dcmelik

There's a nice guy in our local PCA region who always takes the opportunity to describe 928s as overly "complex." I've given up trying to educate him. But here's an example of why things are always relative.

I just finished refitting a repaired alternator on my 01 5sp Box. This job was ten times harder than the t-belt replacement in my 928. Moreover, when people criticize the 928's rubberized timing belt (mostly that guy from Sports Car Market Magazine), they invariably say that its failure can cause catastrophic failure. Hello-- the serpentine belt in the Box and the 996 run the water pump.

Anyway, the alternator went in through the access panel in the passenger compartment and I had to remove a coolant hose to do it. Others who own 986s swear, however, that it is unnecessary to do that. The alt sits on top of the flat six block.

I also have a 928S4 and I had a 928. The 928 is far less complex and affords easier engine compartment access. My $.02. However, I enjoy the Boxster experience though it is completely different than the 928. Both require some patience.

the flyin' scotsman

So I'm in the local gas station filling up the car when this truck driver asks if I'm with the group of Porsche cars further down the highway. "No" I say but I'm curious. I catch up with the group who have by now stopped at a local town for lunch. I pulled into the parking lot and there's a assortment of many 911 versions, a 944 etc etc but my car is the only 928. This guy comes out of the pub, intorduces himself as the president of the group, complements my car but takes time to point out the complcated electrics, the timing belt, the weight etc etc all as flaws of our marque and thats why doesn't own one. Then this dude who I've never met before invites me inside for futher chit chat. By this time I've had enough negative comment so decline the offer, look around some more and take off.

I live in a very rural area and not used to seeing another P car let alone a bunch of them but if this is typical of the experience then I'd rather ride alone thanks.

AFARR

.

Wasted opportunity.

I'm a shooter. I, and several friends, have taken anti-gun individuals shooting several different times. For EVERY instance, the Anti-Gun individual expressed understanding of firearms as a tool, not as a "Deadly Death Stick That is 4million Times More Likely To Kill Someone You Love". In many instances, the Anti started to talk about how to purchase their own gun.

Same thing with the Shark.

I would have offered the club pres. a drive in my car--"meet me 10 miles down the road" (if he would have swapped), or "go out for a spin".

A lot of people get their opinions from pubished sources (which may be TERRIBLY biased in the case of guns, and to some extent the 928).

Robert_H

Greetings,

I have both a 928 and a 986 and they both have their good and not-so-good points.

To me, the 928 has an overly complicated HVAC and electrical system. Now, most of this opinion comes from the PO having not kept up the car very well and I am left with having to clean up and sort out a great deal of it. I really am envious of those individuals who have turned their cars into track cars and can actually trace the beginning and end points of almost every wire in the their cars. I am also envious of those of you who have an almost pristine 928 with no electrical maladies. I wish my car were like that.

On the other hand, the 986 has a CEL light that seems to go off when a fly lands on the gas cap and as for the engine, I have not had the guts to try to see what the engine even looks like. Maybe some day after a six pack or two...

Both cars are equally entertaining. The 986 is more precise, but less stable at speed. The 928 is like a freight train. When driving the 928 though, I get the feeling that I am driving something much more exotic.

In typical Porsche owner fashion, every car model has it's own set of admirers. The same goes for 928 and 986 owners as well. I enjoy both.

Rob

heinrich

Hey DCMelik :-) .... yep, they ARE overly complex, and so are ALL supercars. Try getting all sparkplugs out of a 911. Or replacing a 911SC voltage regulator. And that Gallardo we saw in another postwhere Andrew committed suicide ... think that Guido can do any of his own work? Nah :-) At least we KNOW and have cumulative knowledge of these gorgeous cars. It's very cool to be able to do our own work. ANd have it actually run

Kaz

I was at the top of Stunt Rd in Malibu this afternoon when one of the motorbike guys sauntered over to ask about my friends GT3. After the conversation about the GT3 he looked at the 928 and said, "those things will run forever." Then his buddy chimed in and said "yeah but parts are expensive, like transmissions etc". I said "not really" then turned to the GT3 owner and asked him how much an engine would cost if he blew it. Answer? 40-45 grand. I then turned to the guy and said, I don't care if my car cost 10 grand or 100 grand, I'd rather cough up 5k for an engine than 45 just because I dillusionally think the resale value makes it worth it. They both agreed.

hacker-pschorr

This thread reminded me of a conversation I fell into last summer. I was in the pool at an Elkhart Lake hot spot when some guy decked out in PCA gear starts chatting with me. After he shares with me his vast knowledge of all things Porsche and his lifelong track experience he shook his head when I told him I track a 928. He proceeded to tell me I better install some brake ducts or I'll run out of brakes within a few laps (once I start running at a fast pace). I tried to tell him my 81 has very large factory ducts, even offered to walk him out to my car. He kept insisting those were for something else, 928's have no factory brake cooling.

Daniel Dudley

Well you should have seen the looks my 944S got on a local spring drive. Very condecending, and los of talk about how much so and so makes, and how much his car cost. Nice drive though, and a few nice cars. The S is almost show quality by the way.

I always find that there is one sane person in a crowd, if you can just find him/her.

Garth S

Different experience here .... when we get together for a PCA run, there is at least one of almost every recent Porsche model represented: all cars run hard .... and the dialogue is always that of one big happy family, regardless of what you drive. Surprising how knowledge gained working on a 928 can help someone with a 968 turbo ... and vice versa ...

Mark

My SCCA Solo 2 Regional Class Championship Jacket & cup, several FTD's at local PCA AX's, and numerous passing flags to let me by at DE's have shut up most all the naysayers in my area!

Nonetheless - I don't mind a bit of 'competitive vocal posturing'! At the PCA events - we actually refer to my '85 EURO as 'Orca', and I sit a stuffed whale on the roof in between runs!

928drvr86.5

An understandable statement indeed. However, in function the electronics in the 928 are not as complicated as they seem to be. I think that the 928 gets a reputation for being electrically complex because people have a difficult time reading and understanding the diagrams. Honestly, the electronics in the 928 are very basic even by 1970's standards.

H2

I own both a 928 and 968 (and Audi TT)...I like the Porsches a lot...the Audi a lot less...and the 928 will be the last to go....in fact, I want another one (saving my pennies). Doing much of your own work is the only way to go for me. Electrics are a reliability issue but worth it. Parts and labor are expensive for all of them. Finding a good (and convenient) 928 mechanic is not easy. My wife likes the 968 best...but that's probably because I don't have my foot into the gas pedal as much which makes for a smoother ride (for her). Not as much fun to drove the non-928s but the 968 is nice on the twisties. The only things the Audi has going for it (so far) are the looks and the reliability as a daily driver. Overpriced and bad depreciation..but not terribly common to see them around here. But then again, how often do you see 928's or 968s?

Harvey

dcmelik

It's been a while since I've come back to this thread. I dig all the different points. Which brings me to another: the two unexpected reasons I continue to own a 928 is (1) Rennlist, Big Three, and the corresponding ability to work on it-- never expected to do that-- and (2) Rennlist just for the sake of itself. How many days 'till SITM?

David Cmelik
87 928S 4 auto "indischrot"
01 986 5 speed "sealgrau metallic"
00 BMW 323i black on red

rhys

At a flea market this past weekend, I had a conversation with a chap who had just bought himself a Porsche. I was congratulating him and pointed to my 928, which was sitting right there. He took one look at it and said, "no, I mean a REAL Porsche, a 911!

heinrich

Well, to him a Porsche is a 911. If you got the most gorgeous redheaded woman as your new girlfriend, and went to a flea market and talked to that man, with your girlfriend by your side, he might say: "Oh my girlfriend is a REAL woman, she's a blonde".