I'm looking for advice on whether to buy a 1987 928s4. The seller is a relative and owns and a couple of 944's and is a capable mechanic. He recently acquired this 928 from another Porsche addict for $3000.00. When I first saw it, he showed me the car and said he was going to restore/fix it up, but due to a lack of funds he had decided he was going to sell it.

When I was a kid, I had a poster of a red 928 on my wall and have always dreamed of owning one. I'm a lowly public servant so most of these beautiful cars are out of my reach. I've always wrenched on my own cars, bikes and boat and have a large shop with a lift to work on them.

The car is about 500 miles away from where I live in the Spokane, Wa area. I wasn't considering the car when I saw it last but I heard it run and took a glance at most of it, so most of my information about it is from memory (sorry I dont have the VIN # as of this posting)

Car info: S4 with auto trans
Tan/bronze paint with tan and black interior
Looks all original with polished stock wheels
Records are incomplete but timing belt was done 20,000 ago
Current mileage is aprox. 122,000
Never crashed

Problems that I know of: Car will not upshift into 3rd and 4th (possible vacuum
modulator malf.)
ABS light stays on
Driver side seat control doesn't fully work
Paint is peeling on roof and hood
In need of a new carpet kit and dash pad

So far that's all I know. If it was close by I would look it over more thoroughly and probably pay $$$ to have a Porsche mechanic to do a complete inspection.
I can buy the car for $2500 cash and just have to go get it. I'm not afraid of a challenge, but I don't want to get in over my head and make a foolish purchase.

This is my first post on the site but I've been reading alot of the threads on the various issues associated with these cars and they sound very complex.

BTW- I have no intent on restoring to make money. I just want a hot rod my family and I can scream down the road in relative comfort.

Thanks for any advice

 

Could be good.
I'd want a crankshaft endplay test done (search for that procedure here, and reasons)

 

Welcome! My best advice would be to find an experienced 928 rennlister to go look at the car and do a PPI.

 

My gut feeling is go find a good example already done for more money and skip this one. But I am still a young 928 pup.

 

Well, on a $3K 928 you are looking at a minimum of $6K parts to make it mechanically safe and reliable in my opinion, if that helps, assuming endplay is within spec.

 

I don't know what price has to do with the amount of money he has to put into it. Worst way to judge a car ever.

Its true that sometimes a car is priced accurately according to the work it needs to get it up to snuff. But rarely.

Car could go either way. The condition of the car and the skills of the mechanic will determine how much needs to be spent, not the purchase price of the car.

 

Ah Yes !! ...." but I've been reading alot of the threads on the various issues associated with these cars and they sound very complex..."

And the parts are often quite expensive......
So this car needs paint, some interior work, and the trans wont upshift to 4 th.....

 

How much?

He bought it for $3K - is that what you will pay?

 

"Bump for movement. Price reduced to $1,500 cash and carry!"

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...4-2-350-a.html

I think it has changed hands a couple times in Oregon.

 

Yep its junk relative to the goals of the possible purchaser, taking the family cruising.
As I suspected.
A car hidden from the market is one thing. Price isn't indicative.
A car that has been on the market and changed hands, especially one being ditched by a mechanic, is a totally different animal.

 

A good cleaning alone would do wonders for that car.

 

Its already been powerwashed to within an inch of its life.

Why don't you buy it, Cole, and report back?

 

Which the op did not indicate any of that nor did your post that based it's mechanical condition on it's price alone.


....and to be honest we are still speculating at this point as to the car in question since the op has not replied back to confirm that is actually the car. (which it probably is)

 

Looks entirely restorable to me. But then again.....I've got skills!

 

$1500 is a bargain if you part it out. Sorry to see another shark go down for the count. And so young too...