Rod Handsfield

We are well aware that properly maintained, frequently driven 928's are a joy. How about the low mileage "Time Capsule" cars that seem to be coming onto the market of late? What things will need to be checked or replaced due to lack of use?

Shark Attack

The 928 likes to be driven. No doubt. I think the standard stuff, look at the rubber. What are you calling low miles? 150,000 on a 78 in low miles

Rod Handsfield

less than 20,000 miles. How about shocks, timing belt, electronics?

Nicole

The timing belt needs to be replaced after about 5-6 years, irregardless of low mileage. Otherwise it's about 50k miles until it's due.

I haven't heard of electronic failures becaue of low mileage, but leaks seem to be a common problem. Some of these can be expensive to fix.

Also, if the PO did not have the proper coolant in the engine, and hasn't flushed it regularly, there could be some deterioration that's not visible from the outside.

I don't think shocks go bad that easily - I'm curious to hear what others have to say about this. In my experience, 928 shocks get weak after about 60k miles.

pcar928fan

T-belt yes, shocks and electronics on Blue82 are FINE! It kind of depends on how the car was stored. One would think a <20k mile car would have spent most of its life in a garage and if in fact that is the case then all the car shy of the rubber hoses and belts is probably fine. Change ALL the fluids before even starting the car (including the fuel as far up to the injectors as you can get) put a touch of oil in the spark plug holes, belts, hoses, battery change and you will probably be good to go. Might be a good idea to clean out and repack all bearings and be sure to watch the brakes, might want to change out that fluid before you drive as well...

I think those were the things that were done on blue82, but Kie could give you the full run down on that. I think the last few years of Kermit's life were rougher than all of Blue82's life, so Chuck might have some things that he needed to do that we didn't have to deal with on Blue82...

dr bob

Shocks maybe, depends on how it has been stored. You'll know after driving it a few miles on the new tires you'll need.

Timing belt is a bit of relatively cheap insurance. Rumor has it that they age like other rubber parts. Visual inspection isn't enough. There's other stuff that gets tired in that area that will need replacing anyway, like the tensioner and maybe the rollers, so a new belt is easy to justify.

Fuel hoses, coolant hoses, thermostat, PS hoses, oil cooler hoses. Heat and age are the enemy. Maybe not so much heat damage on low-mile examples, but the yaers are weighing against you.

Electronics: The LH brain is a known age-related failure on S4+. Plan on it. Mike McLeod bought a low-miles GT in Cali, had a brain failure on the way home to Georgia with his prize. My car was stored in a climate-controlled garage prior to purchase, has been in a low-humidity environmnet since here at the house and where I drive. Original lasted 19 yrs, failed in the garage. Fortunately I had a rebuilt spare already on the shelf. How's your luck been lately?

----

I looked at a very low miles '89 GT a few years ago, and figured that the parts cost to bring it to reliable driver status was in the $5k neighborhood. This one had truly been stored in a climate-controlled warehouse by a local high-profile enthusiast. It still needed all the rubber, Timing belt/WP/etc, the intake refreshed, suspension, tires, fluids, brakes, etc. I don't want to scare or shock anybody here, because that same list applies to a whole lot of cars that we drive every day too. We just tend to stretch the life of those things alot when we drive the the cars, and a new acquisition is often on the downslope of life on that stuff. New purchase means baseline everything that has less than 50% life remaininig, at minimum. I look forward to reliavle driving after purchase, and anything that's at all questionable gets immediate attention while the car is in my safe, well-lit, lots of tools, spare car for parts chasing, no need to shortcut or rush anything, sleep in my own bed, home garage. Not on the side of the road someplace, miles from anywhere, getting to know the flatbed driver as he drags us to a fleebag motel until the corner garage in east nowhere can take a look at my 'Porsh'. Sorry, got a little carried away.

Marine Blue

My 30K Mile GT is running perfectly and is very very tight. Known issues I'm aware of include oil pan gasket seeping, power steering hose sweating (two hoses underneath reservoir) and my A/C seals were replaced which means they probably dried out. Blows Ice cold now.

The cars will need maintenance if you intend to drive it so make sure the basics were looked after. Other maintenance sucn as T/B and WP should be done based on age not mileage when looking at time capsules.

Best part of a time capsule is the cosmetics. They are usually perfect and its like driving or looking at a new car.

High Mileage/Low Mileage, either way you can't go wrong as long as the car is propertly maintained.

IcemanG17

really low mileage 928's can become brutal money pits very quickly.....yes the cars look pristine...but all of the rubber dries out very quickly when not used.....nothing you can do about that...... I think dr Bob put up a reasonable # for a low mileage 928 in need of some work to get it up to driving standards....

the 928 to buy is a mid to high mileage car owned by a passionate owner that can document what has been (or not) done to the car..... that way you know what to expect...since surprises tend to be pricey!!!

SteveG

While the 928 may be called "exotic" it really isn't a mystery car. Electrical gremlins come from corrosion, bad grounds, bad connections (twisting a fuse blade can cure this). Or molestation by aftermarket installation of a ? The car just has more electrics to go wierd. The rest is pretty straighforward; did anybody mention P/S hoses and gaskets? Pcar P/S steering racks seem to be prone to giving it up at 15 years. The car definitely suffers from dis use.

Lopez

I have a 1979 with just over 29,000 miles on it now. It had around 27.5 when I bought it 10 months ago. It's had new rubber fuel lines, new spark plug wires, new radiator hoses, all new fluids, a new timing belt at 27k and (2) water pumps - the first dropped its impeller after only 1100 miles, which was the result of a faulty rebuild. That's about it besides tires. No electrical issues whatsoever so far. The car is pretty unmodified (original radio, no alarm) and everything except the headlight washers works as it should. (The headlight washer hoses are rotted away and I haven't bothered to replace them yet). The rest of the rubber may have been replaced, but I don't think so as I have pretty complete records for all the work done since the car was sold new, and there's nothing in there to indicate as such. The only other repair work I have had to do is to adjust the intermediate clutch plate, which didn't cost anything besides a few hours of wrench turning on my part.

I do believe that I am lucky in this respect, and my car is the exception not the rule. However, the car was clearly taken care of and not abused by the two owners before me. It doesn't leak a drop of anything, and starts, idles, and otherwise runs beautifully hot or cold. So... you can find a low mileage garage queen that is not an immediate money pit.

I'm also knocking on my wooden desk right now to ward off the failure gremlins which will now be attracted to my car after writing this...