The Porsche 944 Turbo Is an Underrated Old-School Porsche
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Porsche 944 Turbo review! The Porsche 944 Turbo is a cool old-school Porsche -- and today I'm going to review it. I'll show you all the quirks and features of the 944 Turbo, and I'll show you all the interesting things about it. Then I'll get out and drive the 944 Turbo and review the driving experience.
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Doug, I owned a mid 80’s 5 speed 944 with the same roof… once it’s open to the “vent” position, those latches can be flipped and the entire roof panel lifted out and stored In the hatch. Almost a targa roof. It was my daily driver for 6 years and so much fun!
I'm really shocked he didn't mention that. Also the little hump in the trunk helps secure the roof In back.
I had to look that up... didn't seem right when he said that's all it did.
I came here to post this about the roof. Such an oversight by Doug come on 🤦♂️
I wondered about those.I thought Motorweek removed the top in their review way back when.
Super jealous! Love that car 🔥
Hey Doug, the sunroofs on 944's actually can lift out, creating a large, almost Targa-like feel. As for the ignition being on the right, that is how Porsche did it on all transaxle Porsches, the top of the line 928 included. They were intent on changing themselves away from the old VW Beetle based 356 and 911 models. The 924 was actually supposed to be a VW, not an Audi, but it was set for an Audi engine. The 944 benefitted from the same Porsche design and build quality as all their other models, and really holds up well. It is solid, sturdy and reliable. I have a 1985.5 with 55,000 miles and still on the original clutch, that looks like a showroom new car!
sadly even though it's a great car this is one of the worst doug videos with that many inaccuracies
Yeah I'm not sure how he missed it, if you look at some of those latches, it's clear that its supposed to come off. C'mon Doug! You're better than this.
Why remove it when you can pop it an inch 🤣
Thank you for the corrections! Was excited to watch Doug's first video about a car I actually own, but was sad to see how much he got wrong. I have an '87 Turbo with over 160k miles myself.
Good catches.
I've had three base 944s, two turbos (951s) - and 2 968s.... Or what some will call the 944 S3. The days of any of these being affordable are long gone, unless you find a seller that doesn't know ;). But they are an awesome car, although the base ones aren't exactly powerful, but the handling and the driving position and just the structural integrity is next level. The way the doors closed is literally a benchmark for every other automaker. And the design is truly timeless.
Just some forewarnings if you're thinking about buying one. Absolutely positively make sure that the timing belt/ water pump job has been taken care of. If you don't have recent records of it being done, budget for it and do not skip it!
If you're not familiar with Porsche and you're not a competent wrencher, make sure to get a PPI by a shop that knows these. They're incredibly robust cars but as you can imagine the parts can be expensive.
With the back seat folded down you can literally stick two bikes in the back!
As long as you don't drive like a nutcase they get excellent gas mileage (they only weigh around 2,700 pounds)
With the massive moonroof out it's almost like having a convertible!
If you insist on getting the 944/turbo, the one year 1986 model with the updates and nicer interior also gives you the much nicer offset on the wheels (pre abs). The phone dials looks so much better with the lip....imho (I think most would agree)
And finally in my opinion if you do want the penultimate of this series of cars, the final 968 with the massive 3L, 4 cylinder was rated at 240 horsepower and with a six-speed could hit mid-fives 0 to 60, so they go pretty well. And they didn't have the massive turbo lag of the 951, although that can be charming in its own way.
Find a good one, get it up to snuff, take care of it, and it'll be money in the bank!
I almost bought a 924 in 2007 for $2k. I'll probably never see that price again.
I had an '86 N/A in the 2000's, and I got a ton of parts from 944online, seems like that site is still up to this day but the prices are way higher.
I drove multiple modded 944 turbos,modded 944 turbo S(88-89’) , 944 turbo S 2.7 stroker,944 turbo with 3 liter block, 968 3liter turbo ,968 turbo s replica ( 3liter block , 2.7 head, turbo) super fun drives , some of the best experiences of my life.
I also owned a red 968 cab 6 spd for 3 years.
The 968 is definitely the best for your buck , in terms of performance , looks, handling , exhaust note, reliability.the interior is nicer, updated , also has 6spd, updated steering rack(makes big difference). For pure performance if you wanted to mod the 944 turbo is your boy. But for regular city driving and just overall enjoyable driving the 968 will do it better. The 944 turbo has no low end power, so you have to wait for boost. Both are excellent choices though , coming from someone whose driven hundreds of these 944’s, maybe around only 10 968’s.
Although it is not designated with any Badges it should with its vin/ car identity. The Turbo “ S” would be the one to get .
The Turbo “S” was released 88-89’ , every 89 is a Turbo “ S” but not every 88’ is a Turbo “ S” .
The Turbo “S” is worth twice as much as any other 944 Turbo. It came equipped and upgraded with fully adjustable coilovers, larger sway bars front and rear, larger brake calipers , larger spindles and hubs that allow for upgrades to 996 brakes, it also had an upgraded larger Turbo, which boosted power up to 247hp, up from 225. It also had an updated transmission with LSD , different gear ratio and hardened 5th gear.
In the interior is also had upgrades , the door panels were 10 speaker door panels and they had tweeters in the top corner of door panel and the rest under the arm rests.
The gauge cluster had speedometer to 180 mph vs 160 mph.
Practically a track ready 944 turbo.
There’s alot to cover on these cars and Doug barely scratched the surface.
The 89’ 944 “S” was 2.7 head on 2.5 block , with different cam, and it was around 209 hp.
The 89-91 944 “S2” was had 944 turbo look front and back , but also came in a cabriolet, it came with 16v ,3.0l 4cyl, 220 hp, it also had different transmission with shorter gear ratios, some had LSD..it had the 944 turbo “S” 10 speaker door panel interior as well.
my aunt will sell me hers for 3k. It just needs the engine thermostat replaced and some new tires
I had an '85 (N/A) 26 years ago and an '86 (951) about 6 years ago, love them all!
Small corrections: the door sills badging isn't oem. The sunroof is also completely removal if you insert and turn the key to position 1, then use the down switch to retract the rare latches completely into the body, allowing you to completely remove the sunroof once you uncouple the front latches pictured in the video. The armrest in the center console isn't always a cassette rack. Some cars have it some cars don't.
We love the classic Doug videos! Old cars are what keep me here. Never forget your base!
Exactly
Same. Modern cars are so boring
^^^^^^^^^
Yes but he gets far more views on newer cars. It takes a lot to do videos. I'd understand if he focused only on newer cars when they get 5x more views. Man has a family and has to prioritize.
Agreed. Couldn't care less about the modern supercars and trucks. They're all generic copy-paste stuff.
I used to love this car! I remember buying a raffle ticket for a 944 when i was 13, hoping and praying I’d win it and dreaming of the day i turned 16 so i could drive it. Still see them around once in a while, and still a beautiful car.
I'm 17 and I bought my 944 base in January for $2500 non running, after some parts and wrenching I managed to get it roadworthy and have no issues to date. My car is Kalahari beige Metallic over dark brown interior, I have since recovered the seats to a slightly lighter brown colour and have made several upgrades to improve the car. My favorite thing about it is just how it feels when driving it, I enjoy the handling and I find that it has enough power for its size
Please don’t stop reviewing these gems, your variety is what we need on the platform
Thanks for continuing with the old stuff. We’re moving to a place where every car looks and feels the same. The old designs are exciting to see!
100%
If you push the sunroof switch forward it unlatches and lets you remove the sunroof to stow in the hatch (inside the little leather accessory bag). So in essence it was like a giant targa roof.
I came here to say the same thing. I used to regularly remove mine and stow it in the far back _from the driver's seat_.
@@Nostalgic-Mechanic He's too busy calling it "quirky" and not modern to actually read it. Furthermore, a spiral binding isn't Quirky, its logical (the book lays flat)
Anyone who has watched Sixteen Candles should know this. :) I do like how that comes off. And it seems to come off pretty easily. I would have liked to own one of these. The power part of it is silly though. Would just rather have the manual latches.
@Brad C At least with the new cars there's a good chance that anything he misses won't be known to the viewers so he's safe from that sort of critique.
How did he miss the most quarky feature of the entire car?!
This is the most ergonomic and modern looking 80's car I've ever seen.
i have a 928, brilliant daily driver, great on a long cruise, and not a? mummy i have a small penis, impratictable supercar.. i just borrow those from my mates, Porsche 918, great car, and as my owner mate does.. crap it's impractible.. you buy a car to drive it, not sit in some, look how rich i am, museum.. that's jay leno's job..
Still doesn't have one Australian Car in this museum... A9X Maybe? HSV GTS R W1?
The interior still holds up pretty well aesthetically today. VERY modern for it’s time.
I daily drove a 924S and took it on some epic road trips all over the US and can vouch for the driver ergonomics. The reach from the wheel to gearshift is very minimal and the center tunnel makes a naturally perfect armrest - they nailed the design from the very beginning.
@@graemejohnson9025 you schizo dude
Thats an interesting comment in an era where modern cars tend to have poor ergonomics.
I own an ‘87 944 Turbo with same Guards Red and phone dial wheels; 15,000 original miles. Has the rear wiper delete. ‘87 was first year of dual airbags as the ‘86 has a flat steering wheel. And yes, sunroof can be lifted out, hence the hatches Doug refers to. Great cars and thrilling to see people’s reaction (younger generation) as many weren’t alive when these were roaming the roads. Sixteen Candles made me want a 944 in Guards Red.
I had one that was guards red, in my humble opinion, absolutely the most beautiful color of all. :-)
Great movie and great car, Porsche there is no substitute!
No airbags on European cars...
As someone who doesn’t have any mechanical knowledge on cars but has a passion for older designs, would this be a good daily driver or good private car ?
Great review doug, thanks for bringing some love to the 944. However you missed the 944’s best party trick! That sunroof panel pops out with the key in the first click position and the sunroof button held and then of course un doing the latches; 80% of the roof comes out
I was going to say, I seem to remember the sunroof going in a bag in the trunk.
I own a 1986 944 (naturally aspirated). These days it's a lot of fun to see how people react to the car. There are many young people who have never seen one in the flesh! Teenagers will stop whatever they are doing to check it out. I've seen people make detours across parking lots to stop and look at it. Its design has passed the test of time.
don't blame them, i'm a teenager and this has so much more beauty and a far more unique design than any modern car
It looked fairly modern for the time, with only a few 80's design elements like the pop up headlights (which are cool).
my father had the same model, white color, was the second car i drove in my life, 1 year after i've taken my license (only 5 years ago). That was the car that made me a car enthusiast to this days, still heartbroken because we had to sell it.... it has been replaced with a 2006 SLK but it doesn't feel the same for me: once you go Porsche you will never come back >.<
I've promised myself i will buy it back one day...
had an '83 944 NA that I loved. caught water in the intake, hydrolocked the engine, had to total it as the car was already a savage title.
I'll take "Shit that didn't happen" for $500, Alex.
Oh man, I've been waiting for this for a while now. I know this Porsche 944 all too well because my father was the previous owner of this exact vehicle. Here are a bunch of points about the vehicle:
•He had it since 2014, but sold it on Cars and Bids as he's winding down with age.
•This car won Best Porsche at a local car show in Florida I went to with him.
•Never knew about the light in the key or the trip odometer reset button.
•It's in excellent condition because my father is METICULOUS about his cars (he's had several nice cars). If so much as even a tiny, insignificant scratch was spotted, back into the shop it went (which is where it spent most of its time or in storage).
•He put the Blaupunkt stereo in after he got the car, I don't think it came with the car. No he never used the cassette storage he used a cassette adapter for his phone.
•Doug is not exaggerating about the backseats. They're ridiculously tiny, I'm shorter than he is (5'9") and even I couldn't fit back there. Why Porsche put them in I have no clue.
•The spare tire only looks like a spare tire in the academic sense, it is round and made of rubber.
•I believe the current owner of this car told my father that this car drives better than a Ferrari (I want to say a Testarossa). Having ridden in it, it's not bad but the seats are rather stiff.
•My father now just owns a newer white Porsche 911 and a Tesla Model S Plaid. Yes he did show off the acceleration of the Plaid and it is INSANE.
Glad to see Doug enjoyed it. Also my dad who's a Doug Demuro fan watched the video and thinks Doug was fair with his score of the car.
The Testarossa is not a great car (looks aside) so I'm not surprised. The back seats are there to reduce insurance costs, like on most 2+2 cars.
Edit: Well I guess I'm wrong about the insurance thing!
He done this car before so he reviewed it two times
I think the tiny backseat is for child safety seats. Also, if you want to talk tiny backseat, have you ever seen a gen 2 RX-7 2+2?
@@kevinmitchell766 just as worthless as the seats in a frs/brz ,,just doesn't make sense why they don't just give more trunk space in all cars with these unusable back seats
one thing not mentioned is how confidence-inspiring the chassis/weight set up was. i've raced and instructed for 914, 911, and 944s with the Porsche Owners Club and the 944 was so well balanced. It would gently oversteer on power with no drama on lift (unlike 911 or 914). really a fun car and they could make tons of HP with mods because of the turbo.
An important part of these cars was the rear transaxle, allowing the engine to be mounted further back and giving it a 50/50 weight distribution and amazing handling. Future versions of this car were even better: 944 S2, 968, 968 CS, 968 Turbo, 968 Turbo RS, etc.
Brilliant observation Mr. Corwin!
I love transaxle cars. People truly don't understand how this affects the balance of a car
I wouldn't trade a 951 for a 944 S2 or 968...but maybe a 968 Turbo. lol
Thanks for continuing to review the old and weird stuff! These are your best reviews, Doug!
He’s reviewed everything new, all he has left is older cars really. So I’m sure he’s doing it out of necessity, especially since the car is on his site being sold.
Love seeing these older cars just to get a feel for the history
These cars have shot up in value and hyping them up helps auction sites... Doug owns one of those sites. ;)
AGREE 💯💯
@@Samo_Wings Well, not really. What about the Jaguar XE S ? (5 second 0-100kph) Or the Mercedes C43 - those are crazy 'Daily Drivers' any petrolhead would love, fast and their engines sounding amazing and fully refined.
Not everything has to be an ''exxxotticcc sporrrts carrr!1''
IMO the two most underrated Porsches are the 924 and the 968. The 924 is a nice sporty car that you can use as a daily driver for 200.000 miles without any problems and the 968 broke so many track records at the time it is completely stunning, and this thing is also extremely reliable.
Hi Doug, as GTS Car life points out below, there is a special process for completely removing the top that uses all those fasteners and a motor in the rear. There was/is also a special harness in the far back to hold the top once taken out so it is teathered to the trunk floor and doesn't slide around with spirited driving. I still have my 1992 968 midnight blue metallic coupe which has the same top/harness when I bought it new with a more powerful 3 liter 4 than the 944 Turbo with 236HP which it still has at ~ 100kmiles with 100% compression from the vario-cam 11/1 compression set up that runs on 110 octane aviation fuel. Ive enjoyed many miles on HW1 in California since then driving with the top out, targa-likeand open. There is even a big pop up, serrated wind reflector hidden ahead of the fasteners that depolys to damp cabin low frequency ossilations. Its not like you to miss so many quirks and features! LOL All y'all keep up the good work!
0-60 in under 6 seconds with a mere 220hp and Doug says that’s reasonable…
It was excellent in the ‘80s and it’s still excellent today.
It's alright
I feel with today's mainstream EVs, 0-60 numbers have lost all meaning…
it's no eagle talon
For comparison, my 2016 Focus ST with 252 hp does 0-60 in 5.8 seconds, so calling it reasonable understates its quickness.
It's not 300 HP, and it's probably not the lightest car ether, so it's ok.
Love when you do the old cars. I can dig on some of the newer cars if they're interesting but most of them are boring and I turned the video off halfway. But my eyes are glued to just about any older car review
I'm lucky enough to snag my best friend's 924s LS3 swap for around the same price these are going for nowadays. Absolutely fantastic platforms
Hey Doug, through some fortunate chain of events, I was able to drive the 944 Turbo and the 944 S2 for a significant amount of time. Blaupunkt was the factory radio so I’m not surprised that was radio in this vehicle. One super interesting quirk I think you missed in this video was that the radio antenna for the 944 is in the windshield! Replacing cracked windshields meant choosing between original factory glass or replacement glass and somehow installing an aftermarket antenna on the body (which would lower resale value).
1983 had the antenna on the fender
This has always been one of my favorite cars since the '80s...understated and still attainable. Always love the older cars reviews...would love to see a video on the iconic 80s-90s Toyota Truck.
I wanna see a Super Edition or Supercharged MR2 honestly
You have great taste!
Probably less attainable after this video lol
i wanna see him review a soarer/sc coupe
Ay u won the real Doug demuro giveaway 😂
My dream car in the 80s. I think I test drove 20 of them all over the Rhineland. Especially when I showed up in a suit and tie and played the "yuppy". Sometimes they even let me take one out by myself for a few hours because i had to attend an important business meeting in Cologne or Duesseldorf. Young me on the Autobahn......Oh how I miss the 80s.
The 944 was not as obscure as Doug thinks. He just wasn't born then. I was in college in 1988 and saw plenty of these and the 924 on the roads. Fairly common.
The 944 wasn't obscure, but the 951 (Turbo) was. It had the same MSRP as the 911 when it came out.
I don't think he means obscure, just sorta overlooked in the car community. It's a rare Porsche that was sold to the public, he knows it's a known entity.
Love it Doug. I've had a low mileage 944 turbo since about 2016... and I absolutely love it. Thanks for making this video!
This thing handles so nice because of the weight distribution. It has a trans axle type transmission where the mass of the gearbox is just in front of the rear axle.
Its not just weight distribution. An MB w140 S500 also had 50/50. It was no sports car :)
Actually, the suspension is quite soft.
I always thought the rear diff WAS the transmission. Talk about a quirk! They had a live axle straight off the crank or clutch (not sure) that ran the length of the car, and the rear differential was replaced with the complete transmission. As you stated, this was to achieve better weight distribution, or at least that was the thinking at the time. And although everyone says "wow, what great handling this car has," the idea never really seems to have caught on and been integrated throughout the industry for rear wheel drive cars.
My dad had one of these when I was a kid. I loved the door chime and the way that car smelled. That’s what I remember about it. It was also fun to watch my dad drive it recklessly as a kid.
Sounds like good memories
same - my brother and I rode in the trunk numerous times...
@@nhr27 there is backseats in these. I rode in my dads
My dad had a 944 S2 for a bit! I remember the key with its weedy little built-in light.
Can't believe the owner didn't tell Doug how to remove the sunroof. But I can believe in this car's handling, few cars were so agile back in the day.
I fell in love with Porsche during my early teen years and the 924 Carrera GT knocked my socks off. I always felt the 944 series was really beautiful as well. Thanks for this review, Doug!
That sunroof is removable. that is the reason for all those latches ✌
Thank you, thank you! This was one of my dream cars back in the day. This car deserves so much more love than it gets! In the 80's, IMHO, the 911 looked like a bug-eyed monster that had sketchy driving dynamics. The 944 was sleek and had perfect handling, but it was slow. The 944 turbo took care of all of that. It was beautiful, fast and handled like a dream. I am very intrigued by those that got the LS swap. Again, thank you!
I love my 86 951 / all stock,88k miles. Cool to see the 944 get some attention!
it's absolutely the most responsive car I have ever driven. I miss mine, it was $175 and after many repairs it started after a rats nest was removed form the air filter box. i was 15 and I almost got arrested for trying to race an undercover with NO tags, NO ID, No insurance or registration.. broken windshield and seats that were not really installed just sitting there. I was going to a friends house at night.. good memories.
I feel like Doug getting in the back seat of cars like this is like a service to the car community…a “ take one for the team” if you will!
I always feel super weird watching him go ass first into the back seat. Who the F enters the back seat like that?!!?
@@filip000 Doug has the agility and athletic ability of a 80 year old paraplegic so that’s the best he’s got
It's a trope of his videos. In his old videos you'd sometimes hear him say "well there's a backseat so let's see how that goes for me" or "this doesn't have a backseat so we don't have to do that. " it's supposed to be funny but also helps put in perspective how small the backseat is or how pointless it is lmao
I've ridden in the back of a 944 for several miles as well as trips in the rear seat of a Fox body Mustang, an 80s Camaro, and a 96 Corolla. Awful.
Doug is a bad ass for doing so over and over. His knee cartilage is probably nil by now.
Best 944 is the S2, I owned several of them. Almost same power as the Turbo but easier to drive and maintain. Currently own a 968 which is basically a 944S3.
I had a 1990 944 S2, Loved that car. Naturally aspirated felt so fast. The cam on the S2 came in around 3k on the rpm so it felt turboish but still had that torque of a Naturally aspirated car so best of both worlds.
Respectfully disagree. Well disagree on the basis that it's pretty easy to upgrade a few parts on the turbo that makes it MUCH faster than the S2. The S2 were not bad but a well updated 944t is much more fun.
@@333pg333Agreed. A simple chip and removing the cat gets ya something like 50hp, and it’s easy to go much higher from there.
@@VendotronLLC Then if you get a bit silly you can do a 3+ litre 16v turbo and easily make 550whp on pretty low boost but in reality you have to spend on not just the motor then. Brakes, suspension need serious upgrading too.
Yeah, there is a ton that can be done. If being forced to only drive stock, I might chose an S2 or TurboS, but the regular Turbo is the most bang for the buck with even minor mods.@@333pg333
Someone turn that cigarette lighter!!! This is such a beautiful guards red 944 Turbo. I had 86 turbo, white one with Burgandy leather interior with white rimmed and black center cookie cutters from 2001 to 2007. I had a blaupunkt CD player with a red face that we had installed in my guards red and tan ‘88 944 n/a that we lost in a fire. We installed the same CD player but used the black face it came with in the turbo. I was very lucky that my parents cough* dad wanted me to have very cool cars early on. The n/a was my first car and the turbo was my 3rd car I had my junior year of high school through graduating college. Awesome memories!
You just missed one feature!
The turbo meter in the middle of the cluster!
Love your videos!
First car I ever drove was one of my dad's 944s. One thing I'll never forget about these is the sound of the doors opening and closing. Sounds SO solid.
I bought one when it was 14 years old with 248k miles on it. The engine sounded flawless, and I have yet too hear any car sound that solid when closing the door. Absolutely amazing.
@@erichenry1472 Right!? There's just something about that "ka-chunk"...lol
I know right? Just like the W461 onwards G-Wagens and the 911s, not to mention, the 1980 Chevy Chevette.
@@brianlee9233 Definitely don't make em like they used to!
@@brianlee9233 Well...I guess the G is kinda the exception to that...lol
Whenever Doug reviews a car the prices always rise😥 I have been wanting a non turbo for years
When I was in high school in the early 2000s the non turbos were around 5k with a reasonable amount of miles. Turbos were around 10k. Inflation and I guess Dougflation is a bitch.
That ship has sailed buddy. 951s have been going for stupid money for the past few years (like most everything else).
@@aarrrrrimapirate I bought a burnt out one for $3,000, and insurance gave me $18k when it got totalled
@@augustsawzak5401 your insurance provider looking at this comment like 😤😤👿😠
It’s why I hope he never reviews a Corrado 😥
This was my first Porsche. So many fond memories with this car., and speeding tickets too! Thank you, Doug, for reviewing this underrated classic.
Great review! I've got that same year/model sitting in my garage now, surprisingly with less miles (17k). I was 8 years old when my dad bought it. Even at that price I don't think I could get rid of it.
Pro Tip, the sunroof comes off, and it's such a pain I've only done it once!
The secondary exclamation mark indicator is actually a good idea. As a technician I can't tell you how many times I've had customers overheat their cars because they don't notice the temperature gauge.
This car will always be a classic no one ever forgets
My dad had one when I was a kid, will forever be my favorite car of all time.
I have a 1990 944 S2 and love the car. I've always thought they were underrated for sure
My first Porsche was a 944 I bought in Germany for $3000. I always wanted a turbo, but never managed to get one. They are GREAT cars to drive. Other things to know about the 944:
1. Do not reset the trip odometer while moving, it will strip the gear inside the gauge cluster.
2. Do not attempt to mount your sub amp in front of the spare tire. You fill find the gas tank.
3. Changing the clutch takes at least 15 hours.
4. The 944 will fit at least 1 Cisco 5509 chassis switch OR an armoire if you fold the back seat down.
5. The sunroof is removable, as others have pointed out.
What else is neat about the car?
The only car I know where the spoiler has a drainage system.
I have one since 2003,love it!
My addition: the rear glass is the most expensive part of the car, tagged at almost 5000 Euro.
This is one of the best Porsches ever build in my opinion
Had a poster of it on my wall growing up - always loved it.
Hi Doug, loved this blast from the past. I had an '87 944T that was the same Guards Red. I was always told the first foot of the frontend was the most expensive to fix if you had a small wreck. It was!
Popping the trunk from the inside was common on most cars by the late 1980s. That said, will always love this Porsche, especially every time I listen to David and David.
These are insanely underrated! Here in Germany they are also pretty easy to find and for a good Price (as of now) Hope they won't go crazy in Price soon because i've been looking into buying one.
I'm glad you're doing a Review on them Doug! Perfect Timing too!
Prost & Cheers from the Berchtesgadener Land in the Bavarian Alps
@@joeyjoejoejrshabadu Even 10 years ago, any well-preserved 911 cost at least €40000 in Germany. But 20 years ago, you could get a good 944 Turbo for €10000...
@@babelhuber3449 I remember a year ago u could get one of these for 5k in Italy
@@cristiancanova You should have brought it 😜
not true. They are already pretty expensive and popular in germany.
@@sammy674 The 944s and 944 Turbos didnt jump in Price the past Years and plenty are available. Maybe you mean the 928s and the V8 engine ones? Those are definitely rare and harder to get here
I’m 26 and just bought an ‘89 Turbo with 250 hp today. My entry I to the Porsche classics world and it drove like butter. So looking forward to many many years with this gem
Congratulations 🎉 Hope your enjoying it!
So many cherished memories around a good friend’s 944. Thanks for this video, Doug! So much more meaning to me than any new hypercar you’ve ever reviewed!
If I remember right, all of those latches on the sunroof are because you can remove the entire panel and store in the hatch. Wanted one of these bad in the 90's, and wouldn't mind one today either!
Love these classic videos!
I was shocked to when he missed that. The sunroof was a huge opening, almost Targa like and very pleasant to drive with it off.
i was offered a 944 na for a grand 5 years ago.
Decent condition, recent TÜV inspection, not rusty.
These things now go for like 15.
god damnit.
Great review as usual Doug...
No snobbery here. Like the fact that you review a wide variety of old & new cars, trucks, suvs etc...
Love the classic car videos , I have to say I love love the 944’s
I haven't scrolled through all the comments, so sorry if it has been mentioned before, but the sunroof can come out.
Turn the key to the first position, then press the down button. That fully retracts the ratchet mechanism that holds the sun roof in the up position. Then two latches at the front can be released. This allows you to take the sunroof out and store it in a purpose made bag. There are straps that allow you to securely hold the roof out of the way in the boot/rear trunk of the car. The two outside hinges are for a wind flap that is hidden normally in the sunroof. This also acts as the main hinge for the sunroof. Then two latches that lock the sunroof to the car. The centre tab allows you to position the sunroof correctly when you don't want semi topless driving.
The 944 Turbo and the 968 certainly are under rated. Great cars.
Love the show Doug, keep it up!!!!
The 944 was a dream, especially the Turbo. The back end was big enough and perfect for a proper custom car stereo with 8s and 10s and real amps. So not only could it corner like crazy, it could rattle your eyes in their sockets. Also, pop-up headlights are still the bomb.
Are you between the ages of 55-65?
@@Maliksamuels33 who cares if he is or isn't.
His life, his likes.
Im sure ur nit alone with what you like, but I bet there are many who would disagree with you
8s and 10s lol.
i bet youre the kind of guy that thinks 8s and 10s "sound tighter" and "play snappy bass" lmfao.
@@OxBlitzkriegxO yeah, physics sucks, eh? Turns out heavier masses require more time to move given the same power.
@@Maliksamuels33 that’s question someone between the ages of 5 and 15 would ask 🤣
I've always felt like I was one of the very few that never disliked the 944 and 928.
My Aunt had one of these when I was a kid, and tbh I only remember this because of the Turbo labeling on the back. I rode with her often, fun times!
I just love the old cars videos, because I get to learn more things about classic cars, like this Porsche 944. Now I see why this car is so underrated, but also so awesome. Loved it!
What an amazing car. One of my favourites from the area. It is neglected due to the VW/Audi link and the fact that it has only 4 zylinders. Porsche fixed this with the Boxster, only to have now gone back to 4 zyl engines for the current Boxster (sales dropped massively since then). Hope you can review an S2 or an 968 at some point.
I used to hate this car and thought of it as a lesser Porsche until I watched a video about its history and how it was cobbled together with VW parts yet actually was a good performance car.
nobody wants a 4 cylinder but many people make due with them. Nobody buying a new/barely used porsche wants to "make due" with anything
They said 4 banger were no real porsches....what we have now? Correct, 4 banger porsches.
A little note on the rear wiper: you really, really need to make absolutely sure the space below the motor is clear before shutting the glass trunk. If there's a large enough item place directly below the motor, the whole glass will pop out of the rubber frame!
Thank you Mr. DeMuro for bringing back memories. I had one of these and then traded it for the 928GTS. Both entirely bullet proof automobiles. The most reliable vehicles I have ever owned.... with the most unreliable being a SAAB 9.3T....
You don’t still have your GTS now do you? They are worth a fortune now!
Funny - I saw a 944 today (been some time since last time) and thought to myself "that is acually really rather cool".
My old man had this car when I was a kid, and it felt like a rocket to us! My bro and I fit back there just fine - perks of being 4 and 5 😆. He passed a few years ago but thanks for the memories!
Oh yeah, my dad had the Turbo 4cyl Mustang SVO. With not one, but two spoilers. Speaking of which two very unique cars for Doug to review the 1985 Mustang SVO and the Turbo 4 Thunderbird. I wonder if there are any good ones left on the road?
I had a 1988 944, sadly not the turbo model. But it was, by far, the best handling car I have ever owned. I loved it. The next car I bought was a 2003 Mercedes Benz SL 500 AMG that had 4 times as much power, but I still prefer the looks of the 944. It was just gorgeous. If I still had it today, I would have completely redone everything, including replacing the motor with an LS-1 swap, redone the brakes and suspension, redone the exhaust and cooling system. I own a 2017 911 now, but I still prefer my old 944 with their pop up headlights. I miss the 80's!
There were two Porsches I loved as a kid: Jake Ryan’s 944 in “Sixteen Candles,” and Wyatt’s 928 in “Weird Science.”
THIS is another Porsche that keeps appreciating in value!
It's great to see this 944 getting a little love. Considering these cars are almost 25 to 30 years old, they still look great and have a timeless quality to them. As the owner of a 968, I have always felt that these cars were very misunderstood and underrated. Thanks for sharing! 👊❤
These cars are definitely over 30 mate there from the 80s it's 2023
My friend had a 924 in High School back in 2004. A 1979 model! All we could do was dream of a 944. That chassis handles incredibly! It could drift balls in the snow ❄️. It had a three speed automatic and was slow as hell, but handled on rails!! Also it had a brand new Maaco paint job, green and blue flaked. That car was special! Thanks for the nostalgia, Doug!
One other cool thing is the manufacturer plate under the hood reads "made in West Germany." I always thought that was a cool bit of 80s cold War history, and neat that the car was made in a Country that no longer exists.
I’ve been waiting for this for years, thank you Doug!
Loved our 944 Turbo, it was a guards red 1987 very similar to this one. Owned between 1999 and 2009 and it had all the desirable mods, cup wheels, turbo s seats, etc. Awesome car for sure.
A 1987 Zermatt Silver / Bordeaux 944 Turbo was my first car, in 2006 at age 20. It cost me an arm and a leg to keep on the road, but made for a lot of great stories and solidified my lifelong interest in cars.
Good review - growing up my sisters friend had ‘77 924 copper in color - I was 12 and a huge enthusiast even back then loved driving it
I love that you uploaded so many awesome older cars in the last few months, especially because you mentioned that these videos arent doing as well and that you would prioritize new cars.
So am I. Though these are older reviews, for the most part. He said this car was sold on his website in February of this year, and though Doug obviously got out there later than that to review it, we don't know how long that was. The foliage there looked sorta late spring/early summerish, so I'd guess this one was made and put in the bag months ago, and now is just when it was scheduled to be published. So it is possible these reviews were filmed prior to Doug deciding to simply no longer review the older cars.
Let's hope he changes his mind, but at least for now I am really digging that he is still publishing these sorts of reviews. They're much better than seeing some preproduction press car, which looks and drives and sounds the same as a million other brand new cars, because these older cars have use and wear and you get to see their actual character. Instead of a carefully created and crafted press vehicle that does nothing to stand out anyway, which is pretty much all new vehicles, supercars and hypercars included.
@@evilcam Good point.
I love the 944’s! I owned one years back and it was so much fun to drive. I paid $3,500 in 2002 for my red 1986 944 which was in very good condition. I put in $2,500 in mechanicals and $400 in interior fixes. $6,400 all in or adjusted for inflation $10,540. Cheap fun then and now.
Not a sole came here hoping to find out if Doan owed one, why would you think anyone would care what you do this isn't your channel
@@slowery43 I take it you’re jealous you didn’t buy a 944
@@slowery43 I'm interested to hear owners' experiences.
Best handling car I've ever owned. They've shot up in value, but still some good deals if you look. Glad to see Doug review one.
Always loved these Porsches. 924, 928, 944 - all 80's icons that don't get enough exposure. So much character, from the cassette storage to the rear bumper label to the "backseats", it warms my heart to see it reviewed. Wouldn't mind having one of these someday...
Good review, Doug. One addition (seen on the owner's manual cover) is there was also the 944 S. 16v head added to bring hp up to 188. Many journalists in period preferred the S to the turbo.
Did they ever turbo the 16v head?
Back in the 80s the 944 and 928 were my favorite Porsches. I thought the 911 was a relic from the past that Porsche continued to build for some reason. I like it a lot more now of course as teenagers aren’t the best judge of good things, are they?
Well I’m 51 and I still feel the way you felt as a teenager lol. Love the 944/928 and I’ve never understood what people see in the 911. 😁
@@rauserbegins5850 I still love the 944/928 too, it’s just the 911 is getting the love as well 😁 even if, cabin aside, I’m actually not too keen on the latest 992 series.
@@DavidDatura 992 is the latest
@@petteriotava8558 oh right, sorry about that. I meant the 992 then. Correcting the mistake…
I'm 55 and wanted this 944 Turbo. A few years later I did buy the 928S4. The 928 was so fun but a bit hard to work on as the warranties expired quickly back then.
This is my favorite Porsche ever. I'm so happy to see it finally in your channel!
What a beauty, love the phone dial wheels, such a classic sports car.
I'm probably alone in this but this is my favorite Porsche of all time. If given the choice of a new top of the line Porsche I'd still choose this one. Thanks for finally reviewing it Doug!
You should explore the quirks of the expanding “space saver” tire.
Doug is a type of a guy to adjust tyre pressure with his mouth
Awesome content, Doug...love it. I've had a few 944s and a Saratoga top that I moved between cars to replace the steel roof panel.
Has a place in my heart, When I got out of the Army I got a used 944 Turbo [ black] loved it, my with would have been the 944 Turbo S Great Video
Doug, two things. The sunroof actually was removable, hence all the weird latches. Actually makes a huge hole going over the backseat.
2nd,early 951s did not have airbags standard. I had a 86.5 951 that did not have them. That happened in the years after.
Awesome video as always. Love this car and miss mine that I sold on cars and bids a few years ago!
Usual Doug video where is forces himself to laugh at things he has not even researched to find out what they actually do. His videos are becoming more and more unwatchable.
Gottem! Sunroof is removable. Would love to see Doug trying to remove it though... might take a few minutes(hours) 😅
One of my favorite quirks is the key that is needed to unlock the lug nuts.
And as @Anthony Richie noted, The roof can be removed and stored in the cargo area.
One of my teachers has a 944. It’s like this bronze color. Inside and out is unfathomably clean, not a crease to be seen on the leather. With us both being car guys I find him to be one of my favorite teachers. Very cool guy.
Keep it coming I have a 944 but a na hopefully for turbo sometime 🙂 and great video Doug 🔥🤝
I prefer videos like this, when Doug presents clasic cars. The 944 is one of favorite cars from the 80's and 90's.
Some say the 944's engine was basically a 928's half engine. Also some say the 944 had better handling than the 911 from the same era. As I said, the 944 is one my favorite cars
Probably one of the best handling cars back in the day.
*ever
My mom had one, 92. When I was a teen, I drove in the backseat on trips from Chicago to Detroit and Arkansas 😳 wildly uncomfortable lol. She also had a 87’ 928. Prompted me to get the Panamara, with my three sons. I compromised on getting a Porsche as long as I get my kids comfortable riding from past traumas 🤣
Best review EVER! I love this car. I had a 914 that was a great car, but always wanted a 944