944 purchase -cambelt?

[Bondinho]

Hi all,

New here although I've been lurking for a while whilst deciding wheher to get myself a 944! Im after a bit of advice really before I travel to view one, it sounds like it is in good condition with loads of history, sills repaied last year (not full replacement so need to check these out when viewing), paintwork all decent condition with next to no rust bubbles abd all electrics work.

My only issue is the price - it's approx £2000 which includes a reduction due to the cambelt and waterpump not having been done since 2004 -although only approx 10-15k miles ago but still 10 years!

Is this a decent price as long as sills etc and everything else is as described?

Sorry for the rubbish and classic noobie first post!

Cheers.

 

[tref]

Very sensible question if you ask me!

Personally I reckon that a car with a receipt from a reputable garage to say the cambelt waterpump, and a reasonable number of the other bits and pieces on the front of the engine having been done in the past year is worth about £1k more than one as you describe...

So it depends what you think it is worth in the two states... and what value you put on it being done. £3k isn't a particularly expensive 944

There, that's opened a pint pot and let a quart of worms out!

 

[PAUL RUDDY]

In my opinion a £2k 944 will be a drain on your finances in months to come.

 

[robdimond]

Hope you've read the recent thread on belts and water pump replacement cost and seen my thread 'oh my god help' showing what lies beneath a bodged sill repair that looks very decent from the outside.
Would you do the belts/pump yourself? It does need doing immediately and probably a front reseal at the same time. Has it been laid up or just used and abused?
I would question what other maintenance has been neglected.

Oh and welcome!

 

[Bondinho]

Thanks for your responses. It's an 83 2.5 lux by the way. Routine maintenance appears to have been kept up to date with clutch done a few years ago and not covered many miles.

It hasn't covered many miles over the last decade or so but still serviced a fair bit. I'm just unsure as to whether 2k for a 83 reg car needing a cambelt/pump is expensive or am I completely wrong? I feel like there would be cheaper ones out there but I can't find one at the moment! I was hoping a decent one might pop up for sale on here!

Wouldn't feel confident doing belts, pump and front seals myself so would have to pay a garage to do it

 

[robdimond]

First question...
Is a square dash (pre 86) car what you actually want?
They are very different from the later ones.

Where is it? There may be a forum member nearby who will look for you.

 

[edh]

If it's a tidy car then the price sounds fine - but there's every chance it could be a rusty shed. Depends on your level of skill / time available and whether you like fixing old cars.

Recent clutch is good, I'd be most concerned about rust I think.

Any pics?

 

[pauljmcnulty]

The belt is due every 4 years, and I think with all the associated things like waterpump and seals you'll be lucky to get change from a grand, as mentioned.

Thing is, you'll know it's done for the next 4 years, and that the next few changes should be belts only. The clutch is also likely to cost a grand, so it's nice that's been done.

Bodywork costs a lot more to fix, along with paint, so the advice is always look for the most solid car first.

 

[Bondinho]

It's in Guildford - pics and ad are here http://m.gumtree.com/p/porsche/porsche-944-lux-classic-/1065944170

GCR instantly remembered the car from its number plate so it must have been going tjere for services for a number of years

Im used to doing basic maintenance work and have replaced turbos on previous cars but haven't ever done a cambelt! Useless at bodywork though so will need to inspect the sills properly.

 

[robdimond]

I like the look of that! Guards red with pascha that is the combo I would go for on an early car. Take a look down the hole in the door shut to see inside the sills.
I would not attempt a first cambelt change on a 944.
My advice (having done the opposite) look at a few and learn what the original bodywork looks like. You will then be able to spot a bodge.

 

[andy watson]

Hi and welcome,

Whatever you do if it's the first one you are looking at, don't buy it straight away look and drive a few
My opinion is that at 2k with potentially another 2k needed, as a minimum - belts, pump, bodywork and then some other little things which will come to light, this on the face of it doesn't sounds a good buy.

As we always say a 944 purchaser needs to budget a 1k spend in the first year on top of the purchase price, if the car is a good one and you are lucky you can only end up being a grand better off, you will then go and spend that money on the car anyway []

Be very wary of a low budget car, of course an expensive one could end up being a money pit as well if you don't know these cars, don't be put off get some help and buy on condition, if a low budget car is what you can afford be mindful it maybe off the road a while if funds are tight!

Good luck, keep us posted and hope you are in one soon

 

[pauljmcnulty]

You know what? Looking at the ad, the seller does appear to know what to mention, and the pictures are showing exactly what you'd want.

Mad to be driving it with a cambelt that old, but I tihnk it's worth a look.

The purchase price is almost irrelevant here. £2K, £1500, £500? We all know that you're getting a lot of car for that money, but the running costs will far outweigh the initial price.

Check out the inside of the sills: as Rob says, pop the vent in the door pillar and take some pictures. If there's loads of underseal it's hard to know what lurks beneath, but the rear suspension mountings rot.

 

[Hallsy]

Some good advice above - especially from Andy about trying to look at a few models before buying. I looked at three before I bought mine, and even then it can take more than a short test drive to get a good fell for the car.

I'd say it looks like a very fair price, £2k is really getting to the bottom end for a tidy 944 with T&T. What is your budget (including any immediate maintenance a car might need)?

I love the Pascha interiors - proper 80's cool imo!

 

[shantos]

hi chaps, sorry to butt in, but just as a ref ....

just bought myself a similar car in crystal green ... 85 (sq dash) lux with 141 on the clock ....

all looks straight but 'slight corrosion' behind sills .... paid 1k for it

mint interior, and exc exterior ... tho should be (galv)

 

[andy watson]

Hi shantos, and welcome along

start a new thread and tell us all about it, but do include Pics or you will be in trouble. Lol [][][]

 

[shantos]

will do Andy ... as soon as i get it ...

all bought and paid for, but not running as yet ... AA man reckoned was a crank sensor, I think it will be the DME relay, as cranks fine just no fuel getting in ....

pics to follow, promise

 

[Matey]

Guildford is around an hour from me, if you want an extra pair of eyes and ears to come along and look at a car with you within an hours drive of Portsmouth give me a shout.

 

[edh]

ORIGINAL: shantos

will do Andy ... as soon as i get it ...

all bought and paid for, but not running as yet ... AA man reckoned was a crank sensor, I think it will be the DME relay, as cranks fine just no fuel getting in ....

pics to follow, promise

So could be a bargain, but a non-starter is always cheaper... clarks-garage.com is a good place to start []. If it's an easy fix, then a good condition 944 is a great buy at £1k, and still a great buy at £2k (that extra £1k soon looks insignificant when set beside running costs in the long term)

 

[shantos]

appreciate the shout chaps ... as a back up, the fella said he could trailer it down to me (Woking) from West London, but ive got a sneaky suspicion the DME relay will cut it .... it was a well known fault on Mercs from that era too, tho only a fuel pump relay in those cases ...

will keep posted

once again, many thanks