944 purchase question

ryan88944 · 10-23-2007, 09:28 PM

I am new here and I am looking at purchasing a Porsche 944. I was wondering if I could get some opinions of those who know more about the car than I do.

The car I am looking at is a 1987 Porsche 944 S (or so the owner and rear panel of the car claim it's an S). the car has 186k miles but the motor was rebuilt and has approximately 45,000 miles on it. it's got ac, ps, lthr, p/seats, p/windows, tint, am/fm, p/mirrors, sunroof, 16valve,fuel chip, and vforce exhaust.

I haven't seen the car in person but he claims the exterior is in great condtion except for one very small ding. and the interior is good except 2 cracks on the dash and the front seats have seat covers because the leather was worn.

How much would you all pay for a car described like this? I know it's hard not actually seeing the car but maybe a rough estimate of what it is worth.

the guy is asking $7,500 but says the price is negotiable. is this a reasonable price. what would you all pay for a car like this?

ryan88944 · 10-23-2007, 09:30 PM

here is a photo of the car. thanks for any input

Eldorado · 10-23-2007, 10:32 PM

with what you describe, I wouldn't personally pay ove 4500...
some may fork out 5k.. but I'd drop no more than 4500...

find out when the last time the timing belt and water pump were *replaced* (not just retensioned)... if it was 2 years or 25000 miles, add 1grand to whatever you pay up front in repairs.

Dave L · 10-24-2007, 04:55 AM

I think $7500 is high but I am sure he is asking for this price because of the rebuilt engine. I would find out what was rebuilt, top end or the complete engine. In the S you also want to make sure that the cam chain tensioner has been serviced. Given the miles you can expect that most of the rubber in the suspension components are worn out and may need replacing. If the owner forked out for the engine rebuild I would suspect that the car was looked after and isnt a rat. Dont buy the cheapest 944 you can find, try to find the one that has been maintained the best.

Eldorado · 10-24-2007, 09:11 PM

right, it'd be a chain, not a belt.. my bad..

bearone2 · 10-25-2007, 06:29 PM

chain and belts.

legion · 10-25-2007, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bearone2

chain and belts.

Yep. A belt runs from the crankshaft to one camshaft, and a chain runs from that camshaft to the other.

The airbox should say "16 Ventiler" on it if it is an 'S'.

When was the timing belt last done?

speedracing944 · speedracing944's Garage

I remember at 944Fest in Ohio 2 years ago there was an old man and his wife there and they were displaying thier car proudly. The car had 'S' badging and everything but when I looked at the motor it was just a normal 8 valve in there. I told the guy the motor wasn't a 'S' motor at which time he exclaimed that "of course it is! I just bought it 2 months ago and the owner said it was an original 'S' "

I walked away thinking this guy got taken.

The original 'S' motor probably gave up the ghost and was exchanged for a 8 valve motor at 25% of the cost of the 'S' mill.

buyer beware. Make sure you check it out and get a PPI.

Welcome to Pelican

Speedy

Dave L · 10-26-2007, 05:21 AM

LOL, that sucks especially since there really isnt that much of a difference between an 944 and a 944S EXCEPT for the engine.

jackpine savage · 11-12-2007, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedracing944

I remember at 944Fest in Ohio 2 years ago there was an old man and his wife there and they were displaying thier car proudly. The car had 'S' badging and everything but when I looked at the motor it was just a normal 8 valve in there. I told the guy the motor wasn't a 'S' motor at which time he exclaimed that "of course it is! I just bought it 2 months ago and the owner said it was an original 'S' "

I walked away thinking this guy got taken.

The original 'S' motor probably gave up the ghost and was exchanged for a 8 valve motor at 25% of the cost of the 'S' mill.

buyer beware. Make sure you check it out and get a PPI.

Welcome to Pelican

Speedy

What's the PPI?

John_AZ · 11-12-2007, 06:14 AM

In my car world-PPI=Porsche PRE Inspection. Prior to buying. In my day job-PPI=Producer Price Index.

John_AZ

CJFusco · CJFusco's Garage

PPI = Pre-Purchase Inspection.

$7500 is too much for a 944S. Looks like a nice car, but it should probably get somewhere between $4500-5000. As Dave said, the seller is looking to get that much because of the rebuilt engine, but when you're selling a car you learn fast that there's a difference between actual value and perceived value. That being said, a fresh engine IS a good selling point.

If you really like that car, I'd offer a (substantially) lower amount - point out that you can find a decent 944 Turbo for that price. BTW, what separates the 944S from the 944 is that the S is a 16-valve 2.5 motor - you get a bit more HP at high RPM than stock. The 944S2 used the 16 valve motor, but bumped displacement up to 3.0 liters, and the 944 Turbo has a turbocharged and intercooled version of the 8-valve 2.5.