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I am going to be heading out to check out this car in a few days and I was wondering if you guys had a series of tips or guidelines I could follow on what to look for in this 1985 Porsche 944.
The vehicle has had no accidents, the electronics are all in working order, and the car has less than 60,000 miles on it. I offered $2000 for it, and the offer was accepted. What do you guys think? Any help would be greatly appreciated (Also where can I go for more information?)
Looks good, unmolested. It's looks like it's been painted with a base coat clear coat, the original is a single stage color that oxidizes and can be buffed with a mild rubbing compound to bring back some of it's luster, this one looks like the finish has burned off in places the way clear coat does.
Determine how old the timing belt and balance shaft belt are. Age is the issue not appearance. Change the transmission fluid, filter and gasket if it has not been done recently, also check the axle flange seal where it goes into the trans axle, it's a large axle seal, they get neglected, if they leak the axle slings the lube really making a mess on the underside of the car. The transmission is the same as the one used in the Vanagon so it can take rough treatment but it is subject to all the ailments of any automatic transmission, at some point it will need to be rebuilt.
Also the clutch in these cars was replaced with a large disc with a rubber center to absorb the shock of the torque from the engine, the rubber deteriorates, when it does there will be vibration and noise coming from the bell housing and some jerking when shifting from reverse to drive. The disc is around $500 new and requires as much labor as a clutch job in a manual car. The disc is fastened to the torque tube shaft and until the bolt that fastens it is removed the torque tube can not be withdrawn from the flywheel and the bell housing.
Like most cars that are 30 years old they are like an old house stuff needs to fixed and some things done to keep it going, soon enough your elbow deep in need of a flashlight.
The engine looks pretty original. Does it start and run? Does the AC work? How old are the timing belts? Are there any maintenance records with it? Has it been stored somewhere for years? If so, drain the fuel tank and check the filter screen in the tank. Google "Clarks Garage" to see how to do a lot of this work yourself. Where are you located?
It looks like it will need a paint job and some interior work, like dash repair and seat upholstery work. You got it at a decent price and you can probably make a fun driver out of it without breaking the bank. Paint will be your biggest expense, probably.
Looks good, unmolested. It's looks like it's been painted with a base coat clear coat, the original is a single stage color that oxidizes and can be buffed with a mild rubbing compound to bring back some of it's luster, this one looks like the finish has burned off in places the way clear coat does.
Determine how old the timing belt and balance shaft belt are. Age is the issue not appearance. Change the transmission fluid, filter and gasket if it has not been done recently, also check the axle flange seal where it goes into the trans axle, it's a large axle seal, they get neglected, if they leak the axle slings the lube really making a mess on the underside of the car. The transmission is the same as the one used in the Vanagon so it can take rough treatment but it is subject to all the ailments of any automatic transmission, at some point it will need to be rebuilt.
Also the clutch in these cars was replaced with a large disc with a rubber center to absorb the shock of the torque from the engine, the rubber deteriorates, when it does there will be vibration and noise coming from the bell housing and some jerking when shifting from reverse to drive. The disc is around $500 new and requires as much labor as a clutch job in a manual car. The disc is fastened to the torque tube shaft and until the bolt that fastens it is removed the torque tube can not be withdrawn from the flywheel and the bell housing.
Like most cars that are 30 years old they are like an old house stuff needs to fixed and some things done to keep it going, soon enough your elbow deep in need of a flashlight.
Okay, so the best way to prepare will be to have cash on standby. As for working on the car, I am pretty much a complete novice. But I'm down to learn. I will make a list of the things you've mentioned to check. Thank you really.
Originally Posted by Spring44
The engine looks pretty original. Does it start and run? Does the AC work? How old are the timing belts? Are there any maintenance records with it? Has it been stored somewhere for years? If so, drain the fuel tank and check the filter screen in the tank. Google "Clarks Garage" to see how to do a lot of this work yourself. Where are you located?
It looks like it will need a paint job and some interior work, like dash repair and seat upholstery work. You got it at a decent price and you can probably make a fun driver out of it without breaking the bank. Paint will be your biggest expense, probably.
I live in the Sugarland Area (Houston, Texas).
It does indeed run, the AC does work, now for the timing belts I am not sure. I will talk to the owner tomorrow or the day after. The VIN number is clean, I am not sure if it has been stored. I will ask about it, and as for draining the fuel tank and checking the filter screen I will be using Clark's Garage (Thank you for the link really).
Hi MikeMike, I’m a longtime 944 turbo S owner (27 years). This car doesn’t look like a 60,000 mile vehicle - please be careful. Odometers are known to break (people attempt to reset the trip odometer while moving) and since its an 80s car it’s probably easy to roll back. These vehicles are expensive to maintain if you’re not doing the work yourself - do some research on a timing/balance belt/rollers/ front engine reseal for instance. It’ll probably set you back $2,000 plus and the belts are re-tensioned @ 1.5K and then every 15K until you reach 45K max, then you do it again. Not hard, but time consuming.
good luck, be careful on the acquisition and if you learn how to work on these cars it will be very rewarding and will save you a ton of cash. These are high maintenance @ 30 years old.
06-11-2019, 10:56 PM
Any help on this 944?
