Vehicle Description
When you go back and read nearly every car magazine in the 1980's,
you'll find the same kind of road tests that exist today. In dozens
of issues you'll find sports car comparisons, and the car that was
consistently at the top of the heap was the Porsche 944. With its
superb handling and more than adequate power, this 1989 Porsche 944
is still a great drive, and a fully serviced, unabused car like
this one is an awesome find.
Outside, shiny Azurite Blue paint is one of the classic Porsche
colors. It highlights every curve while looking subdued and
timeless, and that's no small feat. The paint is in nice shape with
good gloss, showing off superior Porsche quality and excellent
maintenance over the past 28 years. The original windows are clean
and clear, as are the lights and lenses, and it doesn't look like
it's spent much time outdoors. Pop-up headlamps might be a thing of
the past but they sure did clean up the front view on a sports car.
Other options seen here are the factory alarm system, the rear
window wiper and the sunroof. You can tilt up the sunroof as shown
in the pictures, or you can remove it entirely; it's the 944's cool
parlor trick, and it's perfect for making the car feel even more
open. The hatchback design, coupled with folding rear seats, means
a 944 can swallow a huge amount of cargo. As cool as the car looks
it's also immensely practical.
Inside, Porsche's engineers made sure there was plenty of room and
plenty of visibility for driver and passenger. Blue leather power
buckets are supportive and make it easy to settle in behind the
wheel, and this car is loaded with options: A/C, power windows,
locks, and mirrors, and even cruise control! Pillars are thin and
the amount of glass is surprising, so there really aren't any blind
spots, which might be why these cars are still so popular as track
cars. There's a factory Blaupunkt AM/FM/cassette stereo in the dash
just ahead of the stubby 5-speed shifter, and as you look around,
you'll find that it is in splendid condition that's all out of
proportion to its price. 944s make great weekend cars, great cars
for long trips, and great commuter cars. They really can do it
all.
Under the hood is the 2.7-liter 4-cylinder that owes its
architecture to big brother 928's V8. 165 Horsepower doesn't sound
like a lot, but this car tips the scales at around 2900 pounds, so
it's more than enough to get the car moving in a hurry and on to a
top speed of better than 130 MPH. The engines themselves are
extremely durable, and the only real maintenance is a timing belt
service which was done recently on this car. The large displacement
allows the engine to be very flexible with lots of torque down low
so that you're not constantly shifting. Not that the transmission
is a problem: The Audi-sourced gearbox finds cogs quickly and
efficiently. The engine, transaxle and steering systems look dry,
which isn't always the case with a 30-year-old car. Look at the
pictures, but you really have to drive the car to see what's going
on here. Standard "phone dial" wheels are a cool '80s throwback and
carry 215/65/15 Pirelli radials with lots of life left in them.
944's are seriously underrated and undervalued, but that's
changing. With 911 prices skyrocketing, collectors are turning
their attention to Porsche's other models. These drive better than
a 911, are more practical, and get you piles of thumbs-ups. Call
today and see for yourself!