How long have you owned you car and what's ownership been like?
I DD a 951. I enjoy it. You can pick em up cheap so not worry too much about leaving it in a parking lot. I run a Porsche repair shop so cost of ownership is pretty low, lol. Very reliable cars(unless the wrong person has worked on it or modified it) Terrible fuel mileage. A little turbo lag, they are 80's cars after all. Great brakes. Great handling. Easier to drive fast than a 911. Faster than the 911s of the era. The turbo plumbing means that any task other than brakes requires a significant amount more labor time. Any specific questions?
In what way? Which Gen Boxster? Driving experience? Ownership? Longevity? Long term viability? Cost of maintenance? The fit, finish and quality of materials on the 80's cars is so far superior to the later gen cars. Brakes on the boxster are probably a little better. Handling on the boxster is better. I really like mid engined cars. Reliability: the 944T has the advantage. Longevity? Definitely advantage goes to the 944T. One rarely sees a boxster in good shape over 100K miles but most of the 944s are all past that now and stilling strong. Cost of maintenance will likely be a tiny bit more for the Boxster until the engine lets go. 944 engines are pretty darned easy and fairly cheap to rebuild. M96-97 engines not so much. 4 spark plugs vs 6. Cheaper oil changes and tires for 944. Brakes about the same. Boxster doesn't require T-belt changes but they really aren't too expensive for the 944. Roughly $1000 every 40K miles. Clutch replacement would be the one big exception to that rule. The 944 clutch is a pain to get to, the turbo version even more so. While parts cost is roughly the same the labor would likely be triple.
You edited while is was typing about the 968. I really like the 968. NA but with the pretty much the same power output of the 944T. Six speed gearbox, cheaper clutch replacement by a long ways. They changed access to the bell housing for the 968. I like the exterior of the 968 and the interior is more or less identical to all 944s after 1986. They seemed to make more 968 in convertible if that's your thing. I prefer coupes for cars. I ride motorcycles for the open air feeling. Parts cost for the 968 only things are a little pricey but the rest is cheap. 968 seem to be a little more expensive to buy into than the 944T or a first gen boxster. I think you have to spend at least $12K to get anything worth owning and $20K or so for a really good one.
I really like them. I've got flack for buying them, the old poor mans Porsche type thing. But I buy them when a good deal pops up because its a great car. Very solid and reliable. I've had or at least driven all versions. Ultimate would be a Euro last year turbo S for performance. Or build a cup car spec replica.
Interesting. It seems all the Germans went downhill during the '90s and into the 2000s. There's no excuse for biodegradable wiring harnesses or IMS problems. Opposite here, I grew up in the '60s, so I like the engine in the front. BTW, I'm not looking for a track car. I just want something to fiddle diddle around in. Any rust problems? Any issues like IMS? Yeah, you reminded me of the 968s. I had my eye on them a long time ago. I've been riding motorcycles off and on for over 50 years. I like a roof over my head in a a car. You would love to have me for a customer. I learned two things a long time ago: (1) I don't have the TTT (Time, Tools, Talent) to work on cars; (2) there is no such thing as a cheap sports car. I always pay up for a known car. Thx
Thanks for the response, no specific questions really, more of a gauging response and interest. I am in the market (have been on and off for the best part of 10 years) and getting close now, I've bid on a few Turbo Rose cars on eBay and lost out by $500 to $1000 and actually looking at a less nice but somewhat interesting '89 944 S2 with a 951 engine swap, at this point I am looking for something fun with an affordable cost of admission.
Their made out of high stress steel (hope it is correct term) and I know cars that have been driven on pole sideways and it still has properly working door on other side. Rust is not that big issue, they were properly done by factory. Engine fires, make sure it has fresh fuel lines in engine compartment, they run over/above exhaust manifold. Fuel relays have temperament. Worn clutch gets heavier, up to point of breaking pedal off the firewall. Front blinkers are hard to find, worth having 3M on them.
I have owned a number of 944's over my 38 years as a PCA member, with three of them being turbo's. They are very underrated as driver's car. I find them, even today, to still be tough to beat when it comes to handling. I tracked a naturally aspirated 944 for five years and it was totally reliable. The problem for someone trying to buy a turbo is finding one that has not been jacked over. Many, many of them have been and the result is usually a less reliable car with issues. A potential buyer must not forget that, while the entry price may be low, the parts are priced like typical Porsche parts...on the high side. Untouched stock 944T's are bringing good money as they are so difficult to find. I recently sold a four owner '88, non S, with less than 70K miles and records back to 42 miles in the mid 20K range. I have seen at least three other stock cars sell on Bring a Trailer for more than that. While that entry price may be more than you want to spend, trust me, you will be there soon enough. Years ago I was advised to always buy the very best car I could possibly afford, even if I had to stretch a bit. Still good advice as, rather than either having an unreliable car or one that you are constantly working on, you can have a good car that will hold its value.
I'd recommend looking at 944 S2 models as well. I drove both Turbos and S2s when looking for a 944 and appreciated the strong low-end torque of the naturally-aspirated 3.0-liter more than I did the explosive top end of the Turbo. Yeah, you're going to get to triple-digit speeds quicker in the Turbo, but around town and in more "normal" driving, the S2 is the quicker feeling car -- Turbo has a lot of lag. I also think S2s are more responsive on medium-speed backroads with the advantage of having turbo bumper/brakes/suspension. For what it's worth S2s are also rarer than Turbos, especially in the U.S. There were something like 1,900 S2 coupes imported between '89-'91 and another 2,000+ cabriolets. I think there are something like 8,000 Turbos sold here. Compared to a 986 S, the 944 is much more of a sporty touring car. The handling balance is excellent and brakes are strong, but the car feels heavier, larger and rolls more in stock form than the Boxster. If you're looking for a sharp, nimble sports car, the Boxster is the one to get. The 944 is still fun on backroads, but also makes an excellent grand touring car -- it eats up freeway miles in quiet and comfort, with tons of luggage space. I've done trips from LA to both Scottsdale and Monterey with little fatigue in my S2. Perceived build quality is also far higher in the 944.
In September of 1977 we bought our first Porsche, a 1977 1/2 924. In 1985, both my wife and I were heavily involved in autocrossing a 1984 944. We also owned an Audi 5000. My wife and our then 14 year old son traveled to Germany during the summer of 1985. Among other places (including two laps of Nurburgring in rental Mercedes 190), we visited Neckarsulm, home of the Audi plant that built 924's and 944's, and, of course, Audi's. Production of 944T's had just begun for Europe so this was the first time I had ever seen one. Test drivers were blasting around the plant and they sounded so good. 944 enthusiasts might be interested in the photos we took that day. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I learned to drive stick on my dad's 87 944. I loved that car and have wanted one of my own ever since. From what I recall motor mounts are maintenance items, clutches are expensive to change and you need to keep an eye on head gaskets.
I've had a 944 for 13 years and an early boxster for 3 years. Yeah the 944 has better build quality but for pure driving pleasure I'd choose the boxster anyday. Far less maintenance, easy to work on, more creature comforts, modern refinement and all around better. 944 Turbo values are starting to climb rapidly. If you really want one (and they ARE great cars) better buy now before the window of affordability begins to close like it did with air-cooled 911's. It will be a far better investment and values will probably double over the next few years.
Agree with this. Hagerty recently placed the 944 second its list of cars outperforming the market, based on sales data over the past few months or so. All Boxsters have yet to hit rock bottom. I'd recommend the OP actually drives a 986/986 S + 944 S2/944 Turbo and see which you like best. Also quick note about very early 944 Turbos ('86-early '87): I believe that these cars required the early-offset wheels which can make putting larger wheels on the car a little more challenging. There may have been a few other little changes too -- just something to consider.
A friend of mine owns a repair shop in Toronto. They mostly work on Mercedes. He had a customer with a 1978 Mercedes 6.9, and a 951 cup car. The customer stored them at the shop for a few years. I kick myself for not buying them both cheap. The cup car was crazy fast. Under 5 seconds 0 to 60. It was a real sleeper because it looked like a regular turbo. You can buy the parts to make one. Or find the real deal. # Albion Motorcars # Porsche 944 Turbo Cup (1989). # Its possibly the best sports car of the 1980's for the money and performance.
You asked. We rented a Mercedes 190 on the 1985 trip. These are some photos of driving the Nurburgring with our son taking photos while riding in the rear. At that time one was met by a guy with a coin changer on his belt who wanted 12 marks for a lap. We did two laps. Afterwords we stopped for lunch at a restaurant in Nurburg that was also incredible. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I've owned six or seven over the years. Two 951' and the rest were N/A cars. I hav my current 951 on Ebay right now. 1986 Porsche 944 Turbo Coupe 2 Door | eBay
I had an '86 951 I bought new and drove for about 8 years. Foolishly sold it when I moved cross-country. The car was a joy to drive, light on consumption, and very hard to get into trouble with at anything less than insane speeds. It was also bulletproof mechanically. I didn't replace the clutch for 70k miles. I think the design is aging very well, both exterior and interior, particularly with the OEM phone dial wheels. They're beautifully balanced cars. I'd like to have another, but as a previous poster said, very difficult to find a good unmolested example. For the S2 fans, Dusty's cars in Pleasanton CA had a well kept and equipped 90k miles example for $13k. I'd like to have one of each to go with my 3.2 carreras!
I'm nearing 30 years of ownership on my 951 and wouldn't think of ever parting with my first time machine. It has 250k miles on it and everything is still original and looks amazing for a car this old. Thru it I've learned how to fix so many things that all other cars are a breeze to maintain. I find that now it draws more admiring looks than my 993.
