Bill51sdr

The oil change on a 928 would be the least of your worries... it's a piece of cake! The easiest of any car I've ever owned. The filter is right next to the drainplug on the pan. Only minor bitch is removing the undertray on the S4's to get at the pan.

Bill Ball

Vader:

You're not a novice...you probably know more than half of the 928 owners out there now that you've discovered Rennlist.

Jim bailey - 928 International

Vader..."Recently I have been on my quest to find my dream car" ...... Just remember it is similar to trying to find the dream wife..... once the honeymoon is over you have to deal with the realities of life. If you MUST drive it everyday and must pay others to work on it (and possibly fix it) driving a 15 to 20 year old sports car will often quickly become a nightmare. If you want an automotive hobby have the space ,tools ,time and inclination to tear into your dream car the 928 can be quite entertaining. You can spend countless hours trying to resolve a NO START situation. I have for many years maintained that annual repairs probably average between $2,500 and $3,500 per year for cars driven everyday with shop repairs. I also commonly see new owners spend several thousand dollars trying to catch up on deferred repairs and of course the obigatory new wheels and tires !! (it is much like buying the diamond engagement ring it is a public statement of "love" ! ) Make no mistake I really do like the 928 but I have seen MILLIONS of dollars in parts leave here on the UPS truck. So if you have doubts about your ability to afford paying for repairs this is not the right time for you to buy your dream car.

ROG100

Jason,
Emailed you pictures of the 89 at the weekend as well as the complete service history - I trust you received them?
Best,
Roger

GlenL

As a married owner I often envy the dating leasers.

T_MaX

I second what Jim said and add, "if you have to ask the price..." not trying to be a sob, but it really does apply. The best thing to do is wait untill your just a little better off dollar wise, it will make ownership so much sweeter.

jheis

Jason:

My first recommendation is to take yourself down to your local J.C. or Community College and sign up for an auto shop course. Basics are basics, no matter what you're working on.

Second, if you don't have tools, head over to Sears and buy the most comprehensive set of Craftsman metric tools you can afford (it's much cheaper to buy tools by the set rather than buying them individually), along with a good floor jack and a pair or two of jack stands.

Third, have a pre-purchase inspection done on any car you are considering - unless you are mechanically savvy enough to assess the car's condition yourself (and unless you know these cars inside and out - believe me - you're not).

Fourth, if you do buy a 928, the workshop manuals are absolutely essential. They are expensive, but will pay for themselves the first time you use them.

I was taught auto mechanics by a 1959 Triumph TR3. Not that it was a bad car, to the contrary, it was just your basic worn out British sports car. I was a starving student and it probably had 300,000 miles on it when I bought it for $400. I took some auto shop courses and, out of neccessity (NO money), kept it together with bailing wire and chewing gum. Drove the car for 7 years, and it got me through college and grad school. I eventually did a backyard restoration, did a half assed engine rebuild, painted it myself, and sold it for $4,500 some twenty five years ago.

I've owned my 928 for over 10 years now and I've maintained it myself. The only time it's been in the shop has been for alignments - and I'm an attorney! With the workshop manuals, a good set of tools, a modicum of mechanical aptitude, and the help of the good people on this forum, anyone who is not afraid to dive into things and get their hands dirty can do most of the maintenance on these cars.

That said, if you buy the wrong car and have not budgeted for the "deferred maintenance" you can get upside down financially in a big hurry. Parts are expensive and I've been told that our local Porsche dealer is now charging over $150.00/hr for labor.

Bang for the buck, however, there is NOTHING that comes close to a 928.

As always, YMMV.

James

jserio

Jason, A few weeks ago my 18 yrs old S4 just turned 200k miles. A few days later I was somewhere between 120 and 130 mph and she was looking for more. If you get a good one your golden. That does not mean your bullet proof. Figure you spend 17 - 18k on a new Honda. Yeah, good cars without a doubt. No identity, no character, near no performance, etc. etc. Now figure you get a 928 (which ever yr) for like 10k that has good service history or even great recent history. If you change the fluid yourself that leave 7 - 8K that can be tucked away for the periodicals. What will you have? You will have mucho character, Mucho mondo performance, And the identity will be all you. Dude, It's a no brainer in my book.

Vader

Roger I did receive the photos of your shark. Very nice. Unforntunately, I am able to receive emails but not send any. Working on that right now. Anyway thanks again. I will PM you later.

Thanks for everyone who responded. I really do appreciate everyones input on this. I will keep you posted.

Respectfully,
Jason

chaadster

Well, everyone here was in your position, and they bought!

To be serious though, if you're buying the car as your second car--a for fun car-- then heed the purchasing advice and go for it! The cars are great, and being part of this community is really cool, too.

However, if this will be your only car, think hard. Consider that while all cars-- yes, even new & leased ones-- break and will wind up in need of service, the 928 may/perhaps/might break more often and with a higher bill. Can you afford to get a more expensive car into the shop more often?

Believe me, there are a lot of people out there who resent their miserable lives and try to bring down others who, as Ron H pointed out, enjoy living. It seems petty, but the car you drive is not exempt from the hating. Folks told me that I was crazy to drive an '86 Audi 5000 CS Turbo Quattro, but it was a great car for years, right up to the accidental end, and one of the most fantastic drives I've had. Loved it, I did. Pain in the *** money pit as predicted by the haters? Nope. So far (keeping fingers crossed here) the 928 has been no different.

Follow your dreams, man. A car is just a machine; if it breaks beyond your means, get rid of it, and chalk up the loss. It's not as though it's a limb.

So it's really a philosophical decision, isn't it? How do you want to live your life? God, people act as though buying a particular car is like putting your life on the line. I say let them stare in awe! And keep right!

Pfunde

Hi Jason

Do it, I've had mine for 16 years - best thing I've ever done. And as everybody on this site, I totally agree, - find a well kept 928, and you won't get into real problems, as long as you treat it like it should. Off course it's an old car - however very well constructet. When I drive my BMW it's nice,quiet,soft......but not really....you know. But when you turn the key on 928....try it.

Biscuits

Vader, I think I'm the newest member to the 928 family amoung these guys . I got my 1985 928S
about a month ago and like you have very little experince under a car hood. I am lucky to have a brother-in -law who also has a 928, however; at this point I there no way I could ever be without it.
After driving this car for mearly a month, It has been nothing but joy. I would not only recomend that you buy one but would have to insist. There is no other feeling quite like driving this car.The looks that you get as the engine rumbles at a red light or as you pull in for gas is truley priceless. I
think that buying this car hase been a great thing for me and I think you may probably think the same.

Good luck in your decision,

Biscuits

Fogey1

Matt at Targa Porsche Workshop is a good man for a PPI. He works on all Porsches but has 928's of his own.

Daniel Dudley

My first 928 was an 80 that I bought on ebay. I was making money with a new buisiness and paid mechanics to "fix" it. DO NOT EVER BUY A 928 WITHOUT DRIVING IT AND HAVING IT INSPECTED BY AN EXPERT. Find a reputable mechanic who knows these cars. Get a subscription to Excellence and read it. If you don't know what you are doing, paying for a good well maintained car is the only way to go. These cars sell cheap and are expensive to maintain, so the temptation is to keep driving them until they need thousands and thousands of dollars worth of work and then flog them off to some unsuspecting honest fellow like yourself, who will think "Well I'll just bite the bullet and spend that 5K." But that will just be the begining. And the wrong mechanic is worse than none at all. Don't get me wrong. I love these cars. I only wish I had taken the time to get a good one that was well maintained from the begining, These are not cars to restore as a novice mechanic, anymore than you would try to adjust the carbs on a ferrari. An early 80 to 85 with a good engine and transmission a new timing belt and good electrics can run reliably for over 200K and be cheap to run. A bad one will be like a beautiful girlfriend who is great in bed but makes you suffer for it. Pick carefully, and if she's not THE ONE, sell her to someone who needs that experience. Good luck. PS. There is a reason we are called addicts. Once you have the experience, nothing else comes close. I have driven a LOT of porsches. The 928 is my favorite.