1985 Porsche 944 Auto

Highlights

• Time-warp condition
• Superb original interior
• Low mileage
• Excellent Sapphire paint
• Extensive service history

Overview

If you want to buy yourself a Porsche today you have the enviable task of sifting through a dizzying range of models of all shapes and sizes. Some are longer, some are taller, some are wider, some have more doors, some have more spoilers, some have less roof, and some come in pretty colours.

But it’s not 2025 any more. It’s 1985. You’re about to stride into your local Porsche dealership, pinstripe-suited and ready to part with your recently acquired financial winnings. There are only four models to choose from, so you can spend more time making sure the paint colour matches your suit. And the 944 you choose leaves you with £18.78 in loose change from your £20,000 wodge of cash.

The example we see here has clearly led a sheltered life. Having sustained what appears to be normal use during the first two decades of its life, the past twenty years have been much more relaxed, with only a few hundred miles being added to the odometer. This is reflected in the car’s excellent condition inside and out. It clearly hasn’t been languishing in an open-air car park.

Stepping inside, you are greeted by fresh-looking upholstery and plastics, chunky analogue gauges, and a Blaupunkt cassette player. Nothing appears to have been updated over the past forty years, so the car is something of a time capsule.

So if you’re looking to get as close as you can to buying a brand new 944, then this Example — finished in the attractive shade of Sapphire — is the one for you.

History and documentation

• Registered 1 Apr 1985
• Acquired by the current owner in 1999
• Stamped service book with services as follows: May 1985 @ 585 miles, Jan 1986 @ 3,168 miles, Mar 1988 @ 12,717 miles, Apr 1990 @ 24,824 miles, Mar 1993 @ 33,128 miles, Sep 1994 @ 38,502 miles, Oct 1995 @ 40,764 miles, Aug 1998 @ 44,961 miles, Oct 1999 @ 46,301 miles, Jan 2002 @ 49,047 miles, Sep 2006 @ 51,343 miles
• The odometer has recorded under 2,000 miles between 2006 and today
• Driver’s manual and service record in original document wallet
• Original sales invoice showing the car cost £19,941.22 when new, including options
• Collection of invoices and old MOT certificates
• Two keys
• Current MOT with no advisories expires 11 Jun 2025
• V5 present in owner’s name
• HPI clear

Interior

• The interior of this 944 is superbly original, with many period features and few signs of wear
• Sports seats finished in black vinyl and cloth upholstery
• Even the driver’s bolster looks almost unused
• There are very few scuffs or signs of use
• Manual seat adjusters
• The carpets are very fresh and clean
• Matching black door cards in good condition
• The seller notes that the driver’s-side switch for the passenger window is a bit temperamental, but the switch on the passenger side functions properly
• Original dashboard, steering wheel, instruments, and centre console
• Centrally-mounted analogue clock, oil pressure gauge, and voltmeter
• Blaupunkt Toronto stereo/cassette player, not currently working
• Rear seats for short-legged humans
• To the rear, the boot is fully carpeted, with a fitted tonneau cover
• Spare wheel, which looks to be unused, mounted to the side of the boot
• Original Porsche tool kit

Exterior

• With its wraparound rear windscreen chiselled nose, and pop-up headlights, the 944 is instantly recognisable
• Finished in Sapphire metallic paint
• The paint looks excellent for its age, with very few marks or blemishes to be found
• The body panels are also in very good condition, no signs of corrosion or damage that we could see
• Only issue noted by the seller is a slight dent in the underside of the nearside sill
• Optional passenger door mirror and front fog lights fitted from hew
• 15-inch alloy wheels, with polished rims and painted centres
• The wheels are excellent, showing no signs of kerb damage or significant scratches
• Matching set of Firestone Firehawk 700 tyres
• Porsche badge present and correct at the front, and in very good condition
• Headlight lenses clear and bright
• Heated rear windscreen
• Well proportioned rear spoiler
• Removable sunroof, with cover for when it’s not on the car
• The rubber and plastic trim pieces look well preserved
• The underside is very clean for its age, with some surface corrosion in places
• Single-exit exhaust, with chromed tip
• An indoor car cover is also provided

Mechanical

• 2,479 cc four-cylinder engine
• Produces 163 bhp
• Top speed 131 mph, 0-62 mph in 8.4 seconds
• Three-speed automatic transmission
• Rear-wheel drive
• Engine bay very clean and tidy
• A little surface corrosion on the suspension and exhaust components
• One of the fuel injectors was replaced in Nov 2024, at a cost of £336
• In Dec 2023 the crank sensors, spark plugs, distributor carp, rotor arm, and HT leads were replaced, at a cost of £949
• There are hand-written invoices for mechanical work and servicing over the past twenty years
• The vendor informs us that the car starts, runs, and stops as it should do
• No mechanical issues or warning lights reported

Summary

They don’t come much shinier than this. Here’s a beautifully original example of a 944 which has been carefully stored and preserved for the future. If you’re looking for an affordable entry into classic Porsche ownership, then we don’t think you’ll find many better options than this.

To arrange a viewing, please request this in the Q&A section. You can click through to the seller's profile and use the 'Email Me' function to arrange a viewing privately. This seller is located in Ormskirk, Lancashire.