quick 924 question.

[rLeMdL]

Ok, here it is.

I found this Porsche that this guy was trying to sell, I havent got into too much details of it but I know the asking price. He saying it's a 924, but I think it's either a 924-S or a 944. He's asking $500 for it, it runs pretty good and there is no visible rust that I can think of. Is it a good deal at $500? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

oh yeah I would be using it as my car for college this year.

and the year of the car is 1982 with about I think 100k mileage more or less.

[Verruckt]

If the car is a year model 1982, then it is a 924. It came with the Audi/VW 2.0L motor. The 944 came out in model year 1983, and the 924S was produced 86-88. If you are not to familiar with these cars, go to the link below. The 924 is a good car if it has been maintained, but if has been abused, it can cost many thousands to convert it into a dependable car. Good luck and welcome.

www.924board.org

[ronin]

Originally posted by rLeMdL
He saying it's a 924, but I think it's either a 924-S or a 944.

Ha! had it been an '81, it would have been easy as the 944 wasn't in production yet.

here's how you can tell if it's a 924 or 944 visually. if the sides of the car are straight (i.e. fenders and quarter panels are even down the sides) it's a 924. if the sides of the car have a more muscular appearance (i.e. fenders and quarter panels bulge outward to accommodate wider tires) then it's a 944

you can also check the serial number. a 924 serial number will start with WPOAAx92xxxx4 and the 944 number will start with WPOAA294xxxx4 (the red color is a little hint)

it's not a 924S though, as the S wasn't put into production until 1987 in the US. (if memory serves me right)

in any event, just have him show you the registration, that way you can verify the model and year if there is still any doubt.

hope your shopping goes well and good luck!

[ronin]

Originally posted by Verruckt
If the car is a year model 1982, then it is a 924. It came with the Audi/VW 2.0L motor. The 944 came out in model year 1983,

hmm, did I goof? I thought the '44 actually entered production in '82.

[rLeMdL]

Thanks,

There maybe a chance it's a 944 then, cuz i think the guy is sketchy with the year of the car.

[ronin]

also, do a web search for Porsche 924 and Porsche 944 to get an idea of the visual differences

[rLeMdL]

would it be worth it though? $500

[ronin]

if it runs without needing major work, then definitely yes. but if it needs major repairs, then you might be better off buying a more well-maintained car. it all depends on what you want to do with it. if you plan on driving it regularly and don't have much money for repairs, then it would be better to look for something more reliable. if you are simply looking for a fun second car, or a way to get into the Porsche marque, then I'd definitely say yes.

many Porschephiles will buy cars such as his for the sake of either repairing it, making it a cheap daily driver, or for simply using it as a parts car. it just depends on what you want to do.

[ronin]

going back over the posts, I noticed that Verruckt said...

Originally posted by Verruckt
The 924 is a good car if it has been maintained, but if has been abused, it can cost many thousands to convert it into a dependable car. Good luck and welcome.

and he is right. it can be very expensive to bring one of these cars back to a decent example.

one thing I forgot to mention though, the fact that it is an '82 (if that's what it turns out to be) is in your favor as the earlier models ('76 on) were prone to develop major electrical problems. but the overall value of the car still depends on the shape it's in.

[rLeMdL]

If I choose to get it and not like it, It would probably go for more than $500 on ebay right?

[ronin]

that is possible, but once again, that all depends on the shape it's in and whether or not there's someone out there that wants it. personally, if I had the room for another car and a spare 500 bucks in my pocket, I'd probably buy the car just to have fun with. if time is on your side then you shouldn't have too much trouble finding someone that might want it.

here's an even better suggestion. now that you have a bit of info on what you're getting into, go ahead and give the car another close look so you can see exactly what kind of shape it's in. then, depending on what you find out, post it on the board and the people here can give you a better assessment of what it actually might be worth.

[MrPants]

how much money do you have for a car? if you are in the $3k range and you found this by chance then go for it. maintanence WILL need to be done on a $500 car at some point. belts alone can run $1000, and thats mandatory, plus all the small things that may go wrong till you work out the kinks
but if you are willing to keep up maintenence expenses that are higher than a cavalier you wont ever have to worry about selling it for less than $500 ($500 isnt a bad price for a parts car, let alone one thats running. which makes me wonder if its just a parts car in disguise) and there will always be at least some customer base willing to buy it. so if you plan on owning it for a few years to make the maintenance costs worth while it sounds like a good deal. just be very wary.

oh yea these odometers only have five digits (and they break on occassion) so if it says 89,000 that could really mean 189,000

[SoCal Driver]

My suggestion after the derth of a 1,000 questions is to find a nice toyota or honda as this early 924 is not for you.

Why?

Your insurance is going to cost at least triple because of the name of the car. You will be at the mercy of a limited number of mechanics if you can't work on the car. And last but not least; eBay or not it's still worth $500.

[drew1]

A belt job on the Audi motor 924 is cheap and easy compared to 944 & late 924S. One of the bad points may be the old inj parts, warm up regulator, fuel distributor. The injectors themselves are cheaper than 944 injectors.

drew1

[TCMdocs944]

Baaadd College car. Goood parts car or serious rehab project.

Doing the work YOURSELF, you WILL spend an initial $1000+ just to get it close to running right and safe.

If you have no mechanical ability you better have DEEP pockets.

If you have mechanical ability and the time/inclination to have a deeply rewarding and satisfying project....Welcome to the Board!


Ps.. Quick example of what we're talking about
Distributor cap - $60
Rotor - $30
New tire - $150 + mounting
Fuel injector - $90
Tools for belt job -$60-600 (you MUST have these if you are on a budget)
Gettin the idea. Not tryin to scare ya, just inform ya.

Theres no such thing as a cheap Porsche.

[rLeMdL]

well as for the mechanical ability, I do know a mechanic that'll do the labor part for free, I would just need to buy the parts for him.

[CJFusco]

the 944 began production in May 82 as a 83 model.

did you figure out what model it is yet?

a good 944NA can fetch over $5000 easily, whereas a crappy-shape 924 would be lucky to get $500 even if it ran. How many miles are on the clock? What condition is the interior? Exterior? Does it need a clutch? When were the belts done? Too many variables to tell you if it's worth $500...

... I'll tell you what, if you have garage space, you can definitely buy it for $500 and then part it out. I guarantee you will see a profit.

Anyhow... this is what a 944 looks like:



And this is a 924 (taken from Dan Flanaghan's user profile... i just used it because it's white and easy to compare/contrast it to the white 944):



That should help you know what model it is.

[rLeMdL]

wow, thanks to those pictures, I would assume then it is a 944. I'll try to confirm what model it is during the end of this week. thanks