Charley B

Welcome to Rennlist Steve.

A lot of things you complain about are legitimate, i.e. the trans. fill point. There are a great bunch of guys on here that will always be willing to help you, even the ones that are busting your chops at the moment.

I've found that it helps to only bitch about one thing at a time, that way no one tends to get defensive.

the flyin' scotsman

Honda is a motorcycle company.............they then progressed into very small cars and now we have the cars of today including Acura.................IMHO cars with big m/cycle engines.

A 928 is an expensive GT sports car..............160mph all day long; along straights and through corners.

linderpat

Legit points Steve. However, I have owned 3 of these cars - the first two were Florida cars, baked to glass from the heat and consequently, alot of the things you mentioned were broken or cracked and about to break. My "new" Bleumax, which is a 1978, was never a FL car, but a northeast car, stored in winters and kept indoors, has no issues with any of these things - pretty much everythng just works, and it is older by far over my previous two. I'll never buy a FL car again, because of this. Much of what you mention are heat related issues. Perhaps an Acura would have the same issues if exposed to the Florida sun and heat for 20 years?

OSP

It has been years since I have seen another 928 on the road. I have an 84 and went to look at an 87 that was for sale 50 miles east. Went to see another that had been stored for 10 years, it was a complete mess and covered in mold, not worth crushing. I have heard that there are two others in Buffalo, a white one and a silver one, though I have not seen them.

Funny thing is, last night I was out to dinner and there was an 85 Euro parked in front of the club. I tried to find out who owned it, though no luck. It was a guards red 85 Euro, 5speed with euro 3rd back bumper light and while it looked great, the front hood had been repainted very poorly. I should have left a calling card on the window... oh well.

Anyway, not too many here in western new york, I think there is one other person on rennlist from buffalo, and there are 3 at a junk yard here. While it is kind of nice to be so unique on the road, I wish I could see, perhaps drive other 928s to gauge my own. In the end, browsing the internet and talking with other rennlist 928 owners, my guess is that there is at least a 12:1 ratio for road kill:restored cars.

I was fortunate to buy an original low mileage car, small issues from time to time due to age.

danglerb

Do we have any idea of what the number of ROW cars that are left is?

928cs

Around 1.200 on the road in France.

laufenOutLoud

Are ROW 928s valued in UK, France, Germany like they are here--where the likelyhood of picking one up for cheap and stowing it, unrunning, is likely? Or are they kept garaged and waxed, running or not, like a dang 1993 Corvette stateside?

My $0.02: any car that is technologically advanced for its time loses value like gangbusters. A quick look on my local craigslist: 1997 BMW 740iL with 150k miles = 1997 Honda Accord with 150k miles. I know why. Normal people aren't scared by a Honda because Ed Bob on Conferate Hwy can work on one. Just as others have already stated--the cost of repairs is in the eye of the beholder. If you can turn a wrench, if you can go part diving, then drive the 928! It's almost a personality type. None of my friends drive an Acura. None of them talk about 'blowing' a 4 cylinder rice racer.

shmark

If the discussion is "how many are left" then it follows to ask why so many are gone, and this topic didn't go far afield at all. So here's a loaded question. Why do we see failures that don't seem to happen to other more common cars? Our LeMons car is a Honda CRX with almost 500,000 miles on the chassis. We ran the original engine in the first race and it finished, albeit with a lot of effort and it was toast at the end. After the third race we are considering replacing the radiator...wow there's some personal irony for me.

I would fully expect that a 1987 Acura Legend would still be soldering on in daily use while a 928 with similar use (and similar lack of maintenance) would be pretty much a parts car. Engine, trans, etc. would be fine but all the ancillary components are not the same as what a large mass-producer can create. Sorry, don't have my 928 blinders on there. The 928s out there with high mileage and everything working have received regular, expensive maintenance, nothing like Hondas or Toyotas require. A 928 is an expensive boutique car with many unique parts and while the engineering is very good, it's just not possible to compare a car with 60k built across 28 years, to one with that number built in three months.

A 928 is not as reliable as a Honda. Fact. If it is, then it's received maintenance that's a multiple of the purchase price of that Honda. It's comparing apples and uranium. And for the record, I love my 928!

hacker-pschorr

These problems, especially the interior complaints, are not unique to the 928 when compared to the rest of the Porsche line from that era.

I'll still take a cracked pod and a warped dash over the CRX looking interior in the NSX. It's the only reason why my father (a former 928 owner) never bought one.

Gtaebr

My 928 will survive me.
I have a problem in that when I absolutely adore a car I keep them forever, and view them as heirlooms to be passed on to generations to come.
This is a family illness!
I will be inheriting my fathers 64 Marcos 1800GT, I still have my 72 Lotus 7, (first car I built) and my ultimate 500 horsepower v6 super 7 amongst others.
I longed for a 928 since childhood. Took my time, found a great one and am in love.

It still amazes me people look for and buy 928's as daily drivers, just try that with vintage Ferrari, Lambo, Maserati, Aston etc etc. This is a tribute to our cars.

Sure some parts are expensive but my labor for love is free. Yes you need to learn to work on your car... Ownership is a passion and the work is part of that. The reward, you own and drive a rare piece of automotive art and history.

I estimate probably a third of production is out their but with the number of daily drivers and underfunded cars this number will continue to drop.

When my eldest has "Ruby" 30 years or so from now (I hope!) I will wager RM, Barrett Jackson et al, will be clamoring for the car. My hope and trust is that the only voice he hears will be that of my unborn grandchild. Then another generation will get to worship at the throne of lifelong passion for the automobile, and add to the family stable with their own " lifetime" wheeled loves.

It is not about parts, time or money only the cars!

pcar928fan

^^^^^^
Here Here!!! Well put Joe! Right on the money!

TYP928S

How many are left...

Just ask Dwayne. How many states are left???



jon

danglerb

Comparing Hondas to 928s the situation is backwards. Problem Hondas hit the crusher in less than 10 years, same as most cars. 928s get saved when they are 31 years old, with body and interior in shambles and parts in boxes.

When you buy an old high mileage Honda Darwin has already thinned the herd. With a 928 similar NICE cars are almost never sold, just the problem cars.

86'928S MeteorGrey

Why even compare a Honda and a 928? Might as well compare a lawn mower engined mini bike to a 200HP superbike... Low horse power = low wear. High horse power = high wear... I'll agree that older German interior plastics don't do well with sun compared to most other vehicles. But other items that get griped about like plastic end tanks on radiators for instance are also unwarranted gripes... The failing radiator is usually 20 YEARS OLD! I think they last pretty well regarding the time span... Also the 928 was designed in the early 70's. How many 77' Honda Civics do you see rolling kilo G any more? Probably less common than 928s... And how much HP did one of those have 40hp?

I'd say there are at least 10,000 running 928s left in the world... My best guess.

goodspeed928

More then 10k for sure, In the USA.