Advice needed on buying an 85' 944
- Thread starter Bloooor
- Start date
pauljmcnulty
Active member
Simple. Porsche specified 4 year/48K miles, whichever comes first, on a new engine with full Porscce servicing, proper oils etc. That's the ABSOLUTE maximum under perfect conditions. With ageing cars, you would be sensible to revise that to either a shorter schedule, or at least to inspect annually. Anyone who hasn't adhered to this, or been prudent and changed at more frequent intervals, is not selling a car worth top money IMO. If, (and again it's a big "if" as the seller clearly knows little about cars) the bodywork is exceptional, then mechanical parts are probably cheaper to replace than a full restoration and respray. But, I would suggest you look very carefully inside the sills, and treat this one as a project. I'd guess we would be seeing you asking about the £1K service on the belts with all the extras, why the clutch is juddering, "do I need a head gasket", "what's the smell of fuel", basically all the large items we insist should be replaced recently on a car even near that price. Low mileage is only a consideration if you want to keep it as a low-mileage car. Paying a premium, then driving it lots, will lose money. You need to look at a car where someone's spent their own cash on at least some of the big items, not buy one that's going to be, essentially, a total restoration. This car looks, to me, like someone who thinks they're selling some rare "barn-find", when in fact it's looking like an over-priced 944 with a lot of expense looming. I might be wrong, but please get it all checked out by a specialist before spending that much, based on the advertised info? [8|]
Thanks for the link but i'm after <85 square dash Lux model (really do like those dials) interior is very nice though but it's just not for me (Also there are a lot of questions i would need to ask too and it lokos to be more of a project than some of the later cars i've come across) Thanks pauljmcnulty for the info, I admit i was being quite lazy asking the question (and hadn't checked wikipedia which is usually my first port of call) I was just hoping someone would of been able to sum it up in a quick sentence for me, that was all so i appreciate you being 'wikipedia' for me. The 85' with Pasha interior looks like it's not the one for me, I unfortunately don't know of a specialist that would be able to check them out for me and who would also be willing to travel 4 hours down south for me as well so i might be limited to my own knowledge or if anyone who is kind enough (and knowledgable) to check out the cars, that live nearby, that would be very helpful indeed. I will continue looking and have taken in everything you have mentioned, I'm not necessarily looking for a project car but I don't believe you can buy the perfect car or i'm going to die old trying to find the right one, i'm sure there is a balance somewhere though but i guess i'm going to have to take a risk somewhere.. My budget is £3000 but could increase within this year, square dash model, white exterior in good condition and as mechanically sound as possible. Those are my only critiques really the rest i can change, fix, restore as needed when i get the time/money to do so. I will continue to read the forums though for more information and advice before asking anymore 'stupid' or ' already answered' questions and continue my search. Thanks for your time
WBray
New member
My offer is still there mate on the Plymouth one, if the guy happens to travel into Cornwall I might be able to give it a look over for you, but I'm no expert but might be able to spot some stuff on it and would save you the trip down. Know how frustrating it is trying to find a nice one, I had someone on here look at a car for me and a couple of offers of people coming to see cars with me if I happened to be in their area, so be nice to return the favour to someone else.
Also with regards to the white 85' with Pasha interior, I have had a reply "Hi Adam, You are right 4 years is the time line for a cambelt,you never stop learning with cars. Regards Ian" He really does seem genuine (although he may not have top end knowledge, I could still try and negotiate the price down to a suitable number that would cover costs of repair (I would have to presume whats wrong or ask him to check under the sills and around the rear quarters for rot) It's such a shame it's miles away, I don't know whether or not a £60 return ticket on the train would even help as i'm a novice when it comes to all the details i need to look for plus i always forget things as soon as i'm in the situation! I don't mind a car needing restoration work as long as i've bought the car for the right amount and have money left over, I would even prefer it as i would know exactly what is being done to the car and can pick who to do the work. EDIT: Okay then i got this reply so i think i'm back to searching,, "Hi Adam, Just to throw a curve ball my son in law has just spoken to the original dealer who said that as the car hasn't been run any distance for the last few years they would still change the belt on mileage not time and the onkly reason the time limit was imposed was because the seals got gummed up and failed and also added its not unheard of for premature failure on a replacement belt,comes backk to the how longs a pice of string"
WBray
New member
No worries mate, let me know what he says and hopefully might be able to work something out. Like I said though I'm no expert and still learning about these myself as only bought mine in January. I personally think if you really are interested in a car and someone can't view it for you then its worth the travel and costs though when I was looking I put not much north of Manchester as my limit. If you forget things while viewing have them written down on a piece of paper and use it as a tick sheet once you've check everything.
edh
New member
He may well be genuine, it's just that £3k seems a bit steep for that car, when you will immediately need to spend £500+ on belts, waterpump etc.. 944's come up all the time - although if you're fixed on a square dash white one then you might have to wait a bit longer. Your 3k budget should buy a very nice 2.5. I would try to go for one nearer £2-2.5 k giving you funds for the inevitable bits of work it will need.
andy watson
Moderator
Hi Adam, Let that one go, it dosen't sound like a good one to go for, if the seller is indeed genuine then he dosen't know much about these cars - a recipe for trouble on it's own!! A typical eBay auction if you ask me [:'(]
Thanks for the info Will, I will start to write down a good list now on my phone so i've always got it on me I wouldn't be paying £3k for it needing belts etc but i was thinking maybe he would reconsider the price to £2000 and possibly getting it recovered back home to have a cambelt fitted at a friend's garage. I get so carried away Andy, i know i should just move on really but in the back of my mind i'm always thinking "what if it's actually an alright car and just needs a belt, i haven't even been to see it yet, it could be amazing" that's a definite trait from my mums side of the family [:-] You might have to 'babysit' me for the first couple of weeks of searching as i'm like a kid in a candy store just eager to get my 944 [
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pauljmcnulty
Active member
As it's been laid-up for such a long time, and recommissioned by someone who isn't a specialist on the car, chances are it will need a long list of things fixing. 944s really do like to be used regularly. That's crazy advice about the belts. As the cars age there's every reason to consider increasing the frequency of changes, but certainly not to leave it longer. The other "belts" thread covers it well. The other thing is whether the body is as good as it looks; see Rob's thread for how the underseal can hide a multitude of sins. He might be looking at sills with no more than small signs of rust on the outside, and thinking they're sound, but they could be completely rotten inside. The MOT isn't any guarantee unless you were there, and talked to the inspector under the car. I'd certainly say there are better early Luxes out there at that price, and if it's not near enough to look at easily then you'd need to rely on the seller's knowledge; something apparently lacking here! Have you thought about a 924S? The only real difference is the look, the interior, engine etc. are all the same as an early 944. They aren't necessarily any easier to find in really good condition but it's worth looking locally to see what's out there.
WBray
New member
Lol I am glad I'm not the only one who suffers from this problem!ORIGINAL: Bloooor I get so carried away Andy, i know i should just move on really but in the back of my mind i'm always thinking "what if it's actually an alright car and just needs a belt, i haven't even been to see it yet, it could be amazing" that's a definite trait from my mums side of the family [:-] You might have to 'babysit' me for the first couple of weeks of searching as i'm like a kid in a candy store just eager to get my 944 [
I will have a search for the 'belts' thread now and give it a read. I did see a thread not so long ago with pictures from someone going through each layer of their sill and finding more and more rust of what looked like an immaculate 944 (I'm sure it was white too) it would be horrifying to find, what is the easiest way to find out before you buy? Isn't it when you get past the painted layer that you see the damage? I just had a look at a few 924S' on various sights, some actually do seem to be in much better condition than most 944 Lux's i've come across, i'm not a massive fan though of the front end and also, just to be very picky, i prefer the yellow dials to, what looks like, red/white in the 924S models.. I guess i could always change these bits though if i did find a good condition 924S (they seem to be quite scarce) will keep an eye out []
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pauljmcnulty
Active member
Porsche very kindly put a large black vent in the door pillar. Pop it out and you can see inside the corner that rusts, and even get your hand in with a phone to take pics. You need to get under the car to see around the suspennsion mounting at the back as well. You can't see everything from the door vent, but you get a good idea. Basically, nothing but waxoyl is good, light rust expected and easy to treat, if you can see your shoes through the sill then run away, lol! Vent has a little tab you push to release it.
vent is part of a system that ventilates the panels, there are vents in the hatch area then the one pictured in the b-pillar, this vents into the door which has drainage holes in the bottom. The sills will also have some airflow through. The Gosport one is ot a million miles away from me, I have been hesitating to volunteer to go and look at it as I am working away at the moment. I might be able to look at it over easter though if its not sold by then. Tony
pauljmcnulty
Active member
That's the idea. In theory the 944 is completely galvanised, and the sills are constantly vented so they don't sit with water in them. That's why they rust so much less than anything else designed in the '70s. The problem is that, for many years now, people have relied on the reputation of the galvanising to last for life. It doesn't, it just means that restoring a 944 is an easier prospect than it's contempories, and they should need repairs to fewer areas. If you think about it, most '70s-designed cars will have rusty doors, windscreen surrounds etc., but at least the 944s should only suffer seriously on the front wings and the sill/rear quarter areas. Has anyone been following the 993 rust thread on PH? Although a 944 isn't worth as much, I know what I'd rather be dealing with!
pauljmcnulty
Active member
[link]http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=48&t=1259522&mid=33268&nmt=993+chassis+leg+repair+experiences+and+pictures[/link] It's not that Porsches aren't galvanised, but the only car that won't rust is one that has no steel in it's construction! [&:] The difference between the 993, or other 911s, and the 944 is that the cost of restoring them properly is the same, but the purchase prices are so far apart. Would you spend many thousands on the bodywork of a Lux you paid £1500 for, probably not. So they are tending to be scrapped if they are too far gone, or patched up to last a year or two. It's the more sought-after models, the turbos, cabs and S2s, that tend to have more money spent on them.
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