flipm3

hey, im new here. my father is slightly interested in picking up a project car under 10000. ive been dieing for a 951, and i found one on autotrader for about 8800 but with 130k+ miles. i was just wondering, how long do these last? are there any things i should look out for? or just some general info or sites about the 944 Turbo that i research with. thanks everyone.

Wazuzu53

Here's a sight that I looked at when buying my 951, it's a buyer's guide with a lot of information on what to look for.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarti...yers_guide.htm

Wazuzu53

If you're located on the east coast I'm selling my 86 951 for $8,000. Here's the autotrade link:

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...ed=n&cardist=0

bet

The short answer is a properly maintained 951 will be reliable. The long answer is much more complicated because there are many factors that determine if the car will be reliable (past maintenace, types of modifications, driving habits, general past care, etc.)

Finding one that has been properly maintained is the key. Unfortunately many times these carssuffer from poor maintenance or halfa$$ed attempts at maintenance (none on this board of course). A poorly maintained car will cost significant $$ just to bring up general reliable standards. You must consider that these cars are approaching 20 years old and many parts just wear out because of age (i.e. rubber hoses, various bushings, plastic parts, interior trim, weather seals, etc.). You will want to evaluate and consider these items when you are determining your budget. Good luck in your search.

flipm3

how much do parts generally cost? are they pricey?

Cyrus951

It's a Porsche.

There are alternative places other than the dealership to get better prices on some things. Here's a list:

http://gururacing.net
http://www.pelicanparts.com
http://www.paragon-products.com
http://www.rennbay.com
http://www.944online.com
http://www.lindseyracing.com

Jake951

Another great source of information is Clark's Garage.

theedge

Like Cyrus said, its a Porsche. Parts can be pretty expensive, go faster bits especially. Checkout www.paragon-products.com for a general idea.

Yes 951s can be pretty solid reliable cars, but when something breaks, you have to fix it. If you half *** the maintenance and are, it WILL blow up in your face. Care for them well, and buy a well cared for one (even if it costs more) and theyll do quite well.

Dont worry to much about mileage. Theres many Turbos in this forum that are past 200k miles. Mines one of them.

Dave951M

There are some with over 300k miles on the. Ditto on the maintenance issues. Take good care of them, do the pm stuff, properly fix the others, then they can be extremely reliable. Now, they're not a Toyota, but then again, a Toyota isn't a Porsche either. The 951 is an addictive car, good luck in your search.

SKooT1027

Wazuzu .. nice car .. too bad its just outta my price range. Otherwise id be all over it

MichelleJD

I think the secret to a reliable 944 series (I have an n/a with nearly 300K on the clock) is preventive manitenance. It's hard to shell out $ to a mechanic when there is absolutely nothing wrong (or so it seems) with the car. Belts have to be relaced at proper intervals, old parts replaced as they wear, etc. The older n/a's had rubber center clutch discs that WILL fail. The 951's didn't. I echo everyone else: find a car with a good history that has been documented. That's worth a lot. Good luck with your search

krazE

those are some great links, especially the clarks garage thx

caster951

Talk about thread resurrection................................you can also check the sponsors link in the top right of the page for more current vendors!

nitehawk951

How long do they last? A 951 can last as long as you, if you take care of it. I have found that these cars are very tough. Just stay away from the plaid and burgandy interior and you will be fine. But I will tell you this now, that car most likely has a couple issues. Do your research with that link Wazuzu gave you and you will be fine. Do a lot of research before your purchase. Oh yea and look for one with LSD. Theres much more, but see where you go from here.

nitehawk951

Hey there really is good info on the buying tips, but who ever was the genious that wrote the 89' 2.7 N/A was a 16 valve is smokin' crack. We all know it's an 8 valve, especially me since I was the PO of one. I wonder if the guy who wrote that thought the 968 turbo RS was a 16 valve too. If I were you I would read this and confirm with us to fill out the crap. I dont like that mistake. I have just lost a substantial amount of respect for pelican. Someone should call them on that, not going to be me.