hey guys.

im new to porsche. im actually a bimmer guy (e30 to be exact) and love how it handels,but the 944 sparked some interest, mainly because of its handeling and the fact that its only a 4 banger.

my question is: which 944 should i get, a pre 1985 1/2 or post? i noticed that the post 1985 1/2 models are heavier. if im not mistaken, the later models dont have any engine upgrades, right? so which one should i go for? and what are the trouble spots with these older cars; what should i look for when buying one?


thanks

 

hello there, i dont normally reply to posts, being relatively new myself, but i just had to share my thoughts with you on this one. im also an e30 enthusiast, my last being a 91 320i AT. i presently own an 85.5 944 NA and am having a blast. no, its not as fast (at least it doesnt feel as fast) as the e30s m20 engine, but the handling is something else (and we know the e30 handles well already).

id tell you to get a post 85.5 for the newer dashboard, get a turbo or an S if you can. not that im not happy with the power (its quite torquey) 2.5 the NA has, but there are days that you'd wish you had more oomph. id stay away from the automatics (its subjective, but its why i grew tired of my last e30 real fast).

the senior members of this forum could give you more info, but id leave you with just 2 things:
1. buy the best example your money can buy, service records is king...
2. change the belts right away so you can enjoy it without reservation...

happy motoring!

 

anyone else?

 

I say get an early one, going old-school will reward you with hour's and hour's of endless trouble shooting and head scratching, but it's worth it when you get it right and your on the road admiring your classic car's unbelievable road-worthiness.In all honesty you really need to investigate and research your upcoming purchase very carefully.I'm not really the one to answer specifics on what to look out for but I absolutely love my 84 and all of its quirky mechanical attributes.There's something slightly sadistic about owning a vehicle that potentially can explode(timing belt) at any given time but hey, when in Rome....lol.
Mc.