What to do with my 944

[scottmandue]

I know some of you hate the 944 but I love mine... ever since they were in the car magazines I dreamed of owning one.

However I find with my budget it is hard to keep up on the maintenance... and for a guy who has worked on old American iron comparatively they are not DIY friendly (mine has a leaky water pump that has kept it down since 2007, look up 944 water pump replacement and you will get a 45 page document )

My wife (God bless her) evidently can see how much I love the car and has agreed to "get it running" so it will be my DD and she will take over my Hyundai (not sure she knows "get it running" will run +$2000).

Practical thing would be to sell it as is... maybe get $1000 (could be parted out but I don't have the time or patience to do that. Plus it would break my heart to see the car torn apart).

Plan B would be to spend the money to get it running and just drive it on the weekend (pretty much what I was using it for).

Plan C would be to get it running sell it and get another fun weekender car that is easier to work on and/or less expensive to maintain, but what would that be in the $2000-$4000 range? (what a running 1984 944 goes for).

So what do ye think of those options?

putting on my flame suit... waiting for the 944 haters to post

[mossguy]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

........putting on my flame suit... waiting for the 944 haters to post .......

What's to hate? Really!

[RedBaron]

A water pump change on a 2.5 8V is not that bad. I would go with Option B. However, if you are on a tight budget, I would probably go Option C and buy an E30/E36 as parts are a lot cheaper and the cars are DIY friendly. If you did keep it, just judging by the year, I would do all cooling/fuel/brake hoses which would equate to $600-$700. Also if you do the waterpump, you should probably change the timing/balance shaft belt and check the status of the rollers. Post this in the 944 forum and there might be a few local people who could assist you in working on the car if you do not feel comfortable.

[Joe Bob]

Get it well set up and challenge pony cars....

[Mark Henry]

I vote for the 4th option.

[Dantilla]

I bought a 944S a few years ago just to turn it into a race car.

Instead, it has become my daily driver. Paint isn't perfect and the A/C is inop (who cares- A/C gets tossed in the dumpster for race cars).

If I had any idea how much I would enjoy the car (after getting rid of the ugly Phone Dial wheels and replacing them with a set of Fikses) I would have spent a bit more for a pristine example.

Instead, I'm going to give it a paint job and repair the A/C and drive it until the wheels fall off.
At that point, the Fikses will be worth far more than the rest of the car!

The car continues to run flawlessly. No PPI, no close inspection, just found a good deal for a race car project.

If you can swing it, get your car running properly and use it as the daily driver. I doubt you would regret keeping it.

[UconnTim97]

It sounds like we are in a similar situation. I have gotten to the point that it is getting tiresome and expensive for me to keep up with the repairs on my 944 lately. It's at the point that I hardly drive it as it is no longer my DD and the cost per mile no longer makes sense to me to keep it. It ran near flawlessly for years when it was actively driven on a daily basis.
I am seriously considering selling it and saving for a newer fun car (911?) down the road.

Saying that, I am heading down to option C.

[Dantilla]

Originally Posted by Mark Henry

I vote for the 4th option.

Okay, that would be a seriously cool car! C6 power in a car several hundred pounds lighter. Winner!

[Brando]

Originally Posted by Mark Henry

I vote for the 4th option.

I voted to get it running & drive it, but I would have to say this is the best path to that.

Passing CA smog would be another story...

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by Mark Henry

I vote for the 4th option.

I though of that... but after researching it... it is far less expensive to buy a 944 that has already had it done than try to do it yourself.

[McLovin]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

(mine has a leaky water pump that has kept it down since 2007,

It hasn't been on the road since 2007?

I'd sell it as it is. If you pay someone to work on it, you'll be throwing good money after bad. Not only will you need a new water pump, but if it's been sitting for 5 years, it is likely going to need a bunch of other things now, too.

If you have the desire/ability to fix it yourself, and enjoy it as a hobby, I'd say buy the parts and fix it yourself. But, given that it's been 5 years and you haven't done that, I'd have to guess you are not thrilled with that "opportunity."

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by McLovin

It hasn't been on the road since 2007?

I'd sell it as it is. If you pay someone to work on it, you'll be throwing good money after bad. Not only will you need a new water pump, but if it's been sitting for 5 years, it is likely going to need a bunch of other things now, too.

If you have the desire/ability to fix it yourself, and enjoy it as a hobby, I'd say buy the parts and fix it yourself. But, given that it's been 5 years and you haven't done that, I'd have to guess you are not thrilled with that "opportunity."

Just a very busy guy... and if you have never worked on a 944 they can be quite the clusterfuch to work on. I can change out a water pump on a Cheby in half a day, water pump on 944... weekend project.

And yes sitting for five years the bill will probably be closer to $3K

That would bring us to option "D" buy a low miles 2.5 and drop it in there.

[legion]

Well, back in 2008 I ended up doing option C with my 951. I don't think there was a single non-storage month that I owned it that I didn't do some repair on it to keep it running. Towards the end I started dreading every sound the car made.

This is part of the reason why I want something newer/naturally aspirated/easier to work on for my next sports car.

[legion]

Oh, and if you were to total the car is such a way as to render a race car rebuild impossible, I vote for tannerite, gasoline, and incendiary rounds.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by RedBaron

However, if you are on a tight budget, I would probably go Option C and buy an E30/E36 as parts are a lot cheaper and the cars are DIY friendly.

This is the direction I am leaning (I am on a very tight budget) and like the look of the E30/E36... however as McLoving said probably throwing money away to fix it, better to sell it to a wrench head who wants a "fun" project and move on.

[dtw]

The 80s water cooled cars seem to be pretty special - Porsche took all the lessons they learned about 'quirks' in the 356s and 911s, and ironed them all out. I picked up a 32V 928 last year, and still can't get enough of the car. Even though it is a driver, with a to-do list of about a dozen items, it keeps a smile on my face. Amazing amount of car for the money, and way ahead of its time.

All that said, the deal I made with myself when I bought it is that I have to do all the work on it. Everything but a/c work, alignment, etc. - the stuff I can't do. It isn't difficult to work on at all, but it is very time consuming. To do the water pump and timing belt job required a lot of disassembly. If I had to pay someone do all the labor I have in the car over the last 9 months, it'd be over $10K. Scary.

I vote getting a group together with a few cases of beer and tearing into it. You'll be glad you did.

[Robert Adams]

Problem is with these cars is the labor involved in fixing things is usually a two day job if not more. As a daily driver that is just unacceptable, but I tried for 7 years. Don't know about you guys but I work hard all week and to have the additional pressure of getting my project done by Sunday evening is just more than I need. If it isn't one thing it's another always needing attention. These cars were designed and built in a time past where labor wasn't as expensive. So, I spend the money to have someone else fix it while I go out and earn a living to pay for it; just the way it works. However, after 7 years of driving my S2 I finally just couldn't handle the expenses anymore, sure wish I had purchased one new though. It was by far the most enjoyable car I have ever owned, just requires to much labor to keep it running. Guess that's why we don't see to many on the road anymore. think maybe its time to move on to something else.

[mnewport]

Originally Posted by scottmandue

I though of that... but after researching it... it is far less expensive to buy a 944 that has already had it done than try to do it yourself.

That's always the case with any project car...let someone else spend the money and time on the work, then scoop it up for a fraction of what they spent.

How much is an LS transplant, anyway?

[MT930]

Get it running, flog it with out guilt.

Nothing wrong with a 944, especially if it's well set up.

[FLYGEEZER]

Make it run. Then decide. My mechanic gets 85.00/Hr. He does "lotsa" watterpumpers here in the Louisville area. He charges 4 hours to change pump/ belts check rollers & seals. Now...if it's leakin' oil & gotta replace Garlock seals on the balance shafts..more labor cost.
Good luck with any decision you make.