First Car 944

[luigi911]

Hello, I'm Luis Alberto and I'm from Mexico. I work as a Porsche Technician here and I'm 21 years old. And i have a question about a 944 hopefully you can answer me some questions.

The thing is that i always dream to have a Porsche car, and I like a 944, so i went searching on classifieds and i found this 1984 944 and after talking he went down to sell the car for 1.944,27 USD (i made the conversion).

When i checked the car i asked the seller tu run the car and the car first start without problems, a little bit rough for me but without smoke.

Next I look to the bodywork, it has a straight bodywork, one small ding but the car is straight, but the car is painted in horrible black.

Also when i checked the interior (i think is the worst) because the seats are all ripped, and it has no carpets and the dash is cracked. But all the electrics work.

When I test the car, i see that the engine has power, it vibrates a lot so i think engine mounts are shot, and the clutch is on its way to die. And the shocks are dead too.

So the thing that worries me most is that the tI'ming belt was replaced with another of some other car (the owner count the teeth and check another with the same number and the head gasket was blown so he go to a workshop and they build one) so i know this is a big problem and I will get the car all original.

This is not my daily driver (i have a seat leon) it might be my project car.


So the big question is, in America, a car in this conditions how much is worth? Is it worth or i wait to another car? Or it will become my worst nightmare? The problem is that the 944 never came to Mexico so all the parts have to be I'mported. So it will worth it?

For some reasons i see that is gonna be easy because here i have the repair information and the special tools, but in the other side the parts cost.... hmm

Thank you for opinions (and sorry for my English)
Luis



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[luigi911]

Bump

[ruvysoho]

Luis I would pass on that car and keep looking for a better one. You may even want to make a trip to the us and get one here. These cars when not maintained are nightmares. I have a very clean and maintained 944s2 and it is a night mare. It keeps breaking down and parts are super expensive. The timing belt is the biggest issue with that car when it breaks there goes your motor. If you really want that car your best bet is to go through the motor and transmission, gut the interior and make a race car out of it.

[mytrplseven]

Welcome to the forum, Luis. I agree that you should pass on this car. It's overall condition show's that it was not taken care of. You can find many cars in the USA for 3 to 4 thousand dollars in much better condition. If you buy the car in the pictures, you'll spend that much easily on repairs and you'll still have an old car is poor condition. You're welcome to seek help from the members of this forum for assistance in your search.

[tamathumper]

To answer your question very directly, that car in the U.S. would be worth nothing. To echo the sentiment already offered, you would be better served to pass on that car and find one in better condition.

[Gawernator]

Pass, pass, pass. You can get a fine running 944 that was taken care of for 3,000-4,000 USD pretty easily.

[Ky914Newbie]

Value of the car is as a parts car only. Someone may pay $500-$1000, but it would take awhile for it to sell. Cookie cutter wheels are not desirable. Doubt it has LSD and the interior is trashed.... It would take a lot of work just to find something worth selling.

[Tony-K]

What all of them said. The only value in the price of the car is that it is already in Mexico. What would it cost for you to import one from the U.S.? How far from California are you?

[ChrisRL]

And one more for the pass.
However.
If it's terribly hard to get one in Mexico, and the cost to get a decent one is out of your reach, and you really want to get hands-on experience getting a 944 up to good working standards...
Then...
How much would one of those cost, in Mexico, in good running condition?

1) Find out a decent / okay selling price
2) Subtract the equivalent of US$1944.27
3) Can you fix this car, with parts and labor, for what is left?
4) Is that worth it to you?

Mostly, in 944 land, I'd say expect to have a fully sorted, running California 944/1 (usually with paperwork (service records) and spares) valued at around $4-5,000.

However, some on this list, if they're honest, will admit to paying in excess of $8,000 to get their cars up to how they love it.

I know I spent around $2,000 on my '84 944 and already have over $8,000 into it above the cost of the car, so around $10,000 in the car total, and I'm sure there will be more along the way.

I think this is why the cars seem so cheap - the upkeep on them requires one to be at least a bit of a tinkerer, since hiring pro mechanics to do the job results in an upkeep cost that is very high for the overall value of the sorted car.

So when one has spent many thousands on a car worth a few thousands, one really has to love that car.

So when a 944 owner has finally had enough, s/he either just junks the car (hence the high number of parts cars available) or finds a buyer who will take proper care of the car, and then sells the car on at a lower price, knowing in advance how much their buyer will have to commit to after having bought the car.

HTH!
YMMV of course.

Chris

[Slam]

I agree with all of the above. However, if you really like fixing these cars and you can work slowly and patiently then you can turn the rat in your post into exactly the car you want. Give yourself a one- or two-year time budget and chip away at it. For many, the hobby of fixing is right up there with the hobby of driving.

That said, the car you showed us was indeed a parts car, to me anyway. You can/will find a better starting point.

As an e ample, I bought my wife an 87 auto with a great interior, resealed tranny and very good body for $1000CDN and so far I've spent another $2K or so just on parts and the engine still isn't back in the car. Been working on it off and on for about a year. It'll be a good driver when I'm done, and I have the luxury of time. The trick is to find the right car to start with.

[gacook]

Yeah, not a great example of a car...but seeing another 944 in Mexico might be multiple years off.

Luis, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Mexico looks at the 944 as a sports car and there's some RIDICULOUS import taxes that would have to be paid on bringing one over from the U.S. (that's actually the long way around of how I got mine...A guy in Mexico bought it, found out how stupid the taxes would be to bring it to Mexico, so sold it to a friend, and that friend eventually sold it to me).

However, what part of Mexico are you in? If you're near the border, and have some friends in the U.S., buying the parts in the U.S. to fix that one up might be a bit cheaper.

[mattdavis11]

Rough crowd. It looks a lot like mine, which has been the most reliable vehicle I've owned. I know I wouldn't take $2K for it, but it's not for sale nor on sale.

I'd buy it. Early cars rock.

[Gawernator]

I'm over 10 grand into a 3,300 944... lol and there are worse stories, so be prepared

[POPS 83 944]

Originally Posted by Tony-K

What all of them said. The only value in the price of the car is that it is already in Mexico. What would it cost for you to import one from the U.S.? How far from California are you?

But it looks like the car is still licensed in Cali. Look at the license plate

[pfarah]

Gacook has the right idea. If you are mechanically inclined and have access to parts, go for it!

[Gawernator]

Originally Posted by POPS 83 944

But it looks like the car is still licensed in Cali. Look at the license plate

I saw that too, with the cool retro plate

[POPS 83 944]

Originally Posted by Gawernator

I saw that too, with the cool retro plate

You know DMV is doing a limited amount of the blue, black and I believe yellow plate again in California!! Seen it on their web site.

[Gawernator]

Originally Posted by POPS 83 944

You know DMV is doing a limited amount of the blue, black and I believe yellow plate again in California!! Seen it on their web site.

Link me? I don't believe you bwahahaha that would be awesome!

[POPS 83 944]

Originally Posted by Gawernator

Link me? I don't believe you bwahahaha that would be awesome!

CA Legacy Plates. you shouldn't question me young jedi!!!!!

[luigi911]

Well im very impressed with the response of this thread thanks everybody for your various opinions.

The thing is that here in Mexico the situation of owning a Porsche car is a little bit expensive because here in 1998 VW started to sell Porsches, and only a veeeery few cars, so the problem is that here Porsche cars are very expensive.

To give you and example, a 996 Carrera (Non S, 2001) here it cost $33,810.44 USD or a 986 2002 is about 19,210.43 USD. And that's the newest ones, because here is a law you can import cars only with the VIN that starts with number (so we are only limited to american cars) and the restriction is over if the car has +30 years.

So all the pre 1984 have to pay the importation tax.

For reference this
Porsche 924 Original En Autos Dario Monterrey Bfn - Aņo 1977 - 67000 km - en MercadoLibre

They want 13,445.10USD (a little bit expensive right?)

And I love to work with Porsches, and to drive them. I love to work with my seat and to drive the car and i always wanted to have a Porsche, but perhaps this is not the right car, after all I researched the history of that 944 and the paperwork that it was involved and I found this.

The owner of the car have a clear title, but to make the car legal, I have to pay $2300 (because stupid tax)
The headgasket was blown and the owner instead of buying a new one, he MADE IT.
Meanwhile the headgasket techique was perfectioned, the water pump seized and with some new bearings he make it work.
And the belt, well he counted the teeth of the belt and in a catalog he searched another belt with the same number of teeth.

So I was trying to be VEERY optimistic with the car but after I read all you opinions and all the stuff with the car im not longer interested in one.

Unfortunatelly im in Jalisco so the border is a little bit far so the only benefit of the car is that the car was here, but if im gonna pay that money for a car in imports i will get a decent car.

Hopefully soon i will take a trip to Cal and I will bring my Porsche back.

Thanks everybody for your opinions i am very grateful!

PS this is a pic of my car, hopefully you will like it!



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