924Board.org

buzz88 · Joined: 16 Jan 2010 Posts: 7 Location: PA, USA

Any advice or comments are much appreciated...I am think of buying an '87 924 S which probably needs alot of work. I can can buy the 924S, automatic transmission, with 73,000 orig miles on it for about $500 dollars. Looks to be in good shape but is not running and has been basically sitting for about 6 years. The current owner had it running a few years ago and I believe ran into fuel pump, or intake problems and gave up to let it sit and waste away. He bought it from someone who had let it sit for years prior to that, I loved the 924 as a kid and with the price so cheap I know it will need alot of work. That being said is it a good buy even if I just stow it away until I have the funds to overhaul it. i have a classic Ford Mustang but would love to get a classic 924 back on the road, which may or may not have a collector car following in the future??? THANKS
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No Porsche yet - hoping for one soon!!

tuurbo · Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 7:23 am Post subject:

YES the 924S is a great car. It'll take some cash to get it on the road. Nice find.
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1980 924 turbo, MSD, Meth. Inj, otherwise stock.

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

Before you make a decision, you need to find out if the existing timing belt is intact. If it's not, you are looking at several thousand dollars to repair valves. The next thing to find out is the compression numbers on each cylinder so you know whether the bottom end needs rebuilt. Even if both of those items check out, plan to spend a minimum of $1500 for front of engine service, unless you are equipped and skilled to do it yourself (which is not a trivial job on the 2.5L motor).

If it truly is just a fuel pump issue that sidelined the car (which I find really hard to believe, given how inexpensive and easy of a repair that is), and IF the timing belt is good and IF the compression numbers are good, and IF you have the money and DISCIPLINE to not attempt to start the car until you've done a complete front of engine service, THEN and only then is it worth the $500.

In the meantime, acquaint yourself with these two buyer's guide (yes, I know it says 944, but the 924S is mechanically the same car, just in the narrow body).
http://www.clarks-garage.com/purchase.htm
http://www.connact.com/~kgross/FAQ/944faq05.html
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

Khal · Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 7:56 am Post subject:

The old adage is, "Buy the best one you can afford."

You spend $500 on one that needs a ground-up overhaul and I guarantee you're gonna be out of pocket way more than the three, maybe four grand it'd cost you to buy a nice one. And even if you just manage to get it running, do you really wanna drive around in a dinged-up, scrappy lookin' beater Porsche until you can save the thousands of dollars it's gonna cost to fix the broken parts and dents, repaint it, re-do the interior, entirely rebuild the suspension, brakes, driveline, etc..?

I'm not saying you can't get a bargain. Several people here have. But watch out, I've seen some real junkers out there. Like you've said yourself, at $500, it's gonna need "a lot" of work.

Also not arguing against a project car. If what you actually want is to rebuild a car then, hey, go for it!

Keep your eye on this thread and on the Cars and Parts Wanted/For Sale forum in general and have patience.
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'80 924 Turbo

buzz88 · Joined: 16 Jan 2010 Posts: 7 Location: PA, USA

Thanks for the input, I have a bad feeling there is alot wrong with it, I need to speak with the seller again and take a closer look for myself, I think he metioned something in my initial inquiry about cylinder compression, he said something about the gas in the valves or the cylinders gets like varnish if it sits too long, I asked if it needed a valve repair job and he said no, probably just cleaned out not rebuilt. Also the seller owns a gas station and repair shop and the car has been sitting there so another bad sign if he gave up on it. THe body and interior are in good shape but At this point I am thinking, if I buy it for a few hundred, if its mechanically a mess at least I have a parts car, but then I guess I am limited in my search to a 87,88 924S, if this parts car is an 87 or would it be good to have for other years also?? THANKS
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No Porsche yet - hoping for one soon!!

Slam · Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2010 3:50 am Post subject:

Welcome!

At that price I'd haul it home as a parts car. Plus, it's an automatic. I'd hold out for a 5-speed driver if I were you. Heed the timing belt warning!
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'88 944 Auto - may or may not resurrect

ic932 · Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 1104 Location: UK

$500 sounds like a good "sold as seen" prospect IF you like what you see. If the body, paint and interior are presentable then you can't go wrong for that kind of money.

If the seller doesn't mind you doing a compression check then cool. I would just accept his story given the low sum of money involved. Fuel delivery issues on these cars can be a lot more complex then just a failed pump. Thats not to say that this complexity is always very costly to put right. So there is every chance that his story is true, a very good chance.

Ignore talk of thousands for this or for that. It just doesn't have to be that way anymore since eBAy ect came along.

Khal · Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 4:32 am Post subject:

Rasta Monsta · Joined: 12 Jul 2006 Posts: 11733 Location: PacNW

I agree with Khal, buy the best one you can afford. If you save up three or four grand, you can get a kick ass 924S, which to me is a phenomenal bargain for a sports car with the capabilities AND practicality of the Toofah.
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Toofah King Bad

WeiBe (1987 924S 2.5t) - 931 S3

ic932 · Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 1104 Location: UK

John_AZ · Posted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 10:44 pm Post subject:

If the car sat for years, the possibility of the automatics clutch rubber flex plate is bad. The part costs about $1200. The rubber flex plate cracks and rots.
Wait for a running 944 or 1988 924S.

Just saw this post:
http://www.924board.org/viewtopic.php?t=30770&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

GL
John_AZ
1988 924S 61K + 1987 924S 114K

ic932 · Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 1104 Location: UK

thedealer8 · Joined: 18 Nov 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Greensboro, NC

I think the main thing you need to decide is if you want own/drive a porsche or learn to work on porsches.

It you want to do the work yourself then this is a cheap car to learn on, but if you are mainly wanting the car to drive, then you are probably better off buying a car that at least already runs. The only way this car will be economically feasible is if you can do all of the work yourself.

I am almost done working on a very similar situation. I bought a 1987 924S for $160 that sat for 9 years behind a mechanics garage. Nine years ago the timing belt broke on the car and it has sat ever since. It has cost me almost $2000 worth of parts and the past 5 Saturdays to get it driveable. I am lucky because my father in law works on 944 and 928 for a living and he was there to help me. The resale value of 924S is too low for me to have been able to hire a professional to do the work. Feel free to email me if you have any questions specific to the 924S
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1987 Porsche 924 S
2003 Toyota 4Runner Sport

Khal · Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 4:21 am Post subject:

buzz88 · Joined: 16 Jan 2010 Posts: 7 Location: PA, USA

Great stuff - this is exactly the type of advice and passionate input I was looking for in joining this board, you all certainly know your stuff and have strong opinions. I feel like I have a devil and angel on either shoulder at this point. I plan to take a closer look next week, hopefully do a compression test and get some more info from the owner. This 924S came from a lexus I was selling and the owner had offered a trade for the 924 after I sold the lexus, so it kingd of feel into my lap. It's one of those maybe I should just go for it for a few hundred bucks and if it needs alot of work then it's a parts car or a part out car and maybe make some $ back. Any work would be done by a friend who used to work for as a porsche mechanic, not for free but at a reasonable rate....BUT the dreamer in me says what if it just needs some tinkering to get a classic 924S back on the road...I realize thats naive and probably unrealistic but I can't help it, I guess i've never gotton over that porsche bug-bite from 25 years ago as a kid!!!! I will keep you all posted when I get a better look next week, and once again the unbiased advice is very much appreciated....
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No Porsche yet - hoping for one soon!!