Do I want a Porsche 944 turbo?

And can I afford to own one?

Non-running one with 170,000kms (105,000 miles). Says it needs a fuel pump, which is easy enough to check before buying the car (pull fuel line, prime pump).

I've always loved these, and when/if the motor blewup, I'd do an LSX swap into it. I am in desperate need of a summer daily driver that makes me look like less of a schmoe. I think I can get it for about $3k. Engine rebuilt 20,000kms ago. Thoughts? It's perfectly clear of rust (amazingly) and the interior isn't falling apart. Looks bone stock except for some (possibly?) newer porch rims.

I wouldn't buy a non runner for three grand. And if you're even considering an LSx swap, just start with a normally aspirated car.

^ The only arguments to that are: Stronger trans in turbo cars, and better brakes (?)...and you can probably part out the turbo motor for more $$$ than the normally aspirated car.

Yeah, most guys swapping an LS* into a N/A 944 swap in the 951 trans and brakes. But Woody is right, I'd not drop $3K on a non-runner. Now, if he has the paperwork to prove the rebuild I'd be closer to the asking price, but not higher than $2K.
All that is without seeing pics. If this is nicer than average I might be willing to go higher than $2K. But anytime I see an ad that says "it ran great. The only thing it needs is blah blah blah" I always wonder, if that's really all it needs, why not do that one item you say is so simple/cheap and bump your price up 50%?

the big question is what year it is.... if its a 91 i would buy it if its a 85 i think its a high price

It's an 86. The only thing I can say to counter the "it's too much" thing is that I am in Canada... the land of the $6000 140k mile Miata and where everything rusts and falls apart eventually.

I've saw a total of 10 944 turbos in my life in Alberta, there aren't many of them. I wasn't too worried about the price, $3k is totally acceptable up here (in fact, it is a good deal) and the non-running issue (if a fuel pump, which I think may actual mean a blown fuse/wiring) will scare everyone away.

These days you are lucky to get a NA car for 2K. The prices on these cars are going up. A non running 951 as long as it is something minor (do a compression test) is not a bad deal. Before purchasing I would check for spark and see if it fires on a squirt of starter fluid. I would also try disconnecting one injector and see if it runs (indicates the FPR is bad not the pump). Ohya getting at the fuel pump on a 951 is not nearly as simple as a pre 85.5 car. Getting back to the FPR. These are much easier to fix and from what I have seen these seem to go bad a lot more often than the pumps.

An 86 951 is kind of a weird duck. It has a mix and match of parts especially in the suspension department making it a little more complicated to get parts. All the parts are out there but you have to know what to get. They have smaller brakes but are also lighter then the 87 and up cars.

I had an 86 and I loved it. The lower weight is definitely a plus. The car was much more "toss-able" in to the corners (more like a Miata). Later 951's feel a lot more like a GT car (more like a mustang). They feel heavier and less responsive and you feel a bit more disconnected from the road.

IF he can prove that it was running prior to the fuel pump giving out, then I think that it is an OK price. It is the old style suspension (right?) and not the newer aluminum stuff. That is a negative to me. It seems that if he could sell the car for twice as much for having the fuel pump replaced and in running condition. I would offer 2k and see what happens.

I actually like the older style suspension. Ball joints are a simple replacement and if you are tracking it steel will bend not like the alu that tends to crack / brake. The Alu A arms ball joints are a PITA to fix replace compared to the steel a arms. The steel a arms use VW parts available at any parts store. The alu ones you have to order replacements as a kit that you basically glue in.

Some one really should make a steel tubular a arm replacement for the later alu ones. I don't think there is any significant weight savings with the alu A arms as they are huge compared to the stamped steel ones.

Where there are issues is the wheel offset. I think they use the older offset and thus aftermarket wheels are less available and expensive when you find them.

'86 should have aluminum front LCAs, but it will have the "early" wheel offsets. '86 was the only year for 16" Fuchs on the 951.

'86's do have the aluminum control arms, but you can change just the ball joints, it takes a bit of work though. A friend has a much modified '89 and driven back to back against my old '86, there's not much difference, except in the power department. His brakes may be a bit better, but not noticeably.

Mine was still fast, but his is/was since it doesn't run right now, ballistic fast. Viper fast, Ferrari fast, as in stretch your eyeballs fast. Then it blows up.

As stated above, if you plan to do a LX swap, you definitely want to start with the turbo. Otherwise you're going to be sourcing all the turbo specific parts separately as you will need them.

Now, as to the question do you want it, of course you do. Everyone needs one. Do you want to endure the heartache that comes with it...hum...that depends.

I bought a similarly priced 951, and promptly spent 3 times that number getting back into reliable condition. That wasn't fun mods, that was just getting all the maintenance back up to date and replacing the timing belt that broke the week after I bought it. It only had like 29+k on the timing belt, so let that be a warning. Then there was the turbo itself, and the oil cooler that let go going up a hill. (that's the fun part where you oil down your back tires in rush hour traffic) Of course you can through in a power steering pump, oil pan gasket, valve cover gasket, rear main seal, clutch, and on and on.

Once it was done, it was a blast to drive and fairly reliable. Then an under aged kid lost control of the family van he had snuck out and shoved it through my building at work. It actually ended up in my office a few feet from my desk, but that's another story.

Are the alum a arms in the 86 unique to the 86? Something tells me that they were because of the offset difference? Or is that the hub? I know there is something different with them. I just don't remember.

In reply to dean1484: The 86's are early offset, but have the aluminum arm.  87+ have the aluminum arm in late offset.

Is the difference in the arm or the hub?

In reply to dean1484: According to Paragon-Products, the difference is in the arm (I think, at least they list 3 different OEM arms). I'm pretty sure it's in the arm, because I had to get early tie rods for my '86, although I always get a little fuzzy without staring at part numbers really carefully.