touque

well after well over one year of my 1968 Porsche 912 being my daily driver here in Houston (i.e. HOT and HUMID and NO A/C), I decided that I needed another car as my daily driver. Instead of getting a Ford Focus or some other econo-box, I said to myself "self, why not get a car you want instead of just something cheap"... I could drive a used Porsche for the same price.

I figured I should look at an automatic since most of my driving is in crappy Houston commuter traffic and thought about the 944 for their price... I always lusted after a 928 (since Risky business) but thought they were out of my league price and maintenance-wise. After a lot of research and reading this BBS, I made the decision to not 'settle' for a 944 if I really wanted a 928 - why not get what you want, right?

So the search began - I said I would like a S4 but for my price an S would be more likely. I didn't even look at red cars because I don't like red. Well, I found the perfect car in Atlanta - guess what colour it was? Yup, Red... sometimes you can't pass up the right car.

Been loving driving the 928 on a daily basis for over a year now...

Bill Ball

Mid-life crisis, looking for a sports car. Wife demands it have 4 seats. What?? Poked around looking at a bunch of awful 4 seat sports cars. Never paid any attention to 928s previously. Not sure what got me looking in that directon. Maybe it was eBay. That's where I eventually got my 89. Started studying 928s. Spent 6 months looking around and finally scored the 89 1-owner, like new. Never had even been inside a 928 until the seller picked me up at the airport. After looking it over and handing him a cashier's check, I headed home on one of the most enjoyable 500 miles drives I had ever had. The rest is history.

bwebb77

Well, I always wanted a Ferrari 308 GTSi. Back in High School my dad and I went to Jackson to look at them at Ferrari South. When we got there and talked with the guys for a while we left and I told him the upkeep would be way too much. You have to know me but I have always been very grown up and responsible. Well anyway, I decided to get a new mustang covert. the first year ford brought them back in '83. Any-hoo, many years later I got back from Maui where I had been working and saving money and coming back from Baton Rouge we stop a Chevy dealer looking at cars. There sat my beauty, 86.5 Iris Blue, this was in '89. My father let me $10k and I put up the rest and she has been mine very since. The one thing I could not part with.

jserio

Always wanted one. Found my euro on ebay (cheap. Yeah right) smacked it up. Came across the green meanie from a fellow rennlister a year ago and 14k miles later, the euro now departed to new residence, 2 speeding tickets, and a **** load of smiles later I'm still a happy camper. Honest to god and from a 60+ car and motorcycle owner over the years guy, this is the first car I have ever owned that I was not even remotely ready for another car after only a few months. I think that need is filled for sometime to come. A great car and a great bunch of folks, Its all good. My wife was just sayin the other day that she was in shock because I haven't bought 5 cars in the year I have owned this one. I laughed.......

G Man

Wanted one since they first came out. Built a modle kit of one when I was about 16 and had it on the shelf in my room for years. Jump ahead 25 years and what do I see on a used car lot in my neighborhood? A used but not used up 81' 928. Ended up trading three other vehicles for the 928. A 56' Ford truck ( had potential ), a 55 chevy stepside truck ( a POS ), and a 91' Dodge mini-van with 230K on the odo. Drove that one for a couple years till I was alerted by Rixter about one on E-Bay. Ended up getting the 84S and now I have two. For now!

Brett Matthews

Motor head since forever. First car I bought, could barely afford it, was a $50 farmer's out-in-the-field '48 Chevy truck. That splash lubed engine failed, a month later. Sold the residue to some hotrodder, for $65, was able to add another $10 to that, and bought a '65 Ford Ranchero, that had a 289 V-8 in it, I was hooked on V-8's for life!

My father had bought the '56 356 A, when it and I were 7 years old, so I had some hands on with German engineering.
The 911 Targa's came out, and I fell in love with that brushed stainless band, I'd still like to own one of those, some year, but that desire has decreased considerably.....

Then I heard that Porsche was coming out with a V-8 powered car, WOW, a Porsche with a Porsche V-8? That had to be something special!!!! I rarely ever saw one, I can remember YEARS without seeing one!

Then, in '01, I was heading out to a motorcycle swap meet, saw an OB in a used car dealer's lot, and it was still there when I came back from the swap meet.
About three or four days go by, before I say to the wif, "There was a 928 over on High street. I've always wanted one."
She looks over at me, and dead pan sez, "Why don't you go look at it, and see if it's something you'd like to have?"
I looked REAL hard at her , for about two seconds, to see if she was joking, I didn't see any, and besides, I thought at myself, "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!!?!?!??!???!" And I was out the door, like a shot, what, you think I'm gonna let this chance slide by!????
But, that car was a big disappointment, lots of visible problems.

Funny thing though, the wif found an '87 in a new car dealer's lot, closer to us, a week later!
Managed to get a test ride, with the wif along. Short story; got the car up to @ 90 real quick on the freeway, took my foot off the pedal, and "coasted" into a cloverleaf, entered at @ 60 MPH, and the wif wasn't saying anything, just grabbing for ANYTHING she could grab onto, went through three "leafs" at about 55 MPH, and by the time I was through the third, she had quit grabbing, looked over at me, and said "NOW I know WHY you want one of these!!!!"

And she was beside me on the computer, looking at sharks for about another three months, before we found Rosy, in Florida, on ebay. And that trip home has been posted elsewhere!

Lance J

my 1st shark was and 83 euro which i purchase from a young lady with a rich dad. she was moving to hawaii (from socal) or something and could not take the car. i waited to the last day. and made my offer again 1.5k lol but i paid 6 times that to get it up to par. i sold the car last year and moved out to the west. so for my second car i purchase from a very nice guy. meaning he took care the shark (casue i dont care how he treats people lol) i had a third party check. he shut the door in my face. so i stayed over night in a hotel and cash the check in the am. showed up in the rain with cash in my hand. handed i rip the title and keys from his cold dead hands( wink wink his wife made him sell) and hauled the car back to AZ.

Ron_H

I was in high school in Hawaii and thinking I was pretty cool with a '55 Chebbie convertible when I met a guy who drove a Porsche Speedster. He invited me to come to the SCCA races where he taped his headlights and took off his muffler and ran his Speedster. I was hooked. My father wasn't and forbid any thought of a sports car. Later in school I got my first Porsche, a '61 super coupe. Since then I have owned that coupe, a '57 Speedster, a '60 parts car, a '66 911, a '70 911E, a '71 911E and a '70 914/6. I still have the 914/6.
It got hit while I was stopped at at light and smashed up badly in the rear. I was told by my surgeon that I would need to quit thinking about driving a stick shift because he was about to cut away on my injured knee and using a clutch after that was not acceptable.

I called my friend who was a Porsche dealer. He could drive any car on the lot he wanted. He had always driven either a 911S or a 911 Turbo. I asked him what he was driving. He said a 928. I snickered, since I had been one of those who thought there was only one form of Porsche and it didn't include a front engined large displacement V-8. He said not to laugh until I drove one. I went out to find one for sale and after the test drive I was hooked again and almost needed a plastic surgeon to smooth the wrinkles from the grin that had settled on my face. I had an automatic Rabbit so I was not in a rush for another P car. I looked for 3 years and finally found the '86.5 I have and am happy because the one I had originally tested was a 16 valve. When I tried the 32V I never got over the difference. I have driven 911 Turbos (early ones) and the power comes on like a sledge hammer all at once pinning you to the seat. You had better be pointed in the correct direction when it does. But the 928 has smooth torque from 2800 or so all the way up (just like other P car engines of any significance). And, for me, Porsches have never been about brute power. The most fun of any car I have ever owned in my life was a modified 1750cc "57 Speedster, which is not a 928. In that car, you will drive off and forget to watch the time or come back, literally grinning all the while.

I have lusted after a 993 for a long time, and missed my chance once when my same friend offered me a PCNA executive's C-4 for sale for $45,000. Shortly after that I had my accident so it would have been a waste. But recently I sat in a 993 and thought how much like a VW beetle it was. Not surprising since that is the basis for the design concept. Narrow and cramped inside unlike the 928 which has grown on me. I think my 993 lust is fading, though I still regard it as the high point in street P car design. The real tragedy is that the 928 did not undergo the same evolutionary development as the 901. For a lightweight Porsche I have the 914/6 which will get an electronically shifted transmission soon. But I will keep my 928 forever. It is, to me, the most deserving of the title "grand touring" of any car I have ever driven. If only I could figure out how to make it go in a straight line below 45 mph.......???!!!!! So I guess I'll need to keep it above 45 mph, eh??

Apoc

Some years ago I had a lot of fun, with a game, of all things, that introduced me to Porsche's, EA Games Porsche Unleashed. Using a steering wheel and brake pedals and manual shifter it was (and still is) one of the best driving games around, and it featured all the Porsche's from 356 to the Moby (but strangely enough not the 928, a touch of alternative Porsche owner snobbery I think) and they actually handled like Porsche's, each car had the unique charecteristics of the model. Since then I have admired all model Porsche's and thought if I ever a high performance sports car it would be one.

Fast forward four years and a friend purchased a low milage 1979 Japanese import that was originally bought in as a parts car and started fixing it up. I said then if he ever decided to sell it he should give me first refusal. Well the basic mechanicals got done, it was duly registered and roadworthy, but the interiour and exterior languished for months with shabby seats and trim and just undercoat on the body Well his circumstances changed and he asked me if I still wanted it, the answer was yes, under the condition that is brother, who was a motor trimmed, sorted the seats.

So I now have it, done the TB/WP bit, all front engine seals and radiator leaks, the motor is beautiful now, it has new tyres, rims need a polish though, just need the Torque tube, or maybe the torque convertor, looked at. Unfortunately the badges have ALL been removed. The 4 centre wheel badges, the bonnet badge and the engine badge. It's now Gunmetal Grey and the only thng that says Porsche from the outside now is the name on the back (oh yes, and the unique shape, hmm and acceleration, sound of the motor etc)

IcemanG17

Ever since my mom gave me my first 928, a grey phone, I have looked at a 928 everyday of my life! Of course I wanted one. The Ferrari 308, Lambo Countach and the 928....those were the cars I wanted. 911's are okay, but there just is too many of them around! Years go by, get married etc...still can't afford the 308 or countach (mostly due to insane maintence costs) plus the 308 doesn't perform nearly as well as the 928 and the countach breaks down twice as often as it runs.... A fellow co-worker & neighbor had a 78 928, so it started me thinking about them again. Do some research and the 928 is a performance bargin, with timeless style as a bonus! Start looking for the right car & find it last August! Great car, fastest I have ever owned (by far)....its got it all...power, handling, style, comfort + the sound.....nothing brings a smile to my face faster than BWAAAAAAAAHHH!!

Nick928SE

I've always loved the 928, and my first 928 came about by chance. A friend (which i had lost touch with, then found again) was selling his 4.5ltr for 1000GB Pounds. So i snapped it up ! 1 year later it was on the road and repainted Rivierra Blue (along with various other mods), total cost inc car, paint , wheels etc 2,000GB Pounds..... I loved it, and kept it for 4 years before i parted it out for spares( worth more)....
It was fuel for the fire and i ended up with 5 928's at one point ! But now i am very happy with the '91 S4 (Amethyst) and '88 SE (Black) that i have..... Though it hasn stopped me from Parting out the odd 928 along the way ! (i think i'm on number 15 or 16 now.... 928's owned , not stripped.)
Loved the cars enough to of brought them to Oz when i moved last year , (sold all the furniture in the process though !)

kshipp

My love of the 928 was immediate. In the early 80's, my parent's owned an Audi 5000S TD, and on occasion we would take it to the Porsche-Audi dealer for maintenance, etc. Each time we visited, guess what they had in the showroom?.....yep, the 928. On our first visit, I grabbed a poster of the 928 (back when dealers gave away free posters of cars). I hung the poster in my bedroom for several years. I remember the 'phone dials' and I think the color was either the light yellow or green. A few years later I purchased another 928 poster, this one was the red 928S from 1986. I still have that poster!

Anyway, my thoughts during the 80's were that someday I would own one.....preferably when I had plenty of money to afford one. Skip ahead to 2004 when I have job changes which require a 1-hour commute to work. At that time, my daily driver was a GMC Z-71 extended cab pickup. So, I look for a economical, daily driver........price the Hondas, price the Nissans, price the Toyotas....everything starts in the mid-20'$. Just for grins, I asked myself: "if I'm going to spent $20k+ on a new car that I kind-of like, why not get an older car that I really like??" So, where do I go first?.....ebay...search for: Porsche 928. I look for about a month, find one in Mississippi, was not taken care of, so I keep looking. Another two months pass and I find the one I'd been looking for and asked my father to fly down with me and inspect it. He's more of the mechanic than I. We both fell in love with it and drove it back from Florida. One month later, my father buys an '86 928S!
One drive is all it takes.

Marine Blue

Well my love for the P-Car began back in 1983 when my dad was buying an MB from a grey market importer of German cars. I remember the very day I laid my eyes on the absolutely most amazing P-Car I had ever seen. It was a Diamond Blue 935! I remember staring at the car and being completely distracted by it every time we visited the importer. Since then I have followed Porsche closely and have always wanted one. In 86 it was the 959, in 89 it was the Speedster...... The 928 was always one of the cars I loved but figured I'd never be able to afford.

15 years later I realized my first dream by purchasing a 92 500E which I lusted after since it's inception. It was my first Porsche built car! Had that for a couple of years and realized I really needed a 5spd as I missed it dearly. So I sold the 500E and started searching for a 993 (which I've wanted for years) after realizing they were within my reach. Well my first true P-Car dreams came to a screeching halt literally when my wife had an accident in her vehicle (everyone ok) and I lost a huge chunk of my budget for the 993.

Anyways I began searching for a car that would be a good replacement for the 500E and yet had a 5 or 6spd. I considered a S2000, Boxster, A3 or an older 930 or 911. I was depressed as I realized I was settling for these cars and none would be an adequate replacement for the 500E or 993. I started focusing on the 911 when I stumbled upon a low mileage 928 in NorCal which looked stunning and within my budget. A sparkle came to my eye immediately and my wife said...you found your car didn't you. That first night I couldn't sleep I was so excited. I spent the next 5 days researching everything about the car and getting less and less sleep. I was blown away with the support and following for this car and not to mention it's history. It was a perfect progression from the 500E with better balance, similar horsepower and lighter weight. I compared the car I found with every offering I could find in the US and decided I had to have it. Everything fell into place as if it were meant to be and I should have it within 10days via Intercity Liners!

Thanks again for everyones support and assistance.....first drive to follow!

macreel

Background: son's 1st car was a '79 Rabbit -peppy, agile, economic,
5-spd. I liked it. He and I 'bonded' a lot, on & under that beast.

After I retired I needed a little knock around town, gofer, run errands
vehicle. I didn't want to rack up miles on the Silverado p/u. The
neighbor behind us had an '80 Rabbit (auto.); wife could use it too.
Dead battery, so never got it started for a test drive. I moved on.

Later, near island getaway, for 3, 4 months I saw a '79 924 parked by
the roadside, "for sale". Finally I couldn't stand it and investigated, drove
her and low-balled an offer. Bingo, I was a Porsche owner. ('course,
under the skin, a lot of it looked like the [vw]Rabbit !). Fixed her
up some & went to the track, mit big-eyed sohn, where we saw
& heard 928s. Who knew Porsche had V8s? OK, I was ignorant. Know-
it-all sohn claims he knew but didn't tell me. HE was the Porsche nut.

So began a ~ 2 year search that ended at 928 Intl, which I called, "They
say maybe you can put me onto a 928". Mark says, "Well, it just happens...."
After the PPI, some service and horse-trading, we got a 1-way fare to
SoCal, did a test drive and paid Mark. Bingo, we were a 2-Porsche family.
(My 2003 Christmas present... & '04, '05, ....). Dream lines on these cars.

Sharktoberfest 2005 I pull into 928 Intl. Mark's standing there and asks "What,..
you want your money back?". "No way", I say, "Get away from my shark, you
dismantler, you. Keep Mr. Pichai on a short leash."( He's their organs-harvester,
you know) Smiles-to-the-miles, right? Bwwaaahhhh, ain't retirement grand ??

bigs

Back in '78-79, when I was a poor struggling Ob-Gyn resident at Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix, about the only thing my wife and I could afford to do for entertainment/dates was to get a burger and go look at cars. BMW and Porsche dealerships were our favorites.

One night, we walked into the Porsche dealership and there (I swear, surrounded by a glowing, pulsating aura) was the most amazingly gorgeous car I'd ever seen. You must remember, this was back in the days of creased square cars with fake landau roofs, fake "wire" wheels (hubcaps), fake continental kits on the trunk, and massive chrome bumpers.

I'm pretty sure Time Stood Still!

I think I ogled and fondled that thing for an hour or more. It immediately became my dream. Of course, I could not afford one for a few years, but when that time came...

However, like Ketchmi, I was a little disappointed in what I perceived as a lack of power/quickness in my brand new '84S. So I traded it for a 951 and had a couple of dalliances with those cars. (Wonderful cars in their own right.)

But I just couldn't get the 928 out of my mind. So, many years later, when I was also surprised to learn how reasonably priced they were, I went back to my first love.