Hi my name is Steven. I am a freshman in collage and have always wanted to own a Porshe but do to pay for collage i don't have to much money. Yesterday i found a 1987 Porshe 944 in the classifieds for 3,800. It looks and runs great. I instantly fell in love with it and wanted to buy it on the spot but i thought i should do some research first. I found out that repairs are very expensive and with a car that old you can run into problems. After buying the car i would only have 1,500 left over that could use for possible repairs. I was talking to one of my friends and he thought that i shouldn't buy the car yet because i would be using as a daily driver and with my lake of money i wouldn't be able to afford keeping on the road all the time. So what do you guys think? Would i be safe buying it now or should i wait? I really want to buy it because this would make one of my dreams come true.
Thanks,
-Steven

 

If your handy with the spanners and willing to do any repairs yourself as parts are not that expencive, then go for it, otherwise run a mile as labour is the killer

 

Steven,

If you are satisfied that the car is in good running condition and you are able to speak to the previous owner(s), and it got a service record, Go for it.

Here in my country we got the AA (Automobile Association) where you can take the car you want to buy and after a thorough inspection, they declare it roadworthy and in good condition.

If you got a organisation like that over there, spend that few exra bucs just to get peace of mind.

Let us know what you decided.

 

Steven,

I'll give you the answer that most young people don't like to hear. Keep in mind, not only do I work on these cars professionally, but I have owned a 944 turbo for many years, and am very active in the midwest 944 community. I have spent more hours fixing 944's than I can fathom.

These cars are very cheap to buy, but they are very expensive to maintain properly. Sure, doing your own work saves you a lot of money, and can make the cars affordable....if you have a good job. As a general number, I tell people with 944's to plan on $1000 in parts a year to keep the car in properly maintained shape. People who do not do that, I guarantee I could pick their car apart with problem areas that they don't know about.

Parts are not available locally usually, though with the internet now, you can have parts in 2-3 days pretty easily. You won't be able to pay anyone to work on the car with only $1500 in your account, so you would have to do the work yourself. This means you need a good selection of tools as well. That 1500 would not last long at all. Keep in mind, insurance, gas, etc. As a primary vehicle, you can't depend on a 20 year old car, especially once you graduate, and have to make it to job interviews, or the job itself. Employers don't really like the "my car broke down again" excuse for missing or being late to work.

My advice is to get out of college, get a good job, get a reliable commuter car, get a nice place, and then once you are in a financial position to do so, pick up a 944 as a toy, not something you have to rely on. When I first got my 944, I had a nissan pickup as my primary commuter (still do, because the damn thing won't die) that you just put gas and oil in. A few maintenance items here and there (ball joints, tie rod ends, etc), but nothing major to worry about. Without having a main vehicle, I would have been screwed. The 944 broke.....a lot. It had been maintained by a guy that thought duct tape was as good a fix as anything.

 

Steven,
Listen to what Doc is saying - this is the smartest advise you will get !
Iwanted Porsche for a long, longtime, but just recently got one as a toy. I kept my Honda and am using the Porsche just for fun + I can afford the maintenance of the car. These are pretty old cars and anything can go wrong with them at any moment, even though at first they look and feel in great shape !
Listen to PorscheDoc !

 

Ditto,

Even after researching records and road testing my 87 944, after about 300 miles the thing started leaking oil not only outside but also inside the oil cooler/coolant heat exchanger. This car evidently sat for an extended time and all the seals took a set and that was evidently why it did what it did. Replacing all the seals on the engine, front and rear was expensive. My point? It may run good now but don't count on it lasting and the same goes for your college money.

As for you doing your own work, I will only suggest that to do it right you need to be a competent Porsche mechanic because there's a lot of technical stuff with this car that the "backyard" mechanic can't keep up with.

 

I just wanted to thank every body for posting. Iguess i will just wait a few more years and then buy me a Porshe. At least i will still have something to dream about.
Thanks again
Steven