sfierle

Hi, I am new here and could use a little help. I am considering buying a 928 for my next toy. I have had a couple early 911s in the past, but I know this is a different animal. I don't have a ton of $ to spend and have don't have a ton of time to work on a car. Honestly, how expensive are these things to own? I have heard parts are very expensive, and a lot can (and does) go wrong with these. With around $6000 max to spend, can I get a good car that I can just turn the key and go? This will be driven very little, only 1000 -2000 miles per year. My time and mechanical expertise is limited, should I consider a 928 at all, or go for my second choice, a 944. Please advise. Thanks

zoltan944

$6k for a turn key, i would go 944. I have and still do have both. Fortuanetly, i can do most of the mechanics myself saving huge money. for a 928 and $6k you could aquire a 928, and prolly even a nice one depending on your location and the year, however as you may have seen on this board about Previous Owners (PO) you sometimes end up cleaning up a mess. SHould you really want a 928 i would find one with okay paint and okay interior in exchange for receipts of RECENT water pump and timing belt done, etc...

inactiveuser1228

It seems, to me anyway, that the cost of owning a 928 is inversely proportional to your wrenching ability.

I've observed that the guys who can only spend 5-6k on the original purchase, and have little wrenching ability, usually end up with a can of worms they can't handle, and ultimately give up.

These cars are AMAZING and very rewarding machines to own. However, there is a price that comes with owning such an amazing machine. You either pay with cash up front, or pay with your time, on your back. Either way, like the laws of physics, you must pay.

My advice, get a loan if you have to and spend between 10k-15k on the lowest milage car you can. Get a PPI from someone who knows what they are looking at. Have all the neglected maintenance items taken care of, and drive drive drive. You will be much happier and keep more bucks in your pocket in the long run.

Steve

AO

AS much as I hate to say it, I would go for the 944. The 928 does not break down so often, but it does require maintenance. And if you cannot do it, then it will get expensive quickly. But 944's are not that far behind. These cars (all Porsches) are expesive to have fixed. You really need to do your own wrenching. If you're really interested in a 928 there is a group of us that get together every month on the second Thursday of the month at the SW corner of 13 mile and Woodward @ the Four Green Field Pub (It's in the strip mall). If youre' interested in learning more, give me a call. 734-837-7908.

whitefox

With 6 grand to spend max... I would advise you not to buy a 928, buy a different "toy" that you can afford, if you end up with a bad example of a 928 you will be sorry. Find something for $5800 or less and get a PPI.

perrys4

Depends on how many 928 ers there are around you that would be willing to help you with maintenance. This is a great community and you can learn to do the maintenance if you have good teachers. That is what I am doing right now. I would stretch and spend 10K and look for a really good car that has had maintenance done. Maybe an ex rennlist member car. Watch the threads, they come up.

heinrich

I've sold 928's for that sort of money that were turnkey. But then that's just me.

heinrich

In fact I have one now I'd sell at that price and it will be turnkey once I've replaced the water pump; timing belt; steering rack; droplink and air pump.

killav

Hey guys. First post here. I just bought an 87 S4 Silver Auto with 86k on the clock. I read about this car on the forum (which was test driven by several members here and given so so reviews) and bought the car anyway. I ended up getting the car for a price that I could afford and still pay for the $1200 in parts that will be on order next week. I'll post a thread later as to what all I am doing to it. Back to the thread:

In my opinion, unless you are extremely wealthy, you must be able to do some wrenching in order to own one of these cars. One of the things wrong with my car is the torque tube (actually, rattling AT rivets, but the tube is going to get replaced anyway, as well as the trans seal, converter bearings, ect.). This is a multi thousand dollar repair if performed by a qualified shop. I am very mechanically inclined, have a vast array of tools, 60 gallon air compressor, mig welder, ect....and most importantly, I bought the shop manuals (thanks Jim). I have worked on my own cars all my life. And, this is not my first 928. So I know what I am getting into. I already love this car. As mentioned above, the $1200 in parts would more than likely cost me $5000 in labor if done by a shop, or more. That's almost half the purchase price of my car. I would go with a 944 if all you can afford is $5 or 6k-but be careful. I'm sure there are droves of those models needing mucho attention as well. But, I gotta tell you, the feeling I get when I am in this car, on the road, is irreplaceable. It's worth alotta back time to me.

Mike V.

sfierle

Thanks for the imput. I figured with what I have to spend, an older '78-84 model is what I would end up with, which is fine. What specially should I look for, or try to avoid. A good friend of mine is a certified (although not Porsche) mechanic and he can help me with most things. I appreciate the invit Andrew, I know exactly where 13 and Woodward is. Right now I have another toy to sell first, but plan to sell it soon. Finally I see a ton a beater 928s on ebay, I can't believe so many people let these great cars go to such dis-repair.

Jim bailey - 928 International

Yes..."I can't believe so many people let these great cars go to such dis-repair." and the reason ? they could not afford or justify spending what it would have cost to keep them nice...

Thaddeus

I'd say hoping to get a 6K turnkey 928 is a nice fantasy but not much more. You're going to have to work on a 6K 928 yourself, or it will quickly turn into a 6K 928 that cost you 15K.

anonymousagain

My experience is somewhat biased, as I stumbled across a good shark when I wasn't even looking for one - thank goodness I picked it up and actually have acquired a 2nd as well. Nevertheless, being relatively new here (6mos??) I've learned some basic "must do" considerations, and concur with previously said "ya gotta put in some effort and sometimes turn a wrench".

1) A good 928 (pre-'87) can be had for less than $6k, but you have to be patient AND have some luck - have 2 in my driveway
2) Investment in learning about a 928 is invaluable to owning, maintaining and driving enjoyment
3) Parts are a somewhat more expensive, but not outrageous for the quality of vehicle; resist the dealership completely
4) Working on a 928 isn't that difficult, it's complexities merely require focus and attention to detail. This is where the cost of ownership is determined. Realize that changing the timing belt takes 50 more steps than other vehicles, but both tasks are still nothing more than completing the required steps. One may take 5-6hrs, while the other may take a day or two to take your time and do it right
6) Get to know some other owners and try to participate during local Fix-Your-Shark events and drives. Take Andrew up on his offer
5) Rennlist people are the best mechanics you can turn to for advice/direction. Good people

If you're looking for a sports car to simply drive sometimes and park the rest, likely a 928 is not a good fit. If you want to enjoy a unique performance vehicle, are intrigued by what makes it work, and think "it can't be that difficult to change a ..." instead of paying someone else to do it, a 928 can be very enjoyable. It's all about realistic expectations.

Like most here, I still look back after parking and walking to my front door

Fogey1

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-forum/270484-detroit-area-beer-night-next-thursday-05-11-06-a.html
*** Detroit Area Beer Night Next Thursday*** (05-11-06)

Jim bailey - 928 International

OK ..."being relatively new here (6mos??) " Not trying to sound pessimistic but a six month sample of what 928 ownership entails is NOT statistically sound. Not unlike the newlywed six months after the honeymoon discussing marriage .... Or the guy who fell off a 12 story building and as he fell past the 10th floor was heard to say ..."So far so good" The 928 makes a great hobby if you really enjoy working on the car and have the time to do that. If you opt to pay someone to fix it for you it quickly can be expensive. But expensive is a relative term. In the end owning a 928 has to make you smile either it does or it does not.