New here.

[lona]

Hello all, I'm new here and hope to be part of this Porsche 944 group. I sold my 1972 MGB Roadster in September and wish I hadn't. I bought it in Sept. 2009 and re-did the interior and detailed the rest. I was offered good money and sold it because I just wasn't driving it much. Soon after selling I realized how important just having the car around meant and that I made a mistake.
So now I'm looking for a new model to start the same journey on. I've always liked the Porsche 944's and I'm going this week to look at a few. I'm hoping the forum will offer some tips of what to look for and what to avoid.

Thanks in advance,

Lona

[mytrplseven]

The 944 is a terrific car. However, there are many issues that come with it that can be maddening, especially if you either aren't doing your own "wrenching" or buy one that has no real maintenance history. My suggestion is find a knowledgeable 944 owner in your area to help you do your homework before you start the buying process. A pretty car is only 1/3 the justification to buying one. I'm not trying to scare you away, as I've had 3 and love them but they can be fraught with maintenance issues that could easily cost you as much as the original purchase price. There's a lot of good posts on this and the "other" website to explore "new buyer" discussions and are well worth researching. Good luck in your hunt and welcome to a new adventure.

[pfarah]

Or, in my case quadruple the original price and still going...

[argiopeweb]

Welcome to the forum, Lona!

Most of the advice that could be offered is going to hinge on what you're looking for. Do you want a project, out-of-the-box daily driver, or show car? Do you have a strong preference for manual steering? Is horsepower a driving concern? Turbo or NA? What's your preferred initial investment? Would you do your own interior/drivetrain/suspension maintenance? Do you have a favorite interior style (early 944, late 944, 968)?

Unless time and money are of no concern (in which case I envy you), I strongly suggest nailing down exactly what you want, then waiting for a good example of "your" car to come on the market. I expect you'd be much happier in the short term and much richer in the long run than those of us who bought a car with ill-defined desires and ended up changing the car to fit our eventual needs.

[ddbach]

I agree with the recommendations given to help reduce risk of finding problems.

Here is a good list for basic knowledge 5.0 First-Time Buyer Questions

I didn't get records with mine but engine and passenger compartment were in very good shape. I did get the seller to put it up on a lift so I could inspect the underside. After I got it we redid the suspension as the rubber bits needed replacing and we also redid the fuel and break lines.

If you can, find someone who is familiar with the cars near you and ask them to go with you when you check on a nearby vehicle.

[kcoyle]

+1 to all the advice above, buy the best one you can afford.

Also keep in mind you you are kinda going from apples to oranges technology wise which will cost you more dough and time in the maintenance dept (search the forums for FOES, clutch job, wiring gremlins, AC, etc). I still get sticker shock when I order parts.

Another buyers guide right here if you haven't already seen it.
Pelican Technical Article: 944 Buyers Guide...

And as they say, there is no such thing as a cheap Porsche.

[Bradical]

HAHA to the above post. I had to purchase these myself when I rebuild my calipers.

I bought my 944 with the expectation that I would spend well over its value in parts to get it to where I wanted it. Every weekend that I have spent under it has made me question why someone with no mechanical ability of their own would want to own one of these cars. Either you are spending little money up front and good money and lots of time making it right or BIG money up front and BIG money having someone keep it running for you. They are not Toyotas, they were designed with precision and marketed to people with the capital to have Porsche techs keep them that way. I guess my point is, if you don't have any intention on learning to do all of your own wrenching it's not a budget driver. Just my .02$

[lona]

Originally Posted by Bradical

HAHA to the above post. I had to purchase these myself when I rebuild my calipers.

I bought my 944 with the expectation that I would spend well over its value in parts to get it to where I wanted it. Every weekend that I have spent under it has made me question why someone with no mechanical ability of their own would want to own one of these cars. Either you are spending little money up front and good money and lots of time making it right or BIG money up front and BIG money having someone keep it running for you. They are not Toyotas, they were designed with precision and marketed to people with the capital to have Porsche techs keep them that way. I guess my point is, if you don't have any intention on learning to do all of your own wrenching it's not a budget driver. Just my .02$

Thanks to all for your comments and directing me to great information. I'm not a mechanic or even close. When I bought the MGB I spent over a year and a half looking for one with little mechanical/structural issues and really just wanted cosmetics issues to deal with. I did a pretty good job finding the right car, but still got stuck with issues I needed help with. The MGB engines are pretty simple, but Lucas wiring is a nightmare.
I'm going out to look at these few cars this week, just to see what I could be getting into. I'll let my gut tell me what to do, I think I'm pretty sensible and know what my budget allows.
Thanks again,

[ckelly78z]

Look for a car that has been lovingly garaged all it's life, and the owner has a file of maintencae records to go through. Craigslist can be a source for cars, but generally it is used because the service is free, and people just want to rid themselves of thier car. The classified area on this website and maybe Rennlist, cars can be found that have been taken care of and loved generally more than Craigslist cars.

I did find my current, white (burgundy interior) 85.5 944, on craigslist, but I talked to the owner on the phone several times, and it was obvious that the car had been in the family since new, and been taken care of, and already had the belts, pulleys done, injectors cleaned, clutch done and much more. I wasn't afrfaid to drive the 6 hours to N.Y. to buy it, even after taking several day trips to see other cars that didn't measure up.

[curtisr]

Hi Lona,

I was just on Kijiji and there appears to be no shortage of 944s (and, to a lesser extent, 928s) in your part of the world. Well, if you can consider TO a part of Southern Ontario that is. While I didn't see any 924s's this might be worth considering. Available for the '87 & '88 model year, this is what I would consider to be a slimmer version of the 944 with similar performance results and generally a cheaper price.

[kcoyle]

Originally Posted by lona

I'm not a mechanic or even close.

IMHO this fact can be a financial nightmare with a 944 if you are of average means.
If you can find a shop to fix these cars, the shop labor will be brutal.

However, I'm no mechanic either (play one on weekends) but with the help of the the internet and the forums immense knowledge I have learned to fix everything to date myself.

[fiily]

Originally Posted by kcoyle

IMHO this fact can be a financial nightmare with a 944 if you are of average means.
If you can find a shop to fix these cars, the shop labor will be brutal.

However, I'm no mechanic either (play one on weekends) but with the help of the the internet and the forums immense knowledge I have learned to fix everything to date myself.

I agree with all of the above posts. When I first bought my 944T and brought it to a local porsche indy shop, just to do the belts, rollers, water pump, and 4 rad hoses was $2600.

Needless to say, I did all the work myself and did a lot more than just the basics. If you have the space and can afford the tools, you can do it, or ask in the forums for help.

When driving your car, there is great satisfaction in knowing you did the work and you know your car a lot better now after the ordeal.

[ckelly78z]

Wow, I didn't see your location till just now. I actually drove from NW Ohio up to about 20 miles from Niagra N.Y. Of couse while were there, we checked out the American side of the Niagra Falls while dragging the newly bought Porsche around on a car dolly behind my pickup truck.

Welcome to the site, and don't be afraid to posts response or questions.

[JonA]

If you don't know how to swing a wrench or don't want to learn these are very expensive cars to maintain. Look for a Miata!!!

Jon