So to follow up my 944 Turbo thread, what says the Hive about the NA cars? Due to some hangups I'm without a fun car to drive and it's spring. A semi-clean NA 944 is definitely in my budget. It doesn't seem like a terrible idea. They're pretty much at the bottom of their depreciation. Drive/maintain/fix for a year and then move on?
A 924S (functionally the same car) can be had for such a ridiculous low price right now there is no reason to not own one. I've seen fully sorted autocross cars for SP for like $2000.
That and MK1 MR2 has a lot of car per dollar right now.
I wouldn't mess with the turbos, if you want a high end 944 get a S2. NA is best imo.
But I love the flares soooo much.
I agree on the flares. the 944 is one of the most aggressive looking porsches to grace the street.
I keep looking at S2s
Other than the usual old car stuff that can creep up (dirty connections causing weird stuff, worn out bits and bobs, etc.) they can be damned reliable.
The engine is kinda uninspiring and doesn't respond well to bolt-on mods. A throttle cam and a flashed ECU helps a bit, but don't expect to make much more power with out lots of work (engine swap, forced induction, etc)
If buying one, always make sure the timing belt has been replaced within 10,000 miles or 3 years or knock $2000 off the price since you'll get to do that work after you buy it.
If the power steering leaks (they all do eventually don't they?) then the wrong type of fluid may have been used. It doesn't use power steering fluid and using such will destroy the system. Its a common mistake that is made by uninformed PO's that only a complete rebuild of the system will cure. A manual rack was available on the early models, luckily the racers snap those up and make their usually functional power racks available for cheap :)
The chassis, based on the 924, is one of VAG's best parts bin masterpieces, improved by Porsche to be a very competent chassis with great balance. Factory galvanizing of the chassis/body helps keep rust at bay, but damage repair can be tricky and can cause rust. Of course there are lots of mods available to make it even better. the early cars are lighter with less creature comforts, while the later cars have better underpinnings and more comfort (think closer to a 928 than a 924) The similarities between the 944 and 928 and the newer Corvette's are startling (rear mounted transaxle, torque tube, the driving feel, etc.)
As with anything, always buy the best one you can. I'd start with ordering the back issue that GRM did on the 944 and research in places like Pelican Parts, Clarks Garage, Rennlist, 944Online and the PCA to find the common failings, resolutions and parts availability.
Good luck!
Very nice cars, durable if they've been maintained properly. Check the timing belt/water pump/clutch/oil pan gasket.
Like in the turbo thread, I have owned an '89 version of the NA as well. I agree on the above advice. Except for the turbo related hardware, everything applies to these as well. I would not go over 2 years on the timing belt interval, or 20k miles, and the turbo water pump should be installed at that time too. Don't forget all the seals and rollers.
The other big issue not noted so far is the number 2 rod oiling issue. If you are going to autocross it or track it, you need to deal with this be it in the oil pan or an Accusump, preferably both. You can try overfilling the oil, but eventually you will lose the motor if you don't address it.
The throttle cam is an absolute must change and is probably the biggest single change I have ever done to any car. It doesn't make it any faster, but the throttle is now linear where before it just caused driving issues.
Truthfully, everyone complains about how much more expensive the turbo is to keep, but in truth, there's not a lot of difference if you buy correctly, and it is so much more of a car. I loved my NA, don't get me wrong, but for all the pain of keeping it, I want the extra performance of the turbo. It is THAT much better.
I'm trying to find a few examples worth riding and taking a look at. What is the driving experience like? How does it compare to say, an NB miata?
the 944 was one of the 'target" vehicles that was used to develop the Miata. I understand they totalled a few 944s wringing them out at 10/10s to learn about it's handling
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