I am looking to buy and have questions about these cars
08-25-2012, 03:08 AM
#1
2nd Gear
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I am looking to buy and have questions about these cars
Ok so I am looking in to buying a 944 and have a few qustions:
1. are there any years to avoid and why
2. is it easy to work on these cars
3. how much milage is to much
4. how long do these cars last if well taken care of, and dont just say forever, is it around 300,000
5. what is a good price to pay for one in decent shape year and milage.
1. are there any years to avoid and why
2. is it easy to work on these cars
3. how much milage is to much
4. how long do these cars last if well taken care of, and dont just say forever, is it around 300,000
5. what is a good price to pay for one in decent shape year and milage.
08-25-2012, 03:43 AM
#2
Late Porkchops
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Welcome to the Forum.
But I have to say that these questions could take Years to answer. At now 20- 30 years old, all of these cars are different.
Real Number 1.) Join here and read about a month, maybe two, while you are looking. You can read yourself to sleep for some time while you come up to speed. If you go page by page for say the last year or two you will start to get the ideas. Or just jump in , but bring some realism about the age of these cars, and some money with you too, or there can be a lot of difficulties and frustrations in your ownership experience.
For every answer below here, whether it is mine, or another poster refer to Item Real Number 1 above.
1.) I cant say what you are looking for and your purposes for years. In general get the best one you can find, which could take some doing. After 1985.5 they had some changes and the 951 which is the Turbo was introduced
2.) No, they can be difficult to service and maintain, and more in the case of a Turbo, and not a lot easier on a NA. What are your capabilities now?
3.) Depends on when it was maintained and how. A 150,000 mile car can be better than a 30,000 mile one that has not been serviced. You know that rubber goods really dont last this long correct.
4.) 250,000 miles and maybe more. My 1986 951 Turbo is going strong for 27 years now come September. The amount of receipts in my folder is several inches thick too. There is a thread here about "How much do you have in your 944.."
5.) Maybe $5,000 starters for a NA with some things to do, all the way to $15,000 - $20,000 for a top turbo car .
But I have to say that these questions could take Years to answer. At now 20- 30 years old, all of these cars are different.
Real Number 1.) Join here and read about a month, maybe two, while you are looking. You can read yourself to sleep for some time while you come up to speed. If you go page by page for say the last year or two you will start to get the ideas. Or just jump in , but bring some realism about the age of these cars, and some money with you too, or there can be a lot of difficulties and frustrations in your ownership experience.
For every answer below here, whether it is mine, or another poster refer to Item Real Number 1 above.
1.) I cant say what you are looking for and your purposes for years. In general get the best one you can find, which could take some doing. After 1985.5 they had some changes and the 951 which is the Turbo was introduced
2.) No, they can be difficult to service and maintain, and more in the case of a Turbo, and not a lot easier on a NA. What are your capabilities now?
3.) Depends on when it was maintained and how. A 150,000 mile car can be better than a 30,000 mile one that has not been serviced. You know that rubber goods really dont last this long correct.
4.) 250,000 miles and maybe more. My 1986 951 Turbo is going strong for 27 years now come September. The amount of receipts in my folder is several inches thick too. There is a thread here about "How much do you have in your 944.."
5.) Maybe $5,000 starters for a NA with some things to do, all the way to $15,000 - $20,000 for a top turbo car .
Last edited by TexasRider; 08-25-2012 at 04:32 AM. Reason: sp
08-25-2012, 04:40 AM
#3
Racer
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 304
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Whenever I am thinking of buying a new car I find a popular forum and search/use a faq for the easy questions. And in the low chance that all my questions weren't answered I might start a thread.
Usually better than just barging in and demanding answers.
Usually better than just barging in and demanding answers.
08-25-2012, 08:25 AM
#4
Rennlist Member
Welcome to the Forum.
But I have to say that these questions could take Years to answer. At now 20- 30 years old, all of these cars are different.
Real Number 1.) Join here and read about a month, maybe two, while you are looking. You can read yourself to sleep for some time while you come up to speed. If you go page by page for say the last year or two you will start to get the ideas. Or just jump in , but bring some realism about the age of these cars, and some money with you too, or there can be a lot of difficulties and frustrations in your ownership experience.
For every answer below here, whether it is mine, or another poster refer to Item Real Number 1 above.
1.) I cant say what you are looking for and your purposes for years. In general get the best one you can find, which could take some doing. After 1985.5 they had some changes and the 951 which is the Turbo was introduced
2.) No, they can be difficult to service and maintain, and more in the case of a Turbo, and not a lot easier on a NA. What are your capabilities now?
3.) Depends on when it was maintained and how. A 150,000 mile car can be better than a 30,000 mile one that has not been serviced. You know that rubber goods really dont last this long correct.
4.) 250,000 miles and maybe more. My 1986 951 Turbo is going strong for 27 years now come September. The amount of receipts in my folder is several inches thick too. There is a thread here about "How much do you have in your 944.."
5.) Maybe $5,000 starters for a NA with some things to do, all the way to $15,000 - $20,000 for a top turbo car .
But I have to say that these questions could take Years to answer. At now 20- 30 years old, all of these cars are different.
Real Number 1.) Join here and read about a month, maybe two, while you are looking. You can read yourself to sleep for some time while you come up to speed. If you go page by page for say the last year or two you will start to get the ideas. Or just jump in , but bring some realism about the age of these cars, and some money with you too, or there can be a lot of difficulties and frustrations in your ownership experience.
For every answer below here, whether it is mine, or another poster refer to Item Real Number 1 above.
1.) I cant say what you are looking for and your purposes for years. In general get the best one you can find, which could take some doing. After 1985.5 they had some changes and the 951 which is the Turbo was introduced
2.) No, they can be difficult to service and maintain, and more in the case of a Turbo, and not a lot easier on a NA. What are your capabilities now?
3.) Depends on when it was maintained and how. A 150,000 mile car can be better than a 30,000 mile one that has not been serviced. You know that rubber goods really dont last this long correct.
4.) 250,000 miles and maybe more. My 1986 951 Turbo is going strong for 27 years now come September. The amount of receipts in my folder is several inches thick too. There is a thread here about "How much do you have in your 944.."
5.) Maybe $5,000 starters for a NA with some things to do, all the way to $15,000 - $20,000 for a top turbo car .
By way of addition, you may wish to consider an '87-88 924s. They should be a bit cheaper but will provide you with the same drive-train as the 944 of that model year.
Last edited by curtisr; 08-25-2012 at 08:26 AM. Reason: clarification
08-25-2012, 10:26 AM
#5
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Welcome. As others will tell you, the history of the car is whats important. Service records, condition etc. And last,"There is no such thing as a cheep Porsche". Please tell us where you are located.
08-25-2012, 10:58 AM
#6
Pro
More info is needed to answer OP questions. I.E. What is your mechanical background? It's a 25+ year old car, so maintenance is key. What is your status? I.E. I hope your not that guy in HS/College who wants a "fast" entry level Porsche, you'll be sorry. Not trying to deter you, just don't know much about where you're coming from. I agree with 1987Porsche944WithRealLongName here.
08-25-2012, 12:35 PM
#7
Rennlist Member
Welcome. As others have said, there are a lot of discussions about these topics, so definitely do some searches. As with any old car, prior maintenance is the most important determinant of value and reliability (I learned this the hard way by buying a car with no records). All 944s are great handling cars that can be reliable if serviced frequently, and they are absolutely up to whatever you can throw at them (many people on this forum, myself included, track their cars or do auto-x with their cars)
Trending Topics
08-25-2012, 12:59 PM
#8
Three Wheelin'
Welcome to the Forum.
But I have to say that these questions could take Years to answer. At now 20- 30 years old, all of these cars are different.
Real Number 1.) Join here and read about a month, maybe two, while you are looking. You can read yourself to sleep for some time while you come up to speed. If you go page by page for say the last year or two you will start to get the ideas. Or just jump in , but bring some realism about the age of these cars, and some money with you too, or there can be a lot of difficulties and frustrations in your ownership experience.
For every answer below here, whether it is mine, or another poster refer to Item Real Number 1 above.
1.) I cant say what you are looking for and your purposes for years. In general get the best one you can find, which could take some doing. After 1985.5 they had some changes and the 951 which is the Turbo was introduced
2.) No, they can be difficult to service and maintain, and more in the case of a Turbo, and not a lot easier on a NA. What are your capabilities now?
3.) Depends on when it was maintained and how. A 150,000 mile car can be better than a 30,000 mile one that has not been serviced. You know that rubber goods really dont last this long correct.
4.) 250,000 miles and maybe more. My 1986 951 Turbo is going strong for 27 years now come September. The amount of receipts in my folder is several inches thick too. There is a thread here about "How much do you have in your 944.."
5.) Maybe $5,000 starters for a NA with some things to do, all the way to $15,000 - $20,000 for a top turbo car .
But I have to say that these questions could take Years to answer. At now 20- 30 years old, all of these cars are different.
Real Number 1.) Join here and read about a month, maybe two, while you are looking. You can read yourself to sleep for some time while you come up to speed. If you go page by page for say the last year or two you will start to get the ideas. Or just jump in , but bring some realism about the age of these cars, and some money with you too, or there can be a lot of difficulties and frustrations in your ownership experience.
For every answer below here, whether it is mine, or another poster refer to Item Real Number 1 above.
1.) I cant say what you are looking for and your purposes for years. In general get the best one you can find, which could take some doing. After 1985.5 they had some changes and the 951 which is the Turbo was introduced
2.) No, they can be difficult to service and maintain, and more in the case of a Turbo, and not a lot easier on a NA. What are your capabilities now?
3.) Depends on when it was maintained and how. A 150,000 mile car can be better than a 30,000 mile one that has not been serviced. You know that rubber goods really dont last this long correct.
4.) 250,000 miles and maybe more. My 1986 951 Turbo is going strong for 27 years now come September. The amount of receipts in my folder is several inches thick too. There is a thread here about "How much do you have in your 944.."
5.) Maybe $5,000 starters for a NA with some things to do, all the way to $15,000 - $20,000 for a top turbo car .
+1
1.) When I was looking for mine, I read somewhere that with Porsche you should generally buy the latest year you can, all other things being equal, and I agree with that. Of course all other things are never equal with these cars but you get the idea. There is no reason to pass up a later model for an earlier one unless it's in worse shape.
08-25-2012, 01:01 PM
#9
After a few years of ownership I can honestly say the NA cars are really pretty simple to work on. They have a few odditys about them but I have been able to replace my clutch, head, tt bearings, and suspension with basic hand tools while the car was on jack stands. Sure it is more difficult than say an e21 but I would much rather work on my 924s than a late model VW or Audi.
08-25-2012, 01:07 PM
#10
Three Wheelin'
After a few years of ownership I can honestly say the NA cars are really pretty simple to work on. They have a few odditys about them but I have been able to replace my clutch, head, tt bearings, and suspension with basic hand tools while the car was on jack stands. Sure it is more difficult than say an e21 but I would much rather work on my 924s than a late model VW or Audi.
08-25-2012, 01:13 PM
#11
I've seen others tackle the same jobs I've done on mk4 vws and a4s and I don't envy them at all. Even suspension work is a pain on them.
08-25-2012, 02:43 PM
#12
Late Porkchops
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
I agree with you - they are simple enough after you have done a job once. But they arent so easy to work on. There is no Easy button on mine anyway 
.
When I think Easy I think Datsun 260 Z.
When I think of 951 I think of a week, or more, to get about anything done by the time you sort it out, order parts, get the parts, it could be 2-3 weeks. During 2010 I had mine down 4 or 5 MONTHS at one stretch.
Hmmm ... how does that go back together again? ..... where is the Multi Volume Porsche factory service manual that I paid big bucks for. Yep page 543 ... Instructions are "Reassemble the necessary equipment." Right. Oh hell.
Low cost examples are like marrying the strip dancer you just met last week. It can look great and start off good, but a lot of troubles can come up very quick.
. When I think Easy I think Datsun 260 Z.
When I think of 951 I think of a week, or more, to get about anything done by the time you sort it out, order parts, get the parts, it could be 2-3 weeks. During 2010 I had mine down 4 or 5 MONTHS at one stretch.
Hmmm ... how does that go back together again? ..... where is the Multi Volume Porsche factory service manual that I paid big bucks for. Yep page 543 ... Instructions are "Reassemble the necessary equipment." Right. Oh hell.
Low cost examples are like marrying the strip dancer you just met last week. It can look great and start off good, but a lot of troubles can come up very quick.
08-25-2012, 03:07 PM
#13
Buy one in good cosmetic condition...paint, dash, interior. You are going to have to do things to it, no matter what....nothing is worse than having to invest additional $$ in a beater. These cars bring out the perfectionists in their owners and the cosmetic flaws will bother you. You'll end up spending $3000+ in mechanical restoration over a few years...and still have a car with crappy paint, torn seats...cracked dash.
Start with a good example....you'll be happy you did.
Start with a good example....you'll be happy you did.
08-25-2012, 06:24 PM
#14
Instructor
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Delta BC, Canada
Posts: 249
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by BlackOp:9792233
Buy one in good cosmetic condition...paint, dash, interior. You are going to have to do things to it, no matter what....nothing is worse than having to invest additional $$ in a beater. These cars bring out the perfectionists in their owners and the cosmetic flaws will bother you. You'll end up spending $3000+ in mechanical restoration over a few years...and still have a car with crappy paint, torn seats...cracked dash.
Start with a good example....you'll be happy you did.
Start with a good example....you'll be happy you did.
+1
If you want it to be lighter and nimble, find a '83-'85 (pre '85.5), they are 200+ lbs lighter due to less sound deadening material and some minor differences. They are less of a luxury car and more of a 'bare bones' sports car. The '83 was available with manual steering, the '84 up came standard with power steering. The handling and 'feedback' on the early car is incredible for the technology of the time. They are a wonderful car to drive, but definitely not the fastest accelerating car in stock form.