I raced a 944 and a 968 with a buddy of mine for 20 years, and they were great. Won quite a few races in them, as the balanced handling, good brakes and reliability made them very good race cars - especially the 968 with the extra power.
I take a bus to work currently and on my way to work there's a mechanic shop that the bus always passes and outside the shop there's a 944 that seems to be being repaired, it's been in the same spot for a while now, it always catches my eye every time I pass.
944 often get a bad rap...not fast...poor man's Porsche etc...but on a.country road, nothing is better. Nothing else provides that driver/car mind meld quite as well. Love those things.
I hate you guys for making this video, i was looking at this car for over a month now. Prices are low, they’re gonna go up a bit now. Lol jk love you guys. The rest is true tho
I’m 29. Currently up north someone is selling a 87 944 NA for 3200. 70k on the motor, 200k on the body. I have a job so I feel comfortable about grabbing it as my daily/work car but my wife is trying to talk me out of it lol
I came here to do as my forefathers before me have done, ahem... POP UP UP AND DOWN HEADLIGHTS ! POP UP UP AND DOWN HEADLIGHTS uh Pop pop pop POP UP UP AND DOWN HEADLIGHTS !
ron baer bro they’re such a blast especially with the 5 speed manual. I’ve driven newer manuals and it had by far the smoothies and easiest clutch I’ve ever driven. Unfortunately, j ran it into back of a truck. I still have it tho. After college I plan to ls swap and rebuild it into a beast
944s are finally getting the appreciation they deserve over recent years🙏🏻 What an awesome little 80s icon that is so much fun to drive and work on! Prices are climbing after being at rock bottom 5-10 years ago. Oh and don’t forget about the Turbo 951 option🤩
JR Garage launched your entire channel and now mini RU-vid empire with a 944. I was sad when you guys sold the Red 951. Always gotta have love for the 944 🤙🏻🤙🏻🤙🏻
I never intended to love my 944 the way I do...It was intended to be a stepping stone to get me into a Cayman or 911. She's been my daily for almost 6 years now and I can't imagine not having her anymore. It's been more reliable than anything from 1988 should be. She is beautiful, fun, and my wife loves her too because she looks just like the car from 16 candles.
Yea I bought one with a broken rubber clutch, drove it in 2nd down the street to my shop and swapped in a modern spring clutch and it was great fun for a few years.
I’ve been on copart most of today and it’s all porches I just posted all the 944s on there here crazy I was looking at them and the trending video is about 994s
Is that a forehead or a fivehead? Lol. (Sorry! I feel your pain!) Hey at least we can't make fun of your to tight shirt that looks like you got it off of Wish.com
Totally agree. If these had 240hp motors and were more rare, they’d be going for $120-150k. It’s rare to find one in as-new condition, but if you can - they are wonderful to drive.
@@kondor99999 1988 and later Turbo S. 250 horsepower, something like 1,500 in the US. I think good ones are starting to get in the $60k range now, and they're not slowing down.
@@Mike-jj7tb yeah it's funny my mom (76 yo) just ordered a 2021 gle suv Mercedes 450 black with black rims and I talked her into the dark tan interior. I know all blk everything would be cool but I think blk@tan, grn@tan and the old egg shell cream that Mercedes had back in the day all look classy with that rich tan interior.... I want an f type 6cyl manual 2016 to 2018 with the old British racing green and dark tan interior. I'll pay to have it wrapped in the green but you can't find any with the manual for a decent price unless they're loaded with miles and have 2 or 3 owners. It is a true drivers car. Like your 944 . Not going to blow the doors off anything but fun to drive. I test drove a 2016 and was hooked but the price tag was pretty steep back then and still is now.
I actually owned a 944 Turbo for a short time. I bought it as a loan to a friend that helped me when the first Gallardo motor blew up. After a few years of not being able to pay me back, he finally gave me the car. I only drove it a few times but it was a cool thing.
Everyone is also too afraid to publicly state that the 944 is cosmetically more beautiful than any 911 but it simply is : ) And that's not even getting into the glorious 951 or 944S2 with factory 17 inch Cup wheels etc. or the 968 Club Sport!
I always said that ! Besides, almost every major car factory had a top model that looked like the 944(924) in the late 80's. That says a lot by itself. Nobody has ever copied a 911.. I'm also not afraid to say it - the 911 - (used to) look like if you hit a beetle a couple of times with a sledgehammer. Never liked it. Ugly, antique. Just a very wide around 70 model with the wing looks ok to me. It's different nowadays, though, and I always loved the flat 6.
I’m not afraid. The body lines of a 944 are unparalleled. The flared hips in the rear, pop up headlights etc. My Dad has a Boxster and my 944 takes curves better than his. His ass end likes to slide out even with good proper tires .
@@P1983sche Excellent! I own my dreamcar, a 1993 968CS in India Red, and will NEVER sell it*!! *Ironically, the one car I will never sell is the ONLY one that is actually APPRECIATING in value LOL
As an American we are used to horsepower. With a 944 you have to keep the revs up. That is where the fun is. Find a curvy road and enjoy. It's not a line car. Each car has its purpose. I agree, it's not a power car but the mix of power and handling is a smile maker. I have owned all kinds of cars and this class is what I have grown to enjoy. That's for me, no aspersions to anyone.
@@jrew3569 It’s surprisingly punchy. I have a 2018 M6 and you’d think the 944 would feel really slow, but if doesn’t! I have no idea why. It has a very flat torque curve and weighs nothing, maybe that’s it.
Depends on the mountain road. My 928 S4 is great in the Malibu canyons which are more open. But the 944 is more fun in the tight twisties because it has less power and is lighter.
TheTardis157 valid point. Being from Miami, I get jealous of the west coast. Plus I can relate to Malibu, great driving roads and you’re right they have good open curves that are bliss with a gran tourer
Took my 944 with 250k original miles from Vegas to LA to pick up a Mustang GT at an auction a week ago. Amazing road trip with my dad. I paid $1500 for the 944 btw. If you think of getting one GET IT
My buddy in pa works on 944’s. I was in the market for one so I drove from va to pa. Turns out he had around 50 behind his shop. So we dragged a few out to make the perfect car. He put twin turbos on it. White body. Sense we’ve know each other for so long, he gave it to me for free.
I know it’s been a long time since your comment, but does he still have some? I’ve been trying to find a decent one off of marketplace but there’s not many good options. I’ll pay good money for it!
@@Ermy1996 That's not true - this is an urban legend - I do it all the time. If you look at the reset mechanism - it really depends how you push it - halfway in and jerking around while it's moving and you're grinding gears. They're plastic, and on a 30 year + car it's often brittle.. the way they work - ANY trip counter before digital - when you reset you're engaging gears without a clutch, and I guess if you're really unlucky you can hit it in the wrong spot. I always push my 37 years old original trip counter reset button while it's moving (usually I remember it it little while after I filled up the tank, or use it in other ways on the road), but I never had an issue. That's how I know somebody made this up. Actually I've had other cars that makes much worse sounds when you do it. Especially if you don't push it all the way in and straight out. You can hear ticking noises and see some of the numbers jump if you play with it, but it very seldom breaks. On any car. Plastic from the 80's is another matter. Especially when cold. Better use it as intended, but I can't remember anything in the manual about only pushing it when the car stands still. Anyone ?
@@happyfox711 Is still terrible design, and absolutely a quirk. Never seen another car that does it. When a button breaks 'depending on how you push it' thats most definitely a quirk.
I owned a 1984 Porsche 944 when I was stationed in Hawaii in 2000-2004. God I loved that thing. It was a beautiful cinnamon brown with Fuchs polished wheels. I bought it for $5,000 and it was worth every dollar. I still kick myself for not bringing it back home.
My Money My Choice aloha my brotha you like me find it for you ? I’m assuming you were stationed on Oahu ? Anyways I know the feels must have been cherry riding around in a 944 I almost bought a turbo one but I backed out couple years back !
@@JB-sv5pr It was such a fun car to own and I will buy a newer 1986-1991 car soon. (I love the more updated Dash and interior) I was stationed on Oahu at Kaneohe Bay.
The best 944 was the 944 Turbo S, but even better was the Porsche 924 GTS Lightweight which raced at Le Mans. Very rare, and inspired the 944 for it's styling.
Love them. My first car was an 85.5 Porsche 944 (guards red with real Fuchs) that had been sitting for 14 years, took me 6 months to get it running and smogged and started my intense love of cars. The 85.5 was the change in dashes he keeps referring to also
I've got the same affliction. I even had a 911 first but I still have more of a soft spot for the 924/944 than the 911. When I was in my teens I lucked up on an early 924T with like 40k miles on it for next to nothing. It was gunmetal grey with black interior and the sunroof. However the check valve on the oil feed to the turbo was stuck so if I took a left turn too quickly it would dump oil into the turbo and fumigate the street, the houses, the people within a block of my car with thick black smoke. That little car handled like it was on rails and was surprisingly very quick. I may be mistaken but I'd always been told that at the time of release the 924 was the best handling (skidpad) production Porsche ever made. Can anyone confirm or refute that?
Some antlers and a new sticker in the backdround?? Lol :P The 944 is actually a sweet car to drive in my opinion. A vinwiki video is always a good way to start the morning.
Hahaha i smiled so hard when he said that. Your 13 going through Auto Trader dreaming of your first sport cars and yeah i remember dreaming of buying a 944 in Auto trader back in 88 when i was 13. Lol
My grandparents were thinking to give me their 86 944 in metallic burgundy... but I don’t have enough space for a 5th car. This video kills me because it’s got like no miles on it and they keep it on carpet
My dad had a 944 when I was in middle school (mid 90s). I loved that car. All of the labels were in German which made it had to read when he first got it, but we got used to what they all did. Thanks for bringing me down memory lane.
As I said on the Instagram post, the 944 (and the "951" turbo) are great cars that are underappreciated. In its day, the 944 turbo was a better performance car than the 911 (as is usually the case for whatever they are selling alongside the 911 🤣). I can't remember if it was Car and Driver or Road and Track, but a contemporary issue compared the '89 944 turbo and '89 911 turbo... The 951 was just as quick around a track and FASTER on a back road than the vaunted 930, because it was better balanced and had better handling. But I didn't know you were one of those early-dash weirdos 😜😆
Ermy the one I got was not well maintained but I have this really good mechanic near me who only works on Porsche’s and he charges really good prices but if you get a good one it really isn’t bad
@@Ermy1996 Just make sure the timing belt is new and setup correctly on the early models, you will need a $500 tool to check it yourself. Bottom line is - like any Porsche - Buy the best maintained car you can afford and don't cut corners on the repairs! Get a 86 or newer model and you should pay 15 to 20 thousand for it. You might get lucky and find one for 5 grand, but don't put it on the road until you know it's properly setup (Good shocks, Turbo Clutch upgrade, and new timing belt, etc..) If you wand an inexpensive Porsche that will smoke any car on the road today slam a newer Porsche 911 motor into a 914. So yes it is "really that bad" if you try to do a Porsche on the cheap ;
My dad actually suggested looking for a Nein-Fo-Fo back in the day but they were hard to find in the Southeast that weren't either too expensive or rust buckets. When they're well kept, they're great, and I think that's mercifully becoming more common now that people are treating them as something more than "just an old car".
The funny thing is though that video games made the FC more known than the 944. I do like it that the 944 isn't really known as a good Porsche because... _cough_ the 911s are just overrated and overpriced and this keeps other Porsches like the 924, 944 and 928 cheaper. The 928 GT is really my favourite though. It's literally Porsche's Corvette. 😎👌
"My girlfriend at the time..." he says that in almost every story, wish he could teach me how to manage 80s cars and have a girlfriends at the same time😅
Ruins the whole point of the car that is the weight distribution, though. The original 924 Turbo with the tiny 4 cylinder had more than 400 horsepower in Le Mans, and it didn't explode in 24 hours. That was good power to weight and a perfectly balanced racecar.
I had a bright red 87' 944. I bought it when I was 23. I loved that car. Picked up a rack of chicks with it and people tried hating. Its probably because it was their chicks I was scooping up. All I had to say was "I have a Porsche" and folks would smirk and say things like "Did YOU buy that Porsche?!?" I'd laugh and respond "YES! Pocket change! GOML". Mean while, it had something like 140,000 miles and was missing a third pedal. The value of them were at a all time low back then but still in alright condition. I've had tons of cars but like you said, the Porsche 944 is a car I'd love to own again... but with a turbo or V8. 👍
It's funny you mention someone having a 944 just to take to a bar. I got a steal of a deal on a 951 because the previous owner got a DUI in it driving home from the bar. Ironically, he had purchased the car from a police auction because the previous previous owner was a habitual DUI offender. Luckily, I don't drink.
My dad story beats yours. Around 1975, Cypress Gardens (FLA.) was holding a classic car show. Low and behold there was a Jaguar SS100 for sale. Price $5,000. I had a 1966 Austin Healey 3000, was in the USF Sports Car Club and knew a good bit about classic British sports cars. I knew this car was really going to appreciate in value. Unfortunately, I did not have $5,000. Dad, Dad, we (you) really, really, need to buy this car. You know the ending. I have owned a hundred British sports cars, even an Aston Martin DB4, but never an SS100.
I think they look great and handle great BUT... Cannot get my head around $2000 clutch, $2000 timing belt and water pump every three years... All in a car that takes 8 seconds to get to 60. Not worth it imho. Give me a minute to put my Nomex on before you reply to me... I had a 944S for a few years. However, it was fantastic driving around the Finger Lakes in NY with my wife with the top off visiting the wineries! Great memory.
The 944 chassis is a standout. Even if you can't find a nice original runner, they are excellent candidates for a engine swap if you're building a track car. And, you can fit 315 tires square with the correct wheels. I've never owned one, but I just might if the right one comes along.
Best car I have ever owned. Ran forever maint is not bad. 70k to 183k in 5 years. By body had some hail damage and the interior was not the greatest when I got it. So I did not mind beating it up.
When I was in highschool the local used dealership put a butterscotch yellow 944 right out front of the lot of sale and I had to take my mom over with me to look at it. I was super into all things porsche and it was the first one I had seen in person. It was a bit rough but not terrible and the color sucked but it was still kind of cool in that so ugly it is good way. But the next night some guy in a truck driving through town drunk went off the road and plowed right over that sitting 944 and completely totaled it. Maybe that was fate? But I still have never owned a porsche...but I will.
I agree with you on the prototypes but as far as the 944 being the best, I disagree. That belongs to the 959. I do think the 944 is the most unappreciated & underrated Porsche. But a 944 over a 911, yes if it's one from 2012 to current.
