dr bob

I think most 928 horror stories start off with someone who finds one languishing unused somewhere, barn or under a tree, cheap to buy, and only later finds out why it was languishing. So they get to solve that 'why', plus all the deferred and age-related damage it accumulated during that languishing period. The original purchase costs of the cars were multiples of Corvette costs, and justifiably so. Keep in mind then that the maintenance and any recovery costs will be based on that original purchase number, not on the bargain price for the languishing princess you found on Craigslist. Gathering all that into a coherent conclusion, you are shopping for the nicest and best-maintained example you can find. Now that the newest example is at least 25 years old, and the average age is past 35 now, you will find plenty of age-related things to keep your attention even with the major stuff already behind you. This is no different from the same vintage 911 cars, and in fact the build quality of the 928 puts the same period 911 cars to shame. But wires and connections and plastic pieces are victims of age discrimination regardless of the model numbers. The supply of replacement bits is proportional to production numbers against the 911 series cars, to keep some perspective.

If you don't have the capability or time or desire to bond with the car via your own tools, identify a local resource for services before you actually buy a car. Your location isn't indicated in your header, so no way to tell if you happen to be fashionably close to one of our known great members who hold the tools professionally. If you are comfy with the tools and the time, it's fairly common to hear of fellow members helping with projects when needed. When we lived above Los Angeles, I'd host Saturday clinic days when owners could take care of stuff on their cars with experienced guidance watching over their shoulders. I've made a few house calls here in the wilds of central Oregon, but so far no clinics. Smaller local audience I guess.

Owning the car: Mine did DD duty in the L.A. basin for about five years, split duty with a commuter car for a dozen years there, and sees summer-only pleasure driving here in snow country. The last few years have seen less than 5k total added to the meter, mostly because I was off somewhere on a consulting gig rather than home driving it. It still needs about $2.5k average annually in parts, tires and insurance to keep it in ready-to-go-to-Florida-and-back mechanical and cosmetic readiness. It will get a couple tires this year due to age, plus a new battery, some other time-related services like gearbox and brake fluid, and a timing belt and bits is due for the fall after driving season is done. These are needed even if the car doesn't come off of storage stands. It gets full service at least annually if the engine is started. Full bi-annual cooling system service happened just prior to hibernation last fall. Motor mounts and oil sump gasket the winter before. No languishing around here, even with the reduced miles driven. Driving it regularly wouldn't increase costs much, except for fuel and detailing.

It's wonderful car to own and drive and love. but it's not really suited to be an only car.

928 GT R

In all seriousness, if you are interested in a great 928 GT that is fully sorted so you can experience what these cars are like "as new", give some serious consideration to the the1989 black on black GT that is being auctioned on BAT. It is a spectacular example owned by a great enthusiast and restored by both the owner and Greg Brown.

Keep in touch with us if you are fortunate enough to buy the car. We are here for you...

crazy997

Very delayed reply, but I really appreciate all the responses to my questions here. I have to say I feel very welcomed by the 928 forum. I disappeared for awhile because the costs on my 911 SC rebuild went a bit...above my expectations (but well worth it)! And the recent global crises have also tempered my rush for another cash burning venture.

I do have dreams now of a 928 Weissach editiion, to match the color of my Hellbronze SC. Something about this era of car just feels right to me, and feels so great to drive. My 997 has been sitting in a garage untouched for the last month.

Shawn Stanford

^This. I am a complete moron when it comes to wrenching, and I've proved it several times very publicly on this forum. Still, the world's finest 928 mechanics put up with my shenanigans and give me good advice so I can keep my mistreated lump of a car on the road.

NoVector

FWIW, if you can find one with its luggage, the luggage alone is almost worth more than the car. https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...y-edition.html

Christopher Zach

Have to agree: The 928 community is every bit as good as the 914 community was when I owned one in 2000. You get great people dedicated to keeping the cars on the road and in good shape, meetups which are in the same spirit as the 914 rambles, and a lot of chat in the community forums.

Right now in COVID, the 928S is a highly practical car to own: With the average left lane speed on I95 in Maryland at 100mph the 928 truly shines as a solid, stable platform to drive.

chart928s4

^^Sounds like the start of another thread: Is the 928 the best car for a pandemic? A: Yes, of course it is.

I don't know much about 911s but my understanding is they're lighter/nimbler but also twitchier than the 928. The 928 is planted and solid at all times and seems to hunker down low when you go fast. So it is the perfect car for these hunkering down times

Jim M.

I owned two 928's that were daily drivers for a total of 20 years. In all that time I was stranded three times, awaiting parts. I also had a 2nd vehicle as back-up, however only needed them the three times already mentioned. If you keep up with the maintenance and take care of the little things before they become big things the 928 is a very reliable car. I also did several long trips with both 928's and never had a problem or a concern that it would get me home.
As you can see from my avatar, I'm no longer a 928 owner. But this group is so fantastic, I refuse to stop going to 928 events. It's not the cars, it's the people.

Shark2626

I've owned both from the period, in the period not decades later. An '84 911 Carrera Cabriolet and an "87 S4, the 911 was first. By far, the 911 is more fun to drive, especially in a convertible configuration. That particular 911 model was so bare bones compared to what is produced today and really is a true Porsche experience, can't imagine it being that far off from an old bathtub Speedster. And the sound of the engine and fan behind the head was so much fun. The S4 back in the late "80's represented a significant change: more powerful engine, much larger and sleeker modern design, tons of luxury, easier to drive everyday automatic, greater interior space and comfort (even a dead pedal to rest your non necessary left foot on!), rear seats, cruise control, trunk capacity, full carpet, an AC system that actually cooled the car in southern summers, it was just more of everything all the way around.

That automatic transmission was highly sought after, hence the reason that the vast majority of them came with it. And it may be a large part of why the TipTronic was invented and released on the next generation 911's.

Both cars had expensive mechanical issues from time to time, I had no significantly different experiences with either one; they are both Porsches, and that means the cost of maintenance and repair is more expensive than a Ford or a Chevy.

ETA The commentary about the car after he set the production car speed record of 171 mph in the new ‘87 S4 is dead on.

rjtw

I've had my 928 since 1987 -- 33 years!!! Although I used mine as a daily driver for the first few years, I soon switched it to the "fun weekend car and occasional fun trip to the office" role. It's given me decades of reliable service, and even more importantly, it's more of a joy now than ever to drive and always allows me to forget my worries and focus exclusively on the amazing driving experience. The car is fantastic -- quiet, stable, comfortable and planted -- at high speed, but it's actually quite a light car by today's standards and can really be tossed into corners. My favorite role for the car is still 50-100 mph or so carving up twisty back roads. I've never had any major problems with it, and very few minor ones. But I tend to stay on top of any issues that develop.

After decades of more or less just driving the car, I finally started a series of restoration projects that are nearing completion and are bringing the car pretty close to brand new driving condition, ready for another few decades: https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...oses-83-a.html

However, to answer your question: Would I use the 928 as a daily driver? NO WAY!!! To paraphrase a line from American Graffiti, that would be a "waste of fine machinery"! I value my 928 too much to expose it to the everyday grind, stone chips, door dings, sunshine and UV damage, and the other parade of horrible abuses that any daily driver experiences. And use as a daily driver tends to also mean that it's more difficult to pull out of daily use for needed service. Of course, it can be done and has been done, but I recommend a 928 only for a second or third (+) car for fun and hobby use! YMMV and good luck!

drwhosc

Brought one back form the dead. It was one of my more rewarding renovations. Car is doing well and has been reliable. was daily driving it while other cars were down. Have to learn how to work on them yourself. ai think that is a big part of owning one, and this forum is quite helpful. I can tell you, the knowledge here is vast, and people are very helpful. There are few groups out there like this one, So keep checking in if you go downtime rabbit hole.