Hey anyone know anything about the 85-91 porcshe 944’s???
what to watch out for? and notorious problems?
how are they to drive (performance wise) any good?
track times? turbo vs. non-turbo
I have an opportunity to get one and was just wondering, as i don’t know much about them myself, or at least yet. thanks
I’ve wanted a 89 turbo for a while.
But parts for them are stupid expensive.
KKK makes their turbos, and their turbos kinda suck.
other than that, it’s a very nuetral car, a nice handler and carries her weight around very well
I am very much so wanting to pick up a 89 N/A and swap in an LS1. It is a relativly smooth swap, and the motors are about the same weight. The car has great suspension, and one of the most solid frames that Porsche has ever built IMO.
this wouldnt happen to be the one thats for sale silly cheap in clearence on main?
if not, then carry on, i never said there was one there, and i also would like to know what to look out for 
no its not
so there is one near both of you forsale? Cause you guys live like 2 minutes from eachother.
badass kicks the drivers’ asses
lol, well ok the car can still be pretty quick…he kicks the turbos too?
lol noo…
im not talkin about the car…im talkin about the guy we ran into 2 weeks n a row who followed us into a gas station…persued badazz…so badazz kicked his ass…lil inside joke
…the guy happend to drive a 944
ohhh, ok, that explains everything. ha what a guy
HA HA HA then tosses them over their hood
The first car I ever purchased was a 1986 na 944.
The car had no power but everything else was incredible.
I later purchased a 1989 951 turbo S.
The 951 is still one of my favorite cars ever.
That car handled incredibly well and was very fast.
No one rebuilds the control arms/ball joints on the turbo S because of the adjustable suspension.
The control arms/ball joints are quite costly.
Other than that, the only thing to really concern you is the timing belt and water pump.
The 944 is balanced close to 50%/50% and it very easy to drive very fast.(unlike the 911 which requires more skill to push to it’s limits)
I sold my 951 to a friend and I still get to drive it once in a while.
Big :tup: to the 951, one of the best kept secrets.
well thanks for that insight, i may look into the 951’s, how was it on insurance? i know i got a fairly normal quote for a 944, it was about the same as the camaro i had.
This is the reason that i love this car so much. And the same reason that i love it with a LS1 in it LOL…
Thanks for the intro to the 951, i ahve done no research into them, and am looking for something new to tinker with over the winter.
What is the cost difference between the 944 and the 951 in equal conditions? any clue?
the 951’s are a little more, but depends on the condition, i have been seeing about $3500-7000 on 951’s, and about $3000-5000 on 944, anyone correct me if i seem off on that
how do either hold up with miles? should it be a big concern to me?
What to watch out for, well for one, if you are even considering buying one get a pre purchase inspection at a certified Porsche or Euro shop. Other big problems include blown transaxle or a poorly maintained engine that will spin a bearing the week after you buy it. Alot of cars have oil coolers or head gaskets which are blown and are a PITA to replace. Watch out for a milkshake in the oil. Check for shaft play if you are buying a turbo, alot of owners never replaced the original K26/6 and it’s probably on it’s way out. I have one or two sitting on the table next to me. (under a pile of papers). Another good thing to inspect is the wiring harness, alot of abuse/heat, etc has gone into these over the past 20 years and they tend to get very very very brittle. I’ve got a cut up harness sitting on the floor here and I’m just finishing rewiring my car (and the factory charges over $1500 for a new harness, so at that point it made more sense for me to goto Tec3R and a custom harness). I personally didnt even consider an NA when I was looking for my turbo a few years ago, wasnt even an option. But if you are considering an LS1 I wouldnt even consider a turbo. If you plan on going the LS1 route just keep in mind you will not be welcomed with open arms to the main 944 board (www.rennlist.com) those guys HATE it when people do that.
Just keep in mind there is NO SUCH THING as a cheap Porsche, maintenace is killer. What’s your total budget?
KKK has some good turbos, and a good K27/6 will put you right around 310whp on a conservative tune.
As for insurance, the NA and the turbo cost the same to insure, but if you need to make a claim you’ll be going through a long fight about what your car is worth. I’d value my car around 15k right now, but insurance would likely try and argue that it’s worth more like 3k. I wish them luck trying to find a 951 with the amount of maintenace and parts mine has on it, for 3k.
The ball joint issue isnt really an issue anymore, Rennbay makes a great ball joint rebuild kit for like $50.
The cost difference is something like this: (for STOCK cars)
Mint 944: $3-7k
Mint 951: $7-15k (some of the late model Turbo S or '89 cars have been going up)
Mint S2: $8-12k
Mint 968: $12-25k
Hope that helps.
There is a big price difference between the turbo and the turbo S.
You can find a regular turbo without limited slip for $6,000.
(I wouldn’t buy a turbo without LSD)
You may find a turbo S for less than $10,000 but it is probably whipped.
A good turbo S will cost you about $15,000 give or take $3,000.
The value has actually gone up in the past year or two.