The main issue, in my opinion, is perception. They command a lower price since they are thought of as subpar Porsches rather than “genuine” Porsches like the 911.
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An inferior Porsche
Speaking of maintenance, the 944 may have been inexpensive to purchase for many years on the used market, but it has never been inexpensive to maintain, which has caught many owners on a tight budget off guard. The replacement of the crucial timing belt and water pump can cost well over a thousand dollars, and parts are typically hard to come by.
The state of a specific 944 might vary greatly because different owners treated their cars differently throughout the years. Some owners drove their 944s daily and mistreated them, while others took pride in their Porsche ownership and treated it like a 911. That explains in part why prices range so widely, from around $3000 for a basic but functional project to $50k to $60k for a collector-grade Turbo or Turbo S. The rising tide of 911 prices lifted all the other boats in the Porsche sea from roughly 2012 until the end of 2017, including previously underrated models like the 914, 912, and 944.
a DME relay
One of the most notoriously flimsy electrical components on the 944 are the DME relays. In spite of the fact that it’s a relatively simple fix, this tiny relay is paradoxically what lends the 944 its “electrical problem” stereotype. You must keep in mind that the 944’s ECU and DME use extremely early computer technology, so as they get older, issues tend to crop up here and there. The good thing is that brand-new DME relays are reasonably priced, therefore I strongly advise you to buy a few backups and store one in your car for emergencies.
Two justifications for why we’d never buy a Porsche 944: Reasons Why We Love It
The Porsche 944 is a top-notch sports car and an affordable way to buy a Porsche.
Despite being highly accepted, the 944, like most Porsches from the 1980s that weren’t 911s, never developed the cult following of its larger sibling. This does not, however, imply in any way that it was a failure. The 1980s produced a number of famous performance vehicles that were all in search of wealthy Wall Street owners at a period when the world was flush with young money.
Among these, the Porsche 944 stood out for its stylish design, superb build quality, and owner-friendly handling when the speedometer began to rise. The Porsche model 944, one of the generation’s most underappreciated sports cars and a vehicle that Porsche enthusiasts would scorn, is a terrific driving companion. Here are eight reasons we love the Porsche 944 and two reasons we wouldn’t ever purchase one, from naturally aspirated highway cruiser to turbocharged quarter-mile bruiser.
Prices for the Porsche 944 Turbo are out of control.
Years ago, the Porsche 911 used car market surpassed an outrageous level, and it has yet to decline. The majority of high-end Mercedes-Benz or BMW cars eventually lose value to the point that regular people can buy them, while the 911 appears to have an infinite shelf life, at least in terms of the pre-1997 air-cooled models that purists prize the most. Only the 996 generation, which was ridiculed for having explosive engines in the back and Boxsters up front, from 1999 to 2004 offered discounts.
Due to the 911 bubble’s durability, less wealthy Porsche lovers must purchase other models. The Porsche 944 from 1982 to 1991 has been a common option. The 944 was a solid performer with classic attractive looks, 50/50 weight distribution, excellent cornering, and more torque than the Audi-powered 924 from which it descended. On Car and Driver’s 10 Best lists, it frequently appeared. Although the original 944’s performance would place it below a contemporary Subaru, the Turbos’ sub-6.0 second 0-60 mph times were actually rather fast.
The 944 has remained very inexpensive due to a number of factors. Because it was front-engined and water-cooled, Porsche snobs turned their noses up at it. Four-cylinder engines typically don’t elicit the same level of emotion. Japanese competitors to the 944 provided superior performance, value, and tuning foundations. The 944 also requires expensive maintenance.
However, perceptions of the 944 may be shifting. Prices for turbocharged variants seem to be rising: Only four of the 85 944 Turbos listed on Bring a Trailer had sold for more than $30,000, and none had gone for more than $40,000. This year, however, four 944 Turbos have givenled for more than $58,000. (That is essentially the starting price for a new 718 Cayman.)
However, it’s not just happening on BaT. A 1989 944 Turbo was sold at auction by Gooding & Co. somewhere in 2018 for $72,600. Jerry Seinfeld, a well-known Porsche fanatic, also purchased a 944 Turbo this year.
There are certain restrictions. The four were sold on Bring a Trailer were in excellent to near-perfect shape. Three of them were coveted Turbo S versions. The vehicle that sold for $74,000 had only 5,300 miles on it. Any Porsche kept in such pristine condition would command a hefty price; on BaT, models like the 912 and 914, which some might regard to be Volkswagens dressed up, have sold for comparable sums.
Why the sudden love of the 944 Turbo? Nothing is entirely clear. Hagerty observes that over the past ten years, 944 values have quadrupled or even tripled in some situations. 944 prices have generally been rising along with the 911 tidal. There may be a growing understanding that the 944 Turbo was a superb car overall but was underappreciated because of the 911.
Additionally, it might not take that many value-unconcerned aficionados to move a small historic car market. The same BaT customer who won the $74,000 944 Turbo placed an offer as high as $58,000 on another 944 a month later. Since December, this buyer has placed bids on five 944s.
Without a doubt, Porsche produces top-notch automobiles. But it seems harder and harder to find good deals on them, whether they are new or old. To put things in perspective, Mercedes also produces high-quality vehicles, but you could acquire a 2016 Mercedes-AMG E63 S wagon for the same amount as a newer, more potent, and lightly used R129 500SL or a top-end 944 Turbo. Which would we like to purchase at that price?
Why you would desire a Porsche 944
The Porsche 944 was pricey when new but provides a lot for the money today, especially when you consider the car’s amazingly strong fuel efficiency and quite exceptional parts availability for a 1980s classic. The Porsche 944 was meticulously made with high-quality components.
The 944 had none of the “VW engine” baggage associated with the 924 because it had a 928 engine in part and excellent handling and performance. The large, potent “four” was incredibly smooth thanks to twin balancer shafts of the Lanchester variety.
It was fitted in a bodyshell resembling the 924 Carrera GT with flared arches and 924 turbo brakes, and it quickly gained popularity. Over the course of its ten-year production run, improvements have only strengthened that.
Don’t be fooled into thinking these cars cannot rust; they can and do, and not only from accident damage. Full body galvanizing was a feature from the beginning. Galvanizing doesn’t completely halt corrosion, thus rotten sills that are rusted through from the interior are not unusual. Check carefully, ideally with a magnet, for filler and wing rot, which are both prevalent. A less expensive option is glassfibre front wings.
Because a low-mileage car is likely to have malfunctioning electrics (condensation leads to corrosion when lying unused), seized brakes, and other issues connected to infrequent use, a high-mileage automobile with a full history is likely to be far less expensive to run, at least in the short term. Watch out for exaggerated claims of low mileage, especially for older vehicles with five-digit odometers.
You either love or detest the 1970s-style dashboard on pre-1985 update vehicles, which has a low-set steering wheel that is barely above your thighs. The later oval dash has a higher-set wheel and is contemporary, elegant, and appealing, but the gauges—particularly the clock—and heater controls have proven to be less dependable than those of previous automobiles.
There are options for original parts from main dealers (which are occasionally less expensive than elsewhere), high-quality aftermarket goods from experts, and used items from breakers. For further information, check out the fantastic PCGB forum. Many posts are shared with other vehicles, most notably VW Golfs and Beetles.
While S2s offer the best performance outside of turbos and are frequently quicker off the line, early cars are very straightforward and have a timeless look. Although less complicated than a turbo, they are the reasonable option, but they are not easily adjusted.
Are Porsche 944 values rising?
The Porsche 944 is unquestionably a worthwhile purchase in 2021, with average costs between $9,000 and $24,000.
Almost usually, the 904, 906, 908, and 917 are the first models mentioned when discussing vintage Porsches. The 914 is one of the Porsches that receives the least attention, though. a partnership between Porsche and Volkswagen. While many people disregard the 914 because it is rather unusual, among Porsche enthusiasts it is regarded as the company’s first genuine entry-level model.
Volkswagen-Porsche decided to create a prototype to replace the 914, and after a string of unfortunate events, the Porsche 924 was born. The 944, a front-engined, rear-wheel-drive Porsche, is the result of further development of their mid-level model. The 944 Turbo, 944 Turbo S, 944 S, and 944 S2 were among the several variations of the 944 that followed the 968.
Prior to the Boxster and 911 Carrera, the 944 was Porsche’s most popular model, yet it didn’t earn a place in automotive history as a classic. Whatever your opinion, the 944 is every bit a Porsche, and having one would be something a petrolhead would look forward to, especially given how affordable they are.
The Porsche 944 is unquestionably a worthwhile purchase in 2021, with average costs between $9,000 and $24,000. Prices are beginning to increase quite quickly as demand for the mid-level Porsche grows.
The price of a new Porsche 944.
Original MSRP for the Porsche 944 is $36,990 or $43,350 for the Turbo S. corresponding to $92,457 and $108,354 in 2021, respectively. Despite having a high base price, there were approximately 163,000 944s in use between 1982 and 1991. Despite a recent increase in price, the 944 is still well within many automobile aficionados’ price range. Customers may purchase a clean 944 for well under $15,000, and those looking for a project car can locate specimens for far under $5,000. Overall, the Porsche 944 is a flawless fusion of luxury and performance from the 1980s that still dazzles today. The 944 is gradually turning into a recognized classic since it is now accessible to enthusiasts at affordable costs.
Porsche 944s are quick?
In conjunction with Porsche, the US-Spec 944 turbocharged package was first made available in 1983 by American tuning business Callaway Cars. The basic 2.5 L inline-four engine’s 9.5:1 compression ratio and complicated Bosch Motronic engine management system made it susceptible to failure when subjected to forced induction, hence the engine was not appropriate for forced induction. By removing metal from the piston heads and chamber walls and increasing the volume of the engine’s combustion chambers, Callaway engineers were able to solve this issue. They also installed their own Microfueler unit and modified the Motronic system to ensure optimal fuel injection to the turbocharged engine. The complete engine had to be disassembled for this phase to work, which added significantly to the package’s cost. Although the compression ratio of the resulting engine was lower than that of the normal engine (8.0:1), linear power delivery was still guaranteed. Callaway installed a common internal waste gate and advised the use of 91-octane fuel to boost engine reliability in order to prevent any catastrophic engine failures. In addition, a new free flow exhaust system with a larger exhaust pipe was fitted, coupled with an IHI RHB6 turbocharger, on the right side of the engine for maximum performance. Because there was no turbo-lag, linear levels of boost were guaranteed. A boost control knob on the dashboard was optional, although the turbocharger produced 10 psi of boost. In comparison to the normal car’s 143 horsepower (107 kW) at 5,500 rpm, the modified engine produced 284 hp (212 kW) at 6,000 rpm and 312 Nm (230 lbft) at 4,000 rpm. With a 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) acceleration time of 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 165 mph (266 km/h), performance surpassed that of the normal vehicle as well. According to Callaway, removing the rev limiter would result in even faster acceleration times. One of the rarest Porsche 944s ever made, only 20 vehicles were made.