dcmelik

Ben's dad is very cool. Two years ago, we traveled in tandem 928s with Ben Burris and his co-pilot dad to Tweeks nka MidAmerica Motorwerks. He is about as down-to-earth and genuine person as you'd ever meet. Christine and I remarked to one another that it was clear where Ben got his character traits-- and apparently his love of cars. I went away from it wishing my father and I had done something similar.

928drvr86.5

Thanks David,

My dad will appreciate that!

Dennis K

I saw this ad in Road & Track and that was it. Had to get me one of those.

marton

usually through the drivers door but one time when the locks were frozen I had to get in through the rear hatch

Marton

928drvr86.5

maybe that inner hinge that breaks was the culprit. You know the pot metal one that costs $70 and breaks every two years.

ErnestSw

I drove a 911 SC for 4 years up to 1983 and then I came across an article in one of the big 3 car mags on the 928. I decided to get me a new european 5 speed and found an importer with a "connection" in Germany. The car was "federalized" (had all the proper stickers applied) and was delivered to me in Dallas. Black over tan and the sweetest car I'd ever owned. I sold it in 87 and got a Guards red over black S4 5 speed which was relatively disappointing. It had a quieter exhaust and didn't feel as fast. Drove it for 4 years and sold it. Got the 91GT 3 years ago and the thrill is back.

GlenL

Poor critical thinking combined with lust for a fun toy. Never regretted it. (Wife handles that!)

928autobahndreamer

I still love thinking about the first time I saw a 928. It is what started the dream many years ago.

We moved to Germany when I was 4 years old and lived there for about 4 years (1977-1981). While we were there we didn't live on the military base as a lot of other familys did. We moved out to a small German town and experienced the culture. We went to German public schools and played on the local (football) soccer team.

Well, our soccer coach worked for mercedes and drove a wide variety of mercedes cars. After one of our games, I got to ride back to town with him while he had a 500SL. I thought that was just the coolest thing. We were on the autobahn and the coach could see how enamoured I was with the car. So he wound up the car on the autobahn and got moving pretty quickly. We were passing cars by the handfull and just staying in the left lane. I then notice him glance in the rearview mirror with a surprized look on his face. He immediately pulled back over into the "slow" lane and we were passed by the coolest looking car I had ever seen. It went by us like we were standing still and we had to be going about 120mph. I still remember how that car looked. It was a deeper shade of red(not gaurds red) maybe even a hint of purple. No spoiler. Perfect. I have lusted after a 928 ever since.

I had posters of 928s in my room all through high school and college. After college, job, marriage, kids, the dream got put on the back burner. But now, its alive again and having one is in my sights.

Gary Knox

How did I decide to buy a 928? I think that's what the question really was!!!
In the mid/late '80's, I was managing some development work my company had going on with Porsche Weissach, and Hans Mezger (designer of the 917 engine and then head of Advanced Engine design) had become my main contact.
After about a year of 4-5 meetings per year, while I was having lunch with Hans and his primary associate in ~'87, and I asked: "I've never owned a Porsche, but if I was to buy a used one, what should I buy"? After about 10 minutes of discussion between them (in Deutsche, which I understood very little of), Hans said "It depends, either a 911 SC, or a 928"! Further discussion in English indicated Hans car was an early '80's SC, and the associates was an '86 928 S. Hans stated that if I wanted a car for short trips and that was fun to drive on curving roads, his SC was perhaps their best car to date for that. The associate stated that if I wanted to drive long distances in comfort at high speeds, I should get a 928. He then said "I can drive to my Swiss ski chalet that is 250 miles from home in less than 2 hours, get out of the car relaxed and ski the rest of the day. IF Hans tried to follow me, he would be beaten to death and exhausted". Hans smiled and agreed!!!!
In the mid '90's, I came across a well maintained '87 S4, bought it, drove it for 4 years and have since bought 3 '88's and an '89. I enjoy every minute I'm driving them, think of that conversation frequently - ESPECIALLY when I was driving the two most recent acquisitions home. One from Oregon (4,200 miles) and one from Arkansas (1,400 miles). The drives would NOT have been the same in an SC (or C2)! Obviously, these two senior managers at Porsche Weissach thought more
highly of the 928 than the US buyers of Porsches at the time!!!!
Gary Knox
West Chester, PA

JEC_31

Because I had to buy something!

For a couple of years (late 90s to 2003) there was a very cool used car dealership/consignment shop over on the east end of town (Grand Rapids, Michigan) called Zoom Auto.

They always had a wild variety of machinery, and every now and then I would detour through their lot and walk around with stars in my eyes. Mercedes, Bimmers, Boxsters, 911SCs, 996s, low-riders, hot-rods, 4x4s, Supras, RX-7s, 300XZs, NSXs, once a yellow Murcielago wow!

In 2003 a local new-car consortium went on a rabid expansion binge and snapped up 3 or 4 multi-brand dealerships, including the Porsche-Audi-Nissan-Subaru dealership on that side of town. Then they wanted to expand, and had their eyes on Zoom Auto's rather prime location. An offer was made, and them one day I open up the paper and read that the entire inventory of Zoom is going to be auctioned off no reserve!!!!

I went and checked out all that was being offered. Nice - 2002 Viper, Ferrari 308 GTS Quatttrovalve, an, orange Prowler, a mint '89 911 Cabriolet with Turbo fenders, to name a few. A large section of tire-changing tools and stacks of tires, lots of fluids and assorted tools. Oh, and from the back lot a dirty gold-over-brown 1986 Porsche 928S automatic with bald tires and a broken front spoiler caught my eye.

On auction day the 928 was DOA. Turn the key, nothing. The aftermarket tape deck was hanging half out in a tangle of wires. The car looked like it had been brought from a repo/salvage auction and dumped off the truck, no cleanup. There were still a few PO personal items in it. Yuck.
I decided to bid on the dead-motor twin-turbo RX-7 (I had a few older RX7s already) instead.

The auction was very well advertised and had a huge turnout. Both the Viper and the Prowler went for near MSRP, the 308 for 30 large. The fierce bidding was entertaining.

After hours of enduring the yammering auctioneer, my wife was bored to death and I was antsy.
When the RX-7 came up, I bid up to $4K (my budget) and dropped out when my competitor kept going strong. It was an automatic and had an ugly red interior anyways.

Then the 928 came up and nobody bit on the high opening bid. The auctioneer had to back down to $500 before someone bit, then it was on.
I whispered to my wife, "I'm going for it!" and jumped in. I won it at $3500 which pissed off my wife, who had not heard my whisper and was not aware that the arm not around her shoulders was popping up to bid.

Note that at this time I was not aware of timing belts and expensive valves.

After getting the car towed home, I simply charged the battery up and turned the key until that big 32 valve V8 fired up and hooked me. I grabbed my wife and drove it to the gas station - sans plates - in the rain on bald tires - and got hooked some more.

The most challenging and complex mechanical task I've ever done? The timing belt. What fun!

The fastest I've ever accelerated from 100mph to 140mph? The 928. I'm hooked.

Long story short: financial trouble, had to sell, now slowly saving up for another 928 someday. Once bitten...

hinchcliffe

My father having been into muscle cars had a '69 Firebird 350 when I was in high school. I drove it to my Senior Prom and everything. I started looking at higher performance cars when I got out of college and I remembered watching "Risky Business" and "Wierd Science". I had been in love with the 928 since then. So not knowing too much, a started looking and learning. That's when I found an affordable early '86. Had it for two years when it was totalled. Never even twitched when looking for a replacement, "How much is an '87?", was about all I could think, and still afford the Engagement Ring. Sold that '87 last year and bought a cleaner one. So I've had the bug since I was 12, and had one since 2000.

Gretch

I saw a black one in a parking lot. Went over and looked at it. Fell in love.

Bill Ball

I had never been inside or even seen a 928 until the day 5 years ago when the eBay seller picked me up at the airport in the 89 I now own. I got in, looked around a bit and said, "This will do." A short ride to his house, a bit of inspection, a check for $16K and I was on my way for the 500 mile ride home. About half way home, cruising at high speed down I-5, I came to the conclusion this is best car I've ever owned. It's only gotten better in the 80K miles since then.

bcdavis

I had previously had really custom 280Z's.
Custom fiberglass bodies, etc...
But I drove like a maniac, and kept crashing them.
Each time I had to rebuild from scratch, because all my bodywork was custom.
That gets expensive and tiring.
So when the time came for me to get a new car,
I decided to get one that was fast, but that looked so good stock,
that I would not feel the need to modify the body. So that if I got
into a fender-bender, I would not have to rebuild the fender.
I looked at 300ZX, Corvettes, and a few other cars, but decided
the 928 was the best blend of Style and Speed. It's a very exotic
and graceful looking car. And the interior was comfortable, etc...

I remember watching Risky Business, but I do not think any 928
history affected my choice. I simply picked the most beautiful car
I could find in my price range, that was fast, and the 928 fit the bill...

derekescott

I've owned two (2) 911's ('83 SC/'89 Turbo {stolen}), five (5) Opel GT's, Five (5) Corvettes {'78,'84, '91 Cpe, '91 COnvt, '93 40th}, one (1) '95 NSX-T, One (1) '68 Camaro 396 porcupine heads and a bunch of other cars, but the 928 has always been the one car that made me feel like I "owned" the road. Isn't the fastest (yet) but handles great and leaves people with a feeling of "what is that, and that's nice"!!!

Just installed custom exhaust and headed to dyno and find out how many horsies are on the road!!!

Porsche: There is no substitute!!!