1985 Porsche 944 Turbo unsure from North America

Summary:

Still attracts people young and old, and the young "Porsche dreamers at heart!"

Faults:

A small assortment of problems.

General Comments:

We only use it for special occasions, but it has not let us down for a year or so. Would I buy another 944? Maybe. It still runs great, and attracts people who love its original gold paint with black trim. It looks great in any color!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 4th March, 2006

1985 Porsche 944 2.5 liter Inline 4 from North America

Summary:

One of the most underrated cars ever made and pure Porsche excitement!

Faults:

Rear hatch seal leaks and release inoperative.

Sunroof inoperative.

Taillights leak.

Power steering rack leaks.

General Comments:

This car is the epitome of performance and handling.

Corners like its on a roller coaster track.

Rear seat area is pretty much useless for seating, but good cargo space when seat folded down.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 22nd July, 2005

1985 Porsche 944 coup 944 from Germany

Summary:

What do you expect? it's an old car

Faults:

Nothing really bad, it's just some sort of interior problem.

-driver's side door hand panel is kind of falling off, but it should be easy to fix.

-door is kind a heavy to shut.

That's it for now. I might have more in few years, but than, what do you know, it's an old car. 18 years old.

General Comments:

Ok, first of all, I really really love this car. it use to be my dream car and I owe it right now. I got this car for $4500. it's a little expensive for buying it from owner, but than this guy did a lot jobs, and he took a lot care of it.

-new clutch

-new wheel

-computer chips (it makes the motor runs more than it regularly can)

-custom exhaust (pretty loud, but really nice sound and tone)

-new race steering wheel (all white, GT grant wheel, but than it is kinda small, so hard to do small stuff)

-and etc.

It handles pretty well, I mean I hear it spouse to be the best handling car made in 1985. but my suspension is too soft, and I don't even have power steer. I really want power steer, because it's really hard to turn your wheels when I'm all stopped.

The steering wheel is too small that its hard to do cross hand turning.

But stock wheel should be much better and easier, so you guys shouldn't have much trouble like me.

The suspension is too soft that when I'm going over 90 or 100mph (miles per hour), it just starts bouncing all over. its like I'm laying on top of water bed.

Plus, when you are going on mountain roads, theres so many turns and it is a bumpy road, your car shakes back and forward, it is really scary.

If you are not use to rear wheel drive car, you shouldn't go out in a rain and star turning like crazy. I almost got in to accident, my car just started fish tailing. it was really scary...

What you have to be careful is that you have to know this car is rear wheel drive, and try changing your suspension if you can.

It's an old car so my suspension makes creaking sound on a bump. but you will get use to it.

But over all, this car is really nice car to have fun! you can even do donuts with this car, its only 150hp (horse power) stock, I don't really know mine is, around 180 to 200hp. but surprisingly, you can make donuts, and drift with this car.

But if you want to drift with this car, (only on manual car) you have to get 2 axel pads for your feet. because the axel is all the way inside, and break is really close to you, so its really hard to do *"heel and toe".

Heel and toe is a trick one of the drifting technique. right before on the turn, you press clutch, break softly, put gear one or two lower, and press axel with your heel while pressing on a break with your toe, make the rpm all the way up to red zone (red line it), and release the clutch fast that the tire spins and slipping, while releasing the clutch, turn your wheel toward the side of where you are turning, and when end of the car slides side way, you turn your wheel where you want the car to slide.

While drifting, you sometimes have to pull emergency break (side break) on to make your car slide and turns more, but this car, the emergency break is on the left side, by the door, so its really hard to grab and pull while in the drift... well, maybe if you had a power steer and bigger steering wheel, you might be able to. but I can't. he he.

If you want to buy this car, sure why not, its great looking car. my friend calls it a pimp mobile. my 944 is pure white, interior black leather, really nice looking car. if you want old fast Porsche, you might have to find 928, it is like more than 200hp, with v8. 944 might turn faster than 928, but it just smoke a lot cars with v8 engine. 944 has only 4 cylinder, but does all the turns, which ever you like to drive, place with a lot curves, or just drag racing. I prefer curves, it is way more fun than going only straight.

After all, I will say that this car is really nice, but if you do a little more jobs on suspension, it would be a much better car that can whip all the asses of other cars who wants to race you on mountains. he he.

By Ken 18yr old Japanese kid who really loves Porsche. I'm same age as my porsche, how cool huh?

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 8th December, 2003

10th Dec 2003, 06:48

Ken.

The bounciness of your car comes from worn shocks. Replace them with standard Porsche ones or improved Koni ones. If you use the Koni's the car will be much more stable.

Your technique of drifting is killer for your clutch. These can be expensive to replace. Try a technique called the 'Swedish flick' instead.

I had my clutch replaced recently and it cost me $2000. So be carefull ;-)

Rob.

10th Sep 2009, 09:22

I don't drift, but I recently replaced the struts and the coil springs to tighten the suspension. It's well worth the money and the KYB performance struts/shocks and the coil springs are reasonably priced. You can also add a strut tower brace to keep the front suspension from flexing laterally.

My 944 has some resistance issues whereby the turn signals don't work, but the emergency flashers do... weird. It's slowly becoming a track car, so I'm not too concerned about turn signals anyway.

You can increase horsepower (around 20-30hp) by adding performance exhaust headers and a cold air intake. The 944 will be much quicker if you lighten the weight of the car. I took off around 100 lbs. by stripping out the carpeting. You can also improve weight and performance by putting on a lightweight flywheel (kind of a pricey job) and you might as well replace the clutch while that area is open.

So, those are some of the cheapest ways to add performance to the normal aspirated 944s. It pays to get yourself a good set of tools and a Haynes book. Good luck!!

21st May 2010, 20:57

What do you mean by power floating?