All right so my first adventure on Copart has resulted in a Porsche 944. I won the bid but didn't make the reserve, so after some back and forth with the seller we've landed with me sitting a firm 2600 for now and him with a counter offer of 3000. Here are some pictures:
It's on Copart so obviously there is a reason, the extent of the visual damage is in this bottom picture. Confirmed run and drive, with 134,000 miles. So what do ya guys think?
Pass at $3000. Lots of 944s got snapped up lately by people that have no clue about cars and will never fix them. Sub $2k 944s will be common again if you're patient.
Yeah, I would walk away from that. The damage, tinted windows, and Patrick sticker scream "someone who isn't a Porsche person messed with this." Decent 944s are not rare or expensive enough to settle for a crappy one.
At 134k it is also likely due for a lot of expensive deferred maintenance that will make it cost just as much or more than a nice one.
Without damage with documentation of water pump and clutch having been done that's a $3k car.
Run, don't walk, far far away.
Base model 944 or a 944S? It's an 87-88 with the high-offset phone dials, looks to be Zermatt Silver. IF it's a manual-trans S, it might be worth $3K. Base model and/or auto you should run away at top speed. I'll echo the thoughts on deferred maintenance and uncaring owner looks. That dent might PDR out.
In reply to Javelin (Forum Supporter) :
Yeah not an S I dont think, it is manual however and under the hood looks clean but you guys have definitely convinced me not to take the 3000. But I am kinda locked into the 2600 if he accepts it
Engine bay looks like it's been decently cared for but also has some questionable stuff going on. I'd say it's a <$1000 car but I really dislike n/a 944s so that's probably not a fair assessment. In the current market and without the body damage it could very well be a $3k car. Which means three months from now it could be worth anything from zero to like $10k.
I concur re:Patrick & KN sticker
The seller would be an idiot to not take your $2600 and run. Good luck!
manladypig said:In reply to Javelin (Forum Supporter) :
Yeah not an S I dont think, it is manual however and under the hood looks clean but you guys have definitely convinced me not to take the 3000. But I am kinda locked into the 2600 if he accepts it
You aren't "locked into" your $2600 offer once he declined it and made you a counter offer.
I looked for a 944 recently and couldn't find a single running example under $4750 within a 250-300 mile radius of me. Prices on cheap used cars have increased lately, I believe John Welsh wrote a thread not too long ago about it. I'm no expert but I don't see these cars dropping back down under 2 grand ever again.
Expect it to need the water pump and timing belt changed. Trawl the Porsche forums and find the best sources for high quality German parts. Price it out. Then do the same for the body damage. I say leave the tint - it's got a black interior and you live in San Diego.
seller did you a favor by declining the 2600$ offer
Definitely not an S - you can see it's got the narrow 8V valve cover in the potato photo of the engine bay.
I agree with the other posters about not offering more - it might be a $3k car in the current climate but for that I would want to inspect it in person to see if Wiley Coyote did more damage while bouncing off the side of the car or something.
Good 944s are going up in price, but that's mostly the S2s and turbos, although the rising tide is lifting the price for base models as well. The S is usually not that sought after compared to a S2, but that's not that relevant to this discussion.
You don't mention the year. If it's an 89 it will be the rare 2.7L 8v. They are nice cars with more performance over the 2.5l cars than the numbers would indicate. I'd say if it is a A2.7L car then it may be worth while.
In reply to Adrian_Thompson (Forum Supporter) :
It is a 1989
In reply to manladypig :
I think that ups it's value. What say the hive?
In reply to infinitenexus :
Now you see that's where I'm coming from. Obviously I noticed the signs that this had a sketchy past and everyone hear would be right 2 years ago. But nowadays I cannot find a single manual and RWD car for under 3000$ not one. Not even a miata! Every enthusiast car is getting exponentially more expensive. Just to name one example 2 years ago s2000's were 10,000$ now they're teetering on 30,000$! And No Porsche is remotely affordable except this one so I jumped on it. The seller countered with 2900$ now and I'm still not taking it but, dammit its tempting.
FWIW the passenger seat is electric and looks to be in good shape - maybe even better than good. If driver's was in similar condition I would have some jealousy.
I also see aftermarket front strut top mounts. This may be a more cherished car than we think. Why hold a Patrick sticker against the PO?
I think it all comes down to the condition of the bits we can't see, even if it does need a clutch and H2O pump. Neither of those are beyond most people here.
944 is also very bad about odometer gears breaking. Does the history indicate that the mileage is accurate?
As the owner of a well worn 944, Im going to have to agree with infinitenexus. These have been creeping up in price even before the pandemic, and if you are comfortable with that body damage, that would definitely be a $3k car in my area. Even if you go by the "offer them half" mantra of online selling, you wont find a running car that isnt absolute trash for under $3k (unless its an automatic). If I had to sell my 200k+ mile track beater tomorrow, I would be looking for $6k.
I'm not as big a cheapass as I used to be. Prices have gone up.
I see nothing wrong with this price. The car has issues. You knew that. It's on Copart.
Undoing the stuff that a non-enthusiast does is not that hard. I've done it several times.
Yes, maintenance has probably been overlooked. But maintenance is overlooked on almost all cars (except those rare guys with a fat file full of every receipt since they bought it)
I wouldn't flip it... the margin is probably not there. Buy it, do a few repairs, and enjoy cheap Porsche ownership (if such a thing exists!) haha!
Having owned a 944, a 951 (944 turbo), and a 944 S2, the only 944s I'd consider are the S, S2 and turbo. The 944 makes an NA Miata seem overpowered. The chassis of the 944 can take way more than the SOHC 2.5 can put out. I'd even consider a SOHC 2.7 car. The SOHC 2.5 cars make me think a 924S is a much better car. I'd put an Audi powered 924 on par with a Porsche powered SOHC 2.5 car. So with the body damage, I think this car is just Covid priced and not appropriately priced.
If it had Fuchs wheels.... then it'd be worth a lot more. Even sport seats would add a lot to the value. If it were a Celebration zermatt silver car... This car for me would be a hard pass.
There are so many 944s out there still.
With it being on copart, the title is likely already branded. So take whatever value you had on it and multiple it by .4 and that's after you're done any repairs properly.
Take it for what it is...
A parts car for a clean straight 944. That you can swap the 2.7 and whatever aftermarket suspension bits are on it into.
944's are definitely on the rise. I haven't seen one under 3k in a while, even for needy ones. The '89 is the best of the bunch short of the S2 and Turbo cars. The 2.7 does make a noticeable difference. And a former '89 NA and '86 Turbo owner, I would say the '89 is the simple button to 944 ownership. The biggest worry for me on this particular car is where the body damage is, and has it affected the door shut lines. As long as that area is OK, the mechanicals aren't that bad. First thing I noticed is the throttle cam has been replaced with a round one. It makes a big difference in drivability. Somebody cared for it at one time.
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