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Buying 924S

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Evening all,

First time here, very glad to be able to use this facility without being a member, but hopefully that will change.

Hoping to go and see 2 examples of the 924S on Tuesday next, basically, what should I look for, and how much should I expect to pay to get the engine belts changed?

Mike
 
I bought a very nice 924S two years back, but it still needed the following ...

Engine Mounts, Brake Discs and pads, shocks, tyres, DME relay and a leaking power steering pump fixed. All told it cost me £1000 to lick it into shape. These are the sort of things I'd look for, plus the inevitable water leaks from the hatch and sunroof. Assume that the one you are looking at will need much the same.

Cost for belts will vary on labour rate, but assume £200 to £300 at least. You may need to replace tensioners/rollers too, and don't forget to have the belts re-tensioned after 2,000 miles.

All said, that 924S was one of the best cars I have ever owned, and I even sold it a year later for the same as I'd paid for it (less the maintenance costs).

Good luck.

John H
 
But I should say I'm not expecting someone to post a blow by blow account of purchasing a second-hand car, what I mean is are there some key factors that point quickly to a car that's been looked after, is the seller telling porkies etc. Are there any key points any purchaser of a 924 should look at straight away?
 
The best thing I ever did when looking for my Porsche (I started looking for a 944 and ended up with the 924S) was to get in contact with Hartech in Bolton. Barry convinced me that the 924S was the better deal. They have a web site now and there you can get a copy of their "buyers guide" which will list for you most of the things you need to know. In any event, if you don't get a car from a reliable place like Hartech, then I would definitely get the belts done regardless. Check for re-spray and all the shut lines. Check for overall condition of seats, carpets as I think these are often the in-your-face clues for how the car has been treated.
 
A bit obvious, but check that the front and rear vin plates match.
Check the shut lines, they should all be even, though not particularly narrow.

Check the condition of the pedal rubbers, and the rest of the interior; does it's condition, in your opininon, mach the indicated milage.

Any 924 S is going to be as least 15 years old, check the service history and look at all the old mots to verify the accuracy of the milage.

Check the offside front inner wing by the screen wash bottle, for some reason, 924s have a habit of going rusty there, and carefully check the front mountings for the driver's seat runners under the carpet. Fatigue fractures here eventually lead to the captive nuts pulling through.

What is the condition of the fluid in the clutch reservoir? Check for leaking fluid underneath the bell-housing, and where the push-rod goes through the rubber cap on the bulkhead behind the pedal. The starter is at the bottom of the bell housing, and if the slave cylinder leaks it can fill the starter with fluid, I know because my 924 turbo which also has the starter at the bottom did just that. Otherwise a leaking master cylinder will let paint-stripping fluid run down the bulkhead. That said, it is a fairly straightforward job to repair.

Check for excessive play in the steering column bush by lifting the steering wheel up and down.

Check for early signs of corrosion or bubbling of paint around the rear hatch pins.

Check the connector or the right hand strut. is it secure on the earth lead.

Drive the car and feel for a draught of air on your right elbow coming form the door handle. If there is a draught then there is a leak in the door membrane, and while you are there check the bottom of the door cards. If they look swollen or are too flimsy they are most likely damp

The door cards are not designed to be water cooled!

Other than that it is all general car buying checks, unless anyone else wants to add thier two penn'orth.
 
Thanks for the help, guys.
John H, sorry, your post wasn't up on my PC when I sent that second post of mine!

I've heard about the leaks around the sunroof (which is a bit dissapointing. This is the main reason I'm ditching my MG Maestro) and tailgate. are new seals available and what are they like to fit?

(Away for the Easter now, be back Mon night.)

Mike
 
Hatch seals are readily available, not sure about fitting though, but often it just needs the hatch locating pins tightened up (mine did)

Agreed about Hartech, they know their stuff, and their buyers guide is invaluable.

Check conition of the oil and the coolant too. Head gaskets can go, and the oil cooler can leak.

Cheers

John H
 
I bought a cheap 924S - I think I've learnt enough to find a good one next time :)

I think the interior is certainly a key thing to look for - The drivers seats on most 924's seem to get very worn. check the condition of calipers, shock absorbers & the undersde of the car. A well looked after one should be nice & clean. If it's corroded underneath it makes everything harder to work on.

Check all the electrics - make sure all of them work (it's surprising how much there is - windows, mirrors, sunroof (does it come out?), headlamp washers ) Electrical problems seem to be the main issue for 924's. Have a look at the battery shelf - see if that's been repaired

look for vibrations at idle and at speed - there really shouldn't be any! Mine has an annoying rattle through the gearstick at certain revs (and it isn't the balance shafts!).

Hope all that helps

Ed
 
I purchased a 1988 924S two years ago and was the best thing I did.

It cost me next to nothing to purchase but I have had to spend to keep it sound. The usual things, engine mounts, clutch, brakes, services etc. I budget on £400pa to service & MOT, I use independent Porsche experts. Don't think that it will be as cheap to run as a standard 924 because it isn't. The 924S will cost you same as a 944 to run and maintain but the purchase price should be much lower but they can be harder to resell as there is less demand for them.

I am currently spending money on body work to continue my rolling restoration. Check the sills, roof join with the windscreen, front wing and wheel arches as they are all getting on now. I fitted remote central locking (at the same time as the alarm) which makes the car much easier to live with.

The 1986 924S are 150BHP whilst in late 1987 / early 1988 this was increased to 160bhp. I find power steering a joy especially if you are used to modern cars, it can be a shock going back to old manual steering when parking in a tight space. Check whether fitted. A sunroof is a must because it really transforms the car in the summer. I would try and get a good interior as this is where you spend the time driving, nothing worse than sitting in a tatty car. Check everything works as it should, not cheap to repair electrics.

I purchased the 924S after looking at loads of over priced rubbish 944s. I love the car and everytime I drive potential replacements (944S2, 911s) I decide that pound for pound the 924S beats them all and most of all is great fun to drive fast without risking death or a ban.

I am a 924S fan and providing you go in with your eyes and wallet open ownership is a joy.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

regards

John Stratford
 
Hi Mike, I've just read the replies to your querie, and Im glad that I did'nt do the same when I was thinking of buying my 924s. I'm really surprised at how much time and money people have to spend on there cars,I've had my 924s for 15 months and all i've done is replaced the plastic gears in the sunroof, which I did myself, and paid for a service. I'm now going to touch all the wood in the house.!!!
 
Interesting comment on replacing the plastic gears. I have a 1988 924S with a non-functioning sunroof and wondered where to start looking for the problem.

I haven't even got as far as the basics like checking I actually have volts going to it.

any help or thoughts appreciated,

cheers ........ Phil
 
Wot you need is the sunroof bible ...

http://www.clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/body-03.htm

JH
 

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