im looking at a 944 n/a with 296k for $1500. this guy is selling it because he needs money and the body is in ok condition but there is some rust in the interior (seat sliders). it runs but it makes some sounds that dont sound that good (this is my first porsche so it could just be the sound they make). also the water pump is bad so i can not test drive it before i buy it. i was just wondering if its worth it because my family owns a body shop and i can do most of the work myself. also if anyone knows a good place to buy parts that would also be helpful. thanks.

 

That’s a pretty vague description. What year? How do you define “okay condition?” and exactly what kind of noises is it making? Obviously there is a difference in severity between a minor ticking sound and a massive explosive sound.

Rust on the seat slider is an easy fix, new sliders are relatively inexpensive. But at 1500 I would be asking myself what exactly is the deal with this car? On top of that a blown water pump can conotate a vast number of other problem or potential future issues. If this is an expected daily driver I would pass, but if you're looking for a wrather involved project car then it’s a maybe, depending entirely upon the answer to the above questions.

 

its a 1986, and the "okay" exterior has a few scratches and chips and some minor dents which dont mean much seeing as how i have access to a body shop where i can do the work myself for free. the noise that the engine is making is a sort of ticking but the underhood noise is louder than most of the 4 cylinders ive heard. this car is intended on being a project car because my parents want me to learn the body shop buisness first hand and how better to do that than on a work of art that is a 944. also i am not intending on making this my daily driver i just want to have a car to take to my local car shows that noone elese has.

 

If it's a project and you have that kind of facility I would say got for it. The 944 is a pleasure to drive! The ticking may or may not be serious. Mine was a mere alternator issue which has since been resolved with the purchase of a more powerful unit. Porsche parts are not cheep however, but I have found that in many instances the dealership has very nice prices, at least with mine being a bit older and a 1st (American) generation. It sounds to me like a superb investment, however I would investigate the ticking a bit further prior to purchase. Although it seems harmless now, the last thing anyone wants to do is buy a $1500 chassis with a useless engine.

Good luck and lets us know how things go! :up:

 

Run. Run far away and fast.

At 296K miles, that car is tired. Bodywork should be the least of your worries on a 19 year old car with that many miles. The injectors can be a bit noisy on 944's, but without hearing the ticking, and knowing the mileage and general description that you gave, the ticking is probably a time bomb that you hear. [:'(]

You'd be looking at several thousands of dollars just to get that car into decent enough shape to drive to shows. And, after all that effort it will still be a 300K mile 944.

You are better off starting with a decent example that is in the $4k-$5K range that just needs some paint and some freshening, IMHO. You'll save money in the long run, and maybe just save your sanity as well.

There is an old saying that goes like this: There is no such thing as a cheap Porsche.

Anyway, best of luck! Look around, you may find something MUCH nicer for just a little more.

 

lol let me repeat what ofiT said...RUN...RUN FARRRRRRR AWAY. BIG MISTAKE TO BUY THAT CAR

 

I'd like to chime in here and say that if you are looking for a project to take on, and you don't have delusions of grandure, do lots of research before writing the check. IF, and I mean IF, you get it running right, and get the body right, and the interior right, you MIGHT have a car that is worth 3K. You will most likely get to the point where you have MANY thousands of dollars in this, and have no hope of recouping the money.

You would be MUCH better off, finding a solid car that is in good running order, and may need a good repaint with some minor dings and dents to be dealt with.

RUN, don't walk, run.

 

I wouldn't go that far. With the type of facility at their disposal an engine rebuild wouldn't be difficult at all. 300k is allot, but I doubt anyone would run a 944 that far without a prior rebuild. However assuming its all orig miles, a rebuild shouldn't be too big of a deal for this purchaser.

However with the limits on the info given I don’t think a proper judgment can be made. It’s all subjective at this point. Hence hwy I said investigate further and DON’T expect a daily driver.

 

Hey Pilk, nice response! I'm in agreement with pretty much everything you said, with one exception... my '84 944 happens to have 300k on it, with the original engine still in it. I did swap heads a couple of years ago, due to extreme corrosion (the PO liked to run Prestone green...), but aside from that, its still ticking (um, ticking loudly, in fact, and I am putting a new engine in it in a couple of weeks, but thats another story). Its not that uncommon to find 300k on a 944 engine.

I will say this to the original poster, tho... don't buy the car if its the first one you have looked at and you think its "a deal". Look around for a bit, and I bet you will find other lower mileage, better condition cars for the same money. Its hard for any of us to pass judgement on the car you are looking at tho, when we haven't seen it.

Regards,

 

My 87 944 cost about $4000 when I bought it in 1998. I spent around 15 grand on it over the years, some of the upgrades worked others didn't. When I sold the car in 2002 it was in excellent shape, better than factory performance, with no defects. I got $4500 for it. I picked up an 88 in great shape (amazingly clean) last year for about the same price. The price on these cars may go up in the future as the poorly maintained ones die off - but don't hold your breath. Have fun with the car but don't expect much of a return on your investment (other than a great car to DRIVE). As a rule I would stay away from any high milage sports or muscle car that isn't in very good running order with all or most of its maintenance records. I also like to look for little things like working AC (on the 944 they seem to die pretty quickly), new wiper blades, working window washer pump and interior lights, you know - stuff like that. If those little bits are in good shape that is a good indicator that the more important stuff is working too. Some people like to rehab an old junker - and that can be fun. But you really aren't likely to turn a $1500 944 into a $10,000 944 no matter what you do to it. Have a mechanic look at the car. Even if you are an expert another set of eyes (that aren't blinded by the excitement of buying a new car) are a damn good idea.

BTW: Some people remove the AC for obvious reasons and that is cool, but a nonfunctioning unit that is left on the car can mean that there wasn't enough money to fix it and that is a bad sign.

EDIT:
A few great places for new and used parts:
Parts Heaven
Easy Automotive