This unloved Porsche is now a pristine masterpiece.
One of the most under-appreciated cars in Porsche’s history has seen an incredible resurgence in the last decade. The front-engine Porsche 944, and the 924 before it, are the black sheep of the Porsche lineup. With their water-cooled engines that were mounted at the wrong end of the car, they were deemed less worthy of the Porsche Badge. However, this configuration made the 944 a much more balanced car than the 911, and now machines like this 1986 Porsche 944 are becoming sought after.
The problem with the 944 market is finding a good one. Since it was an affordable car that was unloved by the traditional fanbase, most of these cars went to less than ideal homes. They have been beaten and abused, raced and engine swapped. In short they were never expected to be worth anything, so they were treated like they were worthless. Now, to find a pristine and unmolested early 944 is akin to finding a white peacock.
The fact that Naples Classic Car has gotten its hands on a NA 1986 car with just 5,000 miles on it is astonishing. This car was an actual museum piece that was in the custody of the Merrick Auto Museum in Nebraska. It is a fully documented car with all books, manuals, service records, and original sale paperwork.
You might look at the $55,000 asking price as steep for a non-turbo car, but prices for these cars are currently rocketing upward. Considering we paid $4k for a 100k mile car just 8 years ago, it seems like $55k for a car like this will be considered a bargain in the near future. Just look at the six-figure prices of 911s if you don't believe us. The price feels even fairer when you consider the recent $13k service this car just received. If you are looking for a car to add to your Porsche collection, this is a great investment.
And if you are one of those wild and magical souls who couldn’t care less about investment cars, this particular 944 is the perfect driving machine. It was just given a full service overhaul with new injectors, hoses, tires, and more, making it the perfect car to start using as a daily driver if that is more your style.
