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looking to buy this 944

 
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czechsmola  



Joined: 25 Mar 2007
Posts: 21
Location: Kingston,ont, Canada

PostPosted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 9:31 am    Post subject: looking to buy this 944 Reply with quote

I know this is a forum for 924 but I still want a opinion...

I found this car and if the maintenance records are correct it should still have some life left in it...do you guys think its worth it? and what should I be looking for when I go look at the car...

also what might a newly rebuilt engine cost me or better yet an engine that i could rebuild

http://kingston.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-cars-1987-Porsche-944-1999-W0QQAdIdZ190471280
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Grenadiers  



Joined: 20 Feb 2007
Posts: 3222
Location: Nelson, WI & Prescott, AZ

PostPosted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 9:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

They might ship!

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/pts/1642058734.html
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'83 944 Track car.
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Paul  



Joined: 02 Nov 2002
Posts: 9491
Location: Southeast Wisconsin

PostPosted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 1:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Get a pre purchase inspection done to determine what needs attention and make a decision based on the cost of the car plus needed repairs.
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White 87 924S "Ghost"
Silver 98 986 3.6l 320 HP "Frank N Stein"
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Owned and repaired 924s since 1977
Porsche: It's not driving, it's therapy.
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sbarc  



Joined: 01 Feb 2010
Posts: 545
Location: West Coast of Canada

PostPosted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 2:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

300,000km is only 186,000 miles
Don't discount the current motor too quickly. I have a friend in the US that is a huge 944 fan and he says this particular motor is good for 300,000 MILES (500,000km). He says....stay away from the pre-85.5 cars due to all the issues that they had with wiring gremlins. The later 4 valve 944's are a real blast due to the extra HP......but they do use a bit more gas and the engines are more costly to fix. The '87 you are considering is the ultimate sweet spot in the 944 line. It's post 85.5.....so it's very relaible........engine is rock solid and very reliable if taken care of.......and simple to fix if you're motivated......plus the gas mileage is fairly decent.

Get it checked out and base your decision on that.

BTW....the MPG for this car in 5 spd (US Gallon I'm assuming) is 17 city and 24 HWY.....which is pretty decent.

1990 944S2 with 4 valve head gets 15 city and 24 HWY

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bymake/bymanuNF.shtml

My 1990 928 GT is rated at 11mpg city and 18 hwy.....but it seldoms sees the hwy. 11mpg is pretty dismal.
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924guy  



Joined: 29 Dec 2003
Posts: 2088
Location: Port St. Lucie, FL

PostPosted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 2:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

t belt was done 25k ago, over half the service life is used up there, price seems decent though at the us equivalent of $1500 or so...
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78 924
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gohim  



Joined: 02 Nov 2002
Posts: 4459
Location: Rialto, CA

PostPosted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 4:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The photos look good, but you can't trust them alone. Pre-Purchase Inspection is good advice. Parts for 944s are not cheap, and for many/most of them there aren't any good generic alternatives.

If the timing belt is 3 years, old, regardless of the miles, the FOES (front of engine service) is going to be due soon ( schedule recommended is 3 years or 30K miles, whichever comes first). This is an expensive service requiring special tools and special experience/knowledge only used on water cooled Porsche engines. figure $700-$1500 US for parts, plus the labor (total of around $1200-$2500 US, depending on who you buy the parts from and who does the labor).

Check for documentation to show when the FOES was done last and what was done. Many people cheap out, and only have the timing belt and/or balance shaft belt replaced. A full FOES includes timing belt, balance shaft belt, waterpump, all bearing equipped rollers and pulleys, and the front of engine oil seals. If there isn't any documentation of a complete FOES, it's overdue, and you should take into consideration, that you will need to pay for a full FOES immediately should you buy this car.


Last edited by gohim on Mon Mar 15, 2010 12:59 pm; edited 1 time in total
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9xx  



Joined: 18 Jun 2006
Posts: 627
Location: Jarvenpaa, Finland

PostPosted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 4:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

sbarc wrote:
....stay away from the pre-85.5 cars due to all the issues that they had with wiring gremlins.


I have never heard that pre-85.5 cars would be any worse as an option when choosing a potential car. My old '84 was super reliable. There is absolutely no reason to stay away from pre-85.5 cars.

About that red car, I wonder if the drivers side sill is rotten?
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Mikko

All gone: 931 '82 Alpine White, original option "220" G31 with LSD + 3 x 944
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924guy  



Joined: 29 Dec 2003
Posts: 2088
Location: Port St. Lucie, FL

PostPosted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

9xx wrote:
sbarc wrote:
....stay away from the pre-85.5 cars due to all the issues that they had with wiring gremlins.


I have never heard that pre-85.5 cars would be any worse as an option when choosing a potential car. My old '84 was super reliable. There is absolutely no reason to stay away from pre-85.5 cars.

About that red car, I wonder if the drivers side sill is rotten?


all 924-944 and even through the 968's have wiring gremlins, they're name is bad grounds. the only difference between pre and post 85.5 wiring is time... IMO the pre 85.5 wiring issue is a myth created because the older the car is, the more likely it is that the grounds will be more corroded.
i do prefer the post 86 dash though, so much im probably going to put one in my 82
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Eric
78 924
82 931 SE "smokey"
99' VehiCross
Y2K Honda Insight
http://www.cardomain.com/id/924Guy
Performance by Pasha
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czechsmola  



Joined: 25 Mar 2007
Posts: 21
Location: Kingston,ont, Canada

PostPosted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 9:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am going to go have a look soon i hope... also what are some things that look for a point out to try and haggle on the price a bit..
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924guy  



Joined: 29 Dec 2003
Posts: 2088
Location: Port St. Lucie, FL

PostPosted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 12:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

be paranoid about the front end service, if they cant provide records, especially if the odometer isnt working.
look for the infamous battery try leaks/corrosion. check the floors on the interior for dampness. And check around the wiper motor area for stress cracks, some will leak water there as well.
check the hatch frame across the top, if it moves at all when you open the hatch, it will leak
check front sway bar bushings for condition, and look for loose ball joints while your there. if they are still riveted in, they are original and will need to be replaced. replacements are bolted in, not riveted. pay extra attention to the right side, they go sooner than the left for some reason.
check both sides interior window switches, they corrode internally and sometimes snap on their pivot points and will feel wobbly and soft.
check all blower fan speeds and a/c
check for loose bushing resulting sloppy shifting.
check e-brake operation, cables can stretch, or snap requiring replacement.
check the strut towers for separation of the strut bearings, theyre supposed to be one piece. when they get old they will separate and become many pieces.


theres more... but that should give you a start...
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Eric
78 924
82 931 SE "smokey"
99' VehiCross
Y2K Honda Insight
http://www.cardomain.com/id/924Guy
Performance by Pasha
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9xx  



Joined: 18 Jun 2006
Posts: 627
Location: Jarvenpaa, Finland

PostPosted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 5:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

- Also check that the coolant is clean and there is no oily residue. Pull the dipstick in order to see that oil is free from moisture (no milkshake).

- Open the drivers side door and look right. There is a small black vent. This vent has a small clip that you can push with your finger and then you can pull the vent out. Look into the hole with a flashlight. You'll be able to see what is going on in the drivers side sill. Why? Because on one picture you can see a black thing that covers the sill. What is it trying to hide, massive rust? Really check this out!
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Mikko

All gone: 931 '82 Alpine White, original option "220" G31 with LSD + 3 x 944
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