MikeM

Hello Everyone!

I recently purchased a 1986.5 928 5-speed but it resides in another state. I am flying out to bring her home and would like your opinions on items to have/do when I make the trip back.

Here are the (some) items I have in plan:

1) I have arranged for a safety inspection by the local Porsche dealership.

2) I have assembled a small toolkit (metric sockets, wrenches, VOM, etc).

3) I will put together a "fluid kit" (anti-freeze, distilled water, oil, atf).

4) Duct tape

5) I will have a cellular phone.

There are a few other items that I am considering, but am not sure if they are really necessary.

- fuses
- relays
- belts
- hoses

I am planning on changing the oil and fuel filters, and will consider/deal with all problems that the dealership determines. I will also be replacing the battery.

I have been reading posts regarding the P/S pump and rack with great interest. There is a whine when turning, so I will need to inspect and check fluid levels. I am a novice/moderate mechanic (I can take apart and put back together but lack diagnostic experience) and have been familiarizing myself with various service techniques based on information gathered from the web.

Thank you for your input. I hope to make the trip back "uneventful".

<img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

Incendier

Welcome to the brood.

Hope that safety inspection is the full Pre-purchase version, especially given the rack noise. Check very carefully (which you've probably already gleaned from prior posts) for fluid in the boots, etc. This was the first thing I had to do on the car due to my own faulty PPI.

I would include a short piece of wire with two blade end connectors in your kit; useful for jumping faulty relays, as well as 8, 16 & 25A European fuses. Belts & hoses is too oppressive of a proposition to try to cover the gamut, timing belt excluded (which best be part of the inspection).

And a radar detector

MikeM

Thanks James, the jumper idea is a good one. I remember seeing it mentioned in some of the recent fuel pump related posts.

Unfortunately it won't be a "pre-purchase" inspection. However, the noise came about after we negotiated a price, but before I took possession so we renegotiated and ended up with a $700 reduction. It won't cover replacement cost of pump and/or rack by a dealer, but will go a fair distance if I am able to do the work myself.

Greg86andahalf

Hi MikeM,

Just wondering, how far are you driving the new car home?

MikeM

About 1700 miles, Arizona --&gt; Washington (the state).

Tom

I'f you're a PCA member, the March Panorama (this year's and/or last year's with the list of region officers) is useful if you need to find a qualified mechanic in a remote area. Cell phone and AAA towing always a help. I carry a lot of stuff in my 944 but I've never had a problem. I think we sometimes engage in overkill and worry too much!! After all reliability was one of the Porsche virtues. Your inspection should uncover any obvious problems. The fluids should be readily obtainable in any Wal-Mart/Autozone or their equivalent along the way. I hope you enjoy the trip. It's a good chance to "bond" with the new car.

Nicole

Usually, the 928 is a very reliable car. Also, if your car has the toolkit, it already includes those metric wrenches you mention.

In case you do get stranded, here is a website that lists mechanics with 928 experience. You could print the list and take it with you, in case you need help.

<a href="http://www.eatel.net/~dslabat/mech.htm" target="_blank">928 Mechanics List</a>

Have a safe trip!

onthedge928s4

ok buddy,
I`ve don this before careful with the power steering usuallt the rack leaks but if you plan on driving it home with a good size leak .you could always add fluid but the fluid could catch fire on the exhaust.2]look under the car for green coolant leaky pump [water].listen foe loud clunk when going from park to drive rear shafts ???ck that volt meter on the dash drive with the lights and heat on and see how far she dips in the lowerange

onthedge928s4

cont.
check your rear and front wiper for good wipe in the rain it could really be a ****ty ride if you find them bad on the road.you have volt amp meter easy to ck the car for a current draw disconnect the neg battery term and put you milli amp neter in series i think 50 milli amps is the max draw.you don`t want to get up the second day and have a dead battery.make sure the interior lights are off.drive the car hard with the owner stop let it sit for 10 minutes and ck for leaks also bring a flashlight and look under the hood down to the engine cover to see if fluid is building in the pan..ck the belt for deep crack and dryness ck the area in the eng for coolant ,stat housing esp. if you have a small round telescope mirror ck the valve covers for leak in the back and ck the head gasket too. big bucks. you can do all this in 30 minutes .ck the levels coolant power steer , oil, ck the tires for a bad wear pattern alignment problems and suspension . drive it see if there is a vibration in the front end wheel bearings ,bent rims ,out of balance is no biggy.I wish you luck i had a bad experience with buying abroad even with a porsche dealer inspection ..friends have friends and i got screwed...good luck let us hear from you on how it goes...

Greg86andahalf

Roughly how many miles on car? Any service records or known dealings with a local mechanic?

MikeM

It has 73k miles, no service history. I am hoping that the inspecting dealer may have dealt with the car in the past and might be able to provide some information. Does the Porsche dealerships have centralized computer service records?

I have alloted extra time to run the car locally (5-6 days) and if I don't have the comfort level I can always use the return airfare. <img src="graemlins/crying.gif" border="0" alt="[crying]" />

Jerry 87 928S4

I think you are quite prepared. When I got my 928 I only bought a one way ticket

Also, skipped the preinspection - and just bought it even with the things I saw wrong. I did negotiate what I thought was a good price even lower. However, the preinspection I know would have found many more things wrong - so much so I would not have bought it and missed out on a great car.

Also, as I returned to Chicago without a spare tire ( which I knew about) and with a hole in the gas tank ( which I didnt know about - silly people drilling holes for amplifiers ) it began to snow.

I think the PO was actually surprised I made it home based on the email he sent me <img src="graemlins/c.gif" border="0" alt="[ouch]" />

Been over two years and my 928 has never left me stranded <img src="graemlins/a_smil17.gif" border="0" alt="[blabla]" />

I sure have learned a lot with all the things I had to fix but the 928 community sure made it easier.

Good luck!

Donald

MikeM-
Congrats (I hope )
I bought mine sight unseen w/ no independent inspection, no records. Had it trailered down, and it was DOA but two of us push-started it in the parking lot (be exceedingly careful IF jump-starting: most say to take the battery out & charge rather than jump-start, mine is a manual), ran fine!
PS pump blew next week, drove for a week in town before The Porsche Store could take it- just good exercise! Brake resevoir/exit hose leaks seem to be frequent.
Take extra relay/s & fuse assortment- most minor electrical stuff is frequently fuse related, major is relay related. Take hardcopy of fuse/relay schematic from "www.928gt.com" (928 Specialist (go to "Tips/Links", Specs & Technical", etc.)) in the event your chart (found on the back of the electrical connection board- under carpet in passenger footwell) is missing.
I wouldn't take many (or any) tools, as Nicole said there (should be) is a decent emergency kit in the rear (do you know where?) and I wouldn't be able/prepared to do much more than that myself. Diagnostics are the key, as you stated. Inspect sidewalls of tires, both in & outside (guess why I know that- mine could have resulted in a nasty failure at speed).
My car pulled slightly before alignment, but begged to run well over xxx from day one, before I began catching up on maintenance and knew it was safe. That will be your temptation and biggest problem, I hope. good luck
135k miles & climbing

Ketchmi

If you need any help about halfway through your trip (Salt Lake City) let me know. I am always willing to lend a hand and what knowledge I have accumulated. I also have a decently equipped garage. (Isn't that one of the purpose's of a board like this?) I have made the trip from here to eastern Wa. many times in my 928, it's a fun drive. Good luck!
Dave <img src="graemlins/drink.gif" border="0" alt="[cherrsagai]" />

Ron G.

A minor suggestion: If snow is possible check the headlight washers. I encountered a snowstorm at night driving from Detroit to Alabama in my newly-acquired '89 a couple of years ago. Eventually HAD to stop (Northerners might disagree, but an S4 with standard tires isn't much of a snow car). I sure could have used the headlight washers to keep the snow and slush off the lights. The tank was empty, of course.

Another idea: Before you start back you might want to take it out on an Interstate and run it at 100 mph or so for a couple of minutes to make sure nothing is going to fall off!!