Vehicle Details
- Year: 1989
- Make: Porsche
- Model: 944 Turbo S
- VIN: WP0AA2953KN150363
- Mileage: 128,544
- Transmission: Manual
- Title Status: Clean
- Color: Alpine White
- Seller Type: Private Party
- Location: Fallbrook, CA 92028
- Lot #: V-0039937
The Porsche 944 Turbo S was introduced in 1988 as a limited-edition model derived from the Porsche 944 Turbo up race car and features firmer springs, a thicker front stabilizer bar, an external transmission oil cooler, and a 30-horsepower increase. This 1989 example comes finished in Alpine White over a Black leather interior and comes equipped with a limited-slip differential, automatic climate control, power windows, integrated fog lights, and more. Showing approximately 128k miles on the odometer, this 944 Turbo S is now being offered for auction by its seller out of California.
The 944 Turbo stands out with its distinctive aerodynamic front nose and body-colored rear diffuser, setting it apart from the standard 944. This example is finished in Alpine White and is equipped with pop-up headlights, integrated fog lights, a power-operated and removable sunroof, and a rear hatch spoiler. It rides on 17" Cup 2 wheels dressed in Michelin Pilot Sport tires from 2021 with less than 2k miles. The seller notes minimal paint chips on the exterior, detailed images are available in the gallery along with a clean CARFAX report.
The cabin features Black leather upholstery with a matching dashboard, door panels, center console, and carpets. Amenities include air conditioning, power-adjustable front seats, windows, Porsche-branded floor mats, and cruise control. The interior has been upgraded with a new Bluetooth-enabled touchscreen stereo and new floor mats. The seller mentions the previous replacement of odometer gears and assures that all gauges and electronics are fully operational with no warning lights.
The M44/52 2.5-liter inline 4-cylinder turbocharged engine, originally rated at 247 HP and 258 lb-ft of torque, sends power to the rear wheels through a 5-speed manual transmission with a limited-slip differential. In its stock configuration, the Turbo S boasts a 30 HP increase over the standard 944 Turbo models of preceding years. Extensive maintenance and enhancements have reportedly been performed on the car, including a new battery, a permanent trickle charger, new brakes & rotors, a new head gasket with valve servicing, new temperature and O2 sensors, a new master brake cylinder, a new water pump, new drive belts, a new timing belt, spark plugs, wires, distributor rotor, and a recent oil and filter change. The clutch was replaced at approximately 100k miles around the year 2000. Recent services include a new oil pan gasket, motor mounts, conversion to R134 air conditioning, and new front sway bar bushings and end links. The seller also mentions a slow leak in the AC evaporator under the dash, requiring periodic recharging. Notably, the last two-yearly recharges provided approximately 6 months of functionality each time. Following the 2021 service, the AC reportedly blows cold and operates flawlessly when recharged.
This sale will include the owner’s manuals, a window sticker, a toolkit, a spare tire, an air pump, a car cover, a battery charger, a sales brochure, and a clean title.
The seller would like you to know: “I have decided to sell my prize 1989 944 Turbo S with 127K miles on the clock. I am looking to replace it with a 60’s or 70’s muscle car. This 944 Turbo S is a piece of history. I am the third owner, and I am now friends with both previous owners. I have all of the maintenance and purchase of upgraded items documentation for this car since new. This includes a dot matrix printout from Porsche USA showing all of the 1898 944 Turbos available on the West Coast and the handwritten comments by the first owner about each one and why he picked the one he bought. Also included is a spreadsheet showing all of the maintenance and customization work ever done since it was new.
Owner 1: in the summer of 1989 #1 scoured the West Coast for the perfect 944 Turbo S for him and found it in Beaverton, Oregon. He had been searching for months to find the perfect fit for him. It would be finished in Alpine white over Black Leather Sport seats with electric height adjustment and feature the Rear seat option and Rear wiper option. Over the next few years, he customized (all work done at Vasek Polak Porsche dealership in Hermosa Beach, CA) this car to include:
- Genuine Porsche Cup 2 wheels (17 x 7.5 front and 17 x 9.5 rear)
- Genuine Porsche M030 racing suspension installed followed by Alignment. This includes Koni front coil over adjustable shocks and rear Koni coil over non-adjustable shocks and front and rear oversized sway bars.
As you can see from the maintenance history, owner #1 was fanatic for oil changes, timing belt replacement, brake jobs and clutch replacement. He sold the car to owner #2 in late 1999 with about 88k miles on the clock
Owner #2: moved the car to northern San Diego County and over the next few years had these maintenance items done:
- Head Gasket replaced and Valve Job at 100k miles in 2000.
- New Brake Rotors and Pads at 122k miles in 2003.
- Then things got interesting. Due to the demands of his business and having other cars, in around 2006 he placed the car in indoor climate-controlled storage, covered it with blankets and a car cover, drained the gas, put the car on jack stands, and there the car sat for about 15 years, until November of 2020 when he woke it up with plans to sell it. At this point, it had 127K miles on it. He took it to European Motorsports in Vista, CA, and had them:
- Service the fuel system (flush tank, new fuel pump)
- Oil and filter change
- Cabin filter change
- New Battery
- New plugs
- New plug wires
- New rotor and cap
- Temp sensor
- O2 sensors
- New master brake cylinder
- Rebuilding of all 4 brake calipers so that everything worked perfectly.
Now this is where I come into the picture. I learned of the car from a friend and purchased it in February of 2021 with 127K miles on the clock. I was looking for a barn find project for me to work on and this one fit perfectly.
Owner #3: At this time, I completed the wake-up procedure by performing these items
- New Michelin Pilot Sport tires (225/45/17 front and 255/40/17 rears)
- Converted AC system to R-134
- New water pump
- New timing belt
- New front sway bar bushings and attachment brackets
- New oil pan gasket installed
- New motor mounts installed
- New power steering hoses installed
- New floor mats
- Removal of the plastic rock guards that were behind all 4 wheels since they were all yellow and cracked. I did not replace them because it looked cleaner without them, but replacements are available.
- New Koni non-coil over rear shocks were installed so that the rear would be about 2 inches lower than with the non-adjustable rear coilovers that came with the M030 package and then adjusted the front coilovers to bring the car to its current very nice lowered (but never scrapes) level.
- New Stereo was installed (the original Reno stereo was gone and an old Sony unit that was there did not work) I left the original graphic equalizer in place because it looked so cool.
In this final configuration I took the car to a few autocrosses and had a great time but the turbo lag on a very short course caused me to have to shift frequently between first and second gears. then took it to Chuckwalla for a PCA-sponsored weekend in January of 2023. It performed wonderfully on the big track and was a blast to drive where the turbo lag was not a problem. I planned for more big track fun, but my wife saw the photos and freaked out when she saw the other cars on the track with me. This is when she said no more racing with other cars on the track, but autocross was ok. So, I did a few more autocross events in the 944 Turbo S, then bought a 2004 Corvette to use for my autocross activities.
So, now that I feel that the barn find has been resurrected, I think that the 944 Turbo S is ready for its next owner. The only current issues are these:
I fixed all of the major oil leaks at great expense, but there is one small one left that causes a dime-sized drip after the car sits for a week. The AC has a slow leak in the evaporator under the dash. Since I have not decided to replace the dash or not yet, I have just been recharging the AC in May of each year so I can drive it in the Summer. The last two-yearly recharges lasted about 6 months each. When recharged, the AC blows cold and works perfectly since it was just serviced in 2021. Finally, the car is in great shape with original paint that is shiny with very few chips and no dents visible. The inside is all original and the Black Leather Sport seats are in very good condition with no rips or tears. All the power windows work as does the power tilt (and removable) sunroof. The rear window is not delaminated, and the rear hatch opens and closes nicely with the key or the button on the inside. The original carpets are in great shape as are the floor mats.”
Auction Results
- Sold for: $25,250
- Auction End: Feb 12, 2024 08:23:57PM UTC
- Number of Bids: 17
Comments (55)
I've been shopping for 944T for many months and have negotiated on two others. This one takes the prize though. I'm very excited and I've finally fulfilled by college day dream. Now I just need to find that poster of a 944 I had on my bedroom wall for many years.
well bought, I think.
Good buy @pdskier Looks like a very well cared for example! Enjoy
Sold for $25,250
Bid in the amount of $25,250
Bid in the amount of $25,000
Bid in the amount of $24,000
Bid in the amount of $23,750
When you know what you want, you go for it!! HAHA.
Bid in the amount of $23,500
Bid in the amount of $23,000
Well that escalated quickly... Strong work @Torqee997
Bid in the amount of $22,000
Bid in the amount of $16,000
Bid in the amount of $15,000
Bid in the amount of $13,000
Good morning all and welcome to the last day of the auction of my 1989 944 Turbo. I appreciate the thoughts below and the thoughts yesterday from the original owner. Part of the allure of this car for me when I bought it was its provenance and how much information there was about it since it was first purchased. I had never owned a used classic car that I knew so much about its history, until I bought this car. I am an auto cleaning and maintenance fanatic and have been since I was 16. The person that bought my 2001 996 Turbo on this sight in November last year moved it to Tennessee and said that it was the cleanest 23-year-old used car that he had ever seen. I have tried to keep this 944 Turbo at the same level. I am available for the rest of the auction time to answer any questions or take additional photos or videos if anyone wants. Thanks for all of your attention and good luck to us all.
I have no dog in the fight. I don't know the seller. I don't believe I've ever seen this car in person and don't think I know any previous owner. With that said, this looks to me like an almost perfect, useful example. The enthusiastic and knowledgeable effort that went into the initial purchase, mirrored by the work that has gone into getting it to this level speaks volumes for the care that this car has gotten. I am not today in the market for one, but if I were, I'd be bidding with my elbows out. Good luck to the seller and the buyer.
Bid in the amount of $12,000
Bid in the amount of $11,000
Good evening, all: at the request of a potential bidder, I have just added 4 photos showing the attachment points of the rear glass hatchback hinges and gas shocks to show that the glass is not delaminated in any of these areas. There is some blotchiness in the black paint boarder at the top of the hatchback window, but it is only cosmetic. The rear hatch opens easily with the button or key and closes smoothly without making any odd noises or giving any feeling of instability when pushing down on the rear rubber air dam.
Additional content has been added to the gallery for this listing.
Additional content has been added to the gallery for this listing.
These cars were exactly the same spec as the 1988 Turbo S which also did not have an "S" on the tail but only "Turbo". One v. cool thing (literally) is that these cars not only have a mechanical LSD but also a transmission cooler. Mike's car also has the RoW front driving lights (probably illegal in the USA) that I installed with 100W quartz iodine bulbs providing some serious illumination for night driving! USA spec cars just have white reflector plates.
The sport seats, split rear folding jump seats and rear window wiper are all rare options that I specifically sought out in 1989 and the car was found at the Porsche dealer in Beaverton, OR but purchased through Vasek Polak. Suspension is 968 M030 that I put on around the same time as the factory 17" Cup rims...a great look I think! Mike changed the rear suspension from the Konis w/helper springs shown in one of his pictures for a lower rear ride height.
I bought this car new at Vasek Polak Porsche in Hermosa Beach and after becoming friends with the 3rd owner Mike Rigas can attest to the fact that he has brought the condition back to an amazingly high level!
Good morning, all: Welcome to the last full day of the auction of my 1989 944 Turbo. I have it all loaded up in the garage ready for the new owner, including, all the spare parts I have shown in the videos, the windshield sun cover, the spare tire, the car cover, and all the documents from the 35 years of its life. I am available today if there are any questions or other photos or videos anyone wants to see. The gas tank is almost full, the oil was just changed, and she is ready to go!
@davidinRSM Thanks for your thoughts. That is how I got interested in this car, due to an unsatisfied desire from the mid 1980s. The car has been really fun and causes many people to comment about their latent desires to have one every time I drive it to the store, cars and coffee or when I took it to autocross events.
Hello, I am located just north of you in Rancho Santa Margarita. Beautiful car, I have always wanted on since I was teenager.
Bid in the amount of $10,500
@GrandNatty The timing belt and water pump were changed on 2/17/2021 at 126,837 miles.
@mrigas - you noted the MILES of the last TB and WP, what was the DATE please?
Bid in the amount of $10,000
Good morning, all: I have just added some professionally taken photos of the car while I was at the Chuckwalla race 3-mile track last year to show how the car looked in action. I was in the novice group and there were other cars on the track. The car worked great, plenty of traction, no overheating, no turbo lag, and able to keep up with the others (except the Lamborghini). As I stated earlier, I only got to do this one time after my wife saw the photos with the other cars on the track.
Additional content has been added to the gallery for this listing.
Two other things that I forgot to mention:
1) This car has been stored in a garage for its whole life and there is no rust on any painted surface, even around the windows and behind the wheel wells.
2) A car cover is included
I also forgot to point out that the oil and filter were changed last week. So, it is good for another 3000 miles.
Good morning all: over the next two days I am planning on doing several more videos including:
1) Up close views of the Interior
2) Up close views of the paint
3) Up close views of the Wheels
4) Up close views of the front bumper including all of the lights
5) Up close views of the engine bay with the engine running
@Jjason3131 Yes, I will take an up-close video of the interior including the dash shortly and upload it to the site. It may take some time to show up here once I upload it.
@Jjason3131 Thanks for your reply, Jjason3131. Regarding the standard suspension differences between the 1988 Turbo S and the 1989 Turbo, this car was treated to the M030 suspension upgrade by the first owner shortly after he bought it having had it installed with factory parts at Vasek Polock Porsche in Hermosa Beach, CA. I should point out that this suspension, along with the Michelin Pilot sports and the Cup 2 wheels, delivered a wonderful performance on the track the one time that I took the Car to Chuckwalla raceway in Desert Center, CA. I was a novice at the time and not that comfortable with others on the track and the point to pass program, but the handeling of the car was very balanced (due to the 50:50 wt distribution) and it allowed me to have lap times of about 3 minutes. I did about 30 laps that day and really gained a deep respect for the car. It was quite a hit with other racers, as many came by to marvel at its near pristine condition and track performance given its age and semi-rarity at the track.
Could we get close up photos of dash to see how badly it is cracked?
Option code M758 is specific to 1988 model year. This car is 1989. There is no such code for that year. As seller stated, Porsche dropped the “non-S” version of the 944 turbo in 1989, and made all turbos to the standard 1988 “S” specifications (though there were important options, especially regarding suspension.). As such, Porsche dropped the “S” designation in 1989 presumably because there were no non-S models produced. I’ve owned both an 88turboS and 89turbo. Identical performance.
Bid in the amount of $8,000
@mrigas Thanks, the clutch replacement on these Turbos is a big job so that timeline is important.
@Kevinmr : the clutch was replaced at about 100k miles, so about 28k miles ago, not 6k miles as I misstated in the Video. I think I was referring to the other items done at the first "wake up" service done after the 15 years of storage.
When was clutch done? In main writeup it says it was replaced at 100K miles. In drive video it says clutch "has 6K miles on it". Thanks.
@CScrogham thank you for pointing this out i had no ideal the title is deceiving
89 is not an S
Must have Option M758 to be Turbo S.
Bid in the amount of $7,500
Avsfan is correct. My car is the same as a 1988 Turbo S, but in 1989 the dropped the non-S spec 944 Turbo model and made all of the 1989 Turbos the same as the 1988 Turbo S but dropped the "S" in the nomenclature for some reason.
Yup, the S designation was dropped for 89 and later turbos. "Turbo S" is one year only - 1988. The 89 had the same specification, however.
Not a Turbo S
Bid in the amount of $2,944
Good evening all and welcome to the auction of my 1989 Porsche 944 Turbo (S). I have uploaded many photos and videos that I feel show off all aspects of the car. I feel that this is a special car due to its current excellent condition, its history of tasteful OEM/factory and European modifications, and level of detail about its past maintenance which starts at the day it was first sold in Beaverton, Oregon in 1989. I plan to do a few more videos over the next week to showcase certain aspects of the car, Ie, the Cup 2 wheels and the M030 suspension upgrade, etc. I am open to all questions about the car, just message me and I will respond rapidly.