When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I have to say that this has become quite the discussion... But since it is 9/28 day I bought another one..
So here's an actual data point from today, 9/28/2022:
A 1987 928 S4, 5-Speed, with limited slip and only 6,031 original, one owner, documented miles in what appeared to be Cassis but the build sheet shows to be Amethyst Pearl Metallic was bought sight unseen for $45,000. This, in a private sale with the car being in the pre-market - preparing for sale after dealer services were brought current - condition. The car was originally purchased in Texas and the same Porsche certified mechanic has been servicing the car every two years since 2006. Full intake, timing, water pump, tensioner, tires, brakes, etc service was completed 4 years ago. GB will be asking of the heads were done and that answer is no. Coolant changes have been by the book at the dealer, and there is no evidence of a problem so that will give us another data point if /when the gaskets ever fail (or I do/or have a pre-emptive servicing performed). On paper and via a thorough walk around on FaceTime, this car is gem quality
I requested the the car not be detailed as I want to do that myself in order that the incredible original paint is preserved. Even though the car has always been covered in a garage there is a bit of dust on it. It arrives on Monday, the 3rd of October.
All of the goodies in the spare tire/battery area are complete. The odometer works! Luggage cover, belts with tags, tire changing bag, compressor etc. are present as are stamped service manuals and a folder of receipts.
I'm not 100% sure it was a great deal until it's in my hands, but I think that over the time I own it, it will be fun to own, and in time, it will be a reasonably good investment.
Given my b-day of September 28th and enduring enthusiasm for the 928, I look forward to being a good steward of the car.
Congrats Dave, gorgeous example and market correct!
As to the topic under discussion or at least one of them ), the 928 market will soften, but hold steady. No more big jumps, but it will not fall of the cliff for now - this applies to the good ones only though. The lesser kept examples will languish, and drop off markedly, I think.
The other significant issue is long term - with EV's becoming the norm and mandated in the future, I think the 928 market will be decimated, except for the collector grade cars only. This is inevitable. The 928 has only recently become a desirable car for enthusiasts, and that is partly due to the crest (Porsche brand) and to the segment of the population that grew up in the 80's and now having capital to buy them and fix them up. But sadly, and I think wrongly, our cars were never "pinnacle" collector cars. They should have been - they made a lot less of them than Mustangs, Corvettes, and 911's (for example), and these other models all sell strong and always have. Also, it was initially recognized as a groundbreaker, and beautiful, as evidenced by the COTY status in 1978. Those things should have resulted in strong following from the beginning and strong classic sales at some point, but never did. Indeed, it has only been recently that the SCM rating moved certain 928's from a D rating (the lowest) to a C, and that was only for the GTS and GT. So once EV's fully come on, the 928 like so many other old cars will essentially disappear and values will plummet.
The upshot - buy to enjoy. Make them good and drive them. Don't buy one to hold, unless it is a top tier example (Dave - you have some pretty special ones). The exception is for guys like Alex or Drooman, who have important and significant collections.
I have to say that this has become quite the discussion... But since it is 9/28 day I bought another one..
So here's an actual data point from today, 9/28/2022:
A 1987 928 S4, 5-Speed, with limited slip and only 6,031 original, one owner, documented miles in what appeared to be Cassis but the build sheet shows to be Amethyst Pearl Metallic was bought sight unseen for $45,000. This, in a private sale with the car being in the pre-market - preparing for sale after dealer services were brought current - condition. The car was originally purchased in Texas and the same Porsche certified mechanic has been servicing the car every two years since 2006. Full intake, timing, water pump, tensioner, tires, brakes, etc service was completed 4 years ago. GB will be asking of the heads were done and that answer is no. Coolant changes have been by the book at the dealer, and there is no evidence of a problem so that will give us another data point if /when the gaskets ever fail (or I do/or have a pre-emptive servicing performed). On paper and via a thorough walk around on FaceTime, this car is gem quality
I requested the the car not be detailed as I want to do that myself in order that the incredible original paint is preserved. Even though the car has always been covered in a garage there is a bit of dust on it. It arrives on Monday, the 3rd of October.
All of the goodies in the spare tire/battery area are complete. The odometer works! Luggage cover, belts with tags, tire changing bag, compressor etc. are present as are stamped service manuals and a folder of receipts.
I'm not 100% sure it was a great deal until it's in my hands, but I think that over the time I own it, it will be fun to own, and in time, it will be a reasonably good investment.
Given my b-day of September 28th and enduring enthusiasm for the 928, I look forward to being a good steward of the car.
What say the experts?
An original 6K-mile S4 5-speed with up to date maintenance for $45K?? Sounds like a pretty amazing deal to me...
Indeed, it has only been recently that the SCM rating moved certain 928's from a D rating (the lowest) to a C, and that was only for the GTS and GT. So once EV's fully come on, the 928 like so many other old cars will essentially disappear and values will plummet.
I'm not so certain in the future of EVs becoming mandated and wholly embraced. Local and state governments will see a growth opportunity in being less restrictive, and attracting people who don't own and don't want EVs, and most certainly don't want to be told they have to buy/drive an EV. Basic game theory type of stuff...
That said, I don't put much stock into what the automotive journalists have to say about valuations and the like, especially when they probably don't follow the market as closely as we do, and most certainly aren't as familiar with the cars as we are. Famous chef Marco Pierre White once opined about being judged by the Michelin committee "Once you accept you are being judged by people who have less knowledge than yourself, then what's it worth?" I think it's relevant to how many of the talking heads dismiss the 928 as undesirable, or broadly less desirable than all air-cooled cars, etc. It's a platitudinous argument that is proving to be untrue...
Last edited by Range Rover; 09-28-2022 at 08:12 AM.
I have to say that this has become quite the discussion... But since it is 9/28 day I bought another one..
So here's an actual data point from today, 9/28/2022:
A 1987 928 S4, 5-Speed, with limited slip and only 6,031 original, one owner, documented miles in what appeared to be Cassis but the build sheet shows to be Amethyst Pearl Metallic was bought sight unseen for $45,000. This, in a private sale with the car being in the pre-market - preparing for sale after dealer services were brought current - condition. The car was originally purchased in Texas and the same Porsche certified mechanic has been servicing the car every two years since 2006. Full intake, timing, water pump, tensioner, tires, brakes, etc service was completed 4 years ago. GB will be asking of the heads were done and that answer is no. Coolant changes have been by the book at the dealer, and there is no evidence of a problem so that will give us another data point if /when the gaskets ever fail (or I do/or have a pre-emptive servicing performed). On paper and via a thorough walk around on FaceTime, this car is gem quality
I requested the the car not be detailed as I want to do that myself in order that the incredible original paint is preserved. Even though the car has always been covered in a garage there is a bit of dust on it. It arrives on Monday, the 3rd of October.
All of the goodies in the spare tire/battery area are complete. The odometer works! Luggage cover, belts with tags, tire changing bag, compressor etc. are present as are stamped service manuals and a folder of receipts.
I'm not 100% sure it was a great deal until it's in my hands, but I think that over the time I own it, it will be fun to own, and in time, it will be a reasonably good investment.
Given my b-day of September 28th and enduring enthusiasm for the 928, I look forward to being a good steward of the car.
What say the experts?
Wow that is stunning although it sure looks like Cassis to me. Amethyst is a much different color. When I think of Amethyst I think of this.
BTW I was laughed at years ago when I said the 3.6T will be a half million dollar car. Hopefully I am right about the nice 928's that still exist. Although I always expected the GTS and other special Porsche's to exceed the value of the 964 C2 which seems to be lagging behind except for one.
FYI a few years ago a friend asked me about a similar car being sold in blue metallic with 5k miles and weather or not he should buy it. When he told me the price of $5k I told him I would take it but he purchased it instead.
drive it in good health what a beauty. Happy B-day
I think the 928s are on the rise in general. I feel the cost of parts is on par with 911 parts. I can't speak to reliability as I only drove my 928 1 time last weekend and that was a short distance. I look forward to finishing sorting it out and putting some miles on it next spring. The 911s and 914-6s that I have owned were very reliable so I anticipate the 928 to be the same as I have replaced all the big ticket items that are suggested. The 928 from a production standpoint are very rare per model year which will help value in the not to distant future. 911s averaged about 9000 units a year from the 60s to late 90s and correct me if I am wrong the 928s were about 1/3 of that per model year average. You then look at what 50-75% of those still road worthy? That number becomes very small.
I did notice the headroom does suck in the 928 and no the Auto is not impressive from a stand still it screams out European style, high speed cruiser, and just plain sexy car.
I struggle with keeping or selling mine once finished as I always wanted one but only have so much room.
I love 928s, but I think there are things not to like if you are expecting a certain level of comfort and a feeling of being in a performance car:
-The stock steering to too heavy on most cars. Uncomfortable for many.
-The cabin has a lot of horizontal glass, the heat comes back from the motor, and they have only moderately effective AC. Too damn hot in many climates.
-Many of the automatic cars feel slow and heavy coming away from a stop, just because the way the auto shifts.
-Less head room than most cars.
-The doors are so long that it can be hard to find a parking space wide enough to open the door enough to make getting in and out comfortable.
-Everything but a GTS is pretty loud inside.
That's probably enough for most drivers, who have little appetite for discomfort of any sort. Some of them can be addressed. None of them have much impact on collectors, I suppose.
Ugh not the automatic vs 5 speed false narrative again. Properly set up automatics and light OB cars are very torquey and dont feel slow and heavy coming away from a stop. Certainly not the case with my car. Also with sunroof delete and power seat in my car there is no lack of head room and compares very well with modern cars. Cabin noise? Or engine loudness? Or road noise? Which are you referring to? Has anyone used a SPL meter to compare? Are you sure you aren't comparing different exhaust systems in early, mid and late model cars?
I think the 928s are on the rise in general. I feel the cost of parts is on par with 911 parts. I can't speak to reliability as I only drove my 928 1 time last weekend and that was a short distance. I look forward to finishing sorting it out and putting some miles on it next spring. The 911s and 914-6s that I have owned were very reliable so I anticipate the 928 to be the same as I have replaced all the big ticket items that are suggested. The 928 from a production standpoint are very rare per model year which will help value in the not to distant future. 911s averaged about 9000 units a year from the 60s to late 90s and correct me if I am wrong the 928s were about 1/3 of that per model year average. You then look at what 50-75% of those still road worthy? That number becomes very small.
I did notice the headroom does suck in the 928 and no the Auto is not impressive from a stand still it screams out European style, high speed cruiser, and just plain sexy car.
I struggle with keeping or selling mine once finished as I always wanted one but only have so much room.
Your 911 production info is a bit skewed and you have to separate the cabs, targas and coupes as they all are different markets. One thing the 928 is lacking. By the 90's production of the 911 dropped to very small numbers just like the 928. In the US they only produced 5100 +/- coupes form from 89 to 94. This included all C2 both manual and tiptronic and C4 AWD models which all appeal to different buyers. So very few made and very few remaining. Cabs were a little more and only 1033 targas for the entire US production of the 964. Interestingly production was relatively strong from 89-91 and fell like a rock by 92. Ironically Porsche fixed all the issues with the 964 by 92 but sales dropped into the low hundreds and even double digits for the regular coupes and targas. In general sales for Porsche were dismally bad from 1992 through 1994. I don't think they could have survived if they didn't introduce the boxster. The world was ready for a fresh concept and it appealed to the average buyer.
Like all these cars they were all fantastic but had some bad owners. If you are lucky enough to find a well maintained Porsche from that era they all seem to be quite reliable. Far too much internet lore floating around.
But sadly, and I think wrongly, our cars were never "pinnacle" collector cars. They should have been - they made a lot less of them than Mustangs, Corvettes, and 911's (for example), and these other models all sell strong and always have. Also, it was initially recognized as a groundbreaker, and beautiful, as evidenced by the COTY status in 1978. Those things should have resulted in strong following from the beginning and strong classic sales at some point, but never did.
In the simplest terms it is because of the 911 being the halo car for Porsche. When somebody thinks Porsche they think of the 911. It is definitely annoying at times, especially when everything in the Porsche range is compared to the 911 with a magnifying glass. The way it feels like to me is that there was never any room and breathing space for different models to fully be appreciated by 'most' people.
For what it might be worth though, I love just about every unloved model across many marques. Most of them are grand tourers too! They are just my kind of car.
I think more than the 911 being the halo car it is more that they can relate to the 911 as it is a current model. Many people have never seen a 928 It has been out of production for over 32 years and when I pull up to the dealership my son works at I get the is this a new model question LOL. I had a customer of theirs tell me he was collecting every RS ever made. When I asked him if he found a 73RS he looked at me like what is that. Most new buyers are new to the marque and only know water cooled 911's on up.
The other significant issue is long term - with EV's becoming the norm and mandated in the future, I think the 928 market will be decimated, except for the collector grade cars only. So once EV's fully come on, the 928 like so many other old cars will essentially disappear and values will plummet.
Originally Posted by Range Rover
I'm not so certain in the future of EVs becoming mandated and wholly embraced. Local and state governments will see a growth opportunity in being less restrictive, and attracting people who don't own and don't want EVs, and most certainly don't want to be told they have to buy/drive an EV. Basic game theory type of stuff...
EV's have their place as appliances. They will take over the transportation aspect of car ownership but not the FUN part. Mandates?? like the jab? Mandates only come from the commie left and they are getting the boot as people wake up. See Italy where Ferrari just introduced their SUV with a V12!
I agree with the video just posted, good 928's will continue to go up in value. BUT if this is the main source of 928 info many here need to change their tune. Drop the BS about you are 10K away from a 5K car. What is that? Why would anyone buy a car that they thought so little of? Remember the recent engine rebuild thread, it would be helpful if a reasonable service like that existed to keep these cars viable.
Ugh not the automatic vs 5 speed false narrative again. Properly set up automatics and light OB cars are very torquey and dont feel slow and heavy coming away from a stop. Certainly not the case with my car. Also with sunroof delete and power seat in my car there is no lack of head room and compares very well with modern cars. Cabin noise? Or engine loudness? Or road noise? Which are you referring to? Has anyone used a SPL meter to compare? Are you sure you aren't comparing different exhaust systems in early, mid and late model cars?
That is actually one of the best video's I have seen on the 928. They hit all the points especially the gearing and model variations. The SWISS auto A28.06 is what should have been in every 928 auto. Best gearbox they made. Owning one skews my view of 928's since it is so good. Until you have ridden in such a car you really don't know how good 928's can be.
Rob posted in the spec thread that > "There are 1001 1986 ROW M28.22 '86 Euro S automatics"<
That is where collectors should be looking for low mileage swiss auto versions. After those it is the GT's, SE's and then the GTS. That's my thought on what is desirable.
The Swiss got the A28.06/A28.09 in '85-86 auto because their lower compression twin dizzy motors were down 35 hp (275 vs 310 hp) vs the other market's M28.21/22s. They needed the shorter (2.53:1) final drive ratio vs. everyone else's A28.05 (2.35:1). But I agree, the shorter gearing helps the automatics.
09-27-2022, 06:25 PM
), the 928 market will soften, but hold steady. No more big jumps, but it will not fall of the cliff for now - this applies to the good ones only though. The lesser kept examples will languish, and drop off markedly, I think. 
