Comments: 1-15, 16-22
Wow... Where do I begin?
Starter motor required rebuilding.
Electric window motors and switches required work.
Timing belt, water pump and idlers replaced.
All (4) rotors replaced and calipers rebuilt.
Engine seals leaking; required re-replacement of the timing belt - over $1,000.
Alternator destroyed the battery and both had to be replaced; the second battery in six months.
Windshield wiper motor failed as did the washer motor (the $1.98 one).
Rear wiper wiring fused and required replacement.
Speedometer failed and required a $200 rebuild.
There are a number of other faults that have developed, forcing me to join an auto club and never go more than five miles from home without a celphone.
Let's get the good stuff out of the way. I think the 944 is one of the prettiest cars ever built; I love the looks and the handling. The galvanneal body lasts and lasts.
That being said.. I have had four different Porsche models over the years from a 356 to a 911, not all of them old. I have found them to be overpriced when new, very expensive to maintain, and in some respects cheaply made. I will explain.
The electrical system is second only to the infamous Lucas Electric in unreliability. The gauge of wire is on the edge of acceptable, and since resistance increases with temperature, a point comes where it is inadequate and the wire overheats, the insulation hardens, breaks, and short circuits occur. Additionally, the switches utilized are under designed, either failing outright or developing internal resistance (such as the washer switch).
As time has passed, the routine maintenance expense has increased, in direct opposition to other manufacturers. Changing oil in a 993 is a nightmare, not to be attempted by the faint of heart. In the 944/968, most routing maintenance is relatively straightforward, but this is the last Porsche model for which this can be said.
The 944 engine is reliable, as long as it is properly maintained. A failure of the timing belt is a disaster, which can result in a rebuild which will exceed the value of the car. Oil seals are a problem, particular those on the external oil cooler. Ignored, water will enter the lubrication system and destroy the bearings.
One has to remember that Porsche is a small company, and therefore does not have the ability to change poor designs as quickly as larger manufacturers. Therefore, the stubborn adherence until recently to air cooling in the 911 models (left over from the Volkswagen roots.. sorry, folks) and the development of the timing belt system in the 928/944 which requires a $400 tool to adjust.
In conclusion, had Porsche not become greedy, continually raising the price of the 944/968 to a point where it was no longer an entry level vehicle, and had they developed or borrowed a more versatile engine, this vehicle could have developed into an outstanding competitor as well as a comfortable cruiser.
I'm not as knowledgeable nor as mechanically savvy as this person, but I agree with almost everything. Having owned an old (1983) previously-unmaintained 944, I went through a LOT of money in maintenance in a VERY short period of time. Wheel bearings collapsing, steering wheel snapping in half, distributor cap cracking, electric windows breaking down, air-con leaking, etc etc.
That said, I LOVED this car - not too flashy or showy, beautiful to drive (when it wasn't in the shop of course), power to spare, and relatively economical. Would buy another one in a minute!
I had a 1986 944 Turbo for 2.5 years (1998-2000) and had a similar maintenance experience. I think I was out about $12,000 in maintenance and upkeep before I decided to cut my losses and sell it. Great car when it ran properly, though - just too expensive and frustrating to maintain...
Yes, the Porsche 944 can be an expensive car to repair, but if you find one that has been well maintained (replacing stuff when it's worn, before it breaks!!) it's really not that expensive to own. Remember, these cars are at 12-20 years old, and most have well over 100K on the clock, things are bound to go wrong. I have had a 1984 944 with about 160K on it, and in the last 4 1/2 years, I have probably spent less than $2000 replacing / repairing stuff that needed to be repaired (not counting stuff that I did because I wanted to)
Buying a well-maintained car is the key to getting out of the Porsche experience without going broke.
I own a 1984 944 and I can't get the thing to run at first I thought it was over fueling and changed the afs then changed the fuel regulator, but the car was just the same. then I thought it was the coil so I changed the coil and plugs, but the car wouldn't start unnles you gave it full throttle and then it missed and splutterd and then stopped. it seems to me that the spark I've got isn't very strong can anybody give me any clues as where else to start looking?
Your distributor may be set on wrong timing causing your plugs to fire at the wrong time. You're engine will definitely miss and probably die out on you because the timing of combustion is off sync with where the crankshaft/piston are at.
Porsche's aren't cheaply made, and they aren't a small company, they are backed by the largest automobile company in the world, and they are one of the most successful racing teams in all of history. Cheap is by far the most out of place word in this whole article. My reaction. You get what you pay for. Buy a Porsche that has been taken care of and wasn't the "best deal" out there, and maybe you won't be paying for it later on.
I have recently come across what I believe to be a steal of a deal, where I am about to buy a very nice looking 1984/944 with about a 100 thousand miles on it for $1,200.00. This is my first experience with a Porsche at all period.However, I haven't had a chance to look at or drive the car because the person I am buying it from is about 800 miles away. From what he tells me there is nothing wrong with the car and it runs great, is this too good to be true?He was originally asking $1,995.00 for it, but I told him I could pick it up this weekend, but I could only afford $1,200.00 for it. (considering the trip to get it)
I own a 1987 944 Turbo that I bought in 1996 with 87K. I drive it daily and it now has 208K with no major problems. Amazingly, I still agree with most of what was said (I have plenty of friends with horror stories), but I must reiterate that which was mentioned in one of the reviews. Get a well-maintained one, continue to maintain it, and the car will serve you well. My car is a testament to that big-time. Expensive cars are expensive for a reason, they are, generally speaking, built better and with better quality hardware, so capitalize on that. If you get one that has been abused and neglected, that quality has been destroyed and will start vacuuming your wallet. If you get one that has been well-maintained, you benefit from depreciation, but still get a high quality item that you can continue to take good care of.
I also agree that this car is perfectly balanced, almost timeless in its looks, and an all-around fun car to drive. It's worth starting out with a good one and keeping it on the road!
Well maintained is the key. I recently picked up a 1986 944 that was previously owned by someone who could afford to take care of it (original owner). He blew the timing belt 20k ago and had the motor rebuilt. New water pump, clutch and service records the size of a phone book. As soon as I got it I replaced the fuel filter, spark plugs, oils filter, new rubber and fluids... this thing rocks! Yes, it handles like it is on rails at any speed. If the rear end ever does get out from under you all you need to do is ease up on the gas and she snaps right back into place. I want to keep this on the road for another 130k. I do need to replace the passenger side motor mount, but besides that can anyone recommend the next thing I should focus on? Thanks --- Enjoying the ride.
I had an '84 944, which needed a rebuild at $8000 US, not a relatively cheap car to maintain - jpNY.
Puchased a 86 944 two years ago. replaced water-pump and timing-belt. replaced factory stereo and speakers. added new tires. best car I have ever owned! (and I have owned a lot!) maint is most important. replacement parts are not hard to come by. spend a little time looking and don't get in a big hurry.
I have had my 86 944 since it was 5 miles old. timing belt blew at 127K, but was the dealers fault and they rebuilt it while providing me a rental car. now has 223700 miles on it and still looks and runs like new. a rare automatic, had to wait almost 3 months to have it built, which is still strong with no slippage or nothing. I will drive this car until I die and then hope to be buried in it with a six pac of heinekin on the center counsel next to me. interior is still perfect, but had to recover the drivers seat leather awhile back. 944 forever!!!
I own a early 1985 944 Porsche. At first I was very skeptical about buying a car that was so old, but it has been, by far, THE BEST car I have ever driven. The car currently has less than 45k on it. The car sat for about 10 years, and some of the rubber seals are in need of replacing. Before we bought it, the previous owner had replaced the timing belt, the radiator and the fuel pump (we had to replace that fuel pump with an OEM part because it, too, failed). So far, we have invested less than $8k in this car (including purchase price, tax, title etc.!). This is my daily driver, and it probably the best handling car I have driven in the snow. The 50-50 weight ratio turns it into it's own snow plow (You can only imagine the looks I get). But, to be honest, as long as you keep up with the maintenance, and realize that you get what you pay for, you will not be dissapointed!!
My first 944 was an 85, which I purchased in 87. Until I figured out all the little quirks that can drive you nuts, the car cost me a bundle to maintain. Here are the things to look out for. The water pump is weak and needs replacing about every 50K. The CV joints go out about every 100K. Motor mounts are weak. The early ones needed replacing about every 50K and the later ones 70K to 100K. Where other cars have a throw out bearing, the 944 has this rubber thing that dries out and cracks. Even if the clutch still has plenty of life, when this thing goes, the vibration will drive you nuts. The rest of the things that go wrong are trim items, mostly plastic like the dashboard, which will immediately crack if you don't have a cover. Body seals will leak and squeak, etc.
That car lasted me almost 300K miles at which time I gave it away (the speedometer went out at 100K so I calculated the final mileage based on the number of years I drove it). It was my every day driver until I got a pristine 89 in about 98. I'm still driving that one and the only thing I’ve had to replace is the clutch, which had plenty of life left in it (bad bearing). I’ve got a leak in an air conditioner hose. Other than that, a few minor scratches and trim pieces that need attention, this car is still my daily driver and it’s about 150K miles new. Annual maintenance is about $1,000 a year (tune-ups, replacement parts, etc), with the occasional major issue, clutch, water pump, etc also at around $1,000 every 50K or so.
Now for the drawbacks. The 944 is underpowered. Plain old Hondas run circles around me off the line. They are true sleepers in that few people know what these cars really are. No matter how many times I tell someone that it’s pure Porsche, they still call it a fancy VW. For that reason (and I think that’s the only reason,) they don’t keep their value at all. Every time I go in for a repair, I shudder because the repair is almost always more than the car is worth.
Now for the good stuff. Once I’m up to about 30 mph, it comes alive. Nothing, and I mean nothing, can out handle these machines. Sure, there are other newer cars with better stats on the skid pad, but to operate at that level, you’d have to be a professional racecar driver anyway. For the average person, the 944/968 is at the 99th percentile. The insurance company calls this a compact car. That’s right, a compact (not the turbo though). So my insurance is dirt cheap. I get almost 30 miles per gallon to boot. I’m a part time drummer and I can fit a whole set of drums in my 944. It’s a tight squeeze, but I can still take a passenger along. Try that with your Boxter. If I have to pick up a few pieces of lumber at the Home Depot, as long as it’s not a full sheet of plywood, it fits fine. After the trip to the hardware store, I just clean it up, give it a good wax job and I can go to any high society function I want and the valet doesn’t frown when I hand him the keys. High school kids all stop to watch as I pass by (they don’t know its not expensive). Auto enthusiasts admire it too. The most important key is to keep it well maintained. Do not skimp. When they are poorly maintained, no one admires them and the valet parks your car around back.
Finally, I love these cars so much that I recently bought a 968. It has another 70 horsepower over the 944, so it has plenty of power. No more bowing down to Honda’s at stop lights. I was going to sell the 89 but I just can’t part with it, so now I have the 944 and the 968. My family car is a BMW 528, so I have other options, but given a choice, I always drive one of the Porsches. It’s just that nothing fits like a Porsche. Once you’ve owned one you’ll never feel “right” driving anything else.
I'm the newest owner of my 1984 Porsche 944 Turbo. Now this is my first Porsche experience and for only having the car for a month I am enjoying it thoroughly. On a point I read that I must comment about: No matter what car you buy whether it be a Porsche or a Ford, a well maintained car is the best car to get your hands on when the opportunity presents itself. In any trade of item or service for a monetary settlement you get what it is you paid for. I only had the opportunity to own such a great vehicle because out of six car lots, yes six, it was the only car I could afford. I'm twenty one and have no credit, and at the time I had no money to put down on a car, especially since having to pay out the yin-yang to keep my previous car alive, so I went in search of a car that I would be able to put money down on and lease. My Porsche is a metallic red 1984 Porsche 944 turbo, I knew buying the car that for its price I was going to have to put money into the car. The used car dealer I bought it off of only disclosed two things to me. One that the lock for the hatch was busted and needed to be replaced, and that the lock on the driver side stuck and needed a little encouragement to open. And so after driving it and with my very limited knowledge of engines and cars, Porsche more so, I looked over the engine, which is very clean, and put the money I could down on it on my next payday. Within the first week these are the actual faults I have noticed about the car: Being told that there was no power steering in the car, and not having enough knowledge to know what the reservoir looked like, discovered the pump needed to be replaced, I discovered that after filling the tank up past the halfway point I can smell gas, but I don't loose gas, the seals on the sun roof, hatch and windshield leak, the motors for the sunroof and hatch both are faulty, there are wiring problems on the driver side, the tachometer only works when it feels like it, it desperately needs an alignment and new tires, and there are a few minor problems with the interior, and last, but not least the car has failed its e-check. With that being said I absolutely love this car and am fully willing to have every problem fixed and am in the process of doing so. my radiator is leaking so its at the shop right now being replaced with a new one, but as soon as I have it back I will be arranging to have the most pressing matters dealt with first, this car only has 50k miles on it and runs like a rocket on wheels. I cannot impress how absolutely thrilling it is to drive such a beautiful machine. Also on the insurance comment brought up previously with my car being labeled as a sports car, my being 21, and having 2 prior speeding tickets, and an accident on my record I only pay 60 dollars a month. That is the cheapest I have ever paid for on insurance in any vehicle I have ever owned. I know I'm going to put a lot of money into this car and hope to drive it for the rest of my life, as with any car, if you want it to run a certain way you have to be responsible for that, you have to take the charge necessary to make it how you want, run how you want, and look how you want.
May the roads be kind to all of you and your beautiful machines. PF - Ohio.