Mister Quickie

my question is mostly from a "parts no longer made" perspective, e.g. I believe there's an idle control valve or similar part on the 951 that is no longer made.
if an after market part, e.g. Lindsey is available that's fine but if it's a matter of sifting through eBay ads for used parts off parted out 944s that's not fine.

of course the following is assumed:
one is ok with the lack of horsepower
one is able to diy most jobs

this would be for a daily driver

Voith

NA is a fine automobile and will perform daily very well if you get good car.

audi49

I've had my NA now for 10 months, have done a fair amount of work on it, and haven't had any issues with getting parts. I think between OEM and aftermarket suppliers, the availability is quite good. Given the popularity of 944's globally, I don't see getting parts an issue.
Doesn't seem to be your exact question but when I got mine, I was looking around for all of the 944 flavors (post 85.5) and ended up getting a '88 NA because they're inexpensive and more reliable & easier to maintain (than a turbo) from what I've been told.

PeteL

Owned mine for 19 years so far. No issue getting the parts I need.
Fun car. Treats you right if you treat it right.

V2Rocket

Never had an issue getting any needed part for my 944 in the last 10+ years.
The main NLA 951 part is the throttle position sensor, but there are others that can be made to work.

marc abrams

A little tough for Home Depot run's

odonnell

Never had problems getting parts for my early car.

mytrplseven

They are a great platform for reinforcing patience, research skills and creating a vocabulary of non-repeatable words. Beyond that, you get a great deal of accomplishment for overcoming it's challenges and being rewarded with a car that is pure FUN! I'm on my 4th and most challenging, a 951. Go for it.

dmjames

Nope, no issues sourcing anything I've needed for any of the 944s I've owned. Some of the cosmetic stuff has gotten harder to find, but the mechanicals have been easy enough to find in my experience.

BoulderGeek

I was told by an independent Porsche mechanic that if it isn't a 911, 928 or 951, it was a waste of my time and money. Perhaps he was just being a snob.

I really love driving my 944. Still diagnosing smells, whether they are exhaust, combustion or other. But, aside from that, it's reliable (assuming I drive it enough to keep the old battery at charge), good on gas, gets appreciation, fits everything I need to haul (but my other car is a Volvo V70 wagon, so the 944 is the small car).

I can't stop thinking about a Cayman or 911, though. I ripped through 55-MPH 90-degree back country turns today, exiting with a bit of throttle. It's not a drag racing car, but once at speed, it will keep speed as well as much more expensive counterparts. I'm always talking myself into loving it, while I look at Cayman ads. Also, I find that I really desire the Cayman's mid-engine handling but I prefer the 911's 2+2 interior. Seems that the 944 provides that combination. I need to pick a side.

jr10cross

I gets most of my stuff at O'Reilly's if I can't find it at a local salvage yard. Plus Ebay is a great resource! Prices are really reasonable too.

dmjames

Wait. What exactly can you get at O'Reilly's that actually works for these cars?!?

dmjames

If you're buying the car as a financial proposition, he's absolutely right, but should probably have stopped at 911. As for driving and enjoying, I can't think of a better value.

Also, since when has a 928 been a good investment?

odonnell

I don't dare try anything beyond spark plugs and stuff like that.

dmjames

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I'll buy oil, coolant, and the like, but that's about it. My local O'Reilly actually stocks the Pentosin coolant, which was a massive surprise...