csb5150

I have been lurking for a while. I am looking for a Porsche to be a weekend ride. My budget is limited and there will be no end to my wife's "I told you so"s if the car winds up in the shop constantly.

My question is: for the same money, which is a more durable car -- a 928 or 911 circa late 1980s or early 90s. I have a special affinity for the 928, but would like an honest opinion.

That said, does any know any reliable dealers and/or shops in South FL that I should visit in making a decision. Thanks.

RDS928S

The 911 is way more trouble free and much less expensive if you find a nice one vs. a 928 in the same condition.
I own a 78 911 SC and an early 86 928S. The SC is simple and trouble free. The 928 however requires a fair amount of attention and maintenance. The 928 parts are much more exspensive vs. the 911.
I love em both but the SC is cheap to own. The wife is always nervous when the 928 is in the shop due to the big repair bills.

RDS

DANdeMAN

OK...How can I put this!?
"GO FOR THE 928, YOU WILL HAVE THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE!!!"
Lets look at it from another perspective. You will be driving down the boulevard in your "reliable" run of the mill 911 (probably your choice of color will be Red or Red) and once in a blue moon you will see, what will seem to be an AMAZING looking machine pass by. Most likely, you will turn your head so fast to look at it that you will brake your neck in the prosses. Now that you will be dead, you will not have the time to say to your lovely wife : "Look at that beautyfull 928, this is the supercar that I really wanted but because I was afraid of your naging, I bought this status 911". Now this is wat I call a shame...

DANdeMAN

PS: I'm sure you know about the famous PPI thing. So find a real nice 928, get a PPI done, check the reciepts of what was done and needs to be done and do that, start the machine and go for the ride of your life EVERY weekend. You know you want it! The satisfaction you will get from driving this machine will outweigh any extra maintenace you will have to do. In any case, nothing is 100% reliable anyway but one thing I can say "Elation"(sp) is what I feel every time I drive mine. Just be sure you get a good one to start with...Good luck!

Bill Ball

"My budget is limited."

How handy are you with a wrench?

Daniel Dudley

Get a 911 from the 80s. If you get an SC it won't cost too much, and if you buy a mechanic reccomended 911 with a known history it will be a good car. I have 928s but I would not reccomend one to you, and I mean you. They are both excellent cars, but trust me and buy the 911. Your wife will thank you.

Daniel Dudley

I have to say that if I were on a limited budget I would go for a BMW 633 or 635csi, from 83 to 89. 5 to 6k will buy you a real nice one. You want 16 inch rims and 225/ 50 tires, but the car is simple to work on, fun to drive and bulletproof. It will take you yard saleing or barnstorming. YMMV

RDS928S

CSB5150

For the record ,those of us that have been involved in the PCA for many years and own both 911's and 928's- the 911 always will get more attention when cruising down the boulivard. It's just a fact of life. It's the holly grail for sports cars. Just like it's a fact of life the 928 may or may not start when you want to take your wife for a ride on that weekend cruise.
Try explaining to her why you could'nt take that vacation because the 928 repair bill ate the funds.
Listen to those of us with experience and own both cars. It's a real life lesson in finance.

RDS

dr bob

"Limited Budget" may be a problem. If you have a limited maintenance budget, go for a good used 911. They are easy to work on, and easy to find mechanics who can at least keep you going. A comparable-year 928 started out life as a much better/more capable car than its 911 brother, but the rarity of the car has limited the amount of maintenance/repair talent in the market. Same with parts specific to the car. Both are a little steeper and harder to find. As a consequence, a lot of cars fall into disrepair and/or have maintenance delayed or avoided. Used cars can be found cheap enough, and it's very tempting to buy one of these cars for fewer $$, thinking that you are saving. dr bob's "rule of four" applies to this thinking, where any repair or maintenance task will end up taking four times the resources you expected. So buy the best example you can afford, and plan on a first-year maintenance budget that's 4x proportional to the money you think you "saved". Early cars with age-related maladies can be the most challenging to own.

It's been a while since I owned a 911, almost 20 years. I did pretty much all the work on it from new, and it was ultra-reliable as a result. The same results can be had from these cars by finding one with that same kind of history. A car that's jhad regular care and service will give you great returns, provided you continue the tradition that got you there. If you don't plan on maintaining the car yourself, get some local references to a good mechanic in your area, and ask if he/she knows of a good customer car that might be available. That way, you'll have a good car, and a mechanic who's already familiar with it and its history.


Now to the fun part-- A 928 is an infinitely nicer car to arrive in than a 911. Reality is that anybody can (and does...) own 911 cars, and most common folks know that a red 70's car is better than a silver 90's model. As far as driving the cars, the 928 is very forgiving at the limit, something that will never be said for almost any pre-993 air-cooled car. The first time my wife drove the 928 on a road trip, she quickly spun it up well over 100 MPH without realizing it, and had to be gently coaxed back to subsonic speed before the radar devils got missile lock on us. No way would that happen in a 911, where the noise and road manners constantly remaind you that you are going fast. Many 911 drivers consider the 928 a pig becuase of heavy steering feel at low speeds, or lack of excitement at higher speeds. You have to ask yourself if you are looking for "excitement" at cruising speeds, cuz I certainly don't. Kinda like those commercials where they show the hairs standing up as a driver loops through a few curves-- Do I want to get my hair or my heart rate up, or do I want to rip through the corners effortlessly? What were they trying to sell me again??


Go out and drive both cars and let your gut make your decision. I love 911's, have owned a couple and maintained more. I love my 928, have owned and maintained just this one. I can afford either or both, and choose to drive the 928.


One guy's outlook!

RDS928S

Bob,

great comparison. Well said. You need to own,understand and drive both cars before any sain decision can be made.

IMO I usually get the VIP treatment when I arrive in the 911 vs. the 928. Although the 928 is more comfy.

RDS

DANdeMAN

HA! This is the question : "for the same money". Both car being in the same condition and same year, the 911 will most likely be near double the price of the 928. Yes, thats right same condition! So logicaly, you are geting twice the value with a 928. Oh... yes you will have switches that will need cleaning and timing belt to change every 5-6 years and many kids will not recognize it as a Porsche because its so rare and they have never seen one yet. Just go and test drive a GOOD example, not one that start 1 out of 2 weekend (that Shark needs attention) and come back here and give us your impression.

Personnaly, I don't care wich one you buy, I was just relating the joy I have when driving mine. If I had fallen on a "bad" example, my comment may have been different. So this is why I say, get a good example. So far, I've driven this one +/- 6k km in 7-8 weeks, thats Ottawa to Vancouver and back without mecanical work. I'd say that its quite reliable! I did not consider the 911 because the entry level is to high. Its a good thing to, I've got an 928 insted, best car I ever bought...BTW, I'm also on a limited budget. My yearly incom is so low, I'm ashame to say it. And if you are looking at a late 80 early 90 928, you budget is not that limited.

The BMW635 is not a good buy, it will rust and will use more fuel than the 928. The good thing about Porsches in general is that they practicaly don't rust so all your $$ can be used for maintenance insted of body work.

I disagree, on the boulevard, the 928 gets more attention than an 911. 911 are to common, to each is own, taste wise...Sure, if 10 911 from the local PCA come rumbling down the street, every body will look, with good reason to. I would not spit on a 911, they are nice cars, but no way near the 928 styling.

Last but not least. I see that your first post is in the 928 forum. This means that 928 is the car you want. Don't let that "dream" pass you by, I almost did and now that I have one, I can't see miself driving anything else. Remember, everything being equal, the 928 is way cheaper to buy than a 911. Maybe a rennlister in you area will take you for a ride... anyone!?

Having said that, good luck living with your choice.

DANdeMAN

RDS, I don't get it. This is your post in the 1 year thread..What do you think would happen to an 911 stored for 5 years in same condition? But still you love your 928...So you agree with me right; GET THE 928, IT'S A BLAST TO DRIVE.

RDS928S

Of course I love my 86S.
I am still glad I made the plunge. You have to be careful though-it will put you in the poor house quickly. It is blast to drive. For my commuter and every day driving I prefer the 928S for all its creature comforts.They are two different cars. The 911 cost me virtually nothing to own and the 928 cost a lot just to get it to a reliable state and then maintain it. Like I said after my purchase of a so called "mint" low mileage 928 I had to sink approx. 3-5k right off the bat to fix everything. That's not what the original poster of this thread wants to do.
928's are not for those who have limited funds and want the perfect hassle free weekend cruiser.

RDS

cobalt

First, you must decide what you want from the car. Both are great but each offers a different experience. The 911 is an awesome sports car and the 928 an awesome GT. Drive them both and decide which type of ride you are looking for. I think both are great and either should make you happy. Buy the best example you can afford and make sure that 25% of your budget is allocated for maintenance. These cars are older and if you don't feel comfortable working on the cars yourself maintenance costs are higher in general than your average auto. Make sure you have a PPI performed by a mechanic qualified in the specific model you are looking into. Both cars can be very reliable if they were properly maintained and cared for, both can be a nightmare of expenses if not.

Good Luck and happy shopping.

Sierra Shark

I owned a couple 911's before I got my first 928 in 84'. Always wanted a shark and never regretted getting one. They are fast, quite, comfortable and easy to drive a full limit. I just purchased a 993 Carrara 4 Cab from my brother in-law. And here's the difference. EVERYTHING. If you want a car that is fast and can hang the rear end out at top speed go 911. They are noisy, harsh, unpredictable, and a load of fun to drive (but on long trips they beat the crap out of you). They generally require much less maintenance and you can get them serviced far more places for less money. The 928 is smooth, fast, quite and requires alot of maintenance. It is not for the faint of wallet. That's why it's a true exotic. No way to compare the two. The 928 is technically off the scale compared to a 911. For the model years they were built only exotics like Farrari, Lambo and a couple of others even came close. If money is really the issue buy a good clean 911. If you can budget for the maintenance on the 928 buy one. It's truly one of the best sports cars ever built. Good luck with your choice and let us know what you decided.