Someone ease my pain....please. Missed a 944 deal.

[vintage_mpg]

So I've been on the hunt for my first P-car for so long. Forever. Feels like a lifetime already.

A super clean one-owner 944 came up for sale about 7 hours from me. I inquired, and was foaming at the mouth. I want one so badly.....

A phone left me on the fence. Inside and out looked totally acceptable. Very nice, in fact. However - the car hasn't been stored for over 2 decades. Original purchaser had passed away and the family was just hanging onto the car, letting it live rent-free in the car port.

Fast forward to today, and the family is leaving. Car has to go - so it's listed.

The details: mileage shows as low miles, but nobody remembers why it got parked. Something happened, but nobody can recall any details - maybe it was major, maybe it was minor. Mileage listed as exempt on the title, so mileage cannot be verified. No paperwork, no maintenance history. Seller wasn't wiling to install a battery to even turn it over. Said basically take your chances and see what happens. Price was in the $5000 range, which is stupid cheap in the Porsche world, I realize.

Car looked straight and clean. No visible damage, inside or out. On the surface it appeared to be a solid car. At least in the photos.

I waffled about it, couldn't get from here to there in time, and knew my best option to own this car would have to be a sight-unseen purchase. I called a shop near the car to arrange a quick PPI - and in that time the car sold.

I just need someone to console me. Put these flames out! Tell me I did right by not just jumping right into a hot mess!

Tell me the timing belt was likely broken and that's why it was parked. Talk to me about the dry seals and how the rear main would have poured out like grandma's syrup and the terrors of having to replace an oil pan gasket. Tell me the transaxle unit was likely smoked, and I just saved myself LOADS of headaches.

Please...just someone show me some mercy!

ARGH! Another one, missed! DAGGER!

[mepstein]

When a seller prices a car "stupid cheap", they aren't looking for a buyer who makes it contingent on a ppi. I'm not saying you shouldn't get a ppi on your eventual purchase, just that it may not align with the seller who wants quick and easy.

[vintage_mpg]

Originally Posted by mepstein

When a seller prices a car "stupid cheap", they aren't looking for a buyer who makes it contingent on a ppi. I'm not saying you shouldn't get a ppi on your eventual purchase, just that it may not align with the seller who wants quick and easy.

Agreed. The seller was frank about that. They wanted the car GONE.

Lesson learned. I should have jumped. At that price I could have rebuilt the engine and trans and still have been ahead.

[BobCT]

Yeah, cheap opening price but the car was going to need EVERYTHING. I’m going through that with mine now and it’s running/driving. You would have spent another $10k easily and have a year long project on your hands.

[Chupula]

As the saying goes, "the most expensive Porsche is a cheap Porsche". If you are handy and have the time and motivation to wrench on your own, you probably missed a great deal. Otherwise, spend more and buy a well sorted, well documented car.

I purchased mine a little over 5 years ago now, and it had been well cared for, stored inside, came with a box of records, but had some deferred maintenance and repairs. It was described as a project car that could be driven and enjoyed. As of today, I am still addressing things that need addressing, like the wiper motor that was dead when I bought it, or the mysterious missing brake fluid (which I recently found to be collecting in the brake booster).