How much is it worth??

[Manick]

Hey all, have just had my 944 MOT'd and it has failed on 2 things. Firstly the sills on both sides are badly corroded. Secondly the nearside front suspension has excessive play in the lower ball joint. I have a total fix cost in my head of around £1300 including labour. Which at present I cannot afford to do. This leaves me with the regrettable situation of having to get rid of the car or leave it to deteriorate indefinitely. I have absolutely no idea of how much to market it for with said problems though so i was hoping I might be able to get a ball park figure as to what I should be looking for. As far as i know the engine and transmission are working fine and during the snow/cold weather it started every time without fail (only 100k on the clock). There are a few small patches of corrosion most notably on a rear wheel arch but nothing major. It has a few other problems such as the rear wiper motor is intermittent, the sunroof cogs are worn and one of the drivers seat adjustment motors has died but these are minor issues in comparison. Can anyone give me an idea of what the car is currently worth on this limited information???

Thanks in advance

Nick

 

[DavidL]

Sadly Nick not a great deal in that state, less than 1000 I would have to say. If it won't pass an MOT without the sills being done then someone else will have the same bills. Very few people with the skills to do this cheaply want a lux 944 and then will want it very cheap to make it worth their while.
Can it be patched for the time being to keep it on the road?
Its an awkward position to be in.
Breaking it might recoup you more than selling it whole but there is hassle involved there.
Sorry not much practical help I'm afraid.

 

[Manick]

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It could be plated but again that is not exactly a desirable option as it is only postponing the inevitable. As for the breaking of it I simply do not have the time or the resources to do it and I am moving house at the end of the month to add insult to injury. I may have to take it on the chin and sell it for what I can get, even if it is less than 1k. Anyone interested? lol

 

[pauljmcnulty]

Depends which 944 it is. If it's a turbo or S2 it's going to have some value, but a Lux won't be worth more than a few hundred, as decent ones are less than £2K you can easily do the maths. [&o]

One thing to consider, though, is that almost all 944s have either had the sills relaced, or will need it doing at some point. The ball joint is the same, if you've not got a new, shiny one on then it's only a matter of time. If the rest of the car is good then it's worth having the work done, and done well, as it'll be good for at least another 20 years. More if it's regularly maintained. I'd say £1300 isn't going to be impossible, but doing the sills and other spots of rust, and properly repainting, can easily hit £2K, certainly in the south-east. But, if the car's mechanically good, with a decent interior etc, for a couple of grand you'll have one of the best 944s out there. What else could you get for a couple of grand that would be as good, and not have big bills looming anyway?

Just another perspective, I appreciate that's no help when you don't have the spare cash lying around!

 

[Manick]

It is a 1989 2.7 Lux. And I have already been offered £500 for it. The £1300 was based on what it needs to pass the MOT. But I agree, to do it properly would be nearer the 2k mark. I may stick it on ebay with say a £750 reserve and see how it goes. I should perhaps add that it has had the stereo upgraded with alpine speakers all round and a custom made speaker box in the boot with 2 amps running the sub and 6x9's as well as an extra set of wheels included. 1 set is the teledials that came as standard and the other (on the car atm) are the design 90's off a later turbo model (spacers included).

Although i share your idealistic view Paul I really do not want to get in to the territory of taking out loans to pay for repairs because as you and i'm sure many other drivers are all too aware, expensive things can and will happen just when you either least expect them or could really do without them.

 

[ukmastiff]

£2000 is a realistic top end for the car in good order so someone can either pay you £700 and spend £1300 on it minimum I'd say or go out and buy a beauty for 2k, for 2000 there rally ar some well cared for luxes out there. I do think replace both sills paint them and do the suspension 1300 would be a very good price pesonally. Also if someone paid 2000 for a lux they would expect the sunroof and other bits to work ( except maybe the seat).

If someone offered you £700 , I would perhaps take it but £500 is a bit border line as I would genuinely give you 550 tomorrow []

Best of luck with it

Regards Mas

 

[ChasR]

I'd say it's worth £1k tbh. 2.7/S2 blocks are now quite thin on the ground, especially with these vultures of Turbo owners demanding them []. I paid £750 for my S2 engine which apparently was cheaper than the going rate of them.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

A late 2.7 is more sought-after, you might get a bit more than the £500. It's certainly worth more in bits than as a whole, though. Crazy situation.

My point about spending the money is just that, if you're buying another car, you could get another unexpected bill next week. Fixing the one you've got is a long-term investment but at least you know the money's gone into a good car to start with. Cars do cost a load to run, but a 944 is a Porsche, and cost over £30K new some 20 years ago. With that in mind I never feel quite so bad spending on it. It's still cheaper to run than buying a new Focus, which puts it into perspective.

 

[jmelhuish]

I agree with Paul. If you like the car and it is a keeper, spend the money and you've got a great car for many years to come.

 

[diabloam]

I bought my turbo with bad sills, but only because I could do the work myself and the rest of the car was mint with huge service history, bills and low miles, and I got a huge saving over a buying a totally mint turbo with clean sills. But the job is failrly involved to do at home and you really have to love the car to pay someone else to do it. There is one way to do it cheap if you aint able to do it yourelf. Fitting proper sills and painting them is a big and expensive job. But getting rough patch welds done to get an mot is not overtly expensive, coat with stonechip or whatever. then get a set of 968 sill covers or some aftermarket alternative skirts. Get them painted cheap to match (£80 in a bodyshop) and they will cover it up for time being. then maybe further down the line you could strip it all back and do it. Just thought I would mention it as a possible way to hang on to the car for a while longer. I grew up on range rovers and landies and have been doing half hour patch welds to scrape mot's for years (As the saying goes, ugly looking welded repairs dont mean weak or short lasting repairs!). Most of the cost in sill replacment is keeping the cosmetic look good! When I done mine recently the 2 original sills were best part of £300 alone, but a plate of mild steel is only about £15, same with proper respray compared to a tub of stonechip and a brush! Then again side skirts split opinions amongst 944 owners anyway and I could get abuse from many for even suggesting skirts, lol!

 

[sulzeruk]

Nick, I can sell you a good second hand bottom wishbone for £50 plus post. See if you can find a friendly local member to give you a hand with it, no one wants to see a good car go in the bin. Where in the country are you?
Alasdair