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1989 Porsche 944 Turbo – REVISIT

The Velvet Red Porsche 944 Turbo we featured earlier in the month had no takers at $19,900, so now it is up on offer once again at no reserve.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1989 Porsche 944 Turbo on eBay

The below post originally appeared on our site September 8, 2015:

With exception of the SUVs and Panamera sedan that grace the lineup currently, Porsche seems resistant to revisit the idea of a front-engined sports car. Growing up, I would always marvel at the Porsche lineup each year as a new version of the 924, 944 or 928 would emerge. By the time the mid-1990s rolled around, I was in high school and the sun was setting on the 928 and 968. I took a moment to consider these cars in their twilight and had a feeling that somehow, Porsche would never be the same. With the Boxster approaching a two decade production run and turbocharging coming to the refreshed 911 Carrera, it’s time we look back and admire these historic Porsches. This 1989 944 Turbo for sale outside of Chicago is finished in an uncommon shade of Velvet Red with nicely contrasting Linen leather and contrasting piping.

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Year: 1989
Model: 944 Turbo
Engine: 2.5 liter turbocharged inline-4
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 87,150 mi
Price: No reserve auction

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This is a beautiful running and driving 1989 944 Turbo. 1989 was the final year for this model, and it is comparable to the Turbo S of prior years. I have the Porsche Certificate of Authenticity as pictured. I believe the car to have had three owners since new. It has just been serviced and inspected by a well-known independent Porsche repair facility in the Chicago area. Clean CarFax, with no accidents or recalls reported. Original jack, owner’s manual, and keys are still with the car.

Optional equipment on this car includes glass panel sunroof, partial leather seats, cruise control and HiFi sound. The photos really don’t do the car justice. It also drives as tight and solid as you’d expect of a well-kept Porsche. You’d be hard pressed to find a nicer looking or driving example.

BODY: Super clean body shows no evidence of rust, rust repair or previous damage. All sheet metal panels appear to have their original factory VIN labels. There are a few chips and minor sratches from normal use. Glass and rubber trim are excellent. Both the glass and body-colored sunroof panels are included. This car gets a lot of attention and compliments.

INTERIOR: Very good to excellent carpets, door panels, dash, dash top, headliner and original steering wheel. Seat leather is gerally excellent, with good color except for a small fade spot on the driver’s seat cushion. The cargo area is immaculate.

ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN: The engine pulls strongly and runs smoothly. Compression was just checked and is approximately 145 in each cylinder. Trans shifts smoothly, and no clutch issues are apparent.

STEERING AND SUSPENSION: Everything tight and operating as it should. Power steering is typically smooth with no excess play. The car rides and handles very well. Shocks and bushings are very good.

BRAKES: System inspected. Everything is in proper working order. No pulls or pulsation. Plenty of pad life left. Handbrake operates properly

ELECTRICAL and INSTRUMENTS. Everything working with the exception of the digital clock. Radio is an aftermarket addition with Bluetooth and auxiliary capability. The original Blaupunkt Reno is included.

WHEELS and TIRES: Excellent W-rated tires appear barely worn. Forged Porsche wheels show some wear and tear, but are still very presentable. The wheel background was painted at some time in the body color of the car.

126 SUPER DETAILED PHOTOS AVAILABLE AT:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/t6m83lyrp2f63lc/AABJph_L2hQ4j25_K6aNhqpta?dl=0

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If a 944 Turbo is on your radar, the folks at flüssig magazine have done a great job documenting these sports cars and addressing issues surrounding the purchase and upkeep of them. Back in July, we saw a 1988 944 Turbo with 47,000 miles sell for $21,900. Consider this 944 Turbo is closing in on 90,000 miles, the almost $20,000 ask might be a little bit on the high side, but not too far off the mark, as these cars are gaining traction in the collector car market.

-Paul

10 Comments

  1. JasonM
    JasonM September 8, 2015

    I drooled over a used ’89 944 turbo when in college….a completely unattainable vehicle with near super-car performance (in its era) that stared at me every day as I drove past. I still harbor dreams of getting one, although I’d prefer to stay away from the cliche guards red examples. As it relates to this specimen, was the variant color (red here) piping on the seats standard? Also, I wish the inner regions of the alloys weren’t painted.

  2. Depending if service records show this car is up to date, the asking price is more then fair, If this is a real original matching numbers 1989 951, its a great investment and all around great car to own and drive.Great articles Paul, keep up the good work!
    Best Regards LongRunner

  3. Jean LeMay
    Jean LeMay September 9, 2015

    Wow! I have a 1989 944 Turbo with 108,000 miles that is also in Velvet Red Metallic over Linen. You don’t see them in this color very often–in fact, I’ve attended many Porsche events and have never once seen another Porsche in Velvet Red Metallic, much less a 1989 944 Turbo.

    The car in question certainly appears to be in great shape, but I am almost certain that the seats have been re-covered, and, in my opinion, the body-color paint on the forged aluminum wheels is a real detraction. Also, the original anodized finish of the wheels appears to have been polished out. These are minor things, really, and for buyers not interested in originality, they would be non-issues. The seller doesn’t mention anything about engine modifications or ECU modifications, however, if I were in the market, I would certainly contact the seller to clarify.

    As for the price, I’m with John: $20,000 seems spot on for a 1988 Turbo S or a 1989 Turbo with this mileage and in this condition.

    Jason, I have a significant amount of Porsche literature on the 1989 model year, and I have never once seen any indication that piping was an available option. (As per above, I think that the seats have been re-covered.)

  4. Mike Pollock
    Mike Pollock September 9, 2015

    ’89 was not the last year of the Turbo, they went to ’92, in Europe at least. The glass sunroof is not factory original. Wheels look odd to my eyes and the the seat covers look non original. Original leather would have perforations. But fantastic looking car with some nice upgrades. Could be advertised at £20k here, at 15k would sell quickly.

  5. JasonM
    JasonM September 9, 2015

    Thanks for the note on the seat piping – particularly odd since the certification only notes a partial leather option being selected. Not a bit of dash cracking on this one either. I still love these ’89s (and ’88 S-models)….I know that clean examples are getting fewer and further between, and it is great fun to see them when they surface.

  6. Carter
    Carter September 9, 2015

    Isn’t the “partial leather” code because the rears are leatherette instead of full leather? I came across that on a few others.

  7. Rpm
    Rpm September 9, 2015

    Partial leather in this generation of Porsche means leather seating surfaces on the front seats and matching vinyl everywhere else. The listed “glass panel lift out sunroof,” known as a Saratoga top, is rare and valuable. But I don’t think it was an actual factory option. Nice car at a slightly high but fair price. Just fix the ridiculous wheel paint.

  8. Rpm
    Rpm September 9, 2015

    Looking at the photobucket, this is as well presented a 951 as I’ve seen in a long time. That said, I didn’t see the option code sticker, which should be on the underside of the hood. Surprising as all of the other stickers seem intact and well documented. And those stickers are tough suckers, they usually survive unless removed for paintwork.

  9. Dean
    Dean September 23, 2015

    Never did understand Porsche and their linen interiors. They’re nearly impossible to maintain and usually look terrible after a short time.

  10. Cole
    Cole September 24, 2015

    Very surprised it hasn’t sold. thats a nice and unique color combo.

Comments are closed.