by Soulhikers » Thu Oct 04, 2007 1:46 am
I think around $3,000 for a hard 1984 Porsche 944 is a great price, but you may want to expect to do more or less continual maintenance to keep it running properly. but, this is true of any 22 year old car.
As for rust, Porsches after 1976 use galvanized sheet metal, so rust is nearly never an issue. I had a 1978 Porsche 924 that had no rust whatsoever, and that was after driving it in upstate NY winters.
You will have lots of other repairs, and the 944 will require an costly timing belt substitute every 30K miles. If you do not do it yourself, expect $500 for this substitute.
Nearly all parts are available for the 944, so do not worry about that. If you enjoy the car and are wanting to do most of the work yourself, this is a satisfying car. it's peppy, handles great and has decent brakes. If you're wanting to use up a bit more money, look for a 1986 or afterward model. There was a big upgrade for the 1985.5 model, which included more power, better brakes, stronger ball joints and a better interior. but, it'll most likely cost you at least another $2,000 for one of these afterward models.
Finally, it is generally great if you may be able to find a Porsche that has not been beaten up on racetracks. Ask questions and see what answers you get, and look for signs that it may have been raced. these are racing seat belts, holes where a role bar may have been attached and painted over numbers on the doors/bodywork.
I like older Porsches and there's a great community of holders out there to support you and assist you crack problems. As long as you're wanting to do the work to keep your Porsche running, you'll find it educational and satisfying. If you can't/won't do the work yourself, the car will nearly surely be too costly.