Raize

I'm still trying to work up the courage to buy a 928 to replace my dying 924. I was wondering if the handling of a 928 is a great improvement over that of a 924. Obviously the 928 is a much heavier car but of course the suspension setup of a 928 is far superior to that of a 924 or 944 which has a very basic suspension setup which Porsche somehow tweaked to work well.

Would appreciate experience of anyone who has driven both (which I'd imagine is most people on this board).

Wisconsin Joe

I own both a 928 & a 944 (it's an 83 so it has the same suspension as the 924). I drive the 928 more, but I just got the 944 out last week so I have "fresh" experience in both. Others may have different opinions and experiences, but here's mine:

The 944 is more nimble. Being smaller and lighter, it has a sharper, quicker feel. Non-power steering and performance tires give it better road feel. I know where each tire is and what it's doing at any given moment. But that is at the cost of higher road noise and a harsher ride.

The 928 "feels bigger." It isn't a lot bigger in actuality, but it feels "more bigger" (if that makes sense).
The handling isn't quite as nimble and quick, the road feel isn't quite as precise. That isn't to say that the 928 doesn't handle well. It does. But it's a much better balance of comfort and performance. It gives up a small amount of handling for a huge increase in comfort.

Both of them handle great. They have far better handling than I can exploit. They are similar in their balance. Both of them have the "Point the wheel where you want to go and use the throttle to put the back end where you want it." Hanging the tail out a bit on a curve is pretty intuitive. The Weissach rear suspension on the 928 negates the increase in size and weight.

If you want something quick and nimble for an afternoon jaunt, the 924/944 is great.
If you want something for a long drive that will take whatever curves the road has in it, the 928 is better.

MainePorsche

Well said Joe.

GlenL

I'm a dual owner as well. Joe has the comparison right. What I'd like to add is that the choice of 928 year/model and changes to the suspension are important as well. The earlier cars are a bit lighter and feel more nimble. You can add stiffer shocks, springs and sway bars to increase responsiveness.

Then there's the power. I track both cars in my avatar. At the local track (Brainerd) the 944 turns a 2:12 over 3 miles. The 928 will do a 1:57. 15 seconds is a huge difference. Mostly it's the raw power but the 928 has the handling and brakes to use it.

James Bailey

The 928 handles BETTER, corners better, it just does it so well that it does not feel stiff or harsh. And the lack of the sensation of speed is very deceptive since there is so little drama. Then as Glen so clearly points out the 300 HP or better iterations as so much faster !!

drwhosc

the models are different. I also have a 944, 928 and 911. Any choice other than a 924 will be a vast improvement. The 944 is a great car, does well for a 4 banger. a true joy to drive, but spartan, no frills. The 928 is a complex machine, also a joy to drive. Mine is a 88 and it reminds me of my BMW 740 from the early 2000s. The 928 was well ahead of its time. The 928 is a turing car and much more comfortable. Both handle well but have a different feel. you can throw anything at the 928 and it will handle it. Good luck in your voice, but it really comes down to 4 vs 8 cylinder choice.... They just feel different that way. and 6 cylinders is still my fave, but a lot more $$

The Forgotten On

The 944 is one of the best slow cars to drive fast. It is a lot lighter than the 928 and a lot simpler. 50/50 weight distribution and good fuel economy.
It is basically point and shoot when driving on twisty roads and feels much more direct steering wise than the 928.

The 928 is a great car to drive fast for hours at a time and still feel refreshed when you get out of it. It has a 50/50 weight distribution so it is very balanced for a heavy car.
The V8 makes a better noise and it is faster just from sheer grunt. It gets half the fuel economy of the 944. It also handles extremely well when it begins to get twisty.

hacker-pschorr

I own two 928's (once supercharged, one a lightweight track beast) and a 944S.

The 944S is a sportscar, the 928 is a Gran Turismo.

One is not better than the other, just for different purposes.

Which is why I might sell the 944S for Subaru BRZ, but to replace the 928 I would have to shell out big $$ for something like an Aston Martin. However, even if I had the funds for a new Aston, I'd still rather have my 928's.

huskeric

Owning a '89 S Turbo 944 (951), that is surely my faster car - corners and straight line. Also, doing 80 on the highway and punching it, the Turbo nearly leaps forward. The 928 (1989 S4), I suspect, has a higher top speed, not that I'd ever take it that fast.

I took the 951 on a 700 mile road trip last year and was quite comfortable, but not nearly as comfortable as that experienced in the 928.

It feels like you're going much faster at 80 in the 951 than the 928 - about 20 mph difference in sensation. As such, it's easy to let the 928 'get away from you' while on the highway as it just hunkers down and rides so well. The 951 you hear the road and wind noise (and turbo noise )

All in all, you will notice a much superior experience in the 928.

Tazzieman

I own a 924(2L engine) , 944na , 928 and 911sc
They all handle really well , but each is quite different - put the 924/944 in the similar category, the 928 is a heavy beast and requires muscle to hustle whilst the 911 is agile & uber responsive. Yes the 924 is underpowered but for what it is , it's a fine car to punt through the twisties. Just don't expect whiplash. Now the turbo version , that is different...

WallyP

There is "feel" and there is "handling", and they are very different. The 928 is capable of going faster thru the turns than 95% of us are willing to try.

hacker-pschorr

Bingo!

The same can be said for my Saab...

James Bailey

Exactly , what I was trying to say !!!

Still groping for the definition of sports car and Gran Touring but pretty much believe they are based on subjective criteria at best. And the comments about being heavy have little relevance given the weights of most new cars today. Besides my old very brown 1980 weighs in at 3,000 lbs until I get in it

77tony

You got that right. 2014's, Camaro SS: 3800lbs, Mustang GT: 3735lbs, Challenger RT: 4080lbs!. T

tv

What Bailey said! and for Wally's quote I would substitute steering for feel. The 928 is a go-kart when it comes to holding the road, especially if everything is functioning/maintained properly.