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A Porsche is not a Porsche
- Thread starter Bret
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jessebogan
Jedi Knight
Offline
First, there is nothing more expensive than a cheap Porsche.Putting a played 928 back in order would make doing an XJS look like an exercise in frugality. Porsche is not shy about charging for parts. Back in the early 90s I worked at a dealership that sold Jag(My thing) Porsche, Audi, and su boo boo. They had a customers newish 911 turbo stolen from the lot. The car was recovered several days later with a blown engine. The car cost about 110k at that time.The new turbo engine that the insurance co. bought was, no kidding, 75 thousand dollars in the crate. It was complete mind you. Exhaust, fan belts etc, but 75K???? The parts manager was speechless, and so I am sure was the insurance company. That pretty much finished off my fascination for modern porsches once and for all.
OP
Bret
Yoda
Offline
[ QUOTE ]
Where's yer point, Bret?
[/ QUOTE ]
My point doc is simply that Porsche doesn’t own the rights nor has it cornered the market on costly parts & repairs. Similar comments where made when I’d posted that BiTurbo thread a while back about a “discount” Maserati I’d found listed locally.
As for the “Jagulets” while I probably wouldn’t have done it myself but I can understand the logic behind the bastardized Ameri-Cats. By way of an example at the time you’d have to pony up about 150 bucks for a Jag starter - compared to about $25 for a basic GM starter.
Where's yer point, Bret?
[/ QUOTE ]
My point doc is simply that Porsche doesn’t own the rights nor has it cornered the market on costly parts & repairs. Similar comments where made when I’d posted that BiTurbo thread a while back about a “discount” Maserati I’d found listed locally.
As for the “Jagulets” while I probably wouldn’t have done it myself but I can understand the logic behind the bastardized Ameri-Cats. By way of an example at the time you’d have to pony up about 150 bucks for a Jag starter - compared to about $25 for a basic GM starter.
jessebogan
Jedi Knight
Offline
Yeah, but the 125 buck Jag starter starts a Jag engine, not a chivvy.
kennypinkerton
Yoda
Offline
You could say the same thing about alot of cars period! I think the Toyota Prius is Eurotrash... As well as several supposed American cars (which are mostly made in mexico, canada, and overseas anymore for the cheap labor and no labor laws to speak of). I on the other hand, who likes challenges, have considered buying almost all of the above... including a biturbo maser, I chose the MGB as a jumping point... and the opportunity to but a nice one for $700.
But, I would still ove to own one of these expensive cars... or all of them /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif Actually, I've been considering lately buying a 328GT4, or a Mondial cabriolet... Should I come across the money to buy one, I believe I will... Talk about expensive parts... but I buy cars that I like... I'm a DIY'er that likes challenges. And regardless of what anyone tells me about those cars... I'd still buy one. I also want a Delorean, a Detomaso (almost any model), a Lotus, a Porsche, a Maserati, and luck, time, and money allowing, a Lambo - Any model.
And there are parts for some or all of those that you can't even get anymore... not to mention the prices on those parts you can get. I'm on more of a budget than anyone I know at the moment...
All it takes is tons of searching, and not letting anyone talk you out of what you want. Most of the time though, you've already made up your mind before you ask the question. And the wording will show which way you're leaning.
If you want any particular car... Here's my usual approach (they are usually really cheap, abused, and in bad shape when I get them):
Step 1: Wanting a particular car more than the others
Step 2: Searching for that car
Step 3: Find one - not running - owner wants it gone quick
Step 4: Lowball the owner
Step 5: Have a towtruck come pick the car up and bring it home
Step 6: Go online and learn everything you can about the car over the next few weeks, while you stare at it sitting on the front lawn /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Step 7: Start acquiring parts for it through non-standard means (make a few friends, and get free parts... Get them from ebay mislistings... buy from someone like Tony... etc.)
Step 8: Get it running reliably and drive the snot out of it for a couple years
Step 9: Before it's ready for new parts again, start collecting those, and the one's you'll need for step 10.
Step 10: Strip it down, and restore it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
Then you'll have the car you dreamed of when you bought it.
But, I would still ove to own one of these expensive cars... or all of them /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif Actually, I've been considering lately buying a 328GT4, or a Mondial cabriolet... Should I come across the money to buy one, I believe I will... Talk about expensive parts... but I buy cars that I like... I'm a DIY'er that likes challenges. And regardless of what anyone tells me about those cars... I'd still buy one. I also want a Delorean, a Detomaso (almost any model), a Lotus, a Porsche, a Maserati, and luck, time, and money allowing, a Lambo - Any model.
And there are parts for some or all of those that you can't even get anymore... not to mention the prices on those parts you can get. I'm on more of a budget than anyone I know at the moment...
All it takes is tons of searching, and not letting anyone talk you out of what you want. Most of the time though, you've already made up your mind before you ask the question. And the wording will show which way you're leaning.
If you want any particular car... Here's my usual approach (they are usually really cheap, abused, and in bad shape when I get them):
Step 1: Wanting a particular car more than the others
Step 2: Searching for that car
Step 3: Find one - not running - owner wants it gone quick
Step 4: Lowball the owner
Step 5: Have a towtruck come pick the car up and bring it home
Step 6: Go online and learn everything you can about the car over the next few weeks, while you stare at it sitting on the front lawn /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Step 7: Start acquiring parts for it through non-standard means (make a few friends, and get free parts... Get them from ebay mislistings... buy from someone like Tony... etc.)
Step 8: Get it running reliably and drive the snot out of it for a couple years
Step 9: Before it's ready for new parts again, start collecting those, and the one's you'll need for step 10.
Step 10: Strip it down, and restore it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
Then you'll have the car you dreamed of when you bought it.
GB1
Yoda
Offline
Brett
The after market windshield wiper arm on previous Porsche cost over $100. Get a Tweeks or Performance Products catalog, look through it and learn, it is purely mad.
I would heed Doc's advice he is a smart man, but if must have one check out the part prices first. Further, there is no resale, I lost a purdy penny on mine.
See the attached photo, I had to sell this beauty for under $10k and was happy to get rid of it.
It actually got to the point where I was afraid to drive it because if something broke, I would not have a steak for a long while.
I know several younger guys who have spent over $30k restoring 944 turbos.
Patrick
The after market windshield wiper arm on previous Porsche cost over $100. Get a Tweeks or Performance Products catalog, look through it and learn, it is purely mad.
I would heed Doc's advice he is a smart man, but if must have one check out the part prices first. Further, there is no resale, I lost a purdy penny on mine.
See the attached photo, I had to sell this beauty for under $10k and was happy to get rid of it.
It actually got to the point where I was afraid to drive it because if something broke, I would not have a steak for a long while.
I know several younger guys who have spent over $30k restoring 944 turbos.
Patrick
A couple of my "Sound Classics" columns (the 928 story is from last week, the 944 from last year)
Porsche’s expensive flagship now a classic sport-luxury bargain
Last week I revealed that the first gas-electric hybrid was the work of Dr. Ferdinand Porsche way back in 1900. From what I hear, the company he formed later on made some pretty nice road cars as well.
Porsche is a truly unique company. During its 56 years of sales, it has produced only around a dozen major road car models. Consequently, its brand identity has rested squarely on the backs of its 356 and 911, the latter being the longest-running sports car model in the history of the industry.
In the early 1970s, Porsche management began to plan for a model to slot above the 911 as the company’s flagship. They felt the company needed a comfortable, sporty, luxurious grand tourer to maintain relevancy against the likes of Ferrari’s 365 GTB/4 Daytona and Aston Martin’s V8.
Porsche’s 928 debuted in 1977. Styled by American Tony Lapine, the wide, bulbous 928 looked like a queen bee next to a 911 drone. The dramatic shape featuring expansive cockpit glass was certainly unique, as were the pop-up bug-like headlights.
Automotive journalists praised the 928’s aluminum 32-valve V8 displacing 4.5 liters. Rated at 218 horsepower, it was nearly 35 hp more powerful than a base Corvette. Like the 924 introduced two years earlier, the 928’s water-cooled engine was front-mounted. Power was routed to the rear wheels via five-speed manual or three-speed automatic transmissions.
As was tradition, Porsche’s factory race drivers were provided with any of the company’s cars for personal use. All chose the new 928 over the 911, which corporate brass saw as a great sign of acceptance as the next hit with Porsche fans.
Instead enthusiasts shrugged and continued to buy 911s at a brisk pace. The 928 was quickly pegged as car pushing luxury over sport -- a car for a doctor or lawyer, not a dedicated apex carver.
So were Porsche’s engineers fooling themselves in thinking the 928 would be an appropriate successor as the company’s prestige sports car? I put a Steel Gray 1991 928 through a weekend-long test to figure it out.
Featuring the five liter engine introduced in 1985, the 1991 car delivers 316 horsepower. Like most American-market 928s, this car came equipped with an automatic transmission.
In person the vehicle demonstrates tremendous presence, and looks big and muscular without coming close to being sexy. Think 1977 Pontiac Trans Am, but rendered by a group of reserved Germans.
The design crew got the interior right. The leather seats are near perfect, offering all the support and comfort required for crossing a continent. The tallest drivers will feel right at home, provided nothing other than a gym bag attempts to take up residence in the small rear seats, which are so deeply bucketed, a human can’t possibly sit sideways to maximize legroom.
The V8 burbles slightly at idle. Pulling the transmission into gear, the nicely sprung accelerator allows smooth departures. Of course, given the 317 lb-ft of torque, liquefying the rear tires is easy.
Floor the throttle, and the car slams occupants in the back with a roaring power that never ends. Initially faster overall than a 911, by 1991 the 928’s six-second dash to 60 mph puts it just a hair behind its lighter brother.
Despite the car’s 3300-pound weight, the wide track translates to serious stability. Steering is heavier than the 911’s, but remains nicely communicative. While the wide tires have a tendency to follow road ruts, even in mid-corner at high speed, the 928 is rock solid. The downside is that even triple-digit speeds feel like a Sunday cruise at 25 mph. It won’t dance like a 911 or annihilate all-comers at a drag strip like the turbocharged 930, but it delivers enough speed and handling to be a force on track day.
Though the 928 remained more expensive ($77,000 by 1991,) Porsche recognized the 911 as its bread-and-butter flagship. Still it sold well among those wanting high performance, unique styling, and Porsche prestige, but without the terror of becoming an organ donor at the hands of a hard-to-contain rear-engine sports car. After 57,995 cars, the 928 was retired in 1995.
Collectors overlook these gems in the classic marketplace, meaning that early 928s go for as little as $3500. Interior deterioration, electrical maladies and troublesome fuel pumps are common, yet expensive to put right, so inspect carefully. Rare five speed cars are by far the most desirable.
Buy well and you’ll be quoting Tom Cruise’s 928-driving character in Risky Business. “Porsche, there is no substitute.”
Front engine, water cooled 944 is pure Porsche
Some cars have dubious reputations in the collector car hobby. Today we’ll start a series that seeks to examine some of these vehicles, and see if the reputations are deserved.
Up first is a car from Porsche, a name that conjures images of the 356 and 911 air-cooled, rear engine sports cars that defined the marque for fifty years. Today’s Sound Classics profile car, a 1984 Porsche 944, is front engine, water cooled, and often considered by enthusiasts as not being a “real Porsche.”
Porsche started producing 944s in 1982, but the car’s image problems are rooted in the company’s late 1960’s desire to expand its market by offering junior-level cars alongside the expensive 911.
After initially stuffing the old 356’s four-cylinder into the 911, and selling it as the 912, Porsche turned to Volkswagen in 1970 to build its mid-priced cars. First came six years and 115,000-plus 914s with their mid-mounted VW engines. Next came the front-engine 924, which was developed by VW and built by Audi. Maligned for its low performance, (a version of its 2.0l four cylinder had previously been an option on AMC Gremlins,) low build quality, and lack of Porsche DNA, the 924 never struck a chord with enthusiasts.
Too woo enthusiasts, Porsche created the 944. Stylists reworked the 924 2+2 GT body. Engineers sliced a 928’s V8 in half, creating a 2.5 liter slant-four engine that delivered 143 horsepower, nearly 50 percent more than the 924. Also built by Audi, 944s were sold alongside 924s as a higher performance sports car for yuppies.
At our disposal today is a 1984 example. In the flesh, this dark blue 944 looks like a 924 on steroids, with flared rear wheel arches and a rear spoiler providing a more athletic appearance. Somehow the small changes turned the meek-looking 924 into one of the prettiest and classiest Porsches ever made.
I plop into the well-worn leather driver’s seat, and close the door, which delivers a vault-like thunk. The interior is mostly 924, with handsome circular yellow on black gauges. A manual is needed for figuring out the myriad of buttons, knobs, rheostats and rocker switches, because none of the icons make sense. New and better switchgear and instruments debuted in 1985.
Though the 944’s front seats can accommodate seven-footers, the rear is best left for luggage, or one very uncomfortable human riding sideways. The hatch area is cavernous and can hold the huge removable sunroof.
I engage the clutch, turn the key, and the slant four comes to life with just the slightest bit of audible note. Clutch effort is lighter than a Hollywood starlet on an ExLax-only diet, and it engages extremely high in the travel. As the tachometer needle sweeps clockwise from its idle point at 3 o’clock to 3000 RPMs at 6 o’clock, power builds lazily. As the overhead-cam plant gets past 4,000RPMs, full-throttle acceleration hits like a sledgehammer, causing the rear wheels to lose grip. I reach for the short five-speed shifter lever at 6000RPMs and pull quickly into second. The shift action is very rubbery, but it’s easy to find the correct gear.
I’m in second as I enter the first set of s-curves. The 944 tackles these corners with little body roll. Steering feedback is outstanding. I’d have to triple the legal speed to get this Porsche anywhere near its handling limits on surface roads. A good mash of the throttle mid corner proves tail-out exits are possible, but a little opposite-lock reigns the car back in line. Unlike a 911, which can bite back without warning, the 944’s balance and grip inspire confidence.
Braking from the four-wheel-discs is equally impressive. Certainly it’s the 944’s agility that has made it a favorite with SCCA’s racing and autocross set.
Good early 944s go for well under $4000, with 944 Turbos commanding a bit more. They are no more costly than a typical modern VW or Audi to maintain, but overwhelmed owners often neglect critical service items like timing belt replacement.
If “rear engine/air cooled” defines Porsche, then like 924, 928, 914, 968, Boxster, Cayenne and all 911s after 1998, the 944 isn’t a real Porsche. If high performance and tasteful style are the marque’s hallmarks, the 944 with its first-rate acceleration and handling, great looks, comfortable luxury and period prestige is pure Porsche.
Submit questions or cars for profiles to Sam Barer’s Sound Classics at sc@apexstrategy.com.
Porsche’s expensive flagship now a classic sport-luxury bargain
Last week I revealed that the first gas-electric hybrid was the work of Dr. Ferdinand Porsche way back in 1900. From what I hear, the company he formed later on made some pretty nice road cars as well.
Porsche is a truly unique company. During its 56 years of sales, it has produced only around a dozen major road car models. Consequently, its brand identity has rested squarely on the backs of its 356 and 911, the latter being the longest-running sports car model in the history of the industry.
In the early 1970s, Porsche management began to plan for a model to slot above the 911 as the company’s flagship. They felt the company needed a comfortable, sporty, luxurious grand tourer to maintain relevancy against the likes of Ferrari’s 365 GTB/4 Daytona and Aston Martin’s V8.
Porsche’s 928 debuted in 1977. Styled by American Tony Lapine, the wide, bulbous 928 looked like a queen bee next to a 911 drone. The dramatic shape featuring expansive cockpit glass was certainly unique, as were the pop-up bug-like headlights.
Automotive journalists praised the 928’s aluminum 32-valve V8 displacing 4.5 liters. Rated at 218 horsepower, it was nearly 35 hp more powerful than a base Corvette. Like the 924 introduced two years earlier, the 928’s water-cooled engine was front-mounted. Power was routed to the rear wheels via five-speed manual or three-speed automatic transmissions.
As was tradition, Porsche’s factory race drivers were provided with any of the company’s cars for personal use. All chose the new 928 over the 911, which corporate brass saw as a great sign of acceptance as the next hit with Porsche fans.
Instead enthusiasts shrugged and continued to buy 911s at a brisk pace. The 928 was quickly pegged as car pushing luxury over sport -- a car for a doctor or lawyer, not a dedicated apex carver.
So were Porsche’s engineers fooling themselves in thinking the 928 would be an appropriate successor as the company’s prestige sports car? I put a Steel Gray 1991 928 through a weekend-long test to figure it out.
Featuring the five liter engine introduced in 1985, the 1991 car delivers 316 horsepower. Like most American-market 928s, this car came equipped with an automatic transmission.
In person the vehicle demonstrates tremendous presence, and looks big and muscular without coming close to being sexy. Think 1977 Pontiac Trans Am, but rendered by a group of reserved Germans.
The design crew got the interior right. The leather seats are near perfect, offering all the support and comfort required for crossing a continent. The tallest drivers will feel right at home, provided nothing other than a gym bag attempts to take up residence in the small rear seats, which are so deeply bucketed, a human can’t possibly sit sideways to maximize legroom.
The V8 burbles slightly at idle. Pulling the transmission into gear, the nicely sprung accelerator allows smooth departures. Of course, given the 317 lb-ft of torque, liquefying the rear tires is easy.
Floor the throttle, and the car slams occupants in the back with a roaring power that never ends. Initially faster overall than a 911, by 1991 the 928’s six-second dash to 60 mph puts it just a hair behind its lighter brother.
Despite the car’s 3300-pound weight, the wide track translates to serious stability. Steering is heavier than the 911’s, but remains nicely communicative. While the wide tires have a tendency to follow road ruts, even in mid-corner at high speed, the 928 is rock solid. The downside is that even triple-digit speeds feel like a Sunday cruise at 25 mph. It won’t dance like a 911 or annihilate all-comers at a drag strip like the turbocharged 930, but it delivers enough speed and handling to be a force on track day.
Though the 928 remained more expensive ($77,000 by 1991,) Porsche recognized the 911 as its bread-and-butter flagship. Still it sold well among those wanting high performance, unique styling, and Porsche prestige, but without the terror of becoming an organ donor at the hands of a hard-to-contain rear-engine sports car. After 57,995 cars, the 928 was retired in 1995.
Collectors overlook these gems in the classic marketplace, meaning that early 928s go for as little as $3500. Interior deterioration, electrical maladies and troublesome fuel pumps are common, yet expensive to put right, so inspect carefully. Rare five speed cars are by far the most desirable.
Buy well and you’ll be quoting Tom Cruise’s 928-driving character in Risky Business. “Porsche, there is no substitute.”
Front engine, water cooled 944 is pure Porsche
Some cars have dubious reputations in the collector car hobby. Today we’ll start a series that seeks to examine some of these vehicles, and see if the reputations are deserved.
Up first is a car from Porsche, a name that conjures images of the 356 and 911 air-cooled, rear engine sports cars that defined the marque for fifty years. Today’s Sound Classics profile car, a 1984 Porsche 944, is front engine, water cooled, and often considered by enthusiasts as not being a “real Porsche.”
Porsche started producing 944s in 1982, but the car’s image problems are rooted in the company’s late 1960’s desire to expand its market by offering junior-level cars alongside the expensive 911.
After initially stuffing the old 356’s four-cylinder into the 911, and selling it as the 912, Porsche turned to Volkswagen in 1970 to build its mid-priced cars. First came six years and 115,000-plus 914s with their mid-mounted VW engines. Next came the front-engine 924, which was developed by VW and built by Audi. Maligned for its low performance, (a version of its 2.0l four cylinder had previously been an option on AMC Gremlins,) low build quality, and lack of Porsche DNA, the 924 never struck a chord with enthusiasts.
Too woo enthusiasts, Porsche created the 944. Stylists reworked the 924 2+2 GT body. Engineers sliced a 928’s V8 in half, creating a 2.5 liter slant-four engine that delivered 143 horsepower, nearly 50 percent more than the 924. Also built by Audi, 944s were sold alongside 924s as a higher performance sports car for yuppies.
At our disposal today is a 1984 example. In the flesh, this dark blue 944 looks like a 924 on steroids, with flared rear wheel arches and a rear spoiler providing a more athletic appearance. Somehow the small changes turned the meek-looking 924 into one of the prettiest and classiest Porsches ever made.
I plop into the well-worn leather driver’s seat, and close the door, which delivers a vault-like thunk. The interior is mostly 924, with handsome circular yellow on black gauges. A manual is needed for figuring out the myriad of buttons, knobs, rheostats and rocker switches, because none of the icons make sense. New and better switchgear and instruments debuted in 1985.
Though the 944’s front seats can accommodate seven-footers, the rear is best left for luggage, or one very uncomfortable human riding sideways. The hatch area is cavernous and can hold the huge removable sunroof.
I engage the clutch, turn the key, and the slant four comes to life with just the slightest bit of audible note. Clutch effort is lighter than a Hollywood starlet on an ExLax-only diet, and it engages extremely high in the travel. As the tachometer needle sweeps clockwise from its idle point at 3 o’clock to 3000 RPMs at 6 o’clock, power builds lazily. As the overhead-cam plant gets past 4,000RPMs, full-throttle acceleration hits like a sledgehammer, causing the rear wheels to lose grip. I reach for the short five-speed shifter lever at 6000RPMs and pull quickly into second. The shift action is very rubbery, but it’s easy to find the correct gear.
I’m in second as I enter the first set of s-curves. The 944 tackles these corners with little body roll. Steering feedback is outstanding. I’d have to triple the legal speed to get this Porsche anywhere near its handling limits on surface roads. A good mash of the throttle mid corner proves tail-out exits are possible, but a little opposite-lock reigns the car back in line. Unlike a 911, which can bite back without warning, the 944’s balance and grip inspire confidence.
Braking from the four-wheel-discs is equally impressive. Certainly it’s the 944’s agility that has made it a favorite with SCCA’s racing and autocross set.
Good early 944s go for well under $4000, with 944 Turbos commanding a bit more. They are no more costly than a typical modern VW or Audi to maintain, but overwhelmed owners often neglect critical service items like timing belt replacement.
If “rear engine/air cooled” defines Porsche, then like 924, 928, 914, 968, Boxster, Cayenne and all 911s after 1998, the 944 isn’t a real Porsche. If high performance and tasteful style are the marque’s hallmarks, the 944 with its first-rate acceleration and handling, great looks, comfortable luxury and period prestige is pure Porsche.
Submit questions or cars for profiles to Sam Barer’s Sound Classics at sc@apexstrategy.com.
aeronca65t
Great Pumpkin
Offline
One *really* good thing about the 944 (and the 951) is that it is galvanized . These things are far more rust-proof than most other cars.
A pal of mine just bought a street-beater 944 to gut and set up for the 944 Cup-Series (for $2000). It had tons of street miles (here in the northeast, where we use salt) but there was virtually no rust anywhere. My buddy is an engine guy (he did the re-bore on my racer) and he says the 944 engine is unburstable. He's run it in three races so far, and it hasn't touched the engine (other than a timing belt and oil change).
Do be watchful of the timing belts of these cars. My nephew snapped the belt in his and the bill was almost $5000. They are absolutely an "interference engine".
I like them and have had a chance to buy several at good prices, but have always skipped the chance...I guess because they have roofs (and I think the 944 convertible looks funny).
I always kind of liked the 924 better, but they're getting pretty long in the tooth these days. I remember when the 924 first came out. Obviously, they had the Audi engine. Around the same time, American Motors was trying a stop-gap measure to improve the gas mileage on their AMC Gremlin, so they bought the same Audi 4 cylinder engine and put it in the Gremlin (I think for just one year). A friend of mine had a 924 and I used to delight in telling her that her Porsche had the same motor as a "Rambler".
A pal of mine just bought a street-beater 944 to gut and set up for the 944 Cup-Series (for $2000). It had tons of street miles (here in the northeast, where we use salt) but there was virtually no rust anywhere. My buddy is an engine guy (he did the re-bore on my racer) and he says the 944 engine is unburstable. He's run it in three races so far, and it hasn't touched the engine (other than a timing belt and oil change).
Do be watchful of the timing belts of these cars. My nephew snapped the belt in his and the bill was almost $5000. They are absolutely an "interference engine".
I like them and have had a chance to buy several at good prices, but have always skipped the chance...I guess because they have roofs (and I think the 944 convertible looks funny).
I always kind of liked the 924 better, but they're getting pretty long in the tooth these days. I remember when the 924 first came out. Obviously, they had the Audi engine. Around the same time, American Motors was trying a stop-gap measure to improve the gas mileage on their AMC Gremlin, so they bought the same Audi 4 cylinder engine and put it in the Gremlin (I think for just one year). A friend of mine had a 924 and I used to delight in telling her that her Porsche had the same motor as a "Rambler".
kennypinkerton
Yoda
Offline
Great article... Makes me want a Porsche even more - hehehehehee.
tony barnhill
Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
Offline
[ QUOTE ]
One *really* good thing about the 944 (and the 951) is that it is galvanized . These things are far more rust-proof than most other cars.
[/ QUOTE ]
How'd they paint em? & I've seen a few with MGB-type rust.
One *really* good thing about the 944 (and the 951) is that it is galvanized . These things are far more rust-proof than most other cars.
[/ QUOTE ]
How'd they paint em? & I've seen a few with MGB-type rust.
aeronca65t
Great Pumpkin
Offline
[ QUOTE ]
How'd they paint em? & I've seen a few with MGB-type rust.
[/ QUOTE ]
Not sure. I don't think It's all that complicated with the newer paint chemistry.
According to my pal, if there's rust on a 944, it's probably been in a previous accident and has been repaired.
How'd they paint em? & I've seen a few with MGB-type rust.
[/ QUOTE ]
Not sure. I don't think It's all that complicated with the newer paint chemistry.
According to my pal, if there's rust on a 944, it's probably been in a previous accident and has been repaired.
kennypinkerton
Yoda
Offline
And Galvanizing is not an exact or all-covering science... I have a nice 15 year old galvanized steel trailer for my sailboat that has seen saltwater... There is lots of rust on certain exposed and internal parts of the frame tubing that apparently did not recieve the galvanizing. And the guy who gave it to me wondered realistically why the lights didn't work. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
billspohn
Jedi Knight
Offline
What??
Garage an ass-engined Nazi slot car in with my English equipe? Perish the thought - too soon since the war!! ;-)
Spent too much time on the race track looking at the 356s slowly (sometimes too darned slowly) disappearing in my rear view mirror.
The 928 is big and heavy and the engine will far outlast the car, which rusts away. The 924 and 944 have engines that have 'issues' and are expensive to fix.
The 914 Volkswagen (marketed in North America as a Porsche - "Ve can fool zose shtupid Yanks vith a zimple badge, ja?" can be fun, especially a 914-6, but I think that you'll find the handling rather dated (not that our MGs etc. aren't also dated and things like Triumphs were never far from an oxcart in handling in the first place).
Garage an ass-engined Nazi slot car in with my English equipe? Perish the thought - too soon since the war!! ;-)
Spent too much time on the race track looking at the 356s slowly (sometimes too darned slowly) disappearing in my rear view mirror.
The 928 is big and heavy and the engine will far outlast the car, which rusts away. The 924 and 944 have engines that have 'issues' and are expensive to fix.
The 914 Volkswagen (marketed in North America as a Porsche - "Ve can fool zose shtupid Yanks vith a zimple badge, ja?" can be fun, especially a 914-6, but I think that you'll find the handling rather dated (not that our MGs etc. aren't also dated and things like Triumphs were never far from an oxcart in handling in the first place).
Bill,
The only issue that the 944 engines have is a tendency to surprise owners with a broken timing belt. This happens when some kid buys a $3000 Porsche not knowing that the belt must be changed every 60,000 miles.
The 944 suffers from only a few specific problems. The gearbox can have trouble holding third gear, the sunroof latches break, the interior is somewhat prone to cracks and rips, and the rear hatch is very leak-prone.
The 924's worst problem was initial build quality. Usually they are very reliable, just very slow.
The 928s have nasty fuel pumps, and dash pads that could crack from heat in Alaska in January. The electrical system is also extremely complex, and there are some plastic connectors that wear out, leaving circuits dead in their tracks.
All in all, the 944 is a really great sports car -- parts are not that expensive. 928 is a wonderful car...a little more to maintain, but a comfortable and fast GT car.
The only issue that the 944 engines have is a tendency to surprise owners with a broken timing belt. This happens when some kid buys a $3000 Porsche not knowing that the belt must be changed every 60,000 miles.
The 944 suffers from only a few specific problems. The gearbox can have trouble holding third gear, the sunroof latches break, the interior is somewhat prone to cracks and rips, and the rear hatch is very leak-prone.
The 924's worst problem was initial build quality. Usually they are very reliable, just very slow.
The 928s have nasty fuel pumps, and dash pads that could crack from heat in Alaska in January. The electrical system is also extremely complex, and there are some plastic connectors that wear out, leaving circuits dead in their tracks.
All in all, the 944 is a really great sports car -- parts are not that expensive. 928 is a wonderful car...a little more to maintain, but a comfortable and fast GT car.
GB1
Yoda
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Sammy
Have you ever owned one?
All the electronic sensors that go south?
Nice info, but lets get real!
I have a few guys who would love to have a conversation with ya, just kidding!
I am talking serious for a change.
Looks purdy at 3k great right up in road and track, great track car, OWN IT AND WE WILL TALK!
Have you ever owned one?
All the electronic sensors that go south?
Nice info, but lets get real!
I have a few guys who would love to have a conversation with ya, just kidding!
I am talking serious for a change.
Looks purdy at 3k great right up in road and track, great track car, OWN IT AND WE WILL TALK!