Hmmm... Porsche 924?

Dades

Well, I just the Merc up for sale (post here), but I still need second car, and I'll be damned if I want to drive a 10 year old Golf or Renault Clio or something...

The price of 924's seem to be at an all time low, at the moment, and I thinking I could pick one up for circa 2K which would do me as a second car runabout (few drives a week) and keep me entertained while doing it.

I'm not interested in a minter (unless a very reasonably priced one!), just a non-smoker, non-rotting example in any colour but white! An early 80s (galvanised) version seems to be prudent - willing to pay a few years tax or VRT if the price was right.

Anyone got any experience of 924s? Are they a useful enough, low maintenance second car? Or should I grow up and buy a Daewoo Lanos and deal with it?! :pac:

bijapos

I almost got one about 9 years ago. The engines and gearboxes (and a lot of other parts) are VW-Audi sourced and there are always a lot of parts available, maybe not here but certainly in the UK and Germany. Parts and so on tend to be cheap. If you are going for one the later 924S has a lot more power and was the one I was going to buy, the earlier ones only had about 120 bhp or something, I think the S had about 150 or so. They are a good car and a good laugh to drive.

Problem is that they were the cheap version and so a good one is hard to find. Due to its initial low price as a Porsche they have more often than not been trashed and badly maintained and some of them are in a deplorable state and are money pits so be careful. A good one is certainly worth the money.

Dades

Thanks bijapos,

I'm trying to avoid the "S" or later cars and keep within the 1984cc tax bracket. Rather than a faster car I'd happily settle for a vanilla 924 that hopefully hasn't been trashed.

A bit of history with a car would clearly be worthwhile!

Henry Ford III

I drove a stock 924 Turbo around Silverstone. It was reasonably quick and good fun. Dogleg gearbox was a bit tricky.

VanhireBoys

Dades wrote: »

Anyone got any experience of 924s? Are they a useful enough, low maintenance second car? Or should I grow up and buy a Daewoo Lanos and deal with it?! :pac:

Ive one on the road and 2 sh**ters for parts. The car cost me initially £900 and has 60k fully documented miles. Its tidy enough but mechanically it goes a dream.

The interiors get tired.. Splits in the seat cushions and cracked dash boards are the main vices... and a good bargaining point

The drivetrain is unbustable.. Really strong.. If the timing belt fails it dosent damage the engine.. Just put on a new one.. Its really easy to change. The spark plugs are a bit fiddly to change out due to them being fitted to the banked side of the engine. its a noisey lump as the tappets need set with feeler blades and go out of adjustment an odd time. The fuel metering system is really simple Bosch K CIS.. Any mechanic with experience of Gti Golfs and stuff like that will know them backways.

They will run on unleaded no problem but get the timing adjusted. I get the timing and CO checked and adjusted evry year or so with a fella who is a Golf GTi nut....

The clutch is involving to change.. Not difficult but a lot of work

Watch the sills.. They are structutal.. A good trick is to remove the plastic vent at the back side of the door frame and put in a mirror and torch,.. You can see the full sill from inside.

Sunroofs leak due to dozed seals and blocked drains.. Never put compressed air down the drains as this blows off the pipes at the bottom. Strimmer wire is the best for clearing the drains

They will do over 30mpg driven sympathetically.. And they are real good fun to drive.. A bit hard to get in and out especially in tight spaces ..!

As daily transport definately recommended.... At least it will stand out in a world poisioned with Kia's Daewoo's Hyundai's and feckin silver Avensis...!

Dades

Thanks Vanhire for that info. Encouraging!

VanhireBoys wrote: »

The car cost me initially £900 and has 60k fully documented miles. Its tidy enough but mechanically it goes a dream.

Now that's what I'm looking for! I need a driver, rather than a showboat.

I have a mech who is used to everything in his garage. He's looked after my two previous old yolks, as well as all the local luxobarges. He had a 944 sitting there when I went in to speak to him about my plans (belonging to one of Def Leppard no less).

VanhireBoys wrote: »

As daily transport definately recommended.... At least it will stand out in a world poisioned with Kia's Daewoo's Hyundai's and feckin silver Avensis...!

A family man's own car is his one last bastion of independence!

MercMad

I've worked on a 924 and a few 944's.I like them a lot as they are very durable, except for those seats.

So mechanically its the usual checks as you would carry out with any used car but then its really down to the condition of tyhe body and the interior trim.

Also check for bodges wiring, one I worked one had the remains of several expensive anti-theft devices, non of which worked, but which all buggered up the wiring.

VanhireBoys

MercMad wrote: »

Also check for bodges wiring, one I worked one had the remains of several expensive anti-theft devices, non of which worked, but which all buggered up the wiring.

I feel your pain.....! MercMad

I forgot about the wiring.

I have worked on a 1978 924 which was laid up outside for years.
The fusebox will corrode and the wiring loom gets tight and brittle leading to all sorts of gremilins. I ended up practically rewiring the car using part of the loom from an '81 which was in good shape.. !

Dades

So those 924s for sale - and there are many - that have dodgy electric windows are best left alone?

ie. Is a faulty electric window dealable with - or a symptom of bigger issues!

VanhireBoys

Dodgey electric windows are usually just the switches. The windows are direct switched and the contacts of the switches get pitted from arcing. A quick fix is to strip the switch and clean up the contacts using fine mesh or a touch of emery paper. There are replacement and refurbished switches from Porscheshop. These fellas are ok but a bit pricey

http://www.porscheshop.co.uk

http://www.porscheshop.co.uk/acatalog/porsche_944_audio_instruments_switchgear.html#a2_21401


The gearbox on the motor has a habit of siezing due to age and water as well. The only answer is a replacement motor and gearbox off the 924 main dealer eBay.

I just found a picture of my '83 924



My advice is if you buy a 924 with a few issues dont fret - its easy enough to sort out. The parts are readily available. Try and get one thats 79 or before .. If not the VRT will be approx €850 which is another story altogether.

Go for it I say.....!

Dades

Thanks again, Vanhire.

That is a lovely looking '83. I really like that bronze colour.

It's not dissimilar to this one (same year) up North I'm keeping an eye on.
Would need a lot more info before I'd pay it a visit, of course.

This one on eBay was advertised for £1,500 for a whole week. I had got the stage of thinking about a trip over when the seller upped the price by a grand. Looks like a spanking car. Kicking myself now I didn't act sooner. Feb 1980 is an interesting reg date... it might have taken a few months to get it to the VRT office.

VanhireBoys

Dades wrote: »

This one on eBay

I dont believe it...Thats amazing.... Thats the very car I was behind outside of Galway on the way to Barna last Sunday..... I met it at the bottom of the Cappagh road .... I knew it was a turbo...!

I was going to follow it and interview the driver but I had the wife and father-in-law on board and such behaviour is not condoned. Thats amazing that car ended up in Galway..! Guess what area I am going to scour next week when Im off work... That makes me a stalker ..!

Its a small world .

Them turbo 924's need a lot of looking after and dont like being neglected. I hope the new owner knows what he let himself in for...!

That car in Co.Tyrone is worth a punt...! I might be going to my homeplace next weekend. If you want I'll go and make him a social call....!

myself and a few other misfits are meeting up for the show in Glenamaddy this Sunday so if you see us parked up come over and say hello...!

Dades

VanhireBoys wrote: »

I dont believe it...Thats amazing.... Thats the very car I was behind outside of Galway on the way to Barna last Sunday..... I met it at the bottom of the Cappagh road .... I knew it was a turbo...!

I was going to follow it and interview the driver but I had the wife and father-in-law on board and such behaviour is not condoned. Thats amazing that car ended up in Galway..! Guess what area I am going to scour next week when Im off work... That makes me a stalker ..!

Its a small world.

So it seems! We've all done the stalking thing.

VanhireBoys wrote: »

That car in Co.Tyrone is worth a punt...! I might be going to my homeplace next weekend. If you want I'll go and make him a social call....!

If I'm any closer to selling my current rig (have had enquiries and one test drive!) I may just escalate my interest in that one. And far be it from me to stop your stalker tendencies and suggest you don't pay that car a visit to see if the arse has been ripped out of it.

VanhireBoys wrote: »

myself and a few other misfits are meeting up for the show in Glenamaddy this Sunday so if you see us parked up come over and say hello...!

I would only love to jump in the SL and shoot down to Galway on Sunday to check out some 924s and shoot the breeze. Unfortunately this weekend Sunday is family time (which doesn't include 6 hrs in the car). Darnit.

biggus

How bout this @£;2k asking Co Down

http://www.usedcarsni.com/27237733

Dades

biggus wrote: »

How bout this @£;2k asking Co Down

http://www.usedcarsni.com/27237733

It looks like a great car alright - but over my budget by the time VRT and motor tax come into play. For what I want the car for - an interesting suburbia runabout - I simply don't need the 2.5 engine (or the €330 pa extra tax). Hence I'm only looking at the 1984cc earlier cars - and practically speaking not a turbo based on what Vanhire has said.

LIGHTNING wrote: »

I had one for a while and I loved it. I have recently been looking to get another one. I have been looking at that Red turbo that you have posted for the last while. Its very tempting as the turbo is a good bit quicker. I wont repeat any of the good info posted above but I love the 924`s. Dont let any goon tell you they are just VW`s, the 924 single handedly saved Porsche from going belly up in the oil crysis time.

I hope I'm not up against you in a future bidding war, Lightning! Though I thinking you're more interested in the higher end. You might start where I stop bidding.

postdarwin

VanhireBoys wrote: »

I dont believe it...Thats amazing.... Thats the very car I was behind outside of Galway on the way to Barna last Sunday..... I met it at the bottom of the Cappagh road .... I knew it was a turbo...!

Mystery solved, and no need for any stalking.

That 924 spotted by Dades on eBay and by VanhireBoys in Barna is mine. It's garaged in Limerick but makes regular enough trips to see family in Galway.

I got it for the originally advertised price. I'm not sure why Matt upped the eBay listing 'posthumously,' maybe to increase the value of a 924s that he's fixing up? Anyway, it was a great deal and he's become an excellent contact for parts in the UK (not that I needed much).

The car itself is in superb condition overall. I just have to sort out a little problem with the gear box (maybe synchro rings or pressure plate?) and change the slightly tatty and dated checkerboard upholstery.

If you have any questions (or you'd like to see it up close) let me know.

Dades

Great to hear what happened it!

I was ruing the missed opportunity after the price was upped (though only until I got my own one ).
There were no pics of the interior which indicated it was tatty, alright.

Everything else looks super, though. Good luck with it, and by all means post up some more pics here. Hopefully we can get all the 924's about to meet up at some stage.

Tonight I'm fitting some speakers, and checking what I need to do to install a "hot start switch fix" (a typical 924 issue I'm told!)