WTB: porsche 9201 tool

[speedracing944]

I am looking to buy the beloved 9201 tool. If anyone has one and wants to part with it let me know. I checked the dealership and they want $680 for one. So if you know of a cheaper place to buy one new please pass on this info as well. I would greatly appreciate it and my 83 would even more.

vroom, vroom

[Zero10]

I have seen them for $525 or $575... that's still pretty steep though.

[ae1969]

You can find them for 400 .......... now where was that again ??????

[mike944]

Sunset porsche has them cheapest. At least, they used to. when i bought mine, i think i paid $465 + $20 or so for the calibration bar (the're pretty sensitive to adjustment, so you definetly want the cal. bar) The price had just gone up right before i bought mine, i think i bought it about 6-8 months ago.

Good luck trying to buy one used........I can't see ANY reason i would ever sell mine.

They are available ocasionally on ebay, but they sell for almost the same as new.

Mike

[bryanthompson]

On someone's website from this board I found a knockoff tool for like $9. Whoever that was, speak up!

[Trevor]

Thats probably the cricket tool, I've heard you can get reliable readings but it takes a couple of trys. Did overkill ever sell his tools?

[fast924S]

I never used the tool for my T-belt and I havent had any problems and its been 4 years now.

[CJFusco]

i still have Mike944's, so if you want it I'll sell it for cheap
















Just kidding

[pearldrum]

We compaired criket($9) and the 9201 at 944fest last summer and got the exact same readings...

[speedracing944]

I want to thank everyone for thier input. I put a request in with Sunset to see what the price is. I have considered the Kriket and I am still thinking about getting it. But I want to first exhaust every attempt to get the "real deal". I am hoping someone has one in thier dresser drawer that they forgot about after selling thier 944.

[speedracing944]

Originally posted by CJFusco
i still have Mike944's, so if you want it I'll sell it for cheap
















Just kidding

Hey CJFusco the check is in the mail. How much was postage again?

[speedracing944]

Originally posted by mike944
Sunset porsche has them cheapest. At least, they used to. when i bought mine, i think i paid $465 + $20 or so for the calibration bar (the're pretty sensitive to adjustment, so you definetly want the cal. bar) The price had just gone up right before i bought mine, i think i bought it about 6-8 months ago.

Good luck trying to buy one used........I can't see ANY reason i would ever sell mine.

They are available ocasionally on ebay, but they sell for almost the same as new.

Mike

Sunset Porsche got back to me about a price. They said $479 plus 10 dollars shipping. The calibration bar is $19. That is $200 less than the local Porsche dealership. WOW. They also said it would only be a week wait. I am close to laying my money down.
I wonder if they would discount it further if more people put in a order at the same time. Just a thought.

[MrPants]

why is this thing so expensive?
i cant believe that no one could manufacture a duplicate for half price. i mean they just tention timing belts, right? its not rocket surgery
someone with the capability to manufacture stuff should crack one open and just make a 944 specific tool, and sell it for $100. they'd clean up

[Moneyguy1]

Mr:

It is expensive because Porsche understands marketing. There are no inexpensive duplicates because the market is rather small for the tooling involved (with the goal of keeping the price low), and the folks at Zuffenhausen know that. So, having convinced owners that the tool is an absolute necessity (after designing an engine that has little tolerance for broken timing belts), they can clean up on the aftermarket paranoia they have themselves caused. .......Ka ching..... "Ja, Otto.....ring up another five hundred Euros......"

[MrPants]

do you also think thats why porsche parts are so expensive?
when im being bent over a barrell at the parts store id like to think its cause im getting a superior product

[mike944]

I don't think it's expensive just because they believe they have a captive audience, and they're Porsche. It's expensive because the porsche design tool is a complex design, and being a former manufacturing engineer, i believe the price is reasonable given the complexity of the tool, and the low quantity they sell. Most of the complexity is buried inside the case so it can't easily be seen. Does the tool need to be that complex... NO!

I have considered designing / manufacturing and selling an equivalent tool. But the cost would probably not be that much cheaper. The market for these tools can't be more than a few hundred tools, maybe 2000 MAX. At that quantity, you can't take much advantage of inexpensive, high-volume manufacturing techniques.

I agree with others that the krikit DOES give reasonable readings, however...... I think it's very, very hard to use on the 944 due to lack of working space. the krikit tool goes on the back of the belt (right against the timing cover) the Porsche tool hangs off the side of the belt, where there's a little more room. The krikit tool also is too narrow for the belt, and when depressing the tool, the belt twists sideways.

In my opinion, they both work, but the krikit tool is very finicky. The porsche tool also takes some practice to get a consistent reading as well.

Mike