kuwona

I'm getting closer to being ready to start shopping for a 928. I have gotten lots of advice from list members here, so I thought I would focus on this issue. It sounds like the maintenance on these guys is quite demanding, but I wonder if my potential 928 could be a good daily driver?

Sharker Image

The more you drive it, the less troubles you have!
Maintenance is not cheap, but you're not driving an Accord either.
Over 300,000 trouble free kilometers in 928's, but always done maintenance on schedule.
The cars are literally bullet proof if you take care of them.
Beware of buying a POS though, rather pay a little more upfront and get a good car.

morganabowen

My previous 928 was a 1982, that I restored from top to bottom. It was my daily driver, and I credit my mechanic for constantly checking and performing preventative maintenance. In the two and a half years that it was my daily driver, I put 45K miles on it, and only once did it leave me in the street. It was the fuel pump . IMO if you take care of your shark, your shark will take care of you .

Ferris B

I don't use mine as a daily driver, but I know one person who does and he doesn't seem to have too many major issues. Biggest factor: when something does break, it isn't like paying to fix a Toyota or a Ford.

Good luck in your search. Be picky, get a PPI, buy from someone you know if possible.

Specifically, what are you looking for? MY? Auto/5sp?

SharkSkin

Daily driver here... No breakdowns in the 6 months I've been doing so, but I've been through everything that needed attention. Everything that I am aware of, anyway.

Ed Taylor

In the last 3 1/2 yrs only almost stranded once. MAF failure. While I understand the weekend toy thing, I for one enjoy driving it as often as possible.
Bye the way, this month mine turns 18. Built 11/86.
Hope to celebrate later.

Chappy

Mine's a daily driver too. Weather permitting. I try to keep it out of the rain, and always out of the snow!! I love it. Its no show car, but it sure is a blast to drive. And I enjoy fixing the minor problems as well. No better way to get to know your car. It's never left me stranded, but as others say, I try to keep up with the maintenance. It's getting close to time fro the snow to fly here, so it will be in storage soon. Gotta drive it as much as possible til then. Unfortunately come spring I've got to put it up for sale. My oldest son is headed for college and the extra cash will help. But someday, once I get past the college thing, I hope to be able to buy another shark. Good luck with your search. Have fun!!!!!!!

Airflite40

I plan on using mine everyday once I'm done. I guess I should put daily driver then?

Jim bailey - 928 International

It is probably a far better daily driver than most 10-26 year old cars. But then again few people would consider driving a 1978 Pinto every day ...........

blau928

Daily Driver in the past 2 years, (but owned the car for more..).. Put more than 70,000 miles in the 2-2.5 years. Maintenance kept up reasonably well IMHO. Got stuck once with the fuel pump, and just Saturday I got stuck due to something related to the cam belt. The tensioner light came on on the freeway, so I pulled off, and shut it down to avoid buying a new engine tomorrow.. Can't get to it until the weekend due to work/business...

Anyway, the car has 230,000+ miles, has been to the track several times, and is usually driven daily. I have found that as long as you keep it up, it just keeps running. When something breaks, it is not cheap, but then again, I am not driving a ford or chevy where parts can be found on every corner for litle money. Considering how much I enjoy driving this car, it's relatively inexpensive to run for what it is...

As far as GT cars go, try putting 230,000 miles on a Ferrari 456 GT and see what the bills add up to... A similar car may be a Mercedes 500 Sl (Post '91), but the maintenance cost is about the same.. A BMW 850 would be the same IMHO as well... A freind of mine with the 456 mentioned above complains all the time that the electrics don't work, and Ferrari hoses him all the time for puny stuff... He prefers driving his 275 GTB 4 Cam. It also has over 200,000 miles like my 928, and we joke about it all the time... I am also fond of the Aston Martin Virage Vantage (95-00)... This was a bi-compressor, twin screw model available in europe with 550 or 600 hp. I have no idea what the running costs are, but I can only imagine as it's an Aston....

Ok, so if you want an enjoyable car to drive that will reward you and deliver excellent performance even by today's standard, then get a 928, and get the best maintained one you can find along with a mechanic that truly knows the car for those times that you need work done to it. If you want a reliable utilitarian vehicle for transportation purposes, then Toyota makes millions of them....

My $0.02, Now let's see what the week end brings... New Engine or Reset the timing and cam belt and put another 50k miles before rebuilding with a 6.0Liter... Hmmmmm..

Good Luck,

jorj7

I use to drive it multiple times a week. Then I put in the roll bar and I
limited the driving to weekends. Now with the supercharger, lowered
ride height, and other mods for ORR, I drive it a lot less. It's now an
ongoing project to go faster, just not driven as often. It's kind'a fustrating
driving a car that can go over 180 mph and be stuck in bumper to bumper
traffic...

Peter Thompson

My '88 S4 is a daily driver, and I *think* I've gotten the bugs out of it. Haven't been stranded (yet), but I did have to get the torque tube replaced and the steering rack replaced. Some repairs can be quite pricey, but the cost is easily driven down if you do a lot of the work yourself. If you are serious about getting a 928, get the manuals (on CD) (search the archives) - they will help a lot. Oh, and don't worry about asking "stupid questions" on this list...just be sure to search the archives before asking.

Cheers,
Peter

PorKen

If you have some basic mechanical skills and time, the costs can be managed much better.

Realistically, having a second vehicle (another 928! ), really helps take the pressure off of owning a supercar, especially if driven daily.

I dislike driving any other car, and will drive my 928 at any opportunity.

Ron_H

My daily driver was my VW Rabbit. I have another Porsche which I was told not to drive after knee surgery, but will be rebuilt with a tiptronic so I can drive it. I got the 928 for that reason: knee needed to heal and the Rabbit is best in town. Problem is that I keep driving the 928. It is so much more comfortable I combine grocery getting with a trip through the back roads and say I need to use the 928 !!! It sucks gas in town, or rather my right foot gets spastic sometimes, but so what? The Rabbit sits there saying when can I go for a drive. I really got the 928 to use on trips to the city on the freeway, and to use on the open road. But it swallows up all my camping equipment and then some and is just too much fun to stop driving it. And the air works which is a plus around here. 150,000 miles on it so far. A lot of preventative maintenance was put into it when I got it and it will probably go another 100,000 miles now. The biggest problem: it is happiest above 80 mph. Second biggest problem: everyone wants to race. Sheesh!! Hard to keep from getting sucked into that just to embarass them. Got to keep a grip.

Having had several models of P cars, it seems to me that the point about 928s being more reliable and less costly high performance machines relative to other makes is true. But all P cars seem to have that trait. My 356s were better and less costly than other junk around at the time. My 911s were the same way: great performance AND practicality AND reliability for the cost. The 928 delivers even greater performance AND comfort (more than 911s) for relatively less cost. Only one problem: if a Peterbuilt hit it tomorrow, I would not get out of it the amount I have invested. But would you get your investment out of your Ferrari under the same circumstances? And do you care?? Take your 928 to Nevada for a few days and you won't care. You will be one of the fortunate few who have experienced what makes a true Grand Touring car after the second hour. Your only regret will be that the sun sets and you must park it for the night.....but you'll be up at dawn to do it all again. Oh yeah, don't forget to invest in a V1, 'cause you'll need it.

Parnelli Joneser

I drive a work truck to and fro and so I don't "commute" in the conventional sense, otherwise I would drive mine everyday. Like it's already been said, I firmly agree with the idea that the more you run it the better it runs. That applies to most machines really, except Italian ones maybe.