Ben B

Ok, I am SERIOUSLY considering selling my '85 5-speed and moving up to an '89-newer model and keeping that car forever!

My question is: When is the best time to sell a 928? I'd assume Spring or summer, but what is the consensus on this? On the flip side, what time of year should I look to buy another? Tax season? Christmas? Any ideas?

Also, I have just a few minor things that could be done to my car to make it a really, really nice driver. Dash cap, fixing a small wear spot on driver's seat, recovering the steering wheel & shift boot, etc. I'd expect that less than $1,000 would do just about all the cosmetics & make the car look really nice! BUT, would it increase the value that much or more? Am I better off doing it or leaving it alone & adjusting my asking price accordingly?

Finally, this is my second 928... replacing a gold Weissach edition '82 auto that I owned for 3 years. The '85 5-speed is a MUCH better car in terms of power and fun-to-drive value, and I have been very happy with this one, as it has been absolutely outstanding to me! If I sell it & use an additional $5-10K to purchase a newer 5-speed car, will I be that much happier? I've never driven a S4 or higher-end 928s, so I have no idea what to expect!

oh, and yes, I am aware that I should get a PPI for my next 928! Wasn't born yesterday!

jyoon

i would spend as little money on it as possible if you're gonna sell it. do the stuff you can fix yourself and cheap, but i wouldn't spend 1k on it if your gonna sell it.

i would think driving an s4 would be similar to your 85 except with better brakes. however, i've never driven one either.

Ben B

I REALLY like the way the '85 runs with a 5-speed! Feels like a VERY strong car! Actually, I could happily keep this car & fix all the minor things, but I'd love to get the newer bodystyle, more power, and a flashier color!

Always hate to say goodbye to a car, especially when they really have been so damn good! And if it won't bring the money it's worth, then I'll just keep it! Too nice to give away!

How about it all you owners of later-models? Are they THAT much better cars than the '85s & '86s?

heinrich

i'm with jyoon ... however you're gonna hate what you can get for your car right now.

Dave Howerdel

My 85 feels a bit more nimble than the s4's, as did all of the pre S4's I've has in the past. If you get an S4 be sure to get a 5sp or you'll be missing your 85 pretty quickly. Try to get a ride before purchasing.

Oh yeah, when you realize that you can't part with it, you'll end up being a multiple owner.

michaelathome

Don't do anything at all, adjust the price or accept reasonable offers. Do not do anything cheap, it is a waste of both of your time and $ in a lot of cases cause they might have to go back and fix it.

A good example might be a switch that is broken. $45 or whatever the going price may be in-expensive and worth it to the next buyer as they might not want to deal with chasing electrical issues. That is much different than having bald tires and throwing a cheap set of tires on it to move it. You are not going to recover that cost in the long run and the buyer may have to just go back and replace them. This is where I am at with my VW, dealer through junk tires on it to get it out the door. I am stuck cause I WANT to replace them but can't see taking 5K mile tires off. That's just throwing my $ away. Needless to say I am not so happy about the position that I am in but will deal with it for now.

Best time to sell is in early spring/summer. Winter and fall prices tend to be lower IIRC.

Good luck!

heinrich

Well -- I was actually gonna say the opposite Dave ....

Ben B

*shakes head in frustration!!

ok, more nimble or less?? haha!!

And I would be a multiple 928 owner, but there are a few problems: #1 - wife says no. #2 - no more garage space, #3 - have to sell one of my current toys to upgrade the 928... don't want to sell 2 toys, and #4 - wife says no.

Did I mention that the wife says no?

(Actually, if I stayed with the same color car, I could probably get a GTS & she'd never notice! hahah!!)

heinrich

288bhp vs 320. best case 300bhp or 349. you be the judge

SharkSkin

Why don't you just spend that $1000, then take the other $5-10K and huff the '85, upgrade shocks, brakes & wheels? The biggest thing the S4 has going for it IMHO is the intake, which is more or less moot when boosted. You'll end up with one hell of a lot more car for your $ than if you switch to an '89. That is, unless you've just got to have the S4 bumpers.

Garth S

Other than the lust for something new or different, what ate the real needs driving this quest?
In the real world of driving on public roads, some of the differences amongst 928 model years are nice on paper - but do not translate into significantly better point A to B times. For a couple of examples -
Brakes - I love the feel of the brembos on my S4 - but on a twisty road, the old sliding calipers on my '80 haven't lost me any time, or precision as to the point of application or modulation - and the question of fade ..... under what conditions has anyone experienced excessive heat generation and fade except on the track. On the street .... haven't seen it ....
Power - depends on what you do: if the stop light grand prix is important, or losing the ' mine is bigger that yours' drag race will leave one with a limp *****, then the S4 clearly has more go than the 16v; however, the increment of a S4 over an '85/86 32v is not enormous. Remember that torque is what counts in the real world - higher HP will get to the 165+ mph in the S4, but the torque of the 32v is not far behind for good performance on public roads. Hell, when my buddy Rick and I 'play', his strong '86.5 5-sp is maybe better than a car length or so than the '80 out of a curve and up to 140Kmph - maybe .. for more depends on your previous exit velocity and the timing of how the power is fed in. Over a twist or two, things even out and we do not lose each other, regardless of who is in the lead.

Perhaps a too long way to attempt making a point - but all 928s preform well: it all depends upon an honest appraisal of what you do on what roads vs " the S4 has more *****" . I get as much ( and somedays, more) joy in driving the '80 vs the S4 .... and vice versa .
If your '85 is strong and without issues, it sounds like a keeper .... to be joined eventually by a S4 when you convince the wife of the importance of this moment of epiphany you've just had ..

marton

I want one of those.......

Hey Garth, you were correct about the basic maths course

About performance differences. I have been at a number of 928 track days; I would not say that you can see an obvious differences between model years. I mean if it was that simple then you would see the GTSs at the front followed by the GTs, the S4s, S3s etc. But it is not like that. So much depends on driver, engine condition, MAF, tires, suspension (new or aligned or tired), weight, aerodynamics, &&&&.
Certainly drive a later model before you decide it is the one for you.

Marton

AO

I think if you own a 85+, it's hard to justify upgrading to an S4 or a GT. The increase in performance is probably not worth the additional $5k to $10k it will probably cost you to get it. If you are serious about upgrading, you'd be better served going ***** out and get a GTS.

In my case I had a US spec '82 (Non-S). I had nowhere to go but up. Even still, I had difficulty justifying moving to an S4, and eventually set my sights on a GT. The performance differences are quite significant - but not THAT much different than an 85 5-speed.

Now, if a GTS is out of reach for you, I suggest you heed SharkSkin's advice and spend the money on SCing your current setup, add some big brakes, and have a friggen blast doing it. At that point you'll be able to beat any stock GTS out there.

Imo000

Forget the S4 and do what I did. Install a supercharger on the ’85 and you’ll never look back. The early 32Vs respond really well to boosting. Mine is also an ’85 5-speed an even before the supercharger it was much faster (13.7sec, 100% stock) than the S4.

With just a basic, non intercooled, system you’ll be in the 12s. That’s roughly 400 flywheel HP.

Ben B

Hmmm... I think you fellas might be right. Keeping the '85 and sepending a few extra dollars on it may just be the best way to go!

All you Michigan residents know what I mean when I say that I've only got 4 years left before I'm elligible for historic license plates! $12 a year vs. $360. Michigan bases the fees on the original cost of the car, adjusted for 3 years, (the '85 costs as much to plate as my wife's 2002 Explorer) so I can imagine what a GT or GTS would cost! I'll save $1000 a year on plates alone by staying with what I have...

Supercharger.... Mmmmmm....