bogdann

I wouldn't drive a car with bald tyres, bad brakes or one I hadn't taken to a deserted road and trieda few emergency stops at a reasonable speed. I don't know the history of the car or how far you need to drive but I figure if it is safe enough to drive in your local area it is safe on a longer drive but you need to respect the condition of the car. To get anywhere here you have to drive reasonable distances and you can't always afford a new car so you make do with what you have, just drive it differently. Have had my car nearly 6 years and even though I wasn't always happy with its condition I have always loved driving it.
If you can't get "good" tyres where you are maybe you can get them at DFW while you visit?

Good luck

whatudrivin

Thanks for all the tips guys. If I get it running and driving I fully plan on driving it to work. and for at least an hour or so after work around the city on the highways. That way a tow would never have to go more than lets say 5 miles or so.

I can get some good used tires. Been getting tires from this shop for replacements on all my other cars and some of my friends/family and never had a bad tire. I'm confident that they will be good tires.

I agree on the brake testing Bogdann. That will be done for sure. I always do that on cars that I change the brakes on. And in a car that I have never driven and is being resurrected from the grave I will certainly do the same. And I have 2 other cars. 1 which I would trust to drive from coast to coast now. Well once I put on the new brakes and rotors that are currently sitting in its trunk. This isn't the only car I have so I'm not too worried about getting it up and running but I really want to. I have been wrenching on it at night now trying to get everything done. And am about to post a thread with questions on fuel lines....

RKD in OKC

Get Matt to follow you

If you can make it to Texas and back I would dub the car reliable

Randy V

You plan on buying used tires?

Seriously?

Perhaps the 928 is not the right car for you.

danglerb

I've got used tires on 3 of my cars, 928Intl often has some fine low mileage, recent manufacturing date tires at great prices. My 83 has Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires, Mustang has Potzena 650's, and my 85 Euro S has something pretty good but I forget what. Now once I get them sorted out a bit better, then I start looking for better tires, maybe some nice used Hoosiers?

Which reminds me, there is taking a trip, and then there is driving a 928 as Porsche intended. Driving hard and fast needs a real inspection with the knowledgeable inspector knowing what you plan to do.

Alan

Drive the car every day - pretty soon you will know if its reliable and can take whatever action is needed to make its so. You will also know the car well enough that you will be able to detect issues before they become reliability problems.

I have had my car for almost 12 years, I've driven it almost every one of those days, it has never failed to get me home - even with a few issues here and there - batteries, gear shift cup (drive home 1 mile in 2nd). 70,000 miles - most reliable car I have ever owned - far from the cheapest to run however... gas, oil, tires, repairs, upgrades, more tires, more oil, lots more gas... It has done many 2000+ mile trips...

Worth every penny - no other car like it... the most smiles per mile

Alan

whatudrivin

Yes. Because I cannot afford a new set of tires atm, especially on a car that I am not sure is worthy of new tires yet. Once the car proves that it is going to be reliable enough to be driven regularly I will get all new tires. I have already priced them and know how much I am looking at spending.

This is a car that I plan on working on for many years and will never be a daily driver. I don't make enough to do everything that it needs done at once. So there may be times like this where I have to settle for something that will work short term. I am not going to be racing this car any time soon. I just need to be able to travel w/o worrying about blowing out a 10+ year old tire. If for anything else just to be able to roll the car around in my drive way when I'm working on it as the tires on it not will not hold air for more than a week at a time.

I wish I made enough to be able to throw a few thousand at it and have a great car. But that is a long ways off for me and I know this. I'm not in any real rush but I would like to make sure that it is even worth fixing. Which I am hoping that it is.

whatudrivin

I am hoping that I will be able to say this one day. And I am looking forward to getting to experience the car as it should be later down the road.

yardpro

only way to know is to drive it. most issues, as said by others are relays, grounds, fuel lines....

i bought mine with 140K and drove it 1200 miles home at night in the pouring rain.... i was very nervous, but it did fine...

I had to do the TBWP job a few months after that even though the other h20 pump only had 6Kmiles on it... the bearing started to go out..AAARRRGGG...

I finished the job the night before driving 7.5 hours to SITM last year... Thank goodness for NCGROWLER waiting to meet me in raleigh (i was running late)... So i had an escort i case anything happened... but she ran like a champ.

from everthing i have read these cars are actually VERY reliable with proper maintenance.... keep in mind that proper maintenance means a lot more than just changing the oil every X number of miles like a toyota.....

Imo000

Why not if they are good? Many put used parts on their 928s......they are not worthy of having them either?

Bradster928

I just bought my 1983 in January from a private owner in Philadelphia. Low price and competition prevented a PPI. I checked fluids, called the Porsche dealer where the car was serviced. Gave it a quick once over and drove it home to Richmond with no issues.

I have put about 3,000 miles on it since then. I have a growing list of issues, leaks, etc., but I would drive it pretty much anywhere with the understanding that it is not a new Camry or Accord.

I agree with previous posts about safety (making sure it stops and goes, no gas smell, no serious leaks.) I also have wireless roadside assistance from my cell phone provider.

There are certainly no guarantees with a car like this or any other older car.

Anyway, good luck and be safe.

leperboy

Same for me. My car has left me stranded once in 5 years, because of a fuel pump.

To me, the thing that makes me most certain it's reliable is driving it. Day in and day out with no problems. The more I drive, the more confident I am.

You never know it is not going to break down. It is a matter of faith. They key for me is going through everything that could fail in my mind and making sure I have addressed them as best I can. No leaks, no overheating, no intermittent electricals. Fresh fluids. Good belts. good water pump. No buzzing from the fuel pump.

Also, the more I drive the more attuned I am to how the car is running. I am better able to recognize when something is out of sorts and address it before it becomes a problem.

Barry Chan

how do you define "reliable" well there's the whole cooling system that will overheat your car if any one of the component breaks such as simple as a radiator cap or thermostat, then there's the electrical that will not start your car if contacts are not cleaned to bad coil and wires, then there's ignition switch, brakes, hoses and lines, then oil leaks, old gasket and much more so.....i would not do long trips just yet until most of these are done, don't rush, fix the car as planned, take your time to buy parts from each pay check, it's a project car if you know what that means? good luck and be SAFE!

whatudrivin

I am giving myself till this weekend to get it running. If it is not running by Sunday I will not try to drive it down to Texas. I want to have a good week or so of driving it first. This was just something I could look forward to hoping that it would be running well enough. I mainly started this thread to see what other people went by. And it has given me a lot of good information =)

Koenig-Specials 928

Quote:
Originally Posted by whatudrivin
I am looking at getting my car running this week, hopefully. And I would like to drive it down to the next Saturday breakfast if it appears to be mechanically sound.

So my questions to you guys is what or how did your car prove to be reliable enough to take it on a long drive? 3+ hours. What should I be looking for in determining if it is reliable enough?
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

For me it's good preventative maintenance before putting her to nap for the winter (oil/filter change, PS & Brake fluid oil swap using a turkey baster) and belts, brake pads and suspension checks during the winter. That way when I wake her up she's all rearin to go.