Chuck Z

Good luck with your purchase. Seems risky driving a car home from that far away w/o knowing it's mechanical history before hand. Hope it all works out in your favor.....

jthwan22

With auto train you just have to make it to DC, right?

wcj928

Yes, Lorton, Va just south of DC.

Black Sea RD

Hi Walter,

I live just up the road from you in Vero. We should get together and check out your new acquisition!

Good luck with the buy,
Constantine

Chuck Z

What's auto train?

DR

Walter,

Nice score, Congrats!!

Hi Chuck,

We got to get you to drive more long trips in a 928 so you will have a little more "faith"! :-)

If you think back on all the stories here on Rennlist of the guys picking up 928s from far away and driving them home you will be hard pressed to remember any that didn't make it. Most of these were even older 928s and a lot in not so great condition. I personally have driven a bunch home from far way with no other history or information other than how it ran when I got there and obvious fluid checks before I left. The only real issues I ever had on many of these 10 hour + trips were tire related.

History on a car is great, but it is just that, history. Current state is much more important and for the most part can be told by an inspection and test drive before you leave.

Long steady speed trips are one of the easiest things on a 928, problems usually appear on those shorter aggresive trips.

I'll be the first to take the bet that if Walter decides to drive the GT home, he wil have wonderful bonding experiance and make it home in record time.

BTW, It is nice to see the GTS back in your sig again!

Chuck Z

Thanks DR! It's not that I don't have faith in my own cars and I know guys drive them home all the time with little or no known history, it would be just MY luck to be the story of the guy who didn't make it..........

wcj928

Auto train is run by Amtrak and takes you and your car from Lorton, Va to Orlando, FL non stop. It leaves at 4 pm and arrives at 8 am. Only people with cars can ride so it is a nice crowd. You pay for ticket for seat or bedroom and for car that is loaded into a car transport rail car that is covered. Costs about $359 and includes dinner and breakfast for a bedroom. It is better than an Auto Transporter and cheaper too.

wcj928

I bought a 67 Austin Healy many years ago and drove it from NC to AL. It had a rusted out gas tank and leaked the whole way. I figure if I could make that trip this will be a piece of cake.

DR

Come on, you have better luck than that.. look at your wife, look at your GTS you got back, etc.

But, to be honest I would be a lot more leary of issues driving a low mileage "perfect" 928 that has not been excercised regularly on a long trip, than one that has been driven long and hard often.

We need to get you a "beater 928" so you can experience the bonding feeling on a long trip. After the first 300 miles you stop saying "what is that noise", "that feels strange" etc, and then just kick back and enjoy the ride as that V8 purrs going down the road eating up mile after mile after mile....

wcj928

I just went through the bonding with my sons 1989 928 we bought about 6 weeks ago. It was leaking so much steering fluid and smoking like it was on fire. It did have a small flame that i quickly put out. All repaired now at no small cost. We will see on the GT as it is about a 4 hour drive from NJ to DC.

Chuck Z

How cool is that! I had no idea.......

Chuck Z

Well, maybe not such bad luck......

Marine Blue

That's not a bad drive at all although the traffic may be tough depending on when you go.

I think the only real issue worth investigating on this car is the Timing Belt, the rest should be evident with a visual inspection and a test drive. You may want to bring a relay or two with you just in case.

Good luck!

wcj928

The ad says timing belt and water pump replaced. Hopefully recently as opposed to 10 years ago.