so saw the LHD 944...

[soli]

Hi everybody
Hope you are enjoying the sunny weather in your 944

Just saw the LHD 944 and it does look very good. At least on the outside it looks clean and panel gaps look good. Original sills and has an original metal sunroof as well as original glass one that can be switched. only 78k miles, engine look ok, turbo kicks in nicely, split differential, only one owner from new. upholstery needs some work and clean but nothing major. no options on the car except for the split differential, meaning no air con, no leather seats, rubber back wing. but everything seems to be original as it came out of factory. except from striping it and respraying no work or service was done since March 2011. Also only did 1.5k since then. also i put my mobile inside the vent and i couldn't spot any rust. the thing is that the dealer suggested i do it to spot any rust inside the sills and he showed me the vent etc... so i think it should be ok especially since they stripped it to paint. they say it cost them 2.5k and can provide an invoice
the asking price is 10k. i am going to send John Vines to have a look at it and see what he says. they are willing to knock down if he finds something major and of course for the upholstery but they are using the LHD chip to mark up the price.
what do you think about all this? all parts seem original, a bit of work necessary on upholstery and definitely service, low mileage, one owner, LHD, no options except one, does it really command such a price? i never thought i will need to pay more than 8k

Looking forward to your thoughts everybody. this is the advert

http://www.911944.com/vehicles-for-sale/left-hand-drive/amazing-opportunity-one-of-the-1st-ever-porsche-944-turbo-s-lhd-only-79k-miles-1-owner-full-history-all-bills-previous-mots.htm

 

[andrew_churcher]

Car seems to have good pros but some cons as well. Personally I would want it pretty mint for £10k.

 

[pauljmcnulty]

has an original metal sunroof as well as original glass one that can be switched

Should be fibreglass, although it's so heavy it feels like metal!

Glass one might be the rare Saratoga, would sell for a fair amount on it's own if so.

It's really hard to value. The whole LHD thing is so debateable: for everyone saying they are worth a premium as the market abroad makes it more valuable, someone else will say why are they selling it abroad themselves!

For that money I'd expect to see it serviced, including belts and a waterpump, giving you some years free from that worry. Probably new tyres and a set-up, new fluids, basically all the little things that mean you should be able to justify the extra.

Ultimately it's a bit of a difficult call, as the premium market for an early, low-mileage turbo would be the concourse or collectors. As such, it'd need to be totally original.

I have to say it's hard to justify why it's worth double as much as David's car, which should be a far better drive and has evidence of a lot of recent work. If you were to renew the suspension, clutch, engine mounts etc., as on the red one, you'd be spending almost what that car is advertised for.

 

[soli]

yes thats what i thought. and there is nothing in the log book for 3 years so i would need to do a lot. i was also thinking was do a respray? just to sell it? and why not provide some guarantee with the car? unless you simply buy it, spray it, and flog it for double without doing anything to it. i like the fact that it is LHD, low mileage, only one owner (unless this can be manipulated by the import), all the original inside and outside including sills. but if i have to fork out 5k in the first 6 months to do the usual services that would be a nightmare.

 

[Frenchy]

Rubber spoiler is standard on an 86 car, thought all turbos came with air con ? i could be wrong but pretty sure that all RHD Turbos had air con,it would have to be absolutely spot on for 10k i would have them getting a profesional interior valet at that price.
I would not expect to spend another penny for a couple of years at 10k.
Glass sunroof is probably a Saratoga item, nice touch and worth a few quid, a good looking at on the ramps would also be in order at top bucks.
My 86 turbo must be worth that now as it has had some paint but not much never welded and totally original, leather and a history as thick as your doorstep.................not for sale though []

 

[soli]

thanks for that.
i also think for 10k it needs to be spot on. the thing is that i don't understand why do a re-spray (claiming it costs 2.5k) just to sell it? doesn't make sense especially if you pride yourself on not washing the engine and not fixing the upholstery so that the car is "real". and they are using the low mileage, the spray and the LHD to justify the price. so I am not 100% sure what to think...

 

[Lowtimer]

Personally, I would not rush to buy a car with a fresh respray unless I knew and had talked to who had done it, and had detailed and graphic knowledge of what was underneath it, ideally through having seen it "before", and extensive photography of the restoration work that went on before it was repainted.

 

[soli]

yes thats what i wanted to see also. the funny thing is that when i ask for pictures he shows me on his phone that he has them but not willing to send it to me unless he has some commitment. something smelly here don't like it. why not send me the pics straight away...

 

[Lowtimer]

ORIGINAL: Frenchy
thought all turbos came with air con ?

UK spec might all have had it (mind you I'm not even sure of that), but I'm pretty sure it was an option in Germany and some other markets

 

[ChasR]

I am with Paul and the others here. For £10k I would want a 944 which was spot on. It certainly looks very tidy mind you and having no rust is always a bonus. It is strange that he has decided not to sell it abroad. It is true that LHD cars do sell for more cash in Europe and that in Europe anyway secondhand car values are higher than they are in Britain. The fact that there is no indication of the belts etc. being done does not bode well. Tyres also do not age well which can ruin the experience.

What exactly is up with the inside of the car? From what I can see from his photos the clock does not work, and the rear script decal is not original (surely for £10k a £30-40 decal is not a fortune to pay out). They are not big issues I admit, but they should not be present for the price he wants. It is a lovely colour mind you.

My thoughts on which car to go for are well known .

 

[soli]

on the inside the upholstery definitely needs repair and clean. they say tyres are new. but nothing been done for 3 years now and the car only did 1.5k miles since the last entry in the log book. and i don't see why someone that says that they didn't fix the inside or wash the engine because they want to show it as it is would go and spend 2.5k on re-spray unless it was absolutely necessary or to cover something. and why not send me the pics of all the work done. obviously the dealer says that he has people calling from Europe but who knows. I can send a specialist for about £200 but he won't be able to tell if rust is being covered up unless its obvious and he can't dismantle parts because insurance doesn't cover if damage occurs.

 

[andrew_churcher]

ORIGINAL: soli

the funny thing is that when i ask for pictures he shows me on his phone that he has them but not willing to send it to me unless he has some commitment. something smelly here don't like it. why not send me the pics straight away...

Err yes - anyone who wanted to sell a legit car which had just had recent bodywork would make all this available. How can you commit / make a decision without key facts. The seller sounds like a complete tw%t

 

[andrew_churcher]

Not many turbos about but this looks ok

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/porsche/944/porsche-944-turbo-1986/2016005?isexperiment=true

This looks very clean

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/porsche/944/porsche-944-turbo-beautiful-example/1950576?isexperiment=true

This sold though this forum not long ago I think at around the £5k mark.....not sure why the seller thinks that 5 mths later it's worth ten but I guess if you don't ask you don't get but he may be negotiable at a number in between somewhere

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/porsche/944/porsche-944-turbo------------------1990/2005655?isexperiment=true

I would want to check a few of these out so you have a reference pt and know what's about at different price ranges

 

[soli]

Thanks guys. I made up my mind not to go for this one or any other from a dealer really. I'm getting tired of them. Will look only at ones from private owners that liked their cars , preferably through the club.

 

[Hairyarse]

I think that's the best plan. You may have to wait a little while - but it will be worth the wait.

 

[PAUL RUDDY]

I may be selling a mint, low mileage (sub 70k miles) , very near concours 91 S2 shortly, you could not get better history or body work.

All recent work by Hartech within the last 3000 miles, belts, idlers, cam chain and slipper, water pump, needs nothing but oil changes for the next 5 years.

Ask Frenchy or Martin for an unbiased opinion.

Not 100% sure it's for sale and if it is will not be available until after the Dinslaken Porsche show in early May, it will be five figures.

Paul

 

[Lowtimer]

I don't normally do red cars, but that's terrific.

 

[PAUL RUDDY]

It's just as clean inside the original sills, oily stuff is Dinitrol cavity wax that I added, skinny hands sometimes come in handy []

 

[MartinRS2K]

Having known Paul for a good few years and also knowing how fastidious he is with all his cars I can vouch that not only is this car in exceptional condition (the pictures show this), but that mechanically it wants for nothing.

He has had a new genuine water pump fitted by Hartech not because the old one was leaking, just that he wanted the peace of mind before we go to Germany at the end of April [8|]

If he decides to sell it and whoever goes to view this car if it does become available will not be disappointed with what they are viewing []

 

[PAUL RUDDY]

It's factory fresh underneath

As are the all important fuel and brake pipes

Few more