Porsche 944. Is this a good price/idea?

"Indiana Jones, PhD" (indianajonesphd)
09/12/2016 at 14:04 • Filed to: None

There’s just something so right about this car and I’m very tempted.

What do you guys think? Anything in particular I should look out for? He claims he’s selling it because he finally bought a 911, which seems like the best reason to sell a 944.

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DISCUSSION (9)

Margin Of Error > Indiana Jones, PhD
09/12/2016 at 14:15

Not sure if these late models still use the rubber-center clutch bit if it’s the case, make sure it’s been replaced. That said, very unlikely it is still on the original clutch.

Rack an pinion : s’pensive, make sure it doesn’t leak

Clutch master/slave cylinders : check for oil under the pedals

Timing belt, make sure you know exactly when’s the last time it was replaced.

Oh and make sure the rear hatch does not rattle. The glass tend to get loose in the hatch frame it rattles, and it will drive you nuts.

Master Cylinder > Indiana Jones, PhD
09/12/2016 at 14:16

It looks clean enough, and the suspension mods are nice to have if you want to drive it hard.

The S2 is fairly rare, which drives the price up a bit, but that price seems reasonable, assuming it checks out ok. The mileage is a non-issue if the car has been well-maintained. My 944S is still going strong with well over 200K on it. Porsche built its motors to last in the 80s. However, this is an older German sports car, so a good PPI is money well spent if you aren’t familiar with 944s.

Find out when the timing belt/water pump was last replaced, and see if the owner has maintenance records.

FromCanadaWithLove > Indiana Jones, PhD
09/12/2016 at 14:16

It’s not a bad deal, but not a good one either. The rims and tint are a bit drug-dealer for my tastes, but it seems to be in good shape. If you do go to look at it, check on when the timing belt was changed. Also the water pumps have been known to cause issues.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Indiana Jones, PhD
09/12/2016 at 14:24

I recently bought a 944 and here were something on my list:

1. When was clutch last done, it’s a big job, if owner isn’t sure, there is an inspection port to estimate

2. When was the timing belt last done?

3. Any noises or vibrations from the torque tube or transmission; torque tube bearings are a bit of a bear and some of the higher output models cwn have some problems in the transmission

4. Some smaller things more related to daily enjoyment - hatch seal, sunroof motor and seal,

All in all, I think the price is a little high given the mileage but the S2 is pretty rare and awesome. From everything I found in my research, there isn’t much cause for concern from mileage alone.

Stef Schrader > Indiana Jones, PhD
09/12/2016 at 14:52

Holy crapballs, nice price. Buy it buy it buy it buy it buy it!

Stef Schrader > Master Cylinder
09/12/2016 at 14:53

This is an excellent round of advice. Do this, and buy it if there aren’t any garbage surprises.

LongbowMkII > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle
09/12/2016 at 14:54

I was going to buy a $600 944 until I saw the 30hour clutch job the owner said it needed. Not for me

Invinciblejets > Indiana Jones, PhD
09/12/2016 at 15:07

With those rims you will be living the donk life.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > LongbowMkII
09/12/2016 at 15:21

Yeah, there are lots of tutorials, and it’s not anything too technical, just lots and lots of time. And on top of that, there are about 10 “while you’re there” things that also add to the time.

There are essentially two things that seem to result in lots of “project” 944s for sale on Craigslist. First, clutch replacement that never gets done. Second, timing belt breaking and all the resulting problems that come from that. Whats unfortunate about the clutch is that an otherwise good car sits in some dudes driveway for 2-3 years until he decides not to do the clutch job and in the mean time the dash and seat and paint and potentially engine, electronics, and whatever else go to shit.