Pls advise: how best to spend $5k in 951 repairs?
 

Hey all

I've got an '86 951 that I've recently bought from my dad, who was the original owner and maintained it beautifully for a long time. It's got 151k miles, the body & interior are in great shape, and the engine has had a lot of mods (Vitesse Stage 2 Turbo, chip, MAF), but the suspension/ brakes/ drivetrain have been limping along for years. I've had it reviewed by a few mechanics, and they see a lot of things that are basically on their last legs. I could probably spend $10k doing everything they recommend, but I don't have that. I figure I could maybe do 5k. Would love your thoughts on what to prioritize. (The other thought is: do I just sell the damn thing and put the additional $5k towards something newer, like a 2001 Boxster--but I'm kind sentimental about this car, and love the look plus all the storage space.)

For example, the shocks are the original Koni sports, coming up on 27 yrs old. The clutch is nearly original (replaced at 20k, so it now has 130k on it), and the rotors are all shot.

Mods/ maintenance already done:
Brand new AC unit
Brand new plugs
Brand new starter (failed @ 149k)
Mobile 1 every 3k for life of car
4 brand new tires (BF Goodrich on the 16 Fuchs)
front sway
Timing belt was done 20k ago, should be fine.
Vitesse Racing stage 2 turbo - 2006/7, 40k ago, w/ new high-output fuel pump.
55lb fuel injectors put in
3.0 bar fuel regulator
Hollow 30 mm front sway bar

Car burns a quart of oil every 700 miles or so.

Stuff that mechanics say should be done:
- all 4 shocks are shot, need to be replaced
- front strut bearings
- dust sleeves & bump stops missing on shocks
- all 4 rotors are shot, pads are close (make 5k miles left)
- CV joints are worn out
- idle stabilizer unit is shot, car idles @ 2k rpm at lights sometimes
- odometer just stopped working (twice, def shot now)
- clutch isn't failing yet, but throw-out bearing is binding on non-lubed guide tube
- axels have a lot of torsional twist, they grind when spun
- rear hatch no longer completely stays shut--releases on right side hinge, lets in exhaust

It also has a few other phantom problems:
- a groan in front of clutch/ behind wheel well every 3 min
- whirring noise by right rear axel, when idling (?)

Thoughts on what to do, what can wait? Thx in advance. All perspectives welcome…

Mark, do you wrench at all?

Boy a lot of that stuff is easy DIY which can save you a ton and give you a lot more bang for the buck to put money towards things like clutch that you would have a shop handle. I don't recommend the clutch until she starts to slip or you get a PB/TOB noise. She likely won't leave you stranded as the clutch slowly starts to fail.

Definitely go suspension. I would just do the koni conversion from paragon (likely cheaper than rebuilding your current units), plus the strut mounts, and I would closely look at the caster blocks as well while in there (go M030 if replacing).

Obviously brakes are a must (high margin and labor for shop work), and the axles should be done as well.

Odometer gear is another easy DIY.

I'd almost be willing to bet your high idle is related to your TPS and not your ISV.

+1. You could do a lot of that stuff in a driveway with a floor jack and jack stands. If that's an option for you, a lot of it is also enjoyable work.

Knowing where to buy parts is in my opinion the most important aspect of Porsche ownership. You can really save a lot of money by shopping carefully and asking around.

Also, how old is the timing belt? They have been known to age out, rather than wear out.

Nice car!

Ditto to the above.

I see a lot less than $5k there if you DIY all of it.

Hey guys

Thx for the replies. Yes, logical question about whether I can do the work myself, but unf, I live in NYC in a small 1 BR, have no garage, no driveway, no space to work, and only enough tools to swap a stereo, replace headlights, or do the plugs, but I don't even have jacks. I realize I'm a little out of step here, as this most posters here can do most of their work themselves, but yeah, I'm somewhat reliant on shops. I kind of have two careers, too, so my free time is at a premium. More efficient for me to outsource the labor...

If you worked this by the numbers I think you'd be better off selling it. It's a good looking car which needs a ton of stuff. A great vehicle for someone who doesn't live in the city. I bet you could sell that and buy a good one for less than it will cost you fix everything on your list plus a new timing belt.

Unfortunately, without being able to do much work on the car yourself will end up being an expensive endeavor. It's not usually any one big thing that needs fixing, it's usually the small stuff that just seems to keep coming at you. Although once in awhile, big things come up too. I know that's not what you wanna hear, but it's the reality.

These cars can in fact be quite affordable to maintain while being very fun and sporty, given its owner is willing to put a considerable amount of time into it.

Drive it over to Oregon and I'll fix it for you! I need a new project :)

If some of those items can wait until the spring I'd be happy to offer some driveway space to help you twist wrenches on the weekend. I'm just a shadetree type myself but I've done brakes and struts before (on other cars) and want to get familiar with the 951.

Just picked up the Haynes manual through Amazon, actually, which would be a good purchase for you.

Another option is just working in the street. It's done all the time in the city. Rent some tools from Autozone and maybe go to Sears for your own wrenches and sockets. It's public space. You pay taxes.

Last option would probably be take your car to a place like Formula Motorsports in LIC. I haven't used them yet but have been talking to them and they seem like responsive guys. They're also endorsed by the PCA. You will pay them over $100/hr for the privilege though.

Surprised I'm the only one who is nervous when I read that. I'd do a leakdown test to see if your rings are still good. If they are not, then you might be looking at a lot more than $5000.

Good news, though, is that Wossner is now making off-the-shelf pistons for 944 NA's and turbos, so pistons just got a lot cheaper than they used to be - http://wossneronline.com/forged_pist...roducts_id=968

Selling it allows a DIY'er to capitalize on his or her ability to save on parts and labor.

Keeping it and hiring it all done might (and probably will) result in hatred for the experience of ownership. The quart every 700 miles could end up blowing through your $5000 in a big hurry, or it might not be a big deal.

Not trying to throw a wet blanket on the situation, but even 951 owners that scrounge for parts and do every bit of labor themselves are sometimes overwhelmed by the experience.

Well if you can't do it yourself and are set on keeping the car, I'd prioritize things by safety. Personally I'd go in this order and stop when I ran out of budget:

Brakes
Shocks and strut bearings
Axles (w/new CVs)
Clutch
Idle stabilizer
Odometer
Hatch pin


The hatch pins are adjustable - you should be able to fix that yourself with basic hand tools.

Whirring noise is probably the fuel pump.

The groan might be torque tube bearings.

Man, your dad bought that car new... Silver with Fuchs... I would never sell that car.

That is probably what the OP thinks.

If you ended up spending $10k (over several years) with limited use of the car during that time, and the knowledge that if someone hits the car it is totaled, would you still be ok? If so, just pick something and start in. There are good suggestions here on priorities.

FWIW, I don't think that is crazy.