pete01_996

Hi, forgive me for posting in the 951 forum, but not even sure at this point if the car I'm asking about is a 944S/944/951/etc.

A friend of mine is thinking about buying a 1984 944 and looking for advice. Other than riding in a 951 at the track, I don't have much experience with this car. It seemed and I have heard the car is very well balanced and it sure is a nice looking car!

Any FAQ's, website or personal insights you can share would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

-Pete

JustinL

If he is looking at an '84, then that would be a 944. The S didn't come until '87 and the 951 was introduced in 86.

Check http://www.clarks-garage.com/ for more info as well.

HTH,
Justin

rhesus

not to nit pick, but the S was 88

Bri Bro

The 84 944 isn't going to have the power of a 951, so on the track it will be quickly passed by a 951 on the straights.
The 944 will do better at Solo II events then a 951.
The 944 will cost less then a 951 and it should be a more dependable daily driver.
Adding power to a 951 is easy to do, not so with the 944.
Whenever you buy a 20 year old car, make sure the PO maintained it. It is easy to put tons of money into these cars if they haven't been maintained.

chris951

Like some other 951 owners, I have owned an 944NA. The 944 is a better solo II car I agree, but just doesn't have the power of 951. I would sport a 944 for a daily driver, if I would stopping putting money into the turbo. 944's handle well and if you can get one that is taken care of, they are fun cars.

pete01_996

Thanks guys for all the feedback!

Anyone have any idea how to get a handle on pricing?

JustinL

heheh, no the 944S came out in '87. The 951S is '88.

Luis de Prat

Hi Pete,

A 1984 944 is AKA an "early NA," meaning it has the old 924 style interior, steel control arms, etc. The model changed to "late" style interior, cast control arms, etc. during mid 1985, and the later cars are known as 85.5.

The early cars range anywhere from $2K for a decent fixer-upper to $5K for a really nice example. You can get them for less, but you generally get what you pay for.

Overall, they're very good cars. Quite dependable and the engine runs forever, provided the timing belt/balance belt service is done every 30K miles. Otherwise, you risk breaking the balance belt, bending valves, etc.

What is your friend looking to do with this car? I've used one as a daily driver for many years in the American midwest, and other than scooping up snow with the front spoiler, it makes a pretty good car to drive year round, provided the snow isn't too steep and you have adequate tires.

Things to look for:

*Any records of the timing/balance belt service having been done. This should include the water pump.
*Coasting in neutral, any humming or grinding sound from the rear wheels. This might indicate worn rear wheel bearings, which are notorious for going bad periodically on the early cars. They're cheap, VW parts, but replacing them involves some repair time.
*Clutch? It's hydraulic, so if it's really hard to depress, the car might be due for a replacement.
*Any strange noises coming from the engine bay at idle? Depending on the source, it might indicate something that will need attention soon.

Other than that, do you have any pics? Depending on the car's overall condition, I would offer around $3K for a decent car and work my way up, depending on the ask price.

Have fun!

ACG

Pete,

The early 944s come with a 5-digit odometer versus 6-digit odometers on the post-1985-1/2 944s. In other words, a speedometer showing "60,000" miles could mean 60,000 miles, or 160,000 mikes, or 260,000 miles, or so forth......

I suggest running a Car Fax report to review the ownership and mileage history.

rhesus

Ah, thought you were talking 951 S. My bad