Your opinion on purchase? 88 auto 944

[jkrustchinsky]

Hey guys, met a lady at a stoplight today while driving my 944. after some talk she took me to the south side and showed me her dead sons 88 auto 944. 124,000 miles, all original. Silver in color with burgundy interior. body has a lot of small dents but no collision damage ever. Interior is nice except for dash splits and front seats are worn.

Original owner, which inst saying much since he died 10 years ago. The lady said he used to really bang the gear shifter around like a race car. her appearance has really been neglected, and nicely decorated with a lot of auto zone stick on accessories.

i took it for a test drive, car runs great, lacks a little power but so do all n/a's, tranny shifts through all 3 speeds nicely but takes a second for it to catch after putting it in drive. Car has milkshake in the coolant but not in the oil. its leaking the milkshake from somewhere but I cant tell where. definitely needs tires. She has a folder with about $5,000 dollars worth of receipts from the last 3 years of repairs from what she says weren't good mechanics and gave her a lot of trouble.

She told me over and over again how she wanted me to have the car. I told he we have to start somewhere, " I'll give you 800 bucks." she responds with " can you give me 5,000 or more for it". We haggle and i got her to 1600 bucks.

so, im not sure if i should get her. I need a second car as backup for my 944. And an auto would be nice for all the damn traffic i deal with everyday. What could make the trannsmission hesitate like it does. Thanks, Josh

[drift a 944]

I'm not very familiar with automatic transmissions, but I would start out by checking the fluid level. Apparently too low or too high can really cause some strange issues with automatics.

1600 doesnt sound too bad though. See if you can maybe knock it down just a tad bit more, maybe 1500 at the very least. I don't think the automatic 944's hold nearly the same value as a manual. See if you can find receipts for the timing belts being changed.

Best of luck!

[Griffinroydonal]

Hi, Anything under $2,500 is a good deal. Buy it and enjoy playing with it as I would ,you could even "Drive it like you stole it" Because you did!

[robert944]

Was the 5k in receipts from the recent year or was this 10 years ago. It probably needs timing belts, water-pump, front end reseal, oil cooler seals and coolant flush, tires and other little broken parts. If you do your own work and enjoy doing so, get it! but if you have to pay someone you would be better off buying a well sorted car. Last year I bought a near mint 87 auto for my fiance with only 35k miles. After doing everything I thought I should do to make it a very reliable car I spent 2k just in parts.

[halik]

No way I'd pay over a thousand for any autotragic, especially with milkshake in the cooler. I see deals for clean N/As with that sort of milage for around 2K... cars taht haven't been sitting for a decade.

[914efi]

Is the engine power spec the same with the auto trans?

[John_AZ]

Tidybouy has a 1988 auto and could give you the information.
Anti-lock brakes

I would be uncomfortable with the expense of the auto "flex plate" that costs $1200 and labor with a car at 127K.

John_AZ

[Sterling Doc]

Having bought lots of cheap 944's to turn into 944 Spec racers, you can do much better in terms of condition for that $$. An abused & neglected auto 944 is a huge money pit. We routinely buy running cars, usually with either a bad interior or bad clutch (something we'll replace anyway) for $500 to $1500. If you were to part it, though 88 motor is worth something, but that doesn't sound like what you want it for, and I still wouldn't pay that much. Most I've paid for a parts car was $900 for a hail damaged car with bent valves, but a mint OEM full leather (even the dash) interior, and many good mechanicals.

[alantica]

I would put $1000.00 cash in her hand then walk away with a "this is the best I can do" attitude. It's worth that for parts just to use in case you need a part and not have to go looking everywhere or to rebuild and put on your 944. Would also be great for troubleshooting in case something on yours starts to whack out. Another running car to swap out parts is well worth it you have to throw in a mechanic's bill.

Sounds like the fluid level is low. My parts car had the same problem when I was looking at it with the previous owner. It had not been driven for 3 years. Both of mine are auto's and each leaks. Not enough to cause any problems, but something I would say is common for the age.