Paint or no?

I have a 1989 944S2 that I have owned for almost 3 years and use as a daily driver. I love the car. It has 137K miles on it, but it works just fine. Burns little oil, A/C works, and I just changed the timing belts this week. Car is glacier blue with a linen interior--an unusual and, IMHO, attractive combo.

The paint is tired, though. The car has spent the last six moths outside while my busted racecar has been in the garage, and I've been startled how fast the paint has dulled and deteriorated. The car now looks kind of sad.

I know painting the car would make no sense from a financial standpoint. But I'm considering doing it anyway. I get to drive new cars quite often, and there are few, if any, that I like better than the old S2. I'd like to keep it for awhile.

Anybody here been through the same sort of decision with your old 944?

[James Chimney]

I have an 85.5 na 944, in Guard Red, the paint has a ton of chips, dents (most the size of a eraser) and the PO tried to "touch up paint" them so my car looks like it has the "pocks" I talked ot my regular body shop (they do new Porsche's) and was quoted $10,000 min, but if you look around for other body shops you can find one that will either do from this 10,00+ perfect job to a $250 re spray and every thing in between, so it depends on what you are willing to do and spend, I have found a guy that will do mine as a favor (not a full restore painting but it should look 100% better with new paint and repair of the dents.)

[mattdavis11]

After washing the car I use clay magic, then 3M "Perfect it" foam pad polishing glaze (dark) and finish it off with Meguire's step 3 carnauba wax. I don't use my high speed buffer much anymore, it slings the polish everywhere making clean up a pain.

I'd try that before painting.

[KevsPorsche944]

I would take it to a paint detail and see if they can save it. I like Klasse paint sealant. After cleaning and clay bar. use the sealant. It gives it that new car shine. for 6 months to a year.

[djnolan]

You could go so far as wet sanding with 2500 grit and then using a couple of coats of polish to rejuvinate the paint and then finishing off with a paint sealant such as polyseal. If it is the original paint I wouldn't give up until you hit primer. Paint seal is important becuase it extends the time between abrasive treatment such as wet sanding or rubbing compound. This is what wears out the paint. but paint seal will resotore the original gloss. If you repaint you will have to deal with overspray on the trim, etc. A lot can be done to restore the original paint.