Should I buy a 928?

[karmafunk]

I have been mulling over this idea for a while now but still haven't found it in me to sell my car and buy a Porsche 928. I currently have a Honda Civic Type-R. A little like a Subaru Impreza WRX in power. It is very reliable and great to drive. But I am so tempted by the Porsche 928. The only thing that is putting me off is the number of messages that I am reading on message boards about the car malfunctioning in some way. Is this common in the 928? Am I about to buy a lemon which is going to cost me extra thousands a year? Can anyone convince me to buy? I am on the brink of buying one but really need some assurances from other 928 drivers.

[gordbert]

Karmafunk, as one of the 928 owners told me a few months ago when I was in the market for a 928S, "You don't buy a budget 928, you budget for a 928."

There are a few things to remember:
1. All 928S are at least 8 years old.
2. 928s are supercars of its days, especially the GTS.
3. When there is no service records/history, walk away and don't look back.
4. Budget at least couple thousands of dollars per year for maintenance and service.

These cars are a joy to drive and still turns heads. They are also expensive to maintain. However, if properly maintained, they will last forever, as Dr. Porsche intended.

I suggest that you check out the 928 forum on Rennlist.com for more info. There is a huge community of owners and experts hanging out there.

By the way, my 1986½ 928S is a dream! Good luck!

[karmafunk]

Thanks for your reply, this has been useful. Still not sure just yet as I will be doing quite a high mileage in it.

I have an 87' 928 S4 and I love it, it's black on black in mint condition (with a few mods), The major major downsides I've found to this car are
1. Maintenance can add up
2. Insurance isn't cheap (mind you I'm only 19)
3. It is (was) a very high performance Porsche and like all high performance Porsche (and any other true supercar) stuff breaks, high performance means high wear and materials can only be run at peak for so long.

But it's awesome to drive, demonically fast and beautiful.

[spinktec]

I owned a 1978 928 for a couple years, everything is expensive! Go price some parts at a dealer or at the cheapest place I found for OEM, used, and aftermarket parts http://www.928intl.com/ If you own this car, you can't JUST like being under the hood, you have to have the money to buy the parts too. The Civic or the WRX don't even compare to the 928 in upkeep price, but you get what you pay for. My 1978 was comparatively under powered at 225 hp, but the handeling was beautiful. I could actually steer the rear end with the accelerator by changing torque to the wheels during a turn (I don't mean power slide either).

[anarkist61]

If you can do it DO IT!! 928's CAN have ther problems and even some Porsche specialists don't seem to understand them. Find the BEST one you can. It may need some sorting but you would have something special.
No insult on the Honda but they don't exactly stand out. If you got the 928 you'd see something "special" every time you went out to get in your car. Can't quite get the proper words for that so I think you get what I mean.
As for miles I've seen many examples with high miles. Driving them is the best thing you can do.
Let us know your decision and if you do:
Enjoy!!! (One day I intend to get one myself but even then, it's finding a good one!!)

[83-944]

"If you got the 928 you'd see something "special" every time you went out to get in your car."

It's another leak!

[FabricGATOR]

I am a recent Porsche 1st time owner/operator am I think I'm hooked. (87 944na) I am pleased the way these machines are designed and built. I'd always had domestics. I think I see a 928 pushed up in someones backyard that I might inquire about. I'm not sure what it is, recogonised it as Porsche but thought that it was an earlier 944. It has these round/reflector side marker lights that I think are 928. Idunno. I supose I'll have to jump the fence or knock on the door. Yo hablo un poco.

What other symptomatic things should I look for. Negotiating points come in handy.

Thanks!

[ledhedsymbols]

Just to let you know gator... it is probably a 924... The model right before the 944, and yes they do look VERY similar.

[FabricGATOR]

I just saw CBass's signature photo and recogonized the round marker lights.

Thanks...... I still think I might enjoy the 928.

[Quick Carl]

Yes, you should. They are a pleasure to drive and there are plenty of parts and performnance parts available for it.

[83-944]

and most of those parts will leave your wallet plenty empty!

[bjbpe]

I am a somewhat different person to reply to your question. I purchased a 1987 928S4, 5 speed as a brand new automobile. My wife and I picked it up in Stutgart after ordering it in the states. It was our 25th wedding anniversary and, being skiers, we picked the car up in January 1987 and drove it down to Austria for a week of skiing, then returned it to Stutgart where it was then shipped to Connecteicut. I still have the car and do not drive it as much as I used to. However, until 1997 when I retired, my wife and I used it as an everyday automobile. When we moved to the mountains of Wyoming we brought the car with us but we no longer use it in the winter. This is not because it is a bad winter car. With the rear-mounted transmission it is a fairly good rear drive car but not equal to our GMC 4x4.

Yes, it is expensive to service. No, it does not leak, at all. It is certainly a standout in cowboy country. Timing belts are very, very important. Water pumps are not great but not terribly expensive to replace. I have found a lot of the ancillary things like switches to have a relatively short life. The major mechanicals (engine, transmission, etc.) are pretty much bulletproof and closer to aerospace quality than any other car that I have owned. The Porsche brakes are fantastic but the pads wear pretty fast and are incredibly dusty. I went to an aftermarket brand that I don't think performs quite as well but wears much longer with no dust. Over the years I have replaced a number of batteries, an alternator, a starter and an exhaust pipe. After almost twenty years of use the engine still does not use oil.

Am I happy with the car? Absolutely. At 70 years old, I'm still picking up speeding tickets and the highway patrol here in Wyoming is nuts. With this dark marine blue shark cruising down the interstate, their junior g-man ray guns go nuts.

[driven to thin air]

I got an 84 928 four years ago when I was in auto tech school. I had been checking the classifides of a large metropolitan newspaper daily for a month. One day I saw an add for a Porsche at a very good price. I did not know what a 928 was. I looked up the engine in the Mitchel Manuals. Sure enough, Porsche did make a water cooled V8. 264 HP and 270 lb/ft torque

I had never seen one before. It was guards red with black leather and in pristine condition.

I went to see it that very evening, test drove it, and kept thinking to myself, "this can't be happening to me!" I came back the next day with a check for ernest money. Several days later I drove out with my dad an a certified check for the ballance of the car. I have not regretted, for a second, buying it.

There are very few cars on the road it cannot pass.
Its torque/HP ratio is only now being rivaled by the 911 and 911 Turbo.

PS, Keep you Honda so that you have something to drive while you work on the 928.

[porsche man]

928s3 86 1/2 hell yah s body s4 engine all f---ing fun