1984 Porsche 944

We can sum up the appeal of this one quite easily: it’s a very original car that was already in nice nick before a classic Porsche specialist bought it this year, but now that he’s been through it properly, it’s in mid-season form.

The car has been in France for the last few years (though it’s a UK right-hand drive model) which may have helped it dodge the tinworm. It required no body repairs during its recent check-up.

It’s in fine mechanical fettle and the vendor, Rob, is a Porsche specialist who has sold another 944 and a 928 through TheMarket.co.uk already. He describes it as ‘gorgeous’ on the road following a four-wheel alignment check. Indeed, he goes as far as to say that a 944 of this type is the best Porsche of all to drive. And yes, Rob knows that’s a big statement. He recalled climbing out of a much more modern and glamorous 911 and into this car, and realised it was a whole lot more fun.

There are 126,000 miles on the clock. Well, actually just 26,000…remember five-digit odometers? But that’s not much for a 944 – just imagine if this were a TVR of the same age – and in the car’s current ownership it’s enjoyed two major pieces of expenditure and sundry smaller jobs.

The two big bits are a new dashboard, a £1200 part that’s a common failing on old 944s (they crack) and a serious job to fit, plus a new set of Fuchs-pattern alloy wheels and brand new tyres. Smaller jobs have included getting the electric windows working as they should, making the seats adjust smoothly, rebuilding a door handle and fixing the handbrake lever.

Now it needs nothing apart from a coat of Waxoyl underneath to protect the healthy surfaces, and if you’re heading for concours-land, a smarter carpet.

Black paint shows up faults rather well, especially when the sun comes out, but there are precious few to spot here. It’s not known how much of the paint is original, but the previous owner spent £900 having it ‘refurbished’ in 2016, which implies a few touch-ins and a damn good detailing. It still doesn’t really need polishing to look good; just wash it and it shines.

The headlamp pods, bumpers and spoiler are undamaged and the gaps all look good. The new Fuchs-type alloys are held on with a locking wheel nut on each wheel and shod with equally fresh Falken Z1EX tyres.

At the back, the Porsche decal on the tail panel is in great shape and the tailgate holds itself up on its gas struts. Every lamp lens has survived without cracks. Er…nothing much to complain about, is there?

From late 1985, the 944 gained a softer-looking ‘oval dash’ instrument display, but here we have the more characterful original: dig those yellow digits and the fascinating right-to-left rev counter. The dashtop and surround is perfect because it’s new; one very common failing of 944 is therefore avoided.

The seats are in their original fabric, bar a professional replacement of the material on the driver’s seat bolster. There’s some loose stitching at the top of the seat back’s right bolster. The carpets are the one aspect to show noticeable signs of age, and only in a couple of places such as the driver’s side inner sill. Porsche branded over-mats fill the front footwells.

The fit of the top edge of each door card isn’t brilliant and could easily be smartened up. There’s a Pioneer CD player / radio head unit, near to where some of the carpeted trim is trying to get away from the centre console. Again, easy to sort. The boot has a load bay cover which has given up retracting into its roller. They all do that, sir.

All the important 944 worry-spots are solid and sound: sills, suspension mounts, rear wheel arches, front jacking points. The engine bay is clean and tidy but not detailed in a ‘bonnet up at the car show’ kind of way. It had its belts changed in July 2015.

 The previous MoTs show an encouraging lack of advisories, which supports the feeling that this car has led a pampered existence for most of its years. The vendor’s glowing report of the way it now drives, and his recent check-up and sort-out of any problems means the list of mechanical jobs to tackle stands at nil.

The gearchange, a remote system connecting your left mitt to the gearbox under the boot, is good by transaxle standards – not slick perfection but good in comparison to many other 944s and manual 928s and still a nice, sporting change. 

The car’s original service book is full; a state it reached by the late 1990s. Then there’s a large gap in the history (though plenty of MoTs) until we get much more detail from 2015, by which time the car had met just its third owner, its second owner having kept it for 29 years.

The list of work confirms the use of the word ‘pampered’ – air filter and plugs annually, oil and filter every six months, and this in a period from 2015 to 2019 when it was averaging less than 1000 miles per year. On top of this, a long list of minor items that would have been mere annoying niggles were also sorted out, plus one or two much more significant investments like a new windscreen earlier this year. The most recent document lists the service and repair work completed by the vendor in recent weeks.

As mentioned, there many MoTs from years past and some nice touches from way back: the dealer’s bill of sale to the first owner, a lovely set of original handbooks, a brace of Haynes manuals and even a proper workshop manual in a binder. The current MoT expires in September 2020.

If you weren’t looking hard for an early 944, you might scroll past this car without realising how good it is. But like all the most tempting classics, the more you dig into the history and stare at the photos, the better it looks. It is, in our opinion, just about the ideal mix of originality with usable, well-sorted mechanicals, smart cosmetic condition and proper maintenance and previous ownership.

But what about the model itself? Wouldn’t a faster Turbo or 944 S2 be more satisfying? Perhaps not – we fancy the light weight and purity of this early version; at less than 1200kg, it’s lighter than all but the smallest modern hatchbacks. And the mechanical health of the engine means that all 160-odd horses are still alive and kicking, giving plenty of punch under your right foot. That dashboard too – those podded instruments have a period sporting appeal that was lost from the ‘oval dash’ cars.

The classic Porsche market is the final point in this car’s favour. Front-engined Porsches values were the last to shift off rock-bottom but their rise began a few years back, quite possibly making the necessary correction towards the prices asked for the air-cooled brethren. Should this quick, wieldy classic Porsche really be a quarter the value of the slowest, most un-loved 1970s 911? Of course not.

We always encourage viewings. This Porsche is located at Rob’s place in Maidenhead. He warmly invites interested parties to click the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to arrange a viewing.

Ahead of that, or at any time during the process, you’re more than welcome to ask any questions or jot down observations in the comments section below. You won’t be shocked to hear that our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ section will answer general questions that are frequently asked about how The Market works.

Also please note that we have a network of trusted suppliers with whom we work regularly and successfully: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.