Why are 944's so cheap

[roguetoaster]

it could work out for you. since you do the work yourself, the labor cost isn't a factor but there is always the "pain in the ass" aspect to consider.

i say if you can find a car with a good paint job, decent interior, and serviceable mechanicals for that price, it might be worth considering.

Elva, if you do get one, really, really check clutch/driveling support operation/condition. You do not want to tackle that BS.

Everything else I've worked on (radiator, timing, brakes, suspension, little aperture alignment things) has been pretty normal.

For me, there are just too dang many things that just make me go ????? when I see how something is assembled, or what things you have to take off in what order to get to the other things. That, and base models are not very fast.

However, the early cars have a very unique seating position and cockpit feel, so if you have live with everything else it's almost worth it just for that.

[2mAn]

If its a cabrio, Im guessing its a S so the 16v?

I read that the waterpump is a pain in the ass, but I wouldnt be too scared. Their prices are starting to trickle up like all the other cool RWD cars from the 80s.

[ELVA164]

Yeah, the cabrios are the 3.0 with 208hp and the 16v head. I don't really know what my goal would be, but it just sounds....cool, I guess. I dunno, it's much more emotional than logical I think. And yeah, the clutch sounds like an absolute nightmare.

The jobs all being ??? as you put it makes me a bit apprehensive.

[roguetoaster]

Yeah, the cabrios are the 3.0 with 208hp and the 16v head. I don't really know what my goal would be, but it just sounds....cool, I guess. I dunno, it's much more emotional than logical I think. And yeah, the clutch sounds like an absolute nightmare.

The jobs all being ??? as you put it makes me a bit apprehensive.

Even a base 944 seems very stiff, so I wonder if the cabrios don't have a big issue with cowl shake.

I'm no engineer, but I can recognize what looks like foolish placement of components (at least when you have to wrench on it), which the 944 definitely suffers from. However, nothing was outside of the bounds of your average wrencher, it just takes more time, and more frustration (sometimes special tools too, but no German car is exempt there).

[2mAn]

If its a clean car overall, clean it up and when you get bored throw it up on Bring a Trailer Auction. They seem to sell pretty well there.

[Exodus_2pt0]

When my buddy bought his 951, I think he was told something along the lines of "There's no such thing as a 944 under 7-8k"

If you buy one for $3k, expect to spend $4-5k making it decent.

[Julien]

When my buddy bought his 951, I think he was told something along the lines of "There's no such thing as a 944 under 7-8k"

If you buy one for $3k, expect to spend $4-5k making it decent.

I can attest to that.

[2mAn]

someone should buy my 944S motor & trans and throw that 8v motor in the trash

[roguetoaster]

When my buddy bought his 951, I think he was told something along the lines of "There's no such thing as a 944 under 7-8k"

If you buy one for $3k, expect to spend $4-5k making it decent.

I think it goes more like this:

Hey, that's a nice, cheap Porsche, and it even comes with lots of spare parts!
I think I'll buy that!
Wow, it sure needs some work, maybe I can do some of it myself.
Fixes the easy stuff.
Reads rennlist & Clarks Garage for more major repairs.
Fuck that.
Sells 944 with the same amount of spare parts, only different ones this time.
Repeat until the timing belt fails and the 8v gets parted or swapped to become a track car.

[Julien]

I found this somewhere on rennlist:

Welcome to the Island of Misfit Toys. Before you go much further, know that there are many alternatives to the 951 that are better for your financial solvency, marriage, health, and career. A raging cocaine habit, junk bonds, becoming involved at the lowest level in pyramid schemes, running up large gambling debts.... all I would suggest to you in lieu of this. Even if you were to hand the title and keys over to Lart tomorrow, accepting no payment, will put you ahead before 18 months have elapsed.

[Ether-D]

I found this somewhere on rennlist:

Welcome to the Island of Misfit Toys. Before you go much further, know that there are many alternatives to the 951 that are better for your financial solvency, marriage, health, and career. A raging cocaine habit, junk bonds, becoming involved at the lowest level in pyramid schemes, running up large gambling debts.... all I would suggest to you in lieu of this. Even if you were to hand the title and keys over to Lart tomorrow, accepting no payment, will put you ahead before 18 months have elapsed.

Truth. Ungrateful wenches, 944's are.

[euroshark]

I got into my 951 fairly cheap. Over the next six months I spent roughly 3x what I paid for the car building the engine. These are not cheap cars to do right. I'm only sticking with it because mine is one of six in it's color combo and it's an '89 "S" with all of the cool options. Still haven't driven it...

[ELVA164]

Same applies to non-turbos then?

[roguetoaster]

Same applies to non-turbos then?

They're much easier to live with apparently, but as you gain reliability, you lose performance.

The one to get is the S2 from what I have been told. All of the fun of the turbo, half of the bull-crap.

[Julien]

They're much easier to live with apparently, but as you gain reliability, you lose performance.

The one to get is the S2 from what I have been told. All of the fun of the turbo, half of the bull-crap.