Porsche 944: Spotted
Roll up, roll up. This could be the last 'cheap' 944 you'll see - and it looks like a good'un, too.
It might be tempting to think the time to buy a good Porsche 944 has been and gone. Where once you could get a decent early example for a few grand, prices have been steadily on the rise for the last few years and now 944s don't feel as cheap as they once were.
For example, back in 2012 we discussed the 944 at length. And, it would seem, £5,750 for a 2.5 Lux with a whopper of a history and low mileage was 'pricey'. These days it'd be anything but, of course - expect to pay anywhere between £8,000 and £10,000 for a car like this.
Even so, the 944 remains tempting. After all, as erudite PH readers will be aware, as much as the 944 was maligned for not being a 911 in its day, it's still tremendously good fun to drive, with incredible balance and exceptional agility. Even the least powerful 2.5 still feels fast and light enough to be exciting.
Nevertheless, there are still bargains out there to be had - and this example is a case in point (as is this unfinished project 944). Confusingly, it's listed as a 2.6-litre, but the reg date suggests it's actually a rare 2.7 - no more powerful than the early 2.5s (yes, anoraks, with the exception of those produced in 1988), but torquier and more responsive. It comes in rather fetching Baltic Blue with a smart leather interior, and the advert boasts of all the handbooks and a good - albeit not full - history.
The ad is rather sparse in further detail, save to mention that there's 'no rust' and it 'drives perfect'. An MOT history check reveals it failed its last test on rust before being repaired, mind you, so we'd take that with a pinch of salt. Also worth noting is that the MOT's up in October - so there's good reason to haggle on that price so you've some budget in hand for potential remedial work if it doesn't get through the first time.
This is not the perfect 944, then. But it is the cheapest going concern in the classifieds - there's one that costs less, but is described as a restoration job by the vendor - and that makes it worthy of a closer look. It certainly has the potential to be one of the last, good 944s around going for sensible money. And while a cheap 944 can be a world of pain, a good one might just be the accessible - and genuinely desirable - 1980s classic you've been looking for.
SPECIFICATION: PORSCHE 944
Engine: 2,681cc 4-cyl
Transmission: 5-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 165@5,800rpm
Torque (lb ft): 166@4,200rpm
MPG: 24.8
CO2: N/A
First registered: 1989
Recorded mileage: 108,000
Price new: £25,991
Yours for: £4,995
See the full ad here.
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