I am looking to buy and have a couple of cars to test drive in the next week. Both are looking to be very well maintained and serviced autos with log book history and in perfect working order.
I am after advice on specific problems with these models.
I am looking at a non turbo 81 924 2L and an 86 944 2.5 non turbo
I am aware that this will not be a maintence free car however am i opening a can of worms? or are they fairly reliable?
I Know the 924 Engine is essentially a 2l Audi engine where as the 944 Engine is much more complicated Porsche design. Is the servicing a huge spend?
any input is appreciated even if it is to try to talk me out of it.
Nicko
PS: im keeping the Baja
h ·
pheww thats a releif..
good luck i"d be interested to see what others have experienced..
VolksVair ·
The 924's are worth tuppence & the 944, not much better, if you really prefer that kind of body style, go the 944, but no matter how good its been kept, if its turned the clock over, be prepared to spend some hard earned Jenga on a rebuild. May i ask, why that style Porsche? give me a rear engined aircooled Porsche anytime!, but, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, good luck with your choice, oh, in answer to your last paragraph, I'd rather be seen in your Baja.
MickH ·
Check the service history!!!!! Head problems for both models (leaks). both are great to drive...have you considered a 928S???? That would be my pick...👍
Wannavee ·
I'd say its price that is a major factor in choosing a 944 etc.We'd all like an air cooled Porsche,but as it has PORSCHE on the badge,it will always be expensive.
I like 944's,always have,but when I looked into buying one quite a few years ago,I was advised exactly what VolksVair says.
Cam belts can be the problem if not maintained correctly I'm told.
Do ya homework and good luck
waveman1500 ·
A friend of mine has a 944 and it's surprisingly slow. You would go faster in a Mk3 Golf CL I reckon! Nice looking cars though, especially with some nice wide cookie-cutters on the back, which they usually still have. My friend's one looks good but it's had a few things go wrong with it and the costs of repair were high.
matberry ·
DON'T DO IT.
I have worked on many, usually cooling issues, but also electrics and rust and general painful experiences for every owner I know.
ian.mezz ·
aint they a poor mans porsche 🥲
matberry ·
Yeah, they'll keep any man poor. 😂
BiX ·
the later 944 3L has about the same power as the old Facon and weighs about the same (1500 to 1700kgs). They are not quick cars in a straight line. But if you get the later high performance ones, they are overbraked and tired so handle well through the corners. I know of a 968 (944 S3 pretty much) and with the right driver (top GT3 Cup driver) was faster than all of the R34's in Targa..... unitl he crashed.
I know a few people who have owned them and they were a pain. Expensive for most parts.....
Why the auto?
Anthiron ·
I am not looking for speed. so power isnt really a factor.
As for cab belts timing belts etc. The 944 I am looking at has
- Rewired
- Recent top end rebuild
- New S2 Transaxle
- water pump replaced and call cooling hoses etc
- New Clutch
- New pressure plate
- New Belts at appropriate 30k intervals with a change recently
- New rubbers throughout
The 924 is a similar story except with a big stereo and new paint. Both serviced regularly and owned by porsche enthusiasts.
I am looking at the upper bracket of pricing for these models and both cars have had big money spent and are in top working order.
Oh and both cars are 100% rust free
With this considererd Matt do you still hold by your statement?
Volksvair: I would love a nice Aircooled Porsche but a) I cant afford one........b) actually there is no b)
Bix: I was refering to Automobile.....They are both Manuals
MickH ·
Go the '44....you should get some years outa it if you keep the services up...
ancientbugger ·
My brother had a 924 for years....mainly 'cos he couldn't give it away, he had nothing but problems mainly with the electrics. I think it spent more time being fixed than being driven.
matberry ·
Anthiron wrote:With this considererd Matt do you still hold by your statement?
Well I wouldn't buy one for my family, unless it was super cheap and was to supply brakes and suspension to a beetle 🙂
Anthiron wrote:they are both manuals
👍
VolksVair ·
Anthiron wrote:I am not looking for speed. so power isnt really a factor.
As for cab belts timing belts etc. The 944 I am looking at has
- Rewired
- Recent top end rebuild
- New S2 Transaxle
- water pump replaced and call cooling hoses etc
- New Clutch
- New pressure plate
- New Belts at appropriate 30k intervals with a change recently
- New rubbers throughout
The 924 is a similar story except with a big stereo and new paint. Both serviced regularly and owned by porsche enthusiasts.
I am looking at the upper bracket of pricing for these models and both cars have had big money spent and are in top working order.
Oh and both cars are 100% rust free
I think you allready had your mind made up before posting, go with what your heart says & enjoy.
Yeah I think the rear engined Porsche is out of reach for many of us. cheers Frank
DubCrazy ·
dont waste ur time even looking at the 924, even if its free!!! the 944's are better but as already said not the best.
Price will be a big thing to, the 944's are not worth much. A mate brought one from a local Porsche enthusiast that had owned it from new and it had full srevice books,was in very very good condition inside and out with the original cookie cutters and some later cup rims thrown in to. I cant remember the year but i can find out if u want.. Price.. 4 grand with a roadie.
The bloke who had owned it had 7 other Porsches and really did look after them well but in saying that with in a couple of months he brought it to me with electrical problems,only minor it has to be said but still ....
really the 944's not a horrific car really, not great but as i said to the mate who brought his what else would he have got for a his money? a busted arse commadore/falcon...
steff...........
vlad01 ·
the 924 is a gutless turd as you can get. the 944 on the other hand is or at least when new a great car and the turbo and S2 turbo was great performers.
The down side today is the mechanics of the engine can be great but being so little k's for an old car the cooling system will almost guaranty to be corroded and not up to scratch.
Best bet for a 944 is to get a low k one with the best body and interior as you can and get the engine and clutch 100% overhauled from ground up.
Should in theory give you a reliable car. But that being said you either don't get the car or you have to be prepared to spend a bucket load initially
imho a 914 would be way sweeter👍👍
vlad01 ·
oh and apparently the 944 engine is bullet proof from what I have heard. nikasil plating on the cylinder walls and a balancer shaft are some of its unique feature which supposedly contributes to their long life.
matberry ·
vlad01 wrote:the 924 is a gutless turd as you can get.
imho a 914 would be way sweeter👍👍
I'll second those two comments Vlad
evsky ·
By an rx7 u get the same looks (a very close copy ) serious performance and jap reliability when taken care of. Or keep saving for an air-cooled porsche. Even a fake 356 outlaw style before any water cooled porsche for me👍
SuperOwen ·
I worked on a few and wouldn't touch one unless your a diehard enthusiast. For the money you will spend on a decent later model one get yourself an MX5 etc. It will be so much newer, more reliable and mainly fun.
They have a tendency to blow head gaskets and then snap headstuds off in the block, same as the 928's.
Compared to newer cars I never thought they were much fun to drive, even the turbo 968.
wolfgang54 ·
968 ?
BiX ·
968 was a version 3 of the 944. They changed so much they made it a new model.
vlad01 ·
yeah and it looked like a 928 🙅😬
I have heard of people sinking a 968 engines into 944s and then boosting it 😂 944/68 turbo S2 lol
thats would be ace. 😵
Anthiron ·
Well Mixed opinions............ Steve from T&D Autos is ringing me back in the morning about the service history on the 944. and im going for a drive. so we shall see.
Anthiron ·
I couldnt help myself.......The car was amazing to drive and couldnt be faulted.......Mine
Plus if i really wanted to i could get some cookies or some thing for it and make a profit selling the Fuchs and the car 😂
Bizarre ·
fair enough
Well done 😉
Rural Baja ·
I'm not a great fan of them, but that one is damn cool 😁
zayus ·
ian.mezz wrote:aint they a poor mans porsche 🥲
No, that's a German-Look Beetle 🙂
Nicko, enjoy your new 944!
handycam ·
matberry wrote:
Anthiron wrote:With this considererd Matt do you still hold by your statement?
Well I wouldn't buy one for my family, unless it was super cheap and was to supply brakes and suspension to a beetle 🙂
Anthiron wrote:they are both manuals
👍
ROFL i agree build a buggy and use the stub axels 😂 mate if your got plenty of $$$$ go for it if ya want a car 2 drive get a golf i say my bro works on a few porches for targa and 1 is a big $$$ 944s2 and it was a money pit b4 it was a race car and it was a 1owner low km car so thay all have the same sort of demons" cheep 2 buy big $$$ to fix my 2c worth but if you have got it and happy its up to you hope you prove us all wrong and its trouble free
Transfered Rego over. officially mine. Cant get over how great it is to drive. Not stupid fast but quick enough and rails corners.
Will book in for tune etc at T +D next week.
vlad01 ·
Nice! love the wheels 😘
handycam ·
it looks like its in good nick
Trendy ·
If you want to go bigger. I have a friend who has some/lots of 928 bits and possibly a 928 to sell soon. He can only drive one at a time! So if a V8 in a porsche is your thing or someone else's. Then head to a 928.
h ·
good score, looks a treat 944
at the end of the day long as u r happy that's all that counts really
enjoy ur new ride
n u have the baja as a back up 👍
vlad01 ·
I so wanted to buy one for a daily drive and seriously was concidering it only 2 months ago. But when I did my research I couldn't find any of the shelf parts or anyone who specialized in 944 engine rebuilding. You blood dam would want a specialist as their engines use nikasil plated bores.
That put me off, So I will stick to something I know for a fact is easy to reco and is reliable.
Still I dream of my one day to be Porsches.😵
I want a 73 914/4 and a 79 930 turbo 3.3L
944 turbo S2 is on a maybe list 😉
Anthiron ·
Vlad01. This thing had a top end rebuild not long ago and T+D in brissy and a couple of places down south will sell parts.
Have it booked in for 7am tuesday for full service/tune and Injector clean at T+D just for peace of mind. Not looking forward to leaving home at 5.30am to get there in time but oh well.