jonnybgood

This is my first post to Rennlist. I should have joined some months ago. Here is my sad tale. I am no stranger to Porsches. My dad let me drive his speedster when I was in high school. Thirty years later with divorce complete I decided it was time to sell my remodeling pickup truck and own my first Porsche. Supporting two households I could afford a 944. I watched ads for 4 months and thought I knew what I was doing...
I wanted the extra hp of the s but not the peakiness of the turbo. I bit on a red 944s off of eBay. I flew from SF to Portland to pick it up. I had thought about shipping it home and having it checked out locally but was too excited about the driving 101 down the coast. Besides the ad said all belts and tensioners had been replaced and adjusted. In fact the ad said the new owner would not need to worry about the belts for 60k miles, I thought it was 30k?. The ad did say it whined and I had test driven a 944s that whined so I was not so concerned. The drive from Centralia to Eureka was heaven. Never had I driven a car that so easily exceeded my level of sanity at cornering speeds.
After rest in Eureka I started out on a beautiful Monday morning for SF. An hour from Eureka I downshifted and heard a pop, vibration, a second pop and I was coasting. I had not been revving the engine nor using it for engine braking, only speed in the turns as mentioned. The tow landed me at German Motors in Arcata where Helmut remembered me from fourteen years earlier when my dad had some work done on his speedster.
So Helmut is a thorough mechanic and regrinding the cams, new followers, there was one valve that survived so I only need 15 valves so the repair is $5,500. The car was $3,500 so I have now spent what I sold the truck for. The 189k mile car otherwise is pristine. Drives solid, straight, great brakes, suspension, transmission, tires, clutch is fine, beautiful no crack dash interior so I still want the car. I test drove a 944 with 54k miles and my car is as tight so it has been well maintained. I also looked at a 944 with 65k that was a piece of junk so I made a determination the mileage is not as important as maintenance. Helmut checked the pistons, cylinders, rod bearings, main bearings and says they are all like new with no wear. Certainly he would want to replace them if he could justify it!
So I have three questions.
1 Have others heard the whine I was talking about? It sounded to me like a failed alternator bearing and I heard it on my car and another 944s. Helmut said the counter balance belt broke and dislodged the timing belt.
2 The seller sold as is but made the claim about 60k belt no worrys. I have asked him to help with some of the expenses. One person told me he should pay $1,500 another said $500. What do you think?
3 I intended this car as a daily driver. With the head job and from what Helmut tells me I should have a solid engine when he is done. Should I bail out now and sell or keep it for the long run?
Cheers,
Jon

emilysgranny

Johnny ; alot of guys would say to bail out, but I for one would say you have already paid for the repair why not enjoy the car. In maybe another 25k miles I would look to possably selling it ,but it makes no sense to me to unload it now. The S is not quite like the turbo which needs a whole lot more attention ,but do do the the maintence and the S can be a very reliable car.

MM951

an idea

an S2/968 engine would be a smidge cheaper...wouldnt it?

Sach951

5500 Dollar repair... that's one to think about. If the car is absolutely tight and you plan to keep it for years, then perhaps it would be money well spent. On the other hand, in my area you can buy a completely rebuilt NA with new paint and everything done, near showroom, for about that much.

What are your intentions for the car?

Best wishes,
Sach

jonnybgood

Thanks, that is the direction I am leaning.

jonnybgood

Many things would be cheaper, the repair is underway and I am commited to Helmut. I talked with him about buying a used engine from a parts car or abandoning this car. I am kind of stuck because Arcata is 250 miles away and I don't have time to shop around for alternatives. So I pay...

Sach951

Hope it all goes well

jonnybgood

Originally I it was to be my driver. It needs minor cosmetics, one small dent, windshield and polish to be a great car. I am leaning towards keeping it. I could have had a S2 or 968 for what I now have in this car but it is too late...

Rally Guy

It's a sunk cost so don't fret about it. You've already searched for 4 months - spent $8k on a car that has a total top-end rebuild and you KNOW it has fresh belts and rollers.

You have only spent money you already had from the truck sale - so it's not like you're financing it.

So keep it - drive it and love it. Try to think about how'd you'd feel 4 months FROM now if you unloaded it (prolly for less than you've spent on it) - missing a car you KNEW was solid and sorted and you'd only spent $8k on. It's not the best deal - but you're also not at all behind either. A bird in the hand...

RK

joseph mitro

johnnybgood:

i was in the exact same position about 7 months ago. i had owned two 944 cars before so i knew them well. i bought my S with 117k , got new belts and was enjoying the car for about 3 months when one morning the cam chain tensioner snapped and the head and both camshafts were badly damaged. i paid $4500 for the car and have since sunk about another $5000 into it. some might say it's not worth it, but to me the car has been rebuilt quite a bit.

i now have a new water pump, belts, top end rebuild, radiator, hoses, distributor and cap, wheels, tires, and various interior improvements. i also just spent $1400 on suspension upgrades because i plan on keeping the car for a long time.

for what you are spending and the condition of the car, i would encourage you to keep it and enjoy it.

Peckster

I had an S with a bad head and paid less than $1,000 for a good used head complete with valves and lifters. That was three or four years ago, though, they might be harder to find now.

For everyone considering buying any 944, make sure you get a pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic who really knows these models inside and out. After you've bought it, take it back in for a re-check of all the things that can't reasonably be looked at during a PPI. They are so expensive to repair, you have to be proactive.

Don't trust sellers unless you have good reason, and don't expect do-it-your-selfers to have done a competent job.

That's about it, I think. Enjoy your freshened car!

Tom M'Guinn

The 16valve heads are expensive -- no question about it. There are no cheap Porsches, if you want to drive a well-maintained reliable car. I bought a pristine 32k mile turbo, only to have the clutch blow up before I even picked it up from the seller. We agreed to split that cost, but I was on my own for the CV joints, battery, tires, water pump, head gasket, etc., etc.

Zen dude

I think if you bought the car and drove it away, the seller is not responsible for unseen repairs, unless he sold it to you knowing it was going to happen then hes a crook for not disclosing that info.

marksportcts

I have heard/read a number of rennlisters with the 2.5L 16v have the cam chain tensioner fail. I Saw in the classifieds a little while ago that David Chen was selling a new designed tension to prevent those catastrophic damage. You might want to look into this.

Jim 944S

Johnnybgood:

Good choice you made, IMHO! You either write a check to the man for a new car... or you pay the same price in repairs over a longer period. I chose (and am happy with the choice) to go the "repairs" route. Love my
"S", its' well worth the minor aggrevations!.

Good Luck!!!
Jim 1987 944S