After reading through the board, I've noticed that some of you have gotten incredible deals on 944's (mostly NA).

Now I realize most of these cars need maintance from the start, but I can't afford to spend $6000 to $7000 on a car that will need another ~$1000 just to be sure that it will be good for a while. Now maybe I'm just being a little to picky, but some of the cars I've run across are just absurd ($3000 for a 944 with a melted engine?, or one with a trashed interior?)

I'm not looking for a perfect car, as long as the body and interior is in half decent shape and it wont need too much work, I'll be happy.

Any ideas where I should look? Where have you found your cars?

 

All I can say is beware of the bargains. Please!!!! I was in a similar cash flow predicament when I bought my car. You will find that the $3000 cars are probably going to cost you as much as the $6000 cars in the long run. Sure you might have to spend a few thousand in repairs on even a well maintained 944 but at least you'll know what you have. I cant point to one specific point to find these cars but I can say whatever car you do end up considering, insist on seeing all the maintenance recipts and have the car professionally inspected. Do not rush this. Thes cars have been arround along time and wont dissapear overnight. Hope this helps

Cobbs 84 944 (The $4000 car that transformed into a $6500 car)

 

I have an 87 944 with 275,000miles. I am in Japan she is in Toronto. Recent belts, alternator, rack, struts, tires. Needs brakes and minor seat repairs. A friend was driving it but said after a long heavy rain it won't start. frankly I don't know what to do with it. i could use the money but it has been an outstanding car the best out of 10 cars I have owned. 6 VW's, 2 BMW's a 190 and Saab 900. If you are interested I can arrange to have it looked at by a tech. If not I'll just leave it.
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Go look at autotrader.com and/or http://www.porsche-classifieds.com.

Look for ones that are close and you'd be willing to spend the time driving to to personally check it out. And bring a mechnic that ACTUALLY KNOWS 944's and all their little annoying problems. Or bring it to a shop... they can get a better look at it putting on a lift.

From experience though, and from looking at other people's posts, plan to put about 1000-2000 into any 944 you plan to get. I got a pretty clean one for 3500, but i've still put it about 3000.

 

yeah thats one of the few things I will not buy the car without (service records). As for having it inspected, I'm lucky enough to have a mechanic in the family (though its been a while since he's worked on 944s), so I think I can get away with having him check it over before I commit to anything.

I wouldn't mind paying $3500 or so for a clean 944, but I guess eastern PA is not such a good place for used porsches.

 

I bought a 1987 944 last week from a specialist dealer here in the UK....it was a trade-in from a guy upgrading to a 993, and looked, to me, well cared for.
It cost me £3750, and I spent £900 having it thoroughly serviced and checked-out (new belts,brakes etc) by UK Autocraft....
So far...I'm havin' fun!!! (the handling's amazing, but I may want a 250bhp Turbo, b4 too long!).
So..my advice would be to buy from a specialist ( unless you're Bill Underwood/or AN Other person who knows these cars inside-out)....full service records are a plus, but you can usually catch a vibe from the dealer/seller, which, together with the general condition and level of care evident on the car
...says...."buy" or "walk away".....
Just my $.02
Regards
Ade

 

If you look real hard you can get one pretty cheep and well mantained, I bought my 86 951 for 5K over a year ago and only have put CV joints in it (all four) and belts (only alternator and power steering, the timing and balance belts were just changed when I bought the car) Nice paint, NO rips or tears in the seats, and NO cracks in the dash. The Porsche dealer said I got one hell of a deal.
There are other deals to be had if you look hard enough.

 

Look Mechanical loooonggg before looks.. The interior is obviously a good indicator.. but the body should not rust unless in an accident.. I paid 4700 for an 85.5 last year.. mint body good interior. Had reciepts from 3 months earlier of timming belt replacments and new waterpump and cvc repack and all seals on front.. got burned on the clutch thing... But I do my own repairs. so it is not all that bad. Other then that not all bad... came with a customized Paint job,, metallic blue.. Had the upgraded rims.. I have put about a grand in.. Intend to do more. but drove it every day since then..snow and all.. The big catch points on looking at the earlies is the clutch..vibration at 3000 rpm.s and the last timmming belt replacements.....

 

 

www.porsche-classifieds.com is a good site to look and autotrader.com is another. I agree with the guy that said, if you can buy close to you and have it inspected. Unless you know what to look for go a long distance to purchase one is taking a big risk. If you wanting a good car non-turbo 85'-86' your gonna want to stay out of the $3,000 to $5000 range. I've found in the past that your just asking for trouble. You get what you pay for unless you just happen to find that diamond in the ruff. Take you time and do your research, it will pay off.

Cory

 

I picked up my machine (83 na) for US$3500 off of a friend and thus:

$200 for a full inspection + smog
$1500 for a timing, replacing belts, flushing all fluids, raditor went out (got a hole - replaced) & took a hose with it (replaced), missing exhaust hanger (replaced), and other small things done...

* found out the power steering doesn't work - pump is fried, but who cares - until later anyway. had the machanic take off the belt.
* found out, based on the car's record that one of the previous owners had a flat at high speed and caused a bent RR rim, cracked camber-plate thing/rear axel mount, and acually replaced the tire with a different brand - someone mounted it backwards (jeez!)
*yes the dash is cracked, the shifter has only 50% of the original leather hanging on, the seats are not ripped but don't look great, the upper part of the center console looks like it was taped to the part where it meets the air vents- hence it's discolored, the stained carpet (both dirver and passenger sides) needs to be ripped out and replaced, the speedo moves funny at low speeds, the rear view mirror is loose and moves all over the place....

nonetheless, the engine and transmission are in excellent shape - so who cares! the car is awesome... the suspension thing is a perfect excuse to install performace upgrades. I'll re-do all of it in due time, the pleasure is in the journey.. (i love these cars!) i should start a personal web page on my domain - doh!

 

A car that is in need of some work can be a good deal, as long as you know what it needs. I got my 86 944 a few years ago from a coworker of a friend for $3200 (Delivered 2 state away) The int. was perfect except the shift ****. The ext. had 2 small dents on the RF fender and some heavy oxidation on the LF. It was almost due for the big (Waterpump, belts etc) service, and had an "electrical problem"
The electrical was of course a $350 DME, the shift boot was ~$70, the LF fender compounded out pretty well, and as for the water pump and timing belts,at least I knew it would be a long time before the next major service.
I ended up with a very clean (except the 1 corner) 86 with under 90,000 mi on it for under 5 grand, and had the peace of mind of knowing that everything was done.
Last spring when a truck backed into it, the Ins. co. gave me almost $8000 for it. I bought it back for $500, put $2800 into the body (now the front end is perfect), and put in a used trans, this time with lsd, for $1800. Now the same car has been a bargain twice.