Let’s say you’re shopping for a modern classic from the ’80s, something new enough to have fuel injection but old enough that you don’t have to look at any screens. No problem, tons of choice there, but what if you’re picky? What if you want something with rear seats, a large cargo area, lauded handling, decent economy, rear-wheel drive, durability for the occasional trackday … and oh, it has to look properly cool. Box flares certainly help. Those are some tough criteria, but right in the center of all that sits the Porsche 944.
The front-engined transaxle-equipped chapter in Porsche’s history was a strange one, but it produced sports cars that could kind of just do it all. Hatches and fold-down rear seats for IKEA runs, wonderful balance for autocross runs, talkative steering for midnight runs to the corner store…in the next town over, just because. Although the start of the four-cylinder cars wasn’t the most inspiring moment, it only took the engineers in Stuttgart a few years to really get things right. And did they ever.
After all, the 944 has been called the best-handling car in the world, it won its class in all four of its inaugural 1983 SCCA endurance races, it continues to enjoy a vibrant grassroots racing scene today, including a spec series, and it’s still beloved by people who simply want an old tin-top sports car they can use all the time. Given its usability, it really is the perfect first ’80s sports car, and yet prices of examples that you’d actually drive every day haven’t gone to the moon.
What Are We Looking At?
In the beginning, there was the Porsche 924. This front-engined, rear-wheel-drive, transaxle-equipped car was originally supposed to kill two birds with one stone: Be both a flagship Volkswagen and a replacement for the aging Porsche 914. Unfortunately, Volkswagen had a change of heart on the project, so Porsche bought it back, finished it, and the result was a Porsche with a brilliant chassis and a slight rearward weight bias, but a modified two-liter Audi 100 engine pushing out a mere 95 horsepower in initial U.S. spec. This was fine for the ’70s, but by the early ’80s, Porsche had two problems. Firstly, everything else on the market was getting quicker. Secondly, its supply agreement with Audi for two-liter engines was about to run out.
Fortunately, Porsche is historically an engineering company that happens to make cars, so it did what it knew best and got to drafting and testing. It settled on a new four-cylinder engine to suit the harmonics of the skinny little driveshaft inside the torque tube, but the need for more power required more displacement, and large four-cylinder engines are often coarse. Enter Mitsubishi, with its patent on balance shafts. These eccentrically weighted counter-rotating shafts balance out the secondary harmonics of a four-cylinder engine for smooth running, and Porsche—likely begrudgingly—decided to just license the technology from Mitsubishi for its new 2.5-liter inline-four. The resulting all-aluminum 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with teachings from the 928’s five-liter V8 was then dropped into a widebody 924, and the result was the 944.
Sure, it might not have been the quickest Porsche ever made with a zero-to-60 mph time of 7.5 seconds, but it could nearly keep up with an automatic Corvette in a straight line, had an awesome stance, and most importantly, boasted world-beating handling. With a friendliness imbued in having the engine and transaxle on opposite ends of the car, 800-words-per-minute steering feedback, high grip for the time, and utterly predictable responses, Car And Driver proclaimed the 1984 944 the best-handling import sold in America.
The 944 offers drama to go, but the blip of the driver’s pulse rises only from the rush of emotional reassurance that comes with every new discovery of its sporting behavior.
A driver need not be a speed master to drown happily in the liquid responses of this car. This is a Porsche, to be loved for what it is as well as for what it can do. We have no doubts at all that the 944 is the best imported handler to be found in America.
Unsurprisingly, melding true sports car handling with hatchback practicality was a successful enough formula that Porsche just continued to iterate on the 944 for the next 13 years. A facelift in 1985 brought a new interior, a larger oil pan, revised suspension, a larger alternator, and a host of creature comforts. The 1986 model year saw the debut of the 217-horsepower 944 Turbo, a relative rocketship that could dash to 60 MPH in a tick under six seconds and really dance its way around a racetrack with haste. In 1987, the standard 944 gained new engine management and anti-lock brakes, along with a 944S model with a 16-valve version of the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter engine, and a 247-horsepower Turbo S variant joined the fray. The 1989 model year saw the regular 944 get a 2.7-liter engine, the 944 S2 get a three-liter 16-valve four-cylinder engine with 208 horsepower, and the Turbo S replace the Turbo, and even the replacement Porsche 968 was really just an updated 944.
While the Turbos, S2 models, and pristine examples have largely shot off into serious money territory, driver-condition standard cars are typically fairly affordable, even through the rising Porsche tide that’s been lifting all ships. For the price of a used Nissan Versa, you can own a Porsche, and one that you won’t have to worry about the IMS bearing on either, because the timing system doesn’t work that way.
How Much Are We Talking?
Yes, even though 944 prices have risen astronomically since their bottom, decent ones can still be had for pretty sensible money in the context of four-seat sports cars, especially if you’re willing to turn a few wrenches. For instance, this black 1983 Porsche 944 sold on Cars & Bids late last month for a mere $6,500. It’s not perfect, with the usual stone chips and dashboard cracks you’d expect from a 42-year-old car, inoperative air conditioning, and old tires, but the underbody looks to be in fantastic shape, the paint shines up nicely, and 96,500 miles on the clock is nothing to sneeze at. As the timing belt was last done in 2017, it could use a second go-around, but spending a little money on changing the belts and tires should result in a really fun little weekend toy.
Not a fan of the early dashboard? No worries, this 1986 Porsche 944 sold on Bring A Trailer earlier this year for $8,544, and it’s exactly what you want to see. The belts and water pump were done in 2025 with receipts, and the tires have 2023 date codes, so this thing’s all ready to go. Sure, it might have a whopping 198,000 miles on the clock and a true mileage unknown brand, but with classic cars, you buy condition rather than mileage. Not only does this example look great inside and out, but few things say ’80s like a white Porsche with white wheels. Well-bought.
As for a happy medium, how about something like this 1987 Porsche 944 that sold on Bring A Trailer in August for $9,200? Sure, that might be a pretty penny for a sort of car that could’ve easily been had for less than $5,000 a decade ago, but it’s not 2015 anymore, and this still seems like an okay value. Not only is it a Guards Red car with a reasonable 92,000 miles on the clock, but it also had a timing and balance shaft belt service done fewer than 5,000 miles ago, a major suspension refresh in 2021, and sports a clean Carfax.
What Can Go Wrong On A Porsche 944?
Before you buy a 944, it’s important to get it up in the air and check for leaks, because there is one that’s a proper pain. A rear main seal leak requires either removing the exhaust system and torque tube or pulling the engine. Either way, not fun. While you’re under there, it’s a good opportunity to inspect the clutch. Replacing it is an enormous pain at 10.5 hours of book labor and about $650 for the parts, so if the seller’s replaced it already, that’s a huge bonus.
Every 944 uses belts for engine timing and balance shafts, the health of which is critical to engine performance. Snap one of those important and relatively stressed belts and it’s goodbye to the engine, which is why replacement is recommended every 25,000 to 30,000 miles or so. A belt kit without a water pump for a pre-1987 car will run you $241.68 from FCP Euro, and if you can wrench, expect to spend two-to-three hours on the project. Oh, and you’ll need to re-tension the belts at 1,500 miles after replacement, as the tensioners aren’t automatic, but that’s comparatively easy. At the same time, 944s are prone to fuel pump relay failure, so keep a spare in the glovebox. A replacement will run you less than $50 from FCP Euro, which is way cheaper than a tow. Oh, and rough-running and no-start conditions may be caused by crankshaft sensor issues. The 944 uses one sensor for engine speed and one for determining top dead center, both of which can be picked up relatively inexpensively, but both of which can be a bit tedious to snake in and gap. Nothing difficult, but it pays to take your time and do things right.
Otherwise, watch out for typical old vehicle problems. Rust, aging fuel lines, fluid leaks, worn bushings, the sort of stuff that normally sidelines any other roughly 40-year-old car. Even though the badge on the front says “Porsche,” humans put these 944s together, and they aren’t particularly complicated.
Should You Buy A Reasonably Priced Porsche 944?
These days, the original Porsche Boxster has largely replaced the 944 as the default entry-level Porsche now that 944 values have risen. Back-to-back, the Boxster is a quicker, more sophisticated machine, but there’s still fundamental goodness in a 944. If the price is right, you’re handy with a wrench, and you really need the rear seats and cargo space, absolutely buy a 944. They’re still competitive cars in grassroots endurance racing, they’ll still give you an ear-to-ear grin when a winding road sign appears, and they’re genuinely practical enough to daily drive. So, if you want a nostalgic four-seat sports car, this is the one, yeah?
Top graphic image: Cars & Bids
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My dad picked up a 924 about 25 years ago to go on classic car trips with all his friends who had mid-60s muscle cars and convertibles as their mid-life crisis cars. The key for his at least has been to not need the car and to have a local mechanic who charges based on urgency. Sure you are maintaining a Porsche not a Jetta but it’s not like you are driving around waiting for the axe to drop on you. His isn’t an S or Turbo so power is limited but the handling really is great and it has been a great weekend car.
Always liked them a lot of course (I’m also a fan of the preceding 924) and I’ve known a few 944 owners, who always mostly praised them. But the cost of parts and labor for them has been enough to keep me from buying one myself.
The Fuch alloys and the phone dial wheels (ala 928) are both great, and to be frank, I’m sure the regular ones rather than the turbo would be fine for me, since I’m never in a rush.
The odds of me buying one at this point in my life are slim though. Not impossible, but unlikely. Maybe if I ran across one in an unusual color near me (LA) and learned of a decent mechanic who wouldn’t require me to take out a HELOC on my house in order to finance a big fix? Again: not likely.
Owned one of these for about a year. It was a fun little car. Easy to work on and relatively cheap until you had to buy a porsche specific part. I once spent $110 on a vacuum hose that was about six inches long. I couldn’t use regular bulk vacuum tubing from autozone because the hose had such a sharp turn in it that I had to buy the molded piece. You could only get it from porsche. Universal parts like brakes and a timing belt kit weren’t an issue.
I think it would be really fun to get a 968. A lot of people don’t even know what they are, considering they were only sold for 4 years and were nowhere near as popular as the 944. There’s something novel to me about having a fairly big 4-cylinder engine (3 liters!) and those frog-eye pop-up headlights. It’s got the best part of a 928 without the insane price tag of one! Plus all 968s have basic modern safety systems such as ABS and dual airbags, which only the later 944s have, which gives me better peace of mind.
I purchased a 1984 944 from an elderly man who was the original owner in N. California circa 2018 ($6,500). He had a small fleet of sports cars and all were seldom driven but well maintained. When I got the it it still had the sheepskin covers that had been placed on the front seats on the day he bought it and the car had travelled 69,000 miles. He was in his ealry 80s and was not able to get in or out of the car any longer and his grandson would take it out once a month for a short drive to keep it fresh. The car was immaculate, the dash wasn’t even cracked! When I bought it I had the intention of flipping it after enjoying it for a few months. My dad had 912s and 911s and I thought Porsches were boring but I had liked the 944s since I was teenager. Well, I drove it. That was the beginning of the end for me and now I am ruined as far as cars go. Porsche. There is no substitute.
There is a reason the 944 has been called the best handling car. It is that good… I discoverd to my irresponsible self that I could drive curvy mountain roads at twice the posted speed limit or more, and the car never lost composure and never left or crossed over the line. The downside to a 944? Pretty slow cars in this day an age. I remeber driving it back home from the Humboldt are in California and being passed on the highway by ratty a Kia that were being driven by teenagers – who were all giving me the thumbs up and taking pictures of the 944. Kids LOVE these! People walk up to you when you park or you’re filling up and they tell you how nice they are or how they sold theirs and wished they still had it (to this day I say the same thing). I didn’t have to work on mine all that much as the Porsche gods like me and nothing really ever went wrong on mine. The small things I replaced as preventative maintanance though told me that the engine bay is not your friend and it is one of the most difficult cars I have ever had to work in. Space is at a premium. I eneded up selling it maybe a year after I bought it and made a great profit and bought an immacualte 1999 Boxster and that car was a joy to work on (Again, never let me down, never broke, just reliable). Much quicker with great handling (I wouldn’t say better than a 944, just different).
Would I buy another 944? I would… if it was a Turbo or an S2 or 968. I don’t think that wil ever happen though as a Cayman is the answer now.
No.
A few years ago I was looking for the next toy, and 944’s were on my list of maybes. I saw a 944 turbo that looked immaculate, had a book of receipts back to the assembly line in Germany and the owner’s photo on the Autobahn driving it away.
I paid a decent $$ to get such a nice example, knowing “there’s no such thing as a cheap Porsche”. Spent $1.5k immediately having it gone over, but thought ok I’m good.
Had it taken to another Euro specialty shop a good friend used, I forget the original reason, but that was another $5-6k for a list of items I’ve tried to forget. I learned what a balance shaft was and what I was in for in the future. Wheels and tires were not much in the options. I had to wait a month for a new Air-Oil separator from Germany. Longer when they sent the wrong version (NA vs turbo).
No. “There’s no such thing as a cheap Porsche”
I currently own an 86 Turbo which sees a lot of summer miles and frequent track days. I spent six years rebuilding the whole car (kids, ya know) and every time I think about it, I figure I can sell it and get something newer and more reliable. Then I look at it and drive it and couldn’t imagine getting rid of it. Why are we so dumb?
Anyway, they’re cool. The NAs are easier to maintain, you can get plug and play modern engine management and relays which are much more reliable and robust than the originals, and there are some good motor swaps out there for the so inclined (LS, j35, 1.8t…). Most parts are pretty easy to get your hands on, still. Are there objectively better cars from the era? I dunno, maybe? Is this one still good? Very.
That Boxtsers are, and have for a solid decade now, similarly priced to these makes the prospect of one of these pretty dubious; nevermind the odd BreezFrees that slips into this price range. 944s are not cheap to maintain and they can be pretty fragile to boot. I had an online friend who bought one about a decade ago and it was perpetually annoying to him.
And if you had to have something with that “look,” post-refresh C4s are still falling out of trees for under 10 grand and isn’t in the timezone of being as problematic to work on. FCs might still be as well.
Some of us want a back seat and a hatch.
I won’t be buying a 2-seater for at least another decade. A two-seater means I either need to leave my spouse at home or get a baby sitter every time I wanna go some place with more than just myself.
That would be where the BreezFreese comes into play. A car somewhat notorious for its fiddliness and random extreme expenses that’s originally from the 1970s probably shouldn’t be relied on in such a way to begin with, but that’s your decision.
I mean, we’re a 3-car household with two daily drivers and my toy.
But I’d like to enjoy my hobby WITH my family, not separate from it.
Also, what in the world is a breezfreeze
I almost had one of these as my first car about 20 years ago. But I was way into muscle cars and wound up with a ‘67 Impala SS instead (both were rough mind you). I wound up with the sports car bug later anyway but I wonder if that 944 would have given it to me sooner or broken so much I never fully got it, never know about the road not taken.
Isn’t the 911 the sports car bug?
(ducks tomatoes, tap-dances off stage)
Just looked at listings near me… and I guess the market in Canada is radically different. There was *one* for $10k CAD, but it was clearly used in drifting events and in rough shape. All the cars I saw in the condition of the 2 or 3 here were $30k – $50k.
I dunno what part of the country you’re in, but Ontario/QC have dozens of examples in the 10k range. Mostly on FB marketplace.
I know, because I’m actively researching them, as someone wants to trade me a 944 for my w126.
Mostly autotrader…within 250 kms of Toronto. I stay away from the cesspool that is fb marketplace as much as possible. Might take a peek at kijiji to see what it looks like there… it’s a car that’s been on my list for a while…
Autotrader is pretty barren for cars over 15 years old, from what I find.
Kijiji is a lot better, but the cesspool of FB does have most of the deals.
Stef Schrader: “It’s the Bat-Signal!”
As vintage German money-pits go, the 944 is definitely tops. Just out of contrariness, I’d be tempted instead to resurrect this $700 1976 924 with an Audi 5-cylinder and transaxle, or even Tesla-swap it.
As with this whole gavel gazing series, this is another “dont f*** crazy” car. And yes, sometimes ya just gotta do it anyway, because crazy is the best f*** you will ever have. So go for it, just dont get in too deep, or have a buddy to offload the crazy onto. It’s always worked for me.
Did a quick look at Norcal 944s for sale. There are several that showed up in the general area of SF. There’s an ’84 with 185K on it and relatively little info on service or condition other than it drives well and needs a new driver’s seat (no shots of the interior), and they want $5500 for it. After that, things get pricey. There’s an ’83 with 114K on it that’s “exceptional” and priced at $16,500. Then there’s an ’84 with supposedly 26K miles on it for $33,900! (“Priced for a quick sale!”) These are not the turbo or S models. There’s one turbo at $18K and a “pristine” ’89 S2 for $34,900. There’s also a non-running project of an ’86 for $5K. Apparently, the “cheap good sports car” memo didn’t get out to a number of these people.
Interestingly, there’s also one that was converted to an EV. Would go 50 mph for up to 40 miles on a charge! (But now the batteries are shot and will need replacing.) Only $4750!!
EV one probably has a DC forklift motor bolted to the original transaxle and beefed up springs for lead-acid batteries. Shouldn’t be too hard to swap in an Audi 5-cylinder.
I’ve had a few of these things, so I have a couple points to remember if you’re thinking of getting into one.
1) Clutch job is a bear and the factory clutch in the NA is rubber-centered. If it hasn’t been done, be prepared (that rubber only lasts so long). Tough job on an NA, tougher on a turbo;
2) The later cars (I think 87ish) went to a spring-loaded timing belt tensioner, so no re-tensions. I believe the 86s had the bosses cast into the block, so you can drill/tap and add the spring loaded tensioner;
3) Speaking of tensioner, the earlier cars used an eccentric pulley on a stud. These studs can and will break (ask me how I know), probably a decent “while you’re in there” job during a TB change;
4) The 88 NAs had higher compression than the earlier cars. Gets you a couple extra HP;
5) These cars are an absolute blast to own/drive and very usable. Being a hatch, you can put tons of stuff in the back. My drummer and I (bass player) could go to gigs with his drumset and my full bass rig in the back of mine with the rear seats folded down. Fantastically practical.
Get one…now (and holler at me when you get tired of maintaining it and want to sell it on the cheaps)
Ugh, don’t tell people. I’ve always loved 944s and I will own one at some point. Really just need garage space and to find the right 944 s/s2/turbo.
I love my 944. It’s the source of my account name. It’s a great car to toss around corners, it sounds great and my wife loves going out in it with me (ex-wife hated it, insert 944 or me joke here). This state of contentment came at the cost of hundreds of wrenching hours, hundreds of internet hours and well over $14,000 in parts and mechanic bills. I learned so much through this process and it was worth it all. Go get one. Then you can attend 944fest. Also I’ve got Clark’s garage, the full site, as well as the entire 944PET and shop manual archived. Shoot me a message if you need a copy.
I could see it when it was the 3 for $1k deals that used to pop up 20 years ago and then relativity sorted one for $5k ish or $500 to $1k for a basket case 10 years ago. But at those prices boxer has to be the answer.
Boxsters LOOK like they would be more expensive to maintain – but they aren’t. At all. You can get a NICE early Boxster for $10K or so. Or for a bit more, a Cayman, which is the car that the 911 should have evolved into, but didn’t.
Very much agreed – Boxster is the answer unless you just really, really want one of these.
Definitely, a lot 944 parts are getting harder to find. Plus they can be an absolute pain to work on it looks like you should have access but you don’t. I’ve seen running and driving not the best cosmetic early boxers under $3k. Every once in a while you see one under $2k.
As a previous owner of both a 944 and a Boxster I can only agree that Boxster is the answer. With that said, my next Porsche will be a Cayman!
I really want a Cayman. An old one. Though I came *this* close to ordering one new and taking delivery in Stuttgart. Had the deal all negotiated. Was going to be my 50th birthday present to myself. But my inner Yankee Cheapskate nixed the deal. I couldn’t stomach $75K out the door for a lightly optioned sportscar when I live in FL where the nearest fun roads are about a 3hr drive away. Bought a Fiata instead for 1/3rd the price. And ultimately, it nagged at me that by then they had a turbo 4 that sounds a bit too much like a Subaru.
But I think I will have an old one someday. They are magic cars, even more than the Boxster is (and those are pretty magic too).
My aunt had a 944 S2 when I was growing up. She took me and my cousin out for ice cream in it once and I was absolutely delighted. We snapped the rear lap belts into place and she gave it the beans. I’m sure I chewed many peoples’ ears off about how I’d gotten to ride in a Porsche like the peculiar little neurodivergent kid I was.
Anyway she has a Panamera now that she’s let me drive and I’ll always have a soft spot for the 944. I think they’re so cool looking and so quintessentially 80s. That being said…I have a hard time stomaching the thought of spending 5 figures on one in addition to all the maintenance they require.
These are not easy to keep running and parts/labor come with the Porsche Tax just like everything else does…not to mention even when they’re working you’re still ultimately driving a front engine hatchback with a sub 200 horsepower naturally aspirated 4 cylinder.
It’s a high price to pay for an experience that isn’t all that unique. I’m also biased, because I’m old enough to remember when these “weren’t real Porsches” and you could get them for a couple grand. But at the end of the day if I’m going to have to deal with something this mechanically complex I’d rather save more and get a 911, or even get really weird with it and go with a 928 of a similar vintage.
And as is the case with *insert old European sports car here*, the biggest issue with a 944 is that Miatas exist. You can get a nice enough Miata for the same price as a nice enough 944 and it’s going to be approximately .01% of the headache to own. At the end of the day if I’m gonna go off the deep end with a very used Porsche I personally am not choosing a 944. But if they’re your thing and you’re a skilled wrencher I absolutely respect it.
I never see one pass and go “lol I can’t imagine how much they’ve spent on keeping it running”. If I see one pass and I “cool, a 944” every single time. Because they’re objectively cool. Also for whatever reason Brian from RCR hates them. I certainly don’t base any of my decisions or opinions on what he thinks since he only thinks Japanese cars are valid but I’ve always found it curious that his 944 video is so negative.
To be fair, they have still have the same price relationship to “real Porsches” that they have always had. The “real” ones have gotten STUPID expensive!
The best entry into Porsche ownership at this point is a well-maintained early Boxster. It will cost a little more up front for equivalent condition, but they are SO much cheaper to maintain it isn’t funny, even though the punters see “mid-engine” and think maintenance will be terrible. They are just so much better designed for it than these cars were. And they are ultimately a lot more special than these cars are. At the end of the day, they were supposed to be VW’s sportscar, not a Porsche.
I do think that the 944 Turbos and 968s ARE much more special cars, and probably worth the price of entry, but they are also FAR more expensive. And even more expensive to run than these early 924/944s are. Also the 924 Turbo is a pretty neat car and a lot more special than the non-turbos, while actually being cheaper to maintain since it’s still running that Audi van motor, just with a turbo bolted on to it. Though I expect parts for those are a bit of a challenge at this point (and just finding on that is still in one piece). They were when I owned my car 15 years ago and was into the scene.
I would not compare these cars to Miatas. Chalk and cheese, just completely different experience. A Miata is a better MGB. The better comparison to one of these are the other ’80s GTs. Mitsubishi Starion, RX7, even the Supra and 300ZX.
I’ve seen several 924/944s up on jackstands at a Lemons race for nearly the entire weekend for a clutch replacement. That was enough to scare me away from them.
They are great cars, and they are certainly the cheapest entry into owning a Porsche. But having owned an ’87 924S (924 with Porsche engine from the 944 rather than the Audi engine from a van), the “Porsche Tax” is real as a heart attack. The bits shared with Rabbits and Beetles are damned near free, but anything that needs to come in a Porsche box, lordy, lordy hold onto your wallet. And they are a stone cold bitch to work on, especially the 924S. That engine bay was designed around that Audi van engine, the Porsche lump is a LOT bigger, and got bigger still as they evolved with larger displacement and DOHC. The later 944 does have a removable front crossmember that makes life a little easier, but it’s still 10lbs of engine stuffed in a 5lb bag.
The reality is that maintaining a 924S/944 costs MORE than maintaining a 911 of the same vintage. By a LOT. And if you neglect that maintenance, particularly the all-important timing belt (which has a 30K mile change interval), very, very, very expensively bad things happen. And properly tensioning the belt requires a very, very expensive special tool. Sure you can “wing it”, but get it wrong and valves say “hello there” to the pistons. They are also very good at blowing head gaskets and oil coolers. Water to oil cooler, so when it goes the coolant and oil mix to the detriment of the bearings. Then there is the fun of the original rubber-centered clutch disks, and the fun of changing the clutch in a car with both a rear-mounted gearbox and a torque tube.
I very much had a love/hate relationship with mine. And mine was a lovely low-mileage example that was NOT supposed to be a project (I even had a PPI done by a Porsche specialist). It was a project. That became someone else’s project at a great loss of money on my part. I’d have another one though – they are that good to drive.
This is someone speaking from experience, and they’re dead right.
The reason you buy a 944 is because the car you wanted most was a 944.
If you want a “944-like experience” buy a first gen Toyobaru. Buy… nearly anything else. Your wallet will thank you. TCO will be a different planet.
Buy a 944 if it was your dream car. Don’t buy it thinking it’s a cheaper way to own something that is as quick or handles similarly.
Absolutely spot on! Brilliant but ultimately very flawed cars. If you love them and can work with and around the flaws, and have wrenching talent and or very deep pockets, have fun! I had the talent but not the time, so mine had to go. And I just didn’t enjoy wrenching on the thing either. Some cars are fun to wrench on, some definitely are NOT. And these are NOT.
I just wanna swap my 80s luxobarge for an 80s handling car. I already did the FB, and I’m not sure I want an FC. The 944 is tickling the fuzzy part of my brain for some reason.
See the parent poster — don’t choose a 944. It will hurt. A ton.
And if you want to fully restore an 80s car, a 944 is an easy $40-50K by the time you’re done. I’ve talked to many who have spent that, and I’m not talking to ones with Turbos. Base and Ses.
You will end up with a very nice 944, that any 20-year newer car would absolutely laugh at, and a modern car (say, a used new Supra) would completely demolish for far less money spent.
An NC Miata will demolish a Ferrari 328, in EVERY SINGLE DIMENSION but straight line speed (dead even), for far less money… while continuing to cost far less money, while the 328 demands thousands of you every so often.
You buy a 944 because it was your one and only dream car, not because “it seems neat” or “I bet I can…”. If you still think the latter, I’ll provide an account where you can just wire me your money, and I’ll put it to better use for you.
My spouse has (rightly) pointed out, that if I buy something problem-free, I’ll ignore it and then go buy something problematic.
Then again, I spent nearly 20 years crawling all over trucks and buses. Now that I work in an office, I need something to feed “The Urge”.
I have zero interest in any newer cars as my toy. I also have zero interest in anything with two seats as I have a 6 year old that loves old cars more than my spouse does.
I have a 718 Spyder RS. I’m not afraid of Porsches, or spending a lot of money on a car.
At car shows, I talk to the transaxle guys.
The ones with the really nice ones have spent 2X (for the ones that bought REALLY NICE ones) to 4X what they paid on the car, to get it into the shape it’s currently in. None are what I would consider “collector grade.” One guy who is one of the better known 928 enthusiasts in the country said it’s reasonably $75K to end up with a near-perfect 928, which is why they’re aren’t any.
Perfection is a fool’s errand. I buy to use, not to collect. My w126 is mechanically awesome, but there are large sections of missing clear coat.
I don’t care about restoration, purity, numbers matching, or brand loyalty. I just make it reliable and enjoy. Tweaking and tinkering as I go. When it’s truly finished, I just end up selling it.
The local 928 guy’s 928 has 170,000 miles. He put 130,000 on it himself.
My Spyder RS saw 2000 miles in THREE WEEKS.
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A 944S, out the door, was likely $55-60K in the early 90s. That’s 130-140,000 today before sales tax.
Are you ready for a poorly maintained $130,000-$140,000 car? Because that’s what you’re getting into. Those are the costs involved.
And trust me, all the transaxle guys SAY THE SAME THING. Buy a transaxle Porsche because it’s all you ever wanted, no other reason. Because they’ve been watching people get frustrated with them for decades, at hideous expense.
A 325i or 325is is cheaper and as fun. Want an 80s car that won’t be a complete nightmare? There you go. Won’t be cheap, but won’t be anywhere near transaxle Porsche money to deal with.
I mean, I’m getting into the car, which has extensive service records of mechanical maintenance, for $0.
I can afford to throw some money at it. I’ve already mechanically restored a w126, which was 80-100k in 80s money. So this is a downgrade.
There was a house I would drive by on the way home that had 4 or 5 of these is all different conditions (saw the owner out driving some of them once in a while) but alas the house was listed for sale and sold so I don’t get to see all the cool 944 wedges on my daily commute anymore. I always thought these were cool cars funny thing is when looking for third gen F-bodys I was also looking at these same with 300zx and some other 80s wedge mobiles probably a good thing I didn’t end with a Porsche at 19-20 years old back then haha.
These are the kind of cars that guys REALLY get into and end up owning a bunch of (because they are really cheap when they are broken, and they are all broken). The BMW club buddy I sold mine to had 3-4 of them, though he was definitely into 924s more than 944s. He did get it done and going, and still drives it today.
I just didn’t have the time to deal with it DIY, and refused to spend the money that it would have cost to have a shop deal with it. So I got rid of it and bought a brand-new 500 Abarth. Which I wish I still had – that car was *awesome*. So much stupid silly fun in a tiny ridiculous package for relatively cheap – best 4th car ever. But I sold it to do another BMW Euro Delivery. That is like a crack habit, but more expensive. Probably good they killed the program.
The 500 Abarth is ridiculously fun. I, too, wish I still had mine.
Sigh. They sure are. One of my three biggest automotive regrets, especially as I didn’t love the M235i that replaced it.
https://flic.kr/p/e2AGoY
I replaced my Abarth with the same generation 2 series, but it was a 228i with the M-sport package and manual. After reading extensive reviews I decided the M235 wasn’t worth the extra money, and I couldn’t afford an M2. The 228 was an excellent driver’s car. I was a little concerned about having RWD for the winter, but it did fine in the snow. I also miss that car. Currently have a M240 and it’s fine, but honestly the 228 was a lot more fun to drive.
Also, hello fellow Mainer.
It was actually getting a rented 228i that got me looking at 2-series – and a rented 500 that got me to look at those, for that matter! I had a cancelled flight that meant I wasn’t going anywhere until the next day, stopped by the Fiat Studio to try out a 500 Sport with a stick. Which was fun, but then I drove the Abarth and bought it on the spot. Though to be honest, in later years a 500 Turbo is probably the best compromise of all of them. Most of the fun, way better color combos available and a lot cheaper. I bought my ’13 Abarth in 2012 before the Turbos debuted.
I only got the M235i because I could get it with the niceties (aka the Premium Pkg) but without a sunroof. No sunroof delete on the 228i. I don’t fit in them with the sunroof. BMW got me to spend $5K to NOT have a sunroof. Wankers. It was a LOT of fun on the Autobahn though. But I would have preferred an M-Sport 228i overall. I would have preferred a 1-series hatch even more. But we don’t get nice things in the this country.
The M2 didn’t exist yet when I bought mine, but Bill Dodge let me have one for a weekend to try to get me to bite when they got their demo in. It didn’t wow me. Waaaay too “on” all the time. The M235i is a better compromise for a street-driven car. I don’t have any interest in tracking anything that needs to get me home again at the end of the track day – or God forbid I am making payments on.
Part-time Mainer these days. I got allergic to snow as I got older. And the kiss of death for the M235i was my taking it to Florida and it becoming my only car down there when I started snowbirding. Good enough as a fourth car, useless as an only car so I chopped it in on a GTI Sport. Which I regret selling even more than the Abarth. Sigh. Carvana offered me what I paid for it new at the peak of the used car silliness, and I wasn’t driving it much because I had bought my 1-series convertible. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I’ll never find another one that hasn’t been hooned to death.