Porsche 944 Buying Guide - Worth Buying Now They're Not Cheap?

[@danf321]

After my father-in-law passed recently, his wife, before she passed, asked the family to take and drive his 1983 944. No one wanted it. I took custody. I'm reverse-engineering everything since I have no way to speak to my wife's father, and not much in the way of paperwork. I had an independent Porsche mechanic do a complete once-over before I drove it home (timing & balance belts, all front engine seals, new alternator, fixed cooling fan, bled brakes and much more. Now I'm fixing the small easy fiddly bits, like replacing window switches, hood/hatch struts, window wash reservoir, sunroof brackets, DME relay, and more. It's fun to drive, but a bit tedious with no power steering and a 5-spd. But, it is in pristine condition. So, I'm watching ALL the 944 videos I can find, yours included. Thank you for your video.

[@P1983sche]

Very good…I have a 1983 944, the all manual everything is the BEST part!

[@matty6848]

Nice you got it though. Rate cars these days. I’d love too get my hands on a 944.

[@jjsierraalta]

Nowadays they are around 23K. Do you think is still worth it?

[@danf321]

@@jjsierraalta I just insured the car thru Haggerty for around $8K based on their value estimator. It’s in very good condition, just has bits that need attention, which is normal for a car with 120,000 miles.

[@thirdstar9255]

@@danf321 $8k are you serious?! You'd better up that by at least another $15k. Won't be more than a few hundred dollars a year.

[@weir501]

Bought a 1989 944 S2 a year ago and I gotta say it's a young mechanics dream! The electrics are a cruel mistress to work on but the mechanical is surprisingly simple and the car is an absolute joy to drive. Hope the 944 community continues to keep these beauties alive!

[@s.m.2868]

Whilst it is true that many common parts are cheap, on a 30 + year old car almost everything is a failure point and many Porsche specific things are very rare and thus expensive.

[@944geek85]

A correction on the valve train: - a 'rattling' valve train on these cars usually means worn hydraulic lifters. Not hard to replace and not that expensive. The whole camshaft housing comes off easily with the cam intact and the lifters drop in. The lifters automatically adjust to maintain camshaft clearance, so worn cams are only possible if you run the oil low. A correction on fuel: ROW (non-US) 163hp (UK) 944s run on 98 octane and E10 is only 94/95, so you shouldn't be using it anyway. AFM problems are pretty rare. The 'tracks' can wear but you can adjust easily. If you are down on power of the car is stumbling at idle or on acceleration, look for vacuum leaks. This is the most common and easy to remedy fault. Clutch changes are a challenge but in reality can be done in a home garage with a bit of effort. Dropping the transaxle is relatively easy. I did mine with a car jack and a wooden support cradle. Then you unbolt the torque tube and slide it rearwards and you can get at the clutch. A lift makes it much easier but it can be done without. Just hire taller than regular jacks ((i.e. workshop jacks) and put it on stands as high up as you safely can. it's not that hard for a competent home mechanic. Early 944s had poor electrics in some respects. Look for overheated headlight switches and slow wipers. All fixable cheaply if you have any electrical knowledge. Just FYI - the sunroof shown on this car is a cheap aftermarket version. Factory sunroofs are about 2.5 times the size, metal and removable. Pilkington in the US also makes a Saratoga glass OEM sunroof replacement which I have and is awesome. These cards are also practical. I have taken home queen-sized IKEA flat packed beds just by folding the rear seats, laying the passenger seat back and sliding it into the passenger footwell. That rear hatch not only gives brilliant visibility but enormous access. Try that with a 911! Turbos can be made into horsepower monsters because Porsche intentionally hobbled them so as not to outshine the 911 Turbos but they are more expensive, complex and challenging to work on and get right. If you want more performance on NA (non-turbo) cars, reduce weight rather than trying engine gimmicks. None really work other than a few DME (ECU) chip swaps which increase power a bit by safely increasing the redline (max RPM) and changing the fueling profile. Porsche really did wring the most out of the 2.5 engine, so much so, that even race versions (search 944 Challenge Cup kzbin.info/www/bejne/aIvRmGWrpLeFe5o) don't make much more. DON'T try stupid cone filters. These cars came with a cold air snorkel, a rare thing in the 1980s and the AFM and air box have a CFM (flow rate) that is quite a bit greater than the maximum the engine can draw so you are wasting money. Cone filters actually draw in hot, less dense air from the engine bay actually reducing power. Taking out weight is the key for quicker acceleration. Ditch the heavy steel compact spare. Replace the heavy original soundproofing for modern technology equivalents. If you want more, get street legal sports seats to replace the OEM ones which are so heavy, you would think they are made from old Panzer tanks Porsche had lying around. My 944 weighs 1150kg and is quite quick and nimble on 18" light alloy wheels. These GT cars are an absolutely brilliant classic even in the NA 163hp version. The balance is perfect and they are a joy to drive even on longer trips (1,000km and more)

[@wardv3492]

Excellent overview. Covers everything you need to now! I owned a 87 944 from '06 to '16. Car was totally reliable. I was impressed by the build quality. Nice door 'clunk', excellent carpets, etc. During 10 years of ownership, I only had to replace DME relay, gas struts for the hood, and fuel valve because I was experience vapor lock when trying to start hot engine. PS every 944 should have car-wide Porsche sticker under rear lights. If it's missing, car had a respray (rear end collision)? Also check the 2 spaces in trunk bottom, behind the wheels by lifting up the carpet.

[@jimwoods7639]

I bought my 1983 944 new in 1982. It has been a great car and I plan on keeping it for a long time! Thanks for the video.

[@materialstwit]

What a fantastic overview and having owned a few transaxle cars can only concur with CW. Replacement sills may be cheap, but beware any ad that says "sills done." If not fitted correctly, they rot from the inside out at almost 70s-Fiat speed. 944s don't have wheelarch liners and stones and mud can get trapped in awkward places. As mentioned here, the rear glass hatch is a lovely feature but often the cause of niggles: getting the latches and remote opening button in the cabin to work reliably; it's also a huge heavy piece of glass, so be prepared to replace the gas struts. As for the sunroof, the car in this video doesn't have a removable-panel factory one... the gears on which are also a weak point. Besides the sills, the rest of the body on these is often super solid, but paint can be ropey.... stone chips on that front badge panel, tatty valences. Red cars fade badly. Cracked dashes are a bigger problem on pre-86 'square dash' cars. Another thing that can go is the idle air control valve (think that's what it's called). The insulation on the underside of the bonnet can go flaky. The header tanks go cloudy as siad in the video... and it is tricky to see how full of coolant it is, so buy a new/freshish one not a cheap one. But they are so, so solid and mostly easy to live with. And if you can get a car with factory sunroof bag, tool roll and (on later cars) air pump you are doing very well.

[@NC944er]

Agreed with the compliments on this extensive overview. I’ll add that the early 944s lacked wheel well liners on the front, but plastic liners were added to the front with the 1985.5 refresh, while the rear wheel wells remained unchanged with a textured stone guard spray and factory paint coating.

[@hensemzp1]

Hello. I now live in Canada. Now on sale is a golden 1986 Porsche 944 with automatic transmission and a cracked instrument panel, but the car costs 4500 Canadian dollars. The seller, a young guy, claims that the engine starts, and he does not know anything about the state of the car. He has another one of the same Porsche, but he doesn't have the time and money for this one. I have 0 knowledge in cars, but I want to own such a car. I don't know what to do ((((What are your thoughts?

[@NC944er]

@@hensemzp1 They are great project cars and pretty straight forward to work on with lots of resources available to help you along the way. Personally, I would avoid the automatic transmission unless you are specifically looking for that feature (costly to repair when they fail). If at all possible, have a mechanic look over the car or pay for a pre-purchase inspection, that way you’ll know what needs to be repaired to make the car safe and roadworthy and you can factor the cost of those parts/repairs into your budget as well as the offer price for the vehicle.

[@herme99]

I feel like I’m watching 1980s Top Gear… I have the solid state fuel pump relay in my 964. A good upgrade for daily use.

[@chrissiejenkins9124]

Paid £1400 for my 944 10 years ago as a non runner. A car painter had the bonnet fly off in the 1990s. He resprayed it, but couldn't put it back together quite right, then couldn't get it started. C.2014 my husband soaked the injectors in petrol for 24 hours, did the belts and BOOM! Started. I love my porker. An slowly collecting all the missing bits...and as she has been dry stored all her life, no rot 😊.

[@vspencer9764]

Your appraisals on cars are fantastic Joe and will save any future owner an absolute fortune. I’m always buying on the cheaper end of the market when it comes to classics and really regret not getting a tidy 70000 mile 924 now for £700 about 8 years now

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

Thanks for the kind words! We regret not buying our car when prices were a bit lower...

[@RegionalRadioShackManager]

I bought my 1987 944 on 2017 for about $1500 USD running with no big issues. The odometer stopped working years before the previous owner sold it to me at 201k miles nd I have put at least 60k miles during my ownership. Finally the major issue I had is the rack and pinion went out this year. So it has been very reliable especially for a car that’s almost 40 years old

[@zaatzakje2468]

where did you even find that car for 1.5K

[@sgt.vernex6378]

@@zaatzakje2468 nou zaatzakje, die vind je als je liegt op het internet 👍👍

[@Klejnotnilu666]

Thanks ! now i know where to look while buying my dream car!

[@blarkdexture8899]

This guy is excellent

[@willwelch5700]

Brilliant review, Joe! I have watched folk waffle on about those and then I loose interest after a few minutes. But this is all vital information from these in the game. Awesome 👍🏻 Now, where's my cheque book?

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

Thanks Will! Grab one if you can 😁 -Joe

[@rumatadestora]

Basically, buy a 944 and replace everything lol

[@brianmulvey1439]

Super video, thanks for creating it.

[@drunvert]

If you get a 83 944 you get a much cooler sunroof that is removable and huge

[@TwoHandsASMR]

A friend of mines mom is trying to get rid of hers for 500 dollars, I'm seeing it soon, really hope its in decent shape

[@xCenturion183]

A decade ago i bought a 1987 944 sport for $800 and i got a good two years of fun out of it before it started having engine problems and i sold it. Really fun little cars

[@Breton_and_Blink]

I'm looking and only finding some for 10k??? Where did you find yours? Online or you know some people

[@xCenturion183]

@@Breton_and_Blink I bought it from a garage in Indiana, I used to see them for around that price but it looks like they have skyrocketed since

[@Breton_and_Blink]

@@xCenturion183 ahhh Im in Canada and found one for 3k doesn't work needs a ton of work and has 300,000km on it. I also found one for 10k seems good 99,000km seems good. Then again I'm still very young but hey, it's might just work.

[@SAMMYJR00777]

@@xCenturion183 you bought junk for 800$ lol good ones were never that cheap 10 years ago. they always stayed at 8k regular 944 prices w clean good condition and if u go to s and turbo version always were higher... anyways never buy junk cheap version of it always try buying clean sample w low miles.

[@SAMMYJR00777]

@@Breton_and_Blink always buy the clean sample version never buy the junk version.

[@DanMegistos]

Great explanation of a great car. Thank you. Which ate your thoughts on a 1984 944 3.5 litre with 8 cylinders and manual transmission? Is that particular engine reliable?

[@lutomson3496]

guess they didnt have sunroofs there like here in the states, known to fail had to go to a junk yard and find another for mine was a garbage car always something breaking pick up a 912 or 911 instead or even the turbo version

[@NitroTuning]

Bought mine for 4500$ and it has only 43k miles 😎

[@Martin944turbo]

A steal :)

[@drunvert]

I thought I got a good deal at 7k. California, zero rust and 1 owner though

[@smogdanoff7053]

They’re like 20k used in Sweden😣 Car prices have shot up in the recent years, 944s used to be dirt cheap. Might import a 944 or 928 from the UK in the future

[@drunvert]

Their expensive in California too. California cars have no rust

[@realdata6116]

You do a good job. Can you do the 928?

[@jimmyquinn9639]

Interesting video 🚘🚙🚗👍👍👍👍

[@546268]

An exhaust smell while driving denotes a poorly fitting tailgate, usually the seal. Quite a common problem.

[@paultaylor9652]

Lovely Jubbly, what a great review of a car. What's happened to your wee yellow Fiat?

[@DavidMorley]

I think the 968 is worth finding. Fully galvanised, better build quality from what I've seen, 6 speeds and fast.

[@Stevieboy130664]

I think they're all fully galvanised from about 1980/81 - my 924S has a fully galvanised body. However, as well as acting as a protective barrier, hot dip galvanising works mainly as a sacrificial protection where the zinc corrodes/erodes at a much slower rate than steel and of course needs to be completely gone in an area before the steel starts to corrode. However, it does disappear eventually depending on how well the car is kept and then the steel will corrode as usual.

[@thirdstar9255]

wow, you really don't know much, do you.

[@Stevieboy130664]

@@thirdstar9255 who exactly are you talking to?

[@Stevieboy130664]

@@thirdstar9255 TROLL WARNING!

[@kaleknikker123]

As an owner of an automatic 944 I must say it really transforms the car. It makes it such a nice GT. I get it the manual gives a bit more control but let me tell you: an automatic is just nice.

[@hensemzp1]

And how reliable and expensive is this automatic transmission to maintain? I want to buy a 944 for weekend trips, slow driving.

[@kaleknikker123]

@@hensemzp1 The car has 200k km on the clock; so far i've had 0 issues with the transmission. The only thing i'd worry about is the electronics of a 944 and the engine.

[@SAMMYJR00777]

@@hensemzp1 auto is boring dont buy it.hard to sell it. go w clean version and good sample of it stick shift is the way to go

[@drunvert]

I think the main problem with the automatic is that they're so few of them there's no parts of available for automatics if there's any breakdown

[@speedbird737]

haha you say don't buy a modified 944 @ 11:40 and yet the grey 944 S you purchased and have shown in this video has an awful after market glass sunroof - a proper 944 sunroof is electric, isn't glass, body coloured, can be removed and stored in the boot and there is also an aerodynamic lip that can be raised to reduce wind noise.

[@drunvert]

The 1983s are not electric

[@ldwp6395]

944's are cool, but I'd probably only get insurance on a 924 if I was lucky

[@matty6848]

Depends on your age and how long you’ve been driving as well.

[@ldwp6395]

@@matty6848 as a first car lol, the early 924 is a 2.0 and not too quick, but it still has the good looks

[@matty6848]

@@ldwp6395 oh right, now I understand.😂

[@P1983sche]

Nice video. Well done.

[@Ricky-cl5bu]

I had two of them a 944 s and a 944 turbo SE that’s the only good one the normal ones are more a cruiser

[@johneatonsr665]

Did you like the s

[@Ricky-cl5bu]

Yes great car only for the clutch very heavy

[@barenstarkesgamingletsplay6226]

I never saw a 944 rusting an mine is perfekt too 😂

[@julianjimenez8458]

Are the parts on the 944 similar to the 924 model? I’m looking to pick the older Model 81’ 924 and my only concern is searching for the specific parts incase I need to swap them out. Great video btw love the content!

[@drunvert]

Same parts

[@DavidJohnson-FridayShoes]

At 8.52 kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6jPd2h6oLuHapI Does the LED issue apply to square dash 944 too? Or only the oval dash version?

[@rrassoc]

Excellent video!

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

Thanks Rich!

[@donaljamescaddye3805]

I have an 87 Gold US soec LHD turbo - no body wanted it 22 years ago and still nobody wants it - Ah well such is life and I am stuck with it for ever ! Good job I love it to bits and I would never part company with it !! Its really distinctive and there is no comparison at the school gates as the yummy mommy's in their overweight baby carriers stare in envy at me and her ! The definition of unobtainable !!

[@hensemzp1]

What does it mean "no body wanted it 22 years ago and still nobody wants it"? Because of the color or the Porsche model is not popular?

[@stevensumner3146]

👍 thanks for sharing

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

No problem 👍

[@joeetchart6603]

What is wrong with the gold ones😭

[@osebu]

As a fellow gold 944 owner I'm offended as well 😂

[@drunvert]

My friend had a gold one. Great car!

[@Porschee944]

Thank You

[@SticksFilmedIt]

Putting a 2Jz in mine

[@deanstanley5799]

My friend has 1992 944 the engine sounds agricultural and the interior is awful sorry but I just don’t get it 🤷‍♂️

[@davidkaehele8910]

Since they did not make the 944 in '92...........I do not get your response

[@deanstanley5799]

@@davidkaehele8910 his car was registered in 1992 !

[@DavidMorley]

I have a 968 and the 4 cylinder is not particularly sexy but it's a brilliant engine. Soundwise, yeah i'd prefer a 6 cylinder but the 4 cylinder is bulletproof The interior is superb in mine imho

[@pedrorojas0116]

​@@deanstanley5799 still didn't make them in 92

[@drunvert]

You can't compare these to new cars.

[@highlandrab19]

Paid 3.8k for my one is an auto though but runs and drives nice

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

You got a bargain!

[@highlandrab19]

@@ClassicsWorldUK thanks man :)

[@8359s]

That list of crossover parts is very bad it actually even repeats some myths like door handles from Golf.

[@thirdstar9255]

That's "bad?" What about the Beetle rear suspension?

[@8359s]

@@thirdstar9255 I don't understand first sentence. Regarding 2nd it doesn't have Beetle rear suspension, it has almost the same suspension as G-Modell which again doesn't have Beetle rear suspenion, it's fully adjustable from the factory, toe, camber and height, it has the same type of the suspension but hundreds of cars have McPherson struts upfront paired with multilink suspension... and they are not equal.

[@drunvert]

I had a Volkswagen rabbit. 1979 model and I see a lot of parts on this car like door handles and switches and turn signal. But the engine and the handling and the styling are nothing similar to Volkswagen

[@8359s]

@@drunvert Door handles are different, it's a common myth, the same goes for the headlights, Golf 1 and 2 headlights do not fit, you need to do some drilling and cutting.

[@idokwatcher2062]

There's no such thing as poor man's Porsche. Even just 1 hour of standardized mechanic work is 110EUR + 25% tax. Arrogant bastards.

[@AudaciousAce1989]

What is he saying at 6:20?!

[@nicolasmenard-guy2028]

A failing clutch on a 944 is bad expensive news...

[@thirdstar9255]

If complain about a 944 in anyway, it will know and ruin you. If you can't afford $50-60K for a 944, you should NOT even think about it.

[@afoolandhismoneychannel]

That is not a factory sunroof... poor car.

[@fasthracing]

First BOOM

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

Nice one! :D

[@goonigoogoo5868]

the car is pure garbage do not listen to this video. this car will spend more time in the shop than on the road. it is sluggish no handling and under powered. it is a cruiser not a sports car .

[@haydenagnew]

Its 40 years old obviously its not going to be fast by today's standard

[@smogdanoff7053]

They’re like 20k used in Sweden😣 Car prices have shot up in the recent years, 944s used to be dirt cheap. Might import a 944 or 928 from the UK in the future

[@FOXeye95]

Try to find a 924s