F451

If you want a 5 sp, GET A 5 speed!

Lots of good info here. Let me add my 2 cents.

I think 928's are faster then they feel, it can be decieving. Look down at your speedo and you're often surprised at how fast you are booking along. Of course its no Lotus, but they do handle surprisingly well.

And for the gas pedal and steering inputs. Yes they are heavy. My automatic reminded me of the old Mercedes. You had to push the gas pedal waay down before anything would happen. It was wierd at first on my '85, but I quickly got used to it (then I would get in my wifes minivan which has an unusually quick response to the gas pedal - to make it feel quicker then it really is I think - and when I press the gas I would give us all whiplash).

Good luck in your search!

Ed

Kevin Michael

Eclise, one other thing....DRIVE IT THE WAY IT WAS MEANT TO BE DRIVEN. The point here is Porsche designed this V-8 to loaf when on part throttle, (most v-8's are this way) and run like a cheetah when the pedal is slammed. Key word is slammed, quick and hard to the board! Your description fits the loafing part. 50-80 should be really fast if you were properly dropping the hammer and not "easing" it to the floor.

Eclise

You guys are all great and I will try to respond to each of your posts. Note that I am not knocking the 928's I've driven for their speed, nor should I try to compare them to my current cars. Given that the 928's I have driven have been 20 years old, I realize there will be significant variability in how the engines perform. I tell people that speed and acceleration are only small facets of the experience of owning and driving a sports car. Car smells, exhaust sounds, electrical gadgets and the like are all things that get me going!

DocMirror and Ryan: My only problem with the beautiful 928 from Ruiz is that it is located on the other side of the country for me. Looks like an incredible car/deal.
Kevin and Ernest: You are right, I shouldn't be comparing. I actually want a car that is completely the opposite of the Elise. Bigger, heavier, louder, with a huge engine. 928 fits those wants!
Mike F: I do indeed need to hang out with someone who lives nearby. I couldn't bring myself to torture this older gentleman's car. Traffic was too heavy to do much in it, anyway.
Ed: I look forward to a trip up to the Pitt at some point in the future! There is a blue 928 at a dealer near there which I need to take a look at. Wanna go?
Michael: Wow, that's a heck of a deal you got. The car in your avatar is a beauty, and I have checked out the links in your sig.
Matt: yep, red 5sp, that's what I would love. I am in no hurry, and I will continue the search. I often wonder if I am missing out one, though, if I limit my search!

Eclise

Ed and Kevin: I swear, fellas, I mashed the pedal to the floor board at about 50. I'm sure it was just deceiving, as the car is big and the exhaust was quiet. Can't believe that there was a V8 under the hood it was so quiet. The Lotus's 4 banger is about 6 inches behind your head, and screams at you anywhere above 3K RPM. I just need more experience with the 928.

Courtshark

+1 on this. I often catch myself "riding along with traffic" without totally paying attention to the speedo... and then I look down and see I'm doing 85+

When I want to accelerate rapidly for whatever reason, such as to pass someone, I always end up far beyond the speed threshold necessary to complete the pass, even though I'm accelerating for only a moment. The car is just so solid that accelerating or driving hard is the "ordinary course of business", and is not meant to be as heart racing an experience it is in lighter, though less refined, autos. It's how Porsche built it.

linderpat

Sure Eclise - where is the car?

michaelathome

Add an RMB to that V8 and enjoy the audio sensation. Many have noted that the '87 has different resonators than the 88's, 88 was the start of the GT resonators. My '88 is actually amusing to me as driving w/other 928 owners, they always get a jump on me cause the announcement of my hitting the pedal is relayed to the entire group before my I get up to RPM. It is LOUD to say the least, there is NO doubt that there is a V8 under the hood.

That said adding headers is a quick, well documented +40hp to the S4's. I am not sure that I could stand how loud my car might be w/headers AND an RMB.

My wife and I had talked about going out to Summit Point this weekend for the SCCA time trials but were not sure at this point. I'll be sure to let you know if I head out that way as it might cut down some driving time if you wanted to see my S4.

Hope that helps,

Michael

ew928

More fun to get an unmolested 928 in good condition.
Then address all the vacuum leaks, possible weak spark.
Dump some fuel cleaner in the tank to open up the clogged arteries to
get car close to factory intended tune. Then add the wheels, exhaust, induction augmentation and, Holeee Helll What beast have I wrought.

PS. Not sure if anyone's mentioned it already, but the red auto may not have a properly adjusted throttle cable. Full steam ahead at the right pedal may not mean that the throttle quadrant is opened up all the way. And the transmission kickdown may not be working so no drop a gear and hold on to something when the right pedal is mashed. So many variables.

JPTL

If you took a spin in your Elise after driving a go-cart all day, it would feel slow & sluggish as well. I've never driven a late model Lotus (had a Jensen-Healey, but that doesn't count), but I've ridden in one, and it feels like a go-cart to me. Amazing. I think that you'll be hard pressed to find anything street legal that even approaches the responsiveness & road feel of the Elise or Exige.
Anyway, regarding your search:
Sorry if this is a repost, but this guy has had this one listed in the DC area Craigslist for a few weeks now. Initially he had a price that seemed reasonable, now he's not putting out a price and considering reasonable offers. I don't know if this guy is a lister, and know nothing about the car....just thought that I'd throw it out there.
I know that it's not a stick, but maybe one to consider.....
You're a doc in Morgantown? Maybe you know my brother-in-law, Rob Smith (orthopedic surgeon)?

Eclise

Ed: I will pm you regarding the car in the Pittsburgh area. It is only a little further north (I can't remember exactly where it is located, gotta look it up). In the pics I saw of it, there were at least two other 928s that may or may not be for sale as well.

Michael: Your car sounds like a beast. Exhaust would be my first upgrade on any 928. It wouble be a shame to have a car that looks like this, with a V8, but no growl! I unfortunately have to work this weekend. I think I have been near Summit Point in the past.

Ernest: I could tell that I was dropping down gears in the 928. His electric seat was broken, and I was sitting really far back (I am short, he was tall), so I had to really stretch my leg out to hit the floorboard! I'm sure his car could use a little (or a lot!) of tuning. You saw the condition of the engine bay.

J.P.: Thank you for the link. I will check it out. I know Rob Smith! He's a good guy. I rotated with him when we were both residents back in ortho (is he finally done with his residency yet?). If I'm not mistaken, his wife/your sister is an Internal Medicine doc? I actually started out in IM with her, couldn't stand the lifestyle and decided to switch to Emergency Medicine. Hopefully I am getting my facts straight, but if I am remembering the right people, I liked working with them very much. Good, friendly people.

SteveG

the seller's question keeps coming up for me. Not b/c I think you should not be looking at a shark, but I am wondering about your reaction to the car, which we suspect may not be in top shape. Others have said it. A shark will feel heavy compared to your car. It just is, but there are nice S-4s to which you would add stiffer Konis, an X w/RMB and be under $15K and I think you would love the sound, accel and leather. Don't know if you are doing long trips, but I used to drive a Prelude, which is not a dumpy car (compared to the shark, yes) from NYC to Ohio in about 10 hours, I was always tired and walleyed for about 2 hours after I got there. Then I took the shark and it was a breeze.

Eclise

Steve,

As I said, I am looking for a car that is the complete antithesis of the Elise. The 928 fits the bill, and I have loved this car since my youth (my wealthy highschool buddy had a 928 and I was very fond of it). I just need more time with the car. The curves of the car and the headlights are two aspects I love about the exterior, the interior with its cool rear bucket seats, and top it off with a V8--it is really the only Porsche that gets me *aroused*. Two of my coworkers have Caymans, and I like them, but I still think I could potentially come out ahead by purchasing a decent condition 928 and restoring it; I would also have an unusual car. I do a fair amount of interstate traveling between my workplaces, and as you said, the 928 is nice for trips. I am a little bit concerned about getting a 928 and having something occur on the interstate, with me stuck out on the road. I guess that's what they make AAA for, right? My current DD, a Pontiac Grand Prix, has many issues such as broken AC, "slipping" automatic tranny, short in the dash lights, and a few other issues that I have not had time to work on. So, I'm not too worried about getting an older car with issues.

I truly love the 928, and I think I will hold out until the right one comes along.

Kevin Michael

Eclise, if you are ever up in Gettysburg, give me a holler if you want to drive a supercharged 5 spd s4. Hell, I'll let you romp all you want on it! 405hp to the wheels, 0-60 in the very low 4's.......come up and give it a whirl bro!
Kevin

Eclise

Kevin, I was hoping you would say that! I'll PM you and Ed whenever I am heading up your directions. The car in your avatar is a beaut!

atb

Eclise wrote:
A 928 definitely fits that bill.

We have an Elise that comes out to our bi-annual track days. Its a five hour drive from home to the track. At the track the Elise would get the wave by in the turns, but the 928 would be on his rear bumper by the end of the front straight.

On the way home, the Elise would drop back once we got past 120mph, and didn't have the fuel range of the 928.

The Elise truly is an amazing car, but the 928 is as well in an "antithesis" kind of way. The 928 is the best GT ever built, and with some minor tweaking makes for a very satisfying track car, that you'll actually look forward to driving home in.

Good luck in your search.