Porsche 944
Submitted by Brian Miller
It’s nearly impossible to describe the Porsche 944 without comparing it to the Porsche 924. The 944 is very similar in design to the 924, but very different; in some ways, the opposite of the 924 in purpose. The 924 is a precisely balanced technical achievement--a fuel-efficient sports car with theoretically perfect handling. The 944 is a response to a marketplace demand for a 924 with more power and better brakes and more options.
If the 924 is a nerd, the 944 is a jock. If the 924 is technobeat, the 944 is new wave. If the 924 is punk, the 944 is goth. Where the 924 is a scientist, with an engine optimized for longevity and fuel efficiency, the 944 is an athlete. Those fender flares are the result of all those years working out at the gym, and the rear spoiler is the automotive equivalent of having your baseball cap on backwards.
Okay, so maybe I'm anthropomorphizing just a bit, but the point is that those front-engine water-cooled Porsches, arguably the most "American" of German cars, took an evolutionary step toward American style market-driven production with the evolution of the 924 into the 944. And that’s fine, actually.
Driving the 944 you do get the sense that you’re just driving a quieter, better behaved, but far more powerful 924. The 944's 2.5-liter, 150-horsepower, all-alloy 4-cylinder has counter-rotating balance shafts to harmonically cancel the natural vibrations of the engine, which make it a very smooth revving motor. Consequently, less power is wasted vibrating the engine, meaning less noise and more power to the wheels.
The 5-speed transaxle is set up the same as in the 4-speed in the 924, giving a similar feel around corners, although on my particular example the 924 corners better because it has much shorter tires. The engine is a bit of a trouble-maker, however, being an interference design which will self-destruct if your timing belt breaks. Oh well. That's the trouble with self-absorbed Goths, isn't it? Risk of suicide. Anyway, the car is kind of a monster which will peel rubber from a standstill, and will chirp the tires in motion in second gear--not that I'd ever do something like that.
One thing that kind of bothers me about the 944 is the sheer volume of options. In 1985, the 944 was nearly the cost of a base-model 911, and in order to justify this Porsche had to swamp it with options such as power windows, power hatch-release, (pointless) power sunroof, hydraulic clutch, power steering, etc. The effect of all these options is that you get to lug around all that gear which might break and is really unnecessary. The 924 had none of this; it had a manual sunroof, which was lighter and never breaks, manual windows which never break, and manual steering which is perfect in absolutely every way. Compare this with the 944's common problems, such as 944 power steering lines leaking onto suspension components.
Otherwise, the 944 is easy to live with. It starts as certainly as any fuel-injected Ford might, and gets almost respectable gas mileage depending on your driving style. My driving style doesn't lend itself to respectable gas mileage. It will travel through snow reasonably well on good tires, and starts at relatively cold temperatures (like -10 degrees Fahrenheit). Since I work on it myself, it hasn't been an incredibly expensive car. For the most part, it needed cosmetic fixing up and some mechanical work. This car has a new head, apparently the result of some previous bad luck with a timing belt. I'm not surprised or worried though, because it's common for owners to not know about the timing belt and therefore neglect it. Interestingly, there are some unique options and optional accessories such as a Porsche-designed roof rack for carrying a canoe, ski rack, snowshoes, and the like.
Disturbingly practical, yet with a huge amount of Teutonic bling, the 944 is a car with quiet power: a refined, aesthetic appeal that doesn't quite equal the raw visceral fun of its predecessor. The black 944 pictured above is a pristine 1983 example that was recently for sale on eBay, and the garnet red one here is my own 1984 944.
--Brian Miller
Note from Chris:
This is Brian's post, but since the 944 is a sentimental favorite of mine I wanted to add a few thoughts as well.
When I was a kid, no matter what piece of automotive exotica I was coveting any given week, there was always one constant--the Porsche 944. The 944 wasn't quite as otherworldy as most kids' dream cars, but while those cars existed only in fevered fantasy, the 944 had the grounding touch of reality that made it a far more vital and real piece of my automotive background. You see, my friend's father owned a purple Porsche 944, and he wasn't shy about giving his son's friends rides at exhileratingly high speeds through windy canyon roads. That was my first, mesmerizing encounter with that addicting drug speed--far more potent than its chemical namesake.
It's easy to scoff at that today, since that 944 was powered by a normally aspirated four-cylinder and by today's standards wasn't terrifically fast. But at the time our family car was a Buick LeSabre. The 944 was a Porsche that we got to ride in at high speeds, and that alone was enough to fan the flames of pre-teen admiration.
Even today, now that I own a family sedan that has more power than that Porsche, I'm still taken with the 944--its awesome molded rubber rear spoiler, its hidden headlights and purposeful front view, and, of course, the sweet handling and precise steering that made the 944 one of the best-handling cars of its erea. The 944 was a sweet, nice car that just happened to be a terrific performer. For any kid lucky enough to be pinned to his seat, open-mouthed, as the 944 toyed with the laws of physics at high speed, it was an instant legend.
Chris Hafner on June 27, 2008 at 03:01 PM
Nice comparison of the 944 and 924, Brian. One of my favorite Porsches of the time was the 924S--I loved the fact that it had the more under-the-radar 924 styling, with the power of the 944. It was closer to the no-frills 924 interior and price, but with many of the Volkswagen-sourced components exchanged with Porsche components. I remember that with the same engine and the narrower body, the 924S was actually a touch faster than the 944.
At least, that's how my memory went. Sleepers don't get any cooler than that.
Do you remember the 924 Turbo? What was the story with that car?
Chris Hafner on June 27, 2008 at 03:05 PM
By the way, "disturbingly practical" is a great line. I loved the 1980s practice of making bona fide sports cars with hatchbacks; I wish that particular trend would return.
Roadside assistance service on June 27, 2008 at 03:19 PM
i love classics so much!
:D
Rob the SVX guy on June 27, 2008 at 03:51 PM
I also love this car, and strongly considered one before getting my SVX. I think you left out some important aspects of what makes this car unique:
1. The transmission is in back. Yep. Full RPM driveshaft all the way to the back of the vehicle, where the transmission is tucked in between the rear wheels. Now, that in and of itself isn't all that amazing, but what moving the transmission does is shift WEIGHT. The 944 is one of the most balanced cars on the road, because the weight distribution is 51/49, front to rear. I haven't driven one, but I hear it's absolutely amazing.
2. There's another fatal flaw in the ownership of a 944. The gasket between the coolant and the oil. It likes to fail, and it's a really stupid design. Because of this, many 944s have had their engines cooked into a lump of useless metal.
3. Of course, the biggest reason I avoided this car was one thing. Parts. They're just stupid expensive, purely because they have a porsche name.
Anyway, it's still a gorgeous car, and if I owned a car parts company, I'd probably own one. :)
Brian on June 27, 2008 at 05:14 PM
Carlustblog is cool!
Brian on June 27, 2008 at 05:36 PM
I'm kind of surprised that more people aren't diving in and buying these cars up. They're literally dirt cheap on the used car market, well, a little more than 924s generally. But if you're competent enough to maintain an 80's Japanese import or a VW you could certainly own this Porsche. Parts ARE expensive, thus you've got to go for the best one you can find, obviously. That one above was the ONLY one I could find, and it's actually in okay shape believe it or not!! Ah, heck, here's my work log:
http://www.denalidrafting.com/porsche/1985_Porsche_944_Work_Log.doc
Mochi Mochi on June 27, 2008 at 06:43 PM
Great article Brian. "If the 924 is a nerd, the 944 is a jock..." wonderful. And thanks for helping me sort out the why's of why I like these cars.
When the 924 came out I loved it like a dream come true. Then I started to listen to the bad press about the lack of power. Then along came the 944 and I was in heaven. At that time the "goth" aspect of the car appealed to me. But with time I began again to long for the 924. When the 924S came out -it was all over. The trim lines, the lighter look, the lack of options, more power, the nerd, the scientist... yeah. I agree with Chris - that's a favorite.
I've been tracking a few of the 924S's. They are to me the perfect family car ! Space for the kids the wife and the dog. And a roaring terror when you want it to be. If I get that cargo I'll get a 924S or maybe a 944 if i want to bulk-up.
Chris: I've seen a lot of 924 Turbos on ebay. I know it was a transitional fix for the power issues of the 924. I think there were a few reliability issues, but no more than the average Porsche :)
I know the 924 has been called the best handling Porsche ever made. I believe that applies to the 944 too. I don't personally know first hand, but with big disk brakes either a 944 or a 924 would be a great car. In my mind it is still fresh and not a classic. But it is a classically sexy and fast car.
I'm with Chris again in admiring the practicality of a performance cars with a hatch. That's smart and sexy. My greatest wish is that porsche would make a fugly-cute car again. The 914 was odd and cute. Not a super-model car but a sweet and great one. It was boldly different. And personally I really like the "people's car" lineage that shines through its tiny frame and diminutive but solid stance. That's a car I can relate to. Having a 924 or a 944 would be like dating a cheerleader or a super-model. The 944 would be like dating the nerdy smart girl who's fun to be with and gorgeous once you take her glasses off.
Thanks Brian - this was super.
Chris Hafner on June 27, 2008 at 06:51 PM
Mochi Mochi: "The 944 would be like dating the nerdy smart girl who's fun to be with and gorgeous once you take her glasses off."
This is a great line. Man, you guys have been on fire lately.
Though typically the nerdy smart girls tend to be gorgeous with their glasses on too ...
:-)
Mochi Mochi on June 27, 2008 at 07:36 PM
Chris: "Though typically the nerdy smart girls tend to be gorgeous with their glasses on too ..." Tru dat! double true :) I could not agree more.
I think I had a typo in there - meant to write "914 would be like dating the nerdy smart girl who's fun to be with and gorgeous once you take her glasses off." But I'm glad the idea still got across - too bad there's no edit function on comments.
Brian on June 27, 2008 at 11:13 PM
Glad ya liked it, Mochi Mochi, and all. That 914 sure is a peculiar beast, no? Never driven one, but I hear they're fantastic when sorted out, and non-rusty. they do look odd, however. The 924 Turbo is nice, people who own one will swear it's faster than a 944 or 924S, and it is I guess, but owning it requires a level of commitment far beyond changing oil & belt tensioning for sure. Parts are much harder to acquire. However, you can get more power out of it fairly easily by adding boost. I'm not a particularly great fan of the 924S just because it's mechanically so similar to the 944, same wheels, spoiler, engine, transmission as the early 944. I do like the fact it's basically zero-optioned. The 1987 924S apparently has a defective head gasket shipped from the factory, so avoid that one unless it's had it replaced.
Hey here's a funny video of the 924S and a crazy Mustang driven by Germans, apparently:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzAp2Y4boZo
Shawn on June 28, 2008 at 01:14 PM
Great post, I've always loved this model. I've test driven several used ones over the years but never found 'the one'.
The one I don't think gets enough recognition is the jock's bigger brother: the 968. A THREE LITER 4 cyl. engine is so delightfully twisted. And you get the 928-style headlights to go with it, a great looker even today.
matt on June 29, 2008 at 04:34 PM
I vaguely remember a Car and Driver, Road and Track or Motor Trend test from about 1985-1986 or so and the 944 was the best handling car they tested from a group that included the Porsche 928, Lotus Esprit, a Ferrari (the Magnum PI one) and three other cars. One was the Honda Prelude which came in second, which is why i heard about it from my neighbour who had just bought a 1985 Prelude. He still has it and it is in ridiculously perfect condition.
Dennis on June 29, 2008 at 06:15 PM
I loved 944's so much I had 4 of them. The first was a new 87 944S the first year with the 16 valve engine. I loved that car so much I brought it back 6 months later for an 87 turbo. Sweet, sweet car. Due to buying a house, etc I sold that but 10 years later bought an 86 turbo. Then I bought a 1990 cabriolet. I loved them all.
EL Rider on June 29, 2008 at 06:41 PM
I had a 1987 944 Turbo for about 8 years, it was a fantastic car, the reason that I got rid of it was that I just couldn't drive it often enough. On the highway you could drive at 80-85 and get 32-33 mpg, even stretches that included long blasts over 100 mph the car got milage in the mid-20s. It was very comfortable and once you learn to drive a turbo car for speed it can be very quick. It will also fit 8 or 9 foot long 2x4s with the hatch closed when you put one end in the passenger footwell.
rezzrovv on June 29, 2008 at 06:48 PM
I gotta admit something, I hated these cars. I "came of age" in the '80s and I just remember how much I hated these vehicles. It was the look, not the drive. Oddly, today at 39, I want one ;)
Owen on June 29, 2008 at 08:01 PM
I bought a 1986.5 944 in the spring of 2001, the car had over 200,000 miles on the chassis and about 5k on a rebuilt engine. Anyway, not a squeak or a rattle was ever to be heard from anywhere on the car, well, except the hatch glass on occasion. The car was as tight and nimble as it probably was fresh off the showroom floor. I sold it in 2003 and I regret it to this day. I might get some scoffs here but the thing got around 28mpg in the city, and 34mpg on the highway. I drove it from Baltimore to Dayton, Ohio on one tank of gas! I miss it.
Mochi Mochi on June 29, 2008 at 10:30 PM
Brian - The 944 is a remarkable and complete vision of a great car. With the 944 Porsche got everything right. Don't get me wrong Brian. I think the 944 is an amazing car and I was in complete lust with it a few years back. I still admire it greatly.
My preferences for the oddity of the 914 and the slightly less odd, but criticized, 924 are based on peculiarities of my psyche and these vehicles. The 914 and the 924 are remnants of the strange creativity that abounded in 1960s and 70s European car design. That was a time of incredible creativity when designers didn't get things 100% right. From the 80s onward things changed. Auto design was pretty much perfected. I exaggerate, but the point is that styling and performance worked in very complete and successful ways. The 944s generous fenders allow for fat tires that would not fit on a 914 or 924 without fender modification. The 944s lines result from a decision to get the tires right. I think that's pretty hot.
I just wish every now and then that things weren't quite so perfect. It's too easy to have winners these days. So I get drawn to the odd, the very odd, and the interesting. I wish that manufacturers would make a few more odd vehicles - I know its a risk, but it would be brave and very interesting.
C_A_T on June 29, 2008 at 10:53 PM
Nice post. But one correction - balance shafts quell vibration at the _expense_ of power. The energy that goes into shaking forces is still spent in a balance shafted 4cyl, but extra energy goes into the balance shafts to counteract the original shaking.
Most modern cars with balance shafts will pick up 5-10 hp when they are removed.
on June 30, 2008 at 04:25 AM
Absolutely fantastic vehicles.
Over the past 15 years, I've had four of them - a 924 (the 'Puzzle Porsche'), a first half 86 944 NA (no timing belt tensioner!), an 88 944S (damned timing belt!), and my current 87 944S.
Often heard people refer to them as the 'cheap' Porsche. Well, 'cheap' to get into, if you find one that's in decent shape, with no lurking gotchas to pop up and ruin your bank account. The parts and the maintenance tail, if you take care of them the way they should be, can be a bit of a strain on those that aren't either aware of what's coming, or ignore regular servicing and maintenance.
For the 'shade tree mechanic', they're a joy to work on - had the opportunity to do a number of things over the years, and unlike several other cars, never ran across anything tha made me wonder what the Porsche engineers were thinking when they designed various parts and subsystems. Most reveal a wickedly efficient solution tucked out of sight from the general public.
Although many people would call them underpowered upon learning the actual performance numbers (I'm thinking mostly of 911 owners, whose lack of driving finesse is often completely disguised by sheer brute force power levels), once a feel for operating these machines is acquired, they can both surprise the unexpecting initiates, and get quiet nods of appreciation from those that know what they're capable of and enjoy seeing them have their potential elegantly demonstrated.
The mileage claims are accurate - and a side benefit of the great engineering these cars represent. I can personally vouch that the model will make the jaunt from Petersburg, Virginia to Gaffney, South Carolina with gas to spare (that's close to 425 miles), and that a daily 25 mile one way commuter will see the gas station a bit less frequently than once a week - although the price for premium, which these cars MUST have, is somewhat of a joy mitigator these days.
The 924 was the most reliable of the bunch. Daily driver for three years, and parked in a garage that for some odd reason had been carpeted by a previous owner. The 924 never, ever left a spot of any sort of leaked fluid the entire time I owned it - not bad for a car that was pushing 25 years young.
As for that certain something - the best way I can describe it is that the faster these cars are driven, the firmer, and more solid they feel on the road (the reverse of most cars that feel lighter and flightier the faster they're pushed), and have a definate 'comfort zone' where everything seems to settle right in that is significantly north of most posted speed limits - several times driving by sight and feel, and without other traffic to guage by, I'd look down and find myself drifting into triple digit speed territory. . .which brought the nicest sense of satisfaction. . .
brainy435 on June 30, 2008 at 08:14 AM
"The 944's 2.5-liter, 150-horsepower, all-alloy 4-cylinder has counter-rotating balance shafts to harmonically cancel the natural vibrations of the engine, which make it a very smooth revving motor. Consequently, less power is wasted vibrating the engine, meaning less noise and more power to the wheels."
The first sentance is absolutely true. The second one, from my experience, is not. I have dealt with the 2.0L DSM engines, and the first thing to go during an engine build is usually the balance shafts. They sap engine power, just like any other rotating accessory, in that part of the engines power goes into making them spin. They do a great job of reducing NVH, so the factories like them, but they don't make power. Again, that's my experience and may be different in the Porche, but I don't see how.
Don on June 30, 2008 at 08:34 AM
We bought a 924 the year they came out for my dad. Will never forget the malaga red beauty in the garage with the black/white check interior, the enormous removable sunroof (zippered pouch in the hatch back for storage), and the great radio. Oh, and that Porsche smell. Mmmmmmmmmm.
When Reagan triumphed with the business car tax deduction, the 924 went to mom and a powder blue 911sc Targa ended up next to it in the garage. Something I don't see mentioned here was the fact that the 924 engine was of VW/Audi origin, not Porsche. True to VW/Audi form (i.e. right after the warranty expired) the thermostat on the 924 failed and the engine overheated, cracking the block. Boat anchor.
After what must have been a gut-punch of a repair, a brand-new sable brown 944 replaced it. Dad had it dropped an inch with gas adjust shocks and three-piece BBS wheels. Everything was more solid, more hefty, more Porsche (911, 928) and less VW. The 944's half-a-928 engine was a lot beefier than its VW/Audi powered predecessor. With the better shocks and wider, lighter wheels shod with Goodrich COMP/TA's it was easy to get the 944 around a cloverleaf at well over 70.
It was a sad day when mom finally had enough of little German cars and traded the 944 in for a Buick Park Avenue. Will never forget either the 924 or 944 (or the SC for that matter). But I think the 944 was a much better car all around.
Mochi Mochi on June 30, 2008 at 11:01 AM
Brainy435: "the balance shafts. They sap engine power, just like any other rotating accessory, in that part of the engines power goes into making them spin."
This is correct. Anytime you add mass and friction (heavier and or extra rotating or counter-rotating devices) to an engine's primary rotational system you will reduce the horsepower of the engine. There's an energy loss associated with those additions. The heavier the pieces the more HP required to drive them the greater the loss at the output shaft.
That said increased smoothness of operation in an engine that is putting out a lot of power already can be worth it. But folks looking to get the maximum power and responsiveness from an engine frequently lighten the flywheel and put on lighter polished pulleys. In most cases these mods don't produce significant increases on their own, but if you do enough of them there can be a cumulative increase in power. The cost trade offs, loss of durability, and loss of smoothness can be prohibitive.
Steaming Pile on June 30, 2008 at 11:37 AM
@Mochi - at the same time, reduced engine vibration results in a net INCREASE in efficiency. Have you ever had your tailpipe rust out? That system increases back-pressure and causes your engine to be less efficient, yes it does, but it also keeps your car from shaking itself apart, and all that noise and associated vibration robs your engine of far more power than the muffler did when it worked.
Mechanics - feel free to confirm/deny this comment. I'm not a mechanic, but I have driven a few bombs in my day.
mochi mochi on June 30, 2008 at 12:30 PM
Steaming :) Rotting or broken exhausts do rob engines of efficiency, but its not because of the noise. There are two reasons. The first is that the engine is tuned for a specific back pressure and a significant change in back pressure will throw off the engine tuning (I'm simplifying and not getting into fuel to air ratios and pressure flows). the second reason is that there is an optimal flow profile for an engine and exhaust system, a rupture in the exhaust is going to introduce changes in flow that can actually increase the back pressure and impede performance through a shift from smooth to turbulent gas flow.
Any significant and undesirable vibration is going to have an effect on long term durability. Things can vibrate themselves to death. I had a single cylinder 500cc motorcycle that needed frequent checks and tightening of fasteners.
But the biggest concern about major exhaust leaks is the possibility of burning out your valves or leaning the F/A mixture to the point where the fuel detonates (pings) and burns a hole in the piston.
Brian on June 30, 2008 at 05:14 PM
Wow, so many expert opinions! I think this is one for myth-busters. I know, drag race 2 identical cars with & without the balance belt on, that should put this controversy to rest.