1984 Porsche 944- 5 speed?

Question

I'm thinking of buying this car, I've taken a look at it in person a few times, it looks a bit weathered but nothing a new paint job couldn't fix. The interior is very aged, and the car has about 150,000 miles on it. The seller is asking $3200. Do you think this is reasonable? Also do you have any advise for what to look for, common problems with porsche 944's, I don't know much about the subject.

Answer 1

I'm going against most of the rest of the responders here. I think around $3,000 for a solid 1984 Porsche 944 is a good price, but you should expect to do more-or-less continual maintenance to keep it running properly. However, this is true of any 22-year-old car.

As for rust, Porsches after 1976 use galvanized sheet metal, so rust is almost never an issue. I had a 1978 Porsche 924 that had no rust whatsoever, and that was after driving it in upstate NY winters.

You will have lots of other repairs, and the 944 will require an expensive timing belt replacement every 30K miles. If you don't do it yourself, expect $500 for this replacement.

Nearly all parts are still available for the 944, so don't worry about that. If you enjoy the car and are willing to do most of the work yourself, this is a very satisfying car. It is peppy, handles great and has decent brakes. If you are willing to spend a little more money, look for a 1986 or later model. There was a major upgrade for the 1985.5 model, which included more power, better brakes, stronger ball joints and a better interior. However, it will probably cost you at least another $2,000 for one of these later models.

Finally, it's always great if you can find a Porsche that hasn't been beaten up on racetracks. Ask questions and see what answers you get, and look for signs that it might have been raced. These include racing seat belts, holes where a role bar might have been attached and painted-over numbers on the doors/bodywork.

I like older Porsches and there is a great community of owners out there to encourage you and help you solve problems. As long as you are willing to do the work to keep your Porsche running, you will find it educational and very satisfying. If you can't/won't do the work yourself, the car will almost certainly be too expensive.

Answer 2

DON'T BUY IT.

Porsches, especially the 944's, don't do well when neglected. If the owner cared about their car, they would have kept up the paint and interior.

Also, 150k is WAY up there, even for the bullet-proof Porsche engines. Assuming it hasn't been re-built already, at most, you'd have another 10k before you had to have a major engine (and probably transmission) re-build. I would NEVER trust any car that doesn't have a complete service history and meticulous maintenance. (Has it always had new spark plugs, filters, fluids and--if needed--belts [timing chains] and spark plug wires every 30k? Are the shock absorbers and bushings sound? Has the owner seen to any mechanical, body and transmission issues?

Porsches of that era are known for rust and abuse. Bubbles anywhere under the paint indicate the presence of rust; the shock towers and body (like any car) are also known to have rust issues. Don't buy a car with rust present--it costs an incredible amount to have safely removed. Stressed and bent suspension components and poorly repaired body damage are also common.

Besides which, a great many of the 944's were anything but real Porsche performers. They are often accused of being saddled with "lawnmower engines", and only a certain number had the desireable, 3.0 liter six cylinder.

Also, the repairs are often expensive; so is bodywork, upholstery and quality paint. If you purchased the car now, you would probably wind up putting another 5 or 6k into the car to ensure it remained driveable.

I would stay away unless you did some extensive research. Talk to the mechanic who worked on the car; see how often the car was in for service and what they think of it. Also, be sure to get a pre-purchase inspection done by a Porsche specialist (get your local Porsche club to recomment one). If the mechanic is reluctant to support the car, and/or the seller refuses to have the car inspected, walk away. It's a basket case that will ruin you--and it may be so as is.

In short: be careful; do your research. Always remember that with exotic cars, it's not the purchase price that kills you--it's the maintenance costs!

Answer 3

This is a money pit. You really don't want that early a 944 (later ones are better) and unless you have plenty of money for maintenance, you really aren't buying a car you can afford to own. Repair costs on these cars can be brutal. If you doubt me, call up a Porsche shop and ask them the price for a) a clutch job and b) a water pump.

With a used Porsche, there's only one way to go:

1. Buy the nicest cleanest car you can afford.

2. Ask for service records

3. Have the car thoroughly checked out prior to purchase.

"There is no such thing as a cheap Porsche".

If you like the 944, buy a clean, low mileage 944 Turbo and be happy.

Do NOT, do NOT, buy this car. Free would be too much.

Answer 4

I think you should go for it, but don't pay what the seller wants....if the interior is that worn you should be able to talk him down. Drive the car first, and then get a mechanic that knows 944's to do a pre-purchase inspection. I bought my first P-car 3 years ago, and I purchased an '87 928. If you can do the maintenance yourself you should be fine.....plus don't worry about paint until the car is definetly running...a running car is better than one that looks good, but runs like crap. I do all the maintenance on my car, and my engine is much more complicated than the 944. If you want some help check out some forums on Porsches.

http://forums.rennlist.com/

Answer 5

I recently bought and early 80's porsche, mine is in similar condition, different model though, and will tell you right now, GET ALL SERVICE RECORDS. Make sure everything has been well maintained engine wise or you will have a big expense, porsche parts are not cheap, even little things can become very expensive and time consuming tracking down. Do not buy this car thinking it will be a primary means of transportation without having another car to use when this one breaks. They are an amazing car and if mechanically taken care of, can be a very reliable car. And they are fun as heck to drive and they are a head turner. 3200$ is a good price you might be able to talk them down a little though.

Answer 6

I'm Porsche fanatic, but I'm sorry to say Don't Buy This Car!
At 150,000 miles it could have a number problems, leaking engine and transmission oil seals, etc. you don't need a car that bleeds oil all over your driveway. Other associated problems due to age, fuel injection, alternator, electronics, interior, clutch, etc. it could turn out to be a money pit!!

If you decide to buy it I'll sell you all the parts you need since I'm in the Porsche parts business, all OEM parts.

In any case I do not recommend this vehicle.

Answer 7

If you're expecting it to be in excellent condition, ready to drive, don't think that way. If you're looking to fix it (weekend job? etc), then I would still stay away. You can find one similar for 2000 dollars and actually should be less. Also, there are already rebuilt 944s for about 12000 dollars. Those are good if you don't like getting really dirty, and I'm serious about that.

Answer 8

The early 944 were a bit problematic. Make sure you have service records...NOT just oil changes...otherwise things can get VERY expensive VERY quickly!

Answer 9

look under the hood if you see any rust on the sides don’t buy it.
If you thinking of new paint job, the price your paying is a bit too much I'll say 2800

Answer 10

I think it's a good deal, any car for that price is a good deal...and only 150k on the dial? sounds good to me, have u tried driving it? how does it run?

--Rich