1986 Porsche 944

Finished in the timeless combination of Guards Red over a black leather interior, this 944 has clearly seen the world, as it has racked up a very impressive 254,543 miles during its lifetime with its 13 former keepers.

As we always state, however, numerous owners is not necessarily a bad thing, since it means the car has had several ‘honeymoon’ periods throughout its history.

Forming part of the vendor’s collection of classic and retro cars, the condition of this 944 suggests it has been well looked after throughout its life, and you’d be forgiven for thinking it has done half the number of miles just from looking at it.

Forming part of the vendor’s collection of classic and retro cars, this 944 was a self-confessed ‘guilty’ purchase, having grown up admiring the wonderfully 80’s styling of the 944. Having used the vehicle for family trips to Windsor and back from West London, the condition of this 944 suggests it has been well looked after throughout its life, and you’d be forgiven for thinking it has done half the number of miles just from looking at it.

Now, the vehicle is up for sale simply due to having recently moved and the family no longer fitting into the vehicle. One major tell-tale sign of the vehicle’s mechanical condition is that the vendor drove it to our Abingdon HQ, which speaks volumes about their confidence in the vehicle.

As we’ve stated, the external condition of this 944 hides it age very well indeed, with the Guards Red paintwork remaining in excellent condition, and the bodywork on the whole being very good indeed for its age and mileage.

In terms of issues, there are a few, but certainly nothing too dramatic. The rubbers around the doors and windows are beginning to show their age and perish in places, while the rear nearside arch does have a small crack in it. In addition to this, there are numerous small ‘car park’ dents on the bodywork, along with some areas of bubbling and patches lacquer peel which are most noticeable on the top of the nearside door, nearside rear bumper and offside front arch.

All of the lenses around the car look to be in good shape, with the pop-up light mechanism working exactly as it should.

All four wheels are presentable as they sit, but would benefit from a refurbishment to bring them back to their best, and all four need new tyres due to the current ones being perished and cracking on account of their age.

Inside, the cabin remains in good condition for its age, with the iconic ‘tombstone’ seats still providing plenty of comfort and support, while the typically Porsche ergonomic design ensures everything falls easily to hand.

Speaking of the seats, they remain in surprisingly good condition, and while there are some minor creases to the usual places on the bases and bolsters, the wear is far less significant than many 944’s we’ve seen with half this mileage, and there are no apparent cracks or rips to the material that we could see.

That’s not to say there aren’t some signs of wear in here. The carpets have a few worn spots while the high-traffic areas such as the steering wheel and shifter are also showing their age, along with the dash top which has cracked due to years spent in the sun.

The desirable sunroof is working exactly as it should, with no signs of any leaks either - always good news.

In fact, the only items we could find that were not working as they should were the electronic mirror adjusters and the trip odometer, which we reckon isn’t bad going for a car that has over 200,000 miles on the clock.

Looking underneath the vehicle, there is nothing that jumps out as an issue or worry, while the usual surface ‘bloom’ of corrosion is present, as expected from a 30+ year old vehicle.

Clearly, there isn’t anything to worry about under here, as the most recent MOT exam only advised against the steering column having too much vertical movement, so it’s pretty safe to say underneath everything is nice and ship-shape.

Opening the bonnet reveals the 2.5-litre inline-four engine. While the bodywork is nice and clean, the engine bay is in need of a thorough degreasing and detailing, but generally speaking things look to be in good order, with only a few signs of minor leaks and fluid misting which can be seen in the photographs below. Evidently, any fluid issues are minor, as there were no stains left on the lovely white workshop floor where the car had been sat.

Upon turning the key, this 944 fires into life and settles into an idle well, though the starter does sound slightly laboured if we’re being very particular. Out on the road, the car starts, stops, turns and drives as expected from a vehicle with over 250,000 miles on the odometer, though there does appear to be an issue with the engine RPM dipping significantly when coming off the power - a sign of a possible air leak somewhere in the system.

The clutch is nice and engaging with no sign of any slipping in our experience, while the car is happy to pull under acceleration. We didn’t notice any alignment issues or brake pull either, meaning this 944 would be more than happy to be driven back from our Abingdon HQ where it is currently located.

Included with the vehicle is the original Porsche folder including three manuals, the V5 ownership document showing 13 former keepers, and a couple of invoices.

Since the listing went live, the vendor has unearthed a significant amount of history pertaining to the vehicle, including a number of OPC service invoices from during the 2000s, with numerous invoices from RSJ Porsche following this.

There are also several other invoices too, covering various parts fitted over the years, in addition to a handful of old MOT certificates. 

There’s further good news, too - the HPI check we ran shows no areas of concern, so you can bid with confidence.

UPDATE 09/06/21: The vendor has located the missing parts of the history file for the 944, an image of some of it collated together has been added to the gallery. Its full of everything from main Porsche dealer service invoices, to RSJ service (Porsche specialist) documents, the leather retrim supplied by a Porsche specialist and even bills for sun visor clips!

Having covered over 250,000 miles during its lifetime, it’s safe to say this 944 has proven itself to be a reliable companion to its owners over the years. It’s not hard to see why these transaxle Porsches are enjoying a resurgence - they make excellent GT cars, have unique styling and - despite what some people say - are very much still ‘proper’ Porsches, especially the 944 and 968.

This particular 1986 example is in need of some cosmetic TLC, but appears to be in very good mechanical condition and would make an excellent rolling project for someone looking to break in to the world of front-engined Porsche ownership, and we estimate a final hammer price of £6,000 - £9,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.