bronto

I'll try and talk you into finding other "respected" advisers. Sounds to me they think you're talking about a 924 or 944. If so they don't deserve a 2nd chance.

JoeTaylor

Now that you know you are interested in an early 928, you might want to expand your search area to one that you can afford to buy a car and drive it home.

Try doing a search on Craigslist/Autotrader, etc. for 928's within a 4 hour drive from your home.

You might find a 928 with a lower price and less work required. There are plenty early year 928's out there in need of a good owner.

Joe

danglerb

Skip it.

Your 2 respected independents aren't 928 mechanics and will not be good options for inspection, service, or advice. Before moving forward on any 928 you need to hook up with some knowledgeable people in your area.

8/10 paint and interior figure around $12k, plus or minus $4k depending on the details. Good original paint is maybe the most valuable part of a 928, at least the most costly to replace.

$3800 is WAY too much for a bad paint, meh interior 82. Lots are not generally good sources of 928's, some times, sometimes great deals, but mostly looking for someone uneducated in the model that can make payments.

Nothing wrong with buying cheap and having a project, but its a LOT more expensive than buying a nice car to start with. My rule of thumb from looking at a lot of 928's is that for every $1 the price is reduced from the market price of a nice 928, you will have $3 in expenses making it nice. A nice 82 5 spd has a market value between $5k and $8k, your lot car should sell for maybe $2500, and require between $10k and $15k to make it nice, but double or triple that could easily be spent.

pcar928fan

AMEN to that! Just do a search for "LACL" and look or the 928 forum post that also has $3600 in the title of the thread and be amazed! Also remember that the $3600 car is now a $10,500 car!

Actually you don't have to look all that far...just look at the pretty red car to the left with the REALLY HOT girl on the hood...that was $3600!

Cole

Why pay a premium for a car you are going to redo in the first place?

If your intent is to redo the car, find the cheapest one you can. No reason to pay a premium for things like "nice paint" if you are just going to sand it off anyway.

danglerb

I believe its ironic humor. Porsche ownership often changes a persons baseline for perfection and acceptable condition. Its very easy to slip into the mindset of "what it could be" regardless of how nice it actually is already.

Nobody starts threads here looking for good cheap oil, or wax, or ok maybe tires, but most of the time its "what is the best" this or that.

pcar928fan

That is just the way Sterling rolls! You should have seen his car before he redid EVERYTHING! It was extremely nice!

ALKada

Ouch.

EspritS4s

It looks like we already scared him off

wurzitup

Well, I went and drove it, and I am even more shocked and dismayed than I could have thought............ here is a summary......

1. Despite AC bill and R134A conversion, seller conceded immediately AC does not work at all.
2. Seat functions work, except drivers bottom tilt. Perched way up tipped forward, very awkward.
3. Sunroof would open very very slowly, but barely barely closed. Had to push it shut with hand and button at same time.
4. Drivers window went down, switch wouldn't bring it back up unless you fiddled with it, pushed very hard.
5. Rear wiper didn't work.
6. Seller put new battery in TODAY! to get it down to me. Makes me very suspicious, car is drawing current from somewhere, draining battery. Kind of suspicious.
7. ! light illuminated on dash. I am embarassed to admit I don't know what this is for, whether check engine or emissions related, or a warning lamp installed by Porsche to warn off prospective buyers when a car is too far gone......?
8. NO GUAGES worked except tach and gas. No speedo, odometer wasn't rolling, and oil pressure and other aux. were pegged at either extremes. He said these were all working before...... strange......LOL.
9. He wasn't even aware of the receipts in the glovebox. He finally found them, and I played dumb like I hadn't already gone through them.
10. 5 speed was very very vague engaging gears, and I was very reluctant when engaging gears. I presume this is Porsche synchros vs. later cars. Also, I'm pretty sure the clutch was slipping shifting up gears, it was hard to judge given how hesistant I was being with the gearbox.
11. Whining coming from fuel pump in right rear of car. Loud loud whining..... like its always running and loud.
12. Would not turn over well after hot running. I had read to look for this, and sure enough after he pulled up and car sat for 10 minutes, would barely turn over and then finally caught. I forget what this is indicative of but I had read 928's can be prone to this- I will look it up later.......
I'm trying to think if there was anything else, as if that isn't enough........

The good news is, from the minute the car did fire, I love the thing. Sounds wonderful, big throaty V8 is very different from anything I've owned. It was somewhat reminiscent in how is smelled, felt, handled, drove to my 85 and 87 635 CSI's. I don't know what it is about these cars, but I might have even forgotten that smell until I opened the door and it took me back to my BMW's.
I love the way it drives- you can tell the thing just wants to leap down the road. I can only imagine from driving this dog what a sorted example drives like- I am smitten already!
I think you have all had a lot of good advice- I will keep looking for a more sorted car for a bit more money maybe. I think I need to spend more time really looking further afield, on a straight well taken car of car that maybe needs some TLC at a good price, but doesn't need months of going through and $10,000 before I even look at painting it.
I appreciate all the replys, and any more comments and thoughts would be appreciated.........
Sorry I don't have pictures.....

wurzitup

The seller said HE DIDN'T HAVE THE TIME OR BOTHER to have me have it looked at by my independent before making an offer!! I nearly laughed out loud...... Someone earlier really said it when they said he is simply waiting for some poor unsuspecting soul to come along and get into something they have no idea and think they are getting a Porsche at a good deal.
Really too bad.
We talked it over and I asked him how he expected someone to buy this sort of car without having it looked at, and then it dawned on me- he would HAVE TO have someone buy it without having it looked at...... LOL.

Rob Edwards

What zip code are you in, so that you can get some local help expertise in sussing out candidate 928's? There are experienced owners willing to help pretty much everywhere you might be located. Having been been smitten by E24 BMW's is a good sign that you're gonna 'get' 928's, but there's no such thing as too much information or help when it comes to knowing what to look for in a shark.

JoeTaylor

Sounds like you had an eye-opening experiance.

The "don't need to have someone inspect the car" thing I have heard from others selling beatup 928's. Definately a red flag - lots more wrong with the car, more than he is willing to let on.

Keep looking, it took 3-4 months to find my 928.

Good Luck,
Joe

James Bailey

Seems like a fair price......for the girl

karl ruiter

I remember my first 928 drive. The car was pumkin colored ,windows were in-op, no AC etc, but still you never forget the sound and the smell and feel of a 928.