wrong with it.Also I disagree on the 3yrs /30K miles change.A quality TB/BSB belt should last at least 4 years & 40k miles if the car isn't being abuse ,your talking an N/A here which is street driven,not a Turbo or NA which is track.

hockeyhead019

True ernie I'm not going to be pushing the car to its limits by any mean... however the fuel fire is un-nerving haha is this a common issue? Are there 944's catching on fire all over the place??

ernie9468

No they are not catching on fire all over the place, but in the last years I believe that between RL & Pelican there has been at least 3 to 4 cases of 944s going up in flames (which is to much) because of fuel lines issues. And the advices given to you about them is sound, so when doing your PPI make sure they are in good shape.One thing about fuel lines that peoples forget is that like any parts on the car they should be maintain by cleaning/ inspecting them at least once year.