Hello everyone. I posted a question a few days ago about a car on ebay. Well needless to say I was out bid so I am still in pursuit of a 928. I have found one on Collector Car Trader. Here is the link:

http://adcache.collectorcartrader.co...4/87832204.htm

Here are the answers to some of my questions that was sent by the dealer.

This car is a local car which was owned for many years by an elderly gentleman who recently passed away after being in a nursing home. We helped him get parts when he was driving it. Due to his age and health, he parked the car several years ago. The car was running well at that time. He had the car repainted just prior to parking it. The body and paint are in very good condition. There is one small dent and broken lens on the lower left rear that was aquired in his garage while it was stored. The interior needs restoring. We do not know when or if the timing belt or water pump was last replaced. That would be on the top of my list if I purchased the car. Some of the switches have "greened over" and work intermitly. They seem to work better after using them. The AC does not blow cold and you know about the door switches.

I was hoping that I can get everyone's opinnion and expertise. Is it worth it? Unforntunately my budget is around $5000. I know with that budget I am not going to get something real nice but that's why I look to you all for some help.

 

Q: How can you tell a used-car dealer is lying?

A: Their lips are moving. (or fingers typing an email)


So immediately discount the backstory. It is not documentation, it is hearsay and likely fabrication.

You want documentation.
1> Carfax report
2> Maintencance records.
3> PPI - pre-purchase inspection, performed by a mechanic/shop recommended by someone on Rennlist.

That said, it sure is a pretty 928 - I do love the body-side-molding delete examples, which are rare.


Interesting - what's that I spy in the parking lot?

 

What happened to the driver's side rear quarter? It's got some bad dents. If you can live with that, you better get a good PPI, and by your choice of mechanics.

Matt

 

OK the tires will be shot too old and 15 inch , the A/C is inop , S wing was added , timing belt is old , and it is a 220 HP with automatic. Odds are the repaint was not high quality and the interior is trashed....looking at the other cars trucks on the lot what I see is a bottom feeder .... Unless you go see and drive the car as well as getting a good prepurchase inspection this car could easily be $10,000 away from being a $5,000 car. It might just spend several years parked in your garage.... That said if you are looking for a hobby , enjoy working on cars , own a multimeter, and do not plan on driving it much....You can own a Porsche for less than $4,000 !

 

First of all, I would be pretty skeptical of that story.

For what it's worth, I bought my first Porsche knowing it needed a good deal of work. Seems like the work never ended and it certainly blew through my budget. I decided to get rid of it, buy something else, pay it off, and save up for my next Porsche.

It was well worth it to wait and ultimately find a 928 that was well cared for rather than one that was neglected. Considering what normal maintenance costs for a 928, you may want to save up for a little longer and buy something that has been maintained better.

If you do pursue this car, you were already given great advice to get a prepurchase inspection by a mechanic you select. What you are told will help you negotiate the price, which seems pretty high to me based on the car's condition.

My $0.02.

Good luck!

 

Keep looking. I sold my early 86 5sp about 3 years ago for $6000 after about 2 months on the market. Well maintained with ok interior & presentable exterior- very driveable but not a show car. I'm telling you because you could find a similar car if you wait long enough. Almost guaranteed nearly all dealers are going to know nothing about a 928 & will only tell you what you want to hear in order to buy from them.

Good Luck,

Brian

90GT, Guards Red/Lt Grey Sport Seats, Ott X, Gts Clutch, Short Shifter, 76K

Porkensioner very soon.

 

The dealer's story doesn't match the ad. "Runs and drives well." versus the story "was running well at the time" - I'd lay money on the dealer having pushed the car into position on their lot.

Phrases like "This car is a lot of car for the money." also ring huge alarm bells.

The best advice has already been given above.. keep looking, keep saving, and wait for a car that is in decent, verifiable condition. The more time you spend looking, reading this forum, and learning, the easier it will be to know when you see a car that is right for you.

 

If you only have 5K for a 928, and you buy one that needs work, you have screwed yourself twice.

First, you have bought a car that doesn't drive, and second, you have no money to fix it.

There are good runners out there. The less money you have, the more important it is to get a good one.

 

Try this other thread from yesterday. Southern California is a long way from you, but compared to the one you posted a link to, its light-years ahead.

https://rennlist.com/forums/928-forum/390945-1986-5-red-auto-for-sale.html

Even if you can't buy from that far away, it just highlights the importance of waiting for a good car

 

I really do appreciate everyone's feedback. I value all of the comments that were made as this would be my first 928 and know very little. I have been to this forum for awhile and know how expensive these jewels can be. I am looking to have something to play with on the weekends and work on in the garage.

Is there anyone in the Texas area that knows of any Porsches for sale?

Thanks again for the good advice.

 

Texas is a big area. There are several user groups around the population hubs. I know for sure that there are groups in both the DFW and HOU areas, and there are outlying owners and other groups as well. So where are you in Texas?

I was in Cypress today, driving my 928, but didn't go look at Bob in SoCal's 86.5. Don't need another one, but his sounds like a good deal to at least get launched into the ownership experience.


But... I look at more than a few of these, and figure that the $5k you have saved up so far is roughly equivalent to a first-year support and maintenence budget on an already-running decent car. That's on top of the purchse price, first year reg, taxes and insurance. Cheap 928's are seldom inexpensive. Maybe it's better to suggest that the cheaper they are, the more they will cost. Jim B hits it right on the head when he suggests that this car is $10k away from being a $5k car. The potential is all there.

My hit list:

$1-1.5k Timing belt and Water pump, plus all the rollers and bits. Replace all the coolant hoses and all the belts. You do the work yourself, this is parts only. Higher end if the car has the old style belt and needs the updated gears.

$1k for new tires and maybe decent used 16" wheels.

$600 in shocks and an alignment.

$1k in dent repair and paint fixing.

$300-800 in brakes, higher end of that if it needs rotors.

$250 in tune-up parts, plugs/wires/caps/rotors, plus a few filters and 8 quarts of your favorite oil.


Add in two weeks of cleaning, full time on the weekends. It needs the seats rejuvenated or recovered, new carpets, new dash and pod. There's likely rust under the new paint at the bottom of the rear quarter windows. The paint is likely an inexpensive chain-store respray. All of that will be revealed during your inspection and PPI of course.

I'm pretty sure we just burned through the $5k in your bank account, on a car you may or may not have the money to buy. Oh, you will likely need a few tools to do some of the work.



The "previous owner passed away" is a convenient story that really says "No way will I let you get in touch with the previous owner to find out what the real car history is like!" I think I'll use that tactic when I sell my car... "Current owner is dead!" Hey, it could work...


Get a real 928-specific PPI on any car you get serious about. A full-tilt inspection is $hundreds, but can identify many $thousands in time-bombs hiding in your candidate car.


One of the benefits of Rennlist is the vast distributed knowledge that others are willing to share about the cars in general, as well as with candidate cars you may find. Link up with others in your area, and spend some time with them and their cars. You'll have a hit-list of things to look for, things to avoid, have expert eyes to look with you, disinterested eyes that may be more impartial about a car that you fall in love with at first sight. Ride and drive in a few different cars too, before you get serious about shopping. That way you'll have a better perspective for what a car should feel like when you test-drive it.

Take a minute to review the FAQ at the top of the 928 page here, including advice on purchase. Too many folks underexpect what's in store for them with their first 928; Take advantage of the knowledge shared by those who have gone before you. History is doomed to repeat itself if you don't learn from the mistakes of others. Free education available right here on Rennlist!

 

Thanks Dr. Bob for your 2 cents. I am located in Central Texas (Austin).

 

Hey for the right price, I would drive my 84 to you.... and I just reduced the sale price

 

I take it the '81 is closer to your budget. With what others have said, it needs a TB ASAP. If it runs and you are a gambler, you might drive it cautiously home, (YMMV literally) park it and a month or so later with the help available here and about $400 in parts, it would be what you are looking for. I would wait, research more, maybe get the cash for Stan's. He is a reputable owner with a known history (referring to the car here ) and you could drive it now = priceless. Read the new visitor thread. Don't get scared by the horror stories here. By definition more people come here to get help (me me me) than to report a trouble free existance. Your significant other understands you need time alone in the garage, right?

Don't forget Craigs list, cars.com, autotrader.

 

Ditto to everything Dr. Bob said.
I purchased my 86.5 from an enthusiast in NorCal, and after PPi with some brake work, drove it safely to Maryland. It was a good car, which permitted the road trip. But...once home, its back to work:
1) I needed a proper environment to work on a car like this.
- My garage was extended
- I bought a top rate, more spacious tool cabinet
- I expanded my common tool set
- I bought and fabricated lifting devices to safely get the car WAY off the ground (don't uderestimate this challenge)
- Built a new shed to store stuff that used to clutter the garage
- LOTS of significant (wife) other assuaging along the way
2) Went to work
- vaccum system needed overhauling after 21 years
- electrical opens and shorts fixed
- transmission needed servicing, new gaskets
- finished tune up PO started;
- - new injectors,
- - intakes and valve covers off,
- - painted intakes/valve covers
- - new breather hoses, cleaned up some sensors, replaced others
- - replaced sundry gaskets
- continuous process of cleaning up interior, mainly dash cap hack-job done by PO (several times removed)

After all this, I might say that I over-paid a tad, except that the car is essentially good...reliable, no thrust bearing issues, nice paint, good transmisison, leather and burns no oil. I'm actually OK with doing the maintenance of which there is no short supply, but others feel differently.

You pay up front or in the hind-end...you choose

Mike