1983 Porsche 944 Reviews, Pricing & Specs

I've always loved the swoopy, curvy, sexy lines of the 944. Bought an '83 model in 1999 and owned it for 3 years. I couldn't believe the car was 16 years old. Never driven a car that has handled so well or felt so tight. Absolutely no body lean or roll whatsoever. Not a racecar, but really came into it's own at higher speeds. Amazing brakes, comfortable seats. Be forewarned though that parts (and especially labour), are very expensive and can put you in the poor house quickly. The previous owner neglected a lot of the routine maintainance and I ended up putting a small fortune into the car. Drivebelts and cooling issues must be dealt with immediately. Ventilation is very poor in the '83-85.5 models. AC sucks a lot of engine power in stop and go traffic. Never cared for the interior layout. Like any sportscar, the ride is jarring and road noise is abundant. In summary, even though this car took a ton of my money, I would love to own one again....next time a turbo-charged 951 though! Save yourself a ton of potential grief and have a thorough mechanical inspection done prior to purchase. 944s are great cars provided you are dilligent in regards to maintenance. Apr 01, 2012

Pretty quick 5spd, great handling and fun RWD!! It's our project car so it's needed quite a few repairs -- and because its old and porsche, they tend to be pricey. Although its fun to drive, the center console is a pain to figure out (analog clock, who likes those? and the AC/Heater is just confusing in its setup) But the fact that it has a pop-out moonroof thats so large it feels like a convertable makes it great to drive in the summer. Despite that, its fun to drive and looks great!May 17, 2010

It's been a great car, but I've heard bad stories regarding reliability, and my flywheel came loose, so I guess I haven't had the best experience with it... It's harder than hell to fix it, though. Performance - wise, it's great. It doesn't have much for power, but it certainly doesn't have much weight to move. It sticks to the ground, and accelerates quickly all the way to 135 where it runs out of gear. The steering is amazing, manual so you can feel every bump in the road, and the transmission is slick, but not perfect (not in mine, anyway.) It's a great driver's car, and is extremely fun - plus it gets 30 mpg! It's a great car that you don't see every day (unlike Mustangs, Cameros, Firebirds, Civics, etc...)Apr 24, 2008

The Porsche 944 is a very easy car to drive. Not only that, but it is a true driver's car... manual steering, stick shift, no ABS, no traction control and no airbags. Definitely not for the faint of heart, since you can pull a four-wheel drift pretty easily. As the driver, you are constantly learning about the capabilities of the car, because they change with every new bump and texture on the road. The shape of this car is unreal. It's one of the sportiest designs I have ever seen, flaring out the fenders so they completely cover the wheels. In fact, looking into your side mirrors, half of your view is blocked by the bulges of the rear fenders... and I just love it! The transmission is an Audi-made 5-speed manual. To give the car a perfect weight distribution, it is mounted between the rear wheels, serving double duty as the gearbox and the rear differential. I have always been a fan of low-slung vehicles, and the 944 is no exception. The roof is only 51 inches from the road. The seats are practically flat on the floor, so you don't really "get into the car" as much as you simply "drop" into it. Hitting your head is a real danger here, something I have done quite a few times. I have done all basic (and not-so-basic) maintenance in my own garage, including injectors, thermostat, brakes, weather seals, and more. The only costly (and necessary) repair I have done is the clutch, which had to be replaced right after I bought the car. Considering that the first clutch lasted nearly 129K, it was a small price to pay for something that will now outlast the car itself... or will it? The paint was another matter. A few rust spots had formed on the lower body, and I knew they wouldn't go away on their own. I was interested in taking the car to a few local shows, so I bit the bullet and found a shop that would paint the car for me at a very reasonable price... less than the cost of replacing the clutch! Last but not least, the bling factor. The 944 is definitely a blast from the past, since a lot of people my age won't even recognize it. This year, in July of 2008, it will officially be an antique vehicle. I'm looking forward to many more years of excitement with this one!Feb 13, 2008