brian_ndms

Alright I have a 1988 944 N/A that I am going to be selling very soon so that I can upgrade to faster Porsche. Besides the number of cylinders and horsepower, what would be the advantages of owning a 944 turbo over a 928? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am really hoping that someone here can provide me enough information to go ahead proceed with a 928 purchase.

RKD in OKC

Had two 944 turbos and on my second 928.

944 turbo is the highest maintenance Porsche according to local Porsche only shop.
944 turbo has LOTS of bolt on power upgrades, makes you want to turn up the boost a little, a little more, just a little more then bang.

928 is more comfortable to just sit back a cruise in. Seems more civilized.

brian_ndms

I am new to the 928 forum, so I thank you for the information.

RKD in OKC

Best thing is to go drive one of each and see which you like the best.

jbrob007

They are both great drivers but completely different cars... Apples & Oranges... 944 Turbo is a sports car with a tighter fit, a bit cramped & not nearly as comfy (especially on long drives) and is kind of dated in appearance (although I love the look). The 928 is a Grand Tourer and while it can keep up with most cars in the twisties that isnt its strong point... going down the freeway at 140 mph ALL DAY is... Its also styled in a way that doesnt show its age. Some updated wheels and it looks like 20 years younger Maintenance wise... well, neither one is cheap... of course were not talking VW bug here

BlueRiver86

They are miles apart handling wise. What kind of car do you want to drive?

pcar928fan

Love the look of the 944/951's but as noted above, they do show their age more than a 928 does. Remember that the 928 was the TOP OF THE LINE Porsche when it was being built. The 944 was the entry level and the 951 was just below the 911. The 928 cost 50% more than a 911 and delivered MUCH, MUCH greater comfort and class than any other car Porsche was building at the time and it shows! It was also faster in top speed than any other P-car during its day and was within TENTHS as fast as anything if not faster.

Much more of everything in a 928!

I don't think they are much more costly than a 951 to maintain and I think it might be a bit harder to blow one up...again as noted above, turn up a 951 a bit, then a bit more then a bit more still and BOOM! New engine time!

17prospective buyer

Deffinitely would advise against getting a 928 because it's "faster"... It's not... period. Unless of course you throw 5-6K minimum into a supercharger kit from 928MS or Murf, but that's ALOT of money. However, like all of the above have stated; the 928 is bigger, comfier, more stable at high speeds, and to me a lot more classy. The 944 i think has a bit better of an aftermarket/performance market from what i've seen. There are a whole lot more performance sites that sell stuff for 944's than there are for 928's. 928's seem to require ALOT of power to overcome their inherently tall gears and weight (especially heavy cars from 87 on). I'm not saying they're slow... not at all, but they aren't stop light/drag racers put it that way.

pcar928fan

^^^^^^
You can take that up with Porsche then! The factory figures show that the 928 was the FASTEST Porsche in the *REGULAR* line up at least in the 5.0 and 5.4 years. I say regular line up because there were quite a few years in the US where the Turbo 911 was not available. That said, the info that I have seen (in Porsche ads) list the top SPEED of the 928 higher than any other Porsche, including the Turbo for the same production years.

I didn't say it was quicker, I said it was faster and if you compare an early 80's 928 to a 951 then NO the 951 is quicker and faster. You can only compare the same model years one to another in this instance. Look at the '88 MY line up...928 165mph, nothing else in the line was even close (959 does not count!) Do you really think Porsche would charge 50% more for a car and give you one SLOWER than the cheaper car???? Not gonna happen! That is like saying, "here is your 911 Carrera S...oh, yea, its slower than a Cayman!"

17prospective buyer

I see your point but i seem to remember reading that back in the day the 951 was still pretty close behind the 928 in acceleration and was 50% cheaper, causing some people to scratch their heads. BUT, look at how bigger and comfier the 928 is and what it has to lug around. It's not a fair comparison i think. I'm not saying a 928 is a slow car... but it isn't a stop light racer, it wasn't ever designed to be. It all depends on what the PO wants in a Porsche. If you want pure speed/handling, get a 944 Turbo, bolt on a T3 and away you go! But if you want an all rounder, i would say go with a 928.

In fact, you say compare the same years, well, have a look at this. An 85 928S compared to an 85 951, identical 0-60 (6.1 seconds).

Link

danglerb

What do you mean by faster?

How big is your fast budget?

How nice of a car do you want, hot rod beater with dash cracks and bad paint, or concours?

My choice having owned both, early body 928 (not the wide butt later models) with a Greg Brown 6.0L motor with a 5 spd. Pay once, reliable 400 rwhp as long as I own it.

rgs944

A stock 32v 928 will handle a stock 951 just fine. I also concur with the statements about modding 951's. It does seem to be a case of a lot of them going bang with heavy modification.

Gary Knox

I've been driving my '88 and then an '89 S4 on tracks with 944 T's for 8-10 years. My engine is totally stock, I have stiffer sway bars and externally adjustable Koni shocks, and high performance street tires (e.g. Michelin PS2's) on 18" wheels and Recaro SRD seats. I'm mid '70's, so not a "FAST" driver, but enjoy the challenge of driving the tracks.

The 944 T's frequently are modified as stated above. I find they usually require a fair bit of maintenance in the paddocks, and frequently experience a major power plant problem. I've only had one small "mechanical" issue in all this time with the 928 - a leaking power steering high pressure hose (car has 130K miles). The 944's are a bit faster through the twisties than my 928, but I usually catch them on the longer straights - especially going up hill at Watkins Glen. Lap times are probably within a second of each other - probably more a difference between drivers than between cars. I've had several "guest instructors" who have never been in a 928 before marvel about it's capability on the track, and it's "very impressive" brakes.

Since I drive the car to and from the tracks, it is VERY comfortable for these 250 - 400 mile trips.

So - in my opinion, it depends on what you want from a car. And, I recommend that you become your own mechanic (if you aren't already) for either car. 944 may be simpler in many areas.

Good luck in your decision.

Gary Knox
928 Owners Club charter member and current Treasurer www.928OC.org

vze2jshn

IMHO if you want a 944 turbo, the 944 turbo S is the ticket--beefed up trans, beefed up cooling,forged wheels, adjustable Konis amongst other things from the factory. As is always the case, the trick is to find one that is not raced out.

GuardsRedHammerhead

Well, being an ex-944 NA and a 951 guy, and migrating to 928, I can think of one advantage of the 944 over the 928.

You don't have to worry about brushing the chicks off your 944. LOL!!! People ask if it is a Mazda RX-7 instead of asking if it is a Ferrari. You won't come off as a nasty 1% er if you drive a 944.

Just kidding, 944 guys. Just having a good laugh. I am looking at a Guards Red 951 right now, and nothing is sexier than the red with black Fuchs and the Turbo script badge. Fun cars, too.