When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
As many have said, it's the teenager not the car! Sounds like he has a great kid to accompany the great deal he got on the car. Certainly agree that design has much to do with overall safety but there is something to say about the quality build of the older cars. Here is what my 16 daughter wanted to drive and still does at 20. I don't worry about much other than a semi as she is a very safe driver. Congrats on the car and heck you can perform the repairs!
My son drove my '81 928 to school and all the other parents were giving me crap about spoiling him and how he was driving such an expensive car. I told them it was worth $5,000 and he would be scared at a level where the car would cover his rear, vs. their kids in the $20,000 Mustang GT that would wrap itself around a tree before they knew what was happening. End of story, and that' exactly how it turned out.
I'm very familiar with Wilhoits story, but it hardly applies when talking about vehicle safety with today's technology. The 928 was one of the safest cars in the world, that was 20-30 years ago, a LOT has changed.
The tin can that hit Wilhoit that night had just as much to do with how Michal and his wife survived, if not more so.
The "staple" of vehicle safety is the Volvo wagon, few people would ever argue against that. A few years ago 5th gear staged a head on crash test between a Volvo 940 wagon and a modern Renault econobox. Most would have placed strong bets on the Volvo, when in reality the Renault pulverized it and the occupants in the much smaller car fared better.
We cannot forget the 928 is a 1970's design. No matter how far ahead of the times they were, the automotive industry caught up and surpassed it a long time ago. If you put a gun to my head and said pick a 2016 VW Beetle or a 928 for a 30mph collision with each other, I wouldn't hesitate to jump behind the wheel of the VW.
My comments are in no way shape or form directed at the decision Speedtoys made with this car for his daughter. I was driving my fathers 928 at age 16 and now it's in my garage. He knows his daughter better than anyone and if she's taught to respect such a vehicle (and I believe she has), it's a great starter car.
I hear you Hacker, but the fallacy to avoid is that just because there are safer cars today, that doesn't make the 928 less safe. It simply means that there are safer cars.
As to the '16 VW vs the shark, sorry, I'm going with the shark on that one.
Nice Jeff. Have fun fixing it up with your daughter learning about the car. Great time spent together.
Thanks.
Ive beat it like I stole it for the last 100 miles of highway and mountain road.
Other than normal top/front/tt/eng-trans mounts refresh work:
Pass window no work
Mirrors no move with the buttons
Cig lighter no work
Cluster backlighting only 1/2 works..and the dimmer dial is shot to hell
Defog button busted
One headlight reflector all corroded
One rear bulb out
Suspension feels ok, not totally gone shocks, but OK for me/kid. Will see how 'alignment' wants to work out, then add whats needed there too.
But..runs strong, runs smooth (cept for the mounts are all shot)
This is all just one long weekend for Colin to do.
My son drove my '81 928 to school and all the other parents were giving me crap about spoiling him and how he was driving such an expensive car. I told them it was worth $5,000 and he would be scared at a level where the car would cover his rear, vs. their kids in the $20,000 Mustang GT that would wrap itself around a tree before they knew what was happening. End of story, and that' exactly how it turned out.
Yup..the 928, any model..just isnt a rocket of death from a stoplight for a young driver with no developed fine motor control or reaction time processes for "things happening way too fast"...like a Mustang GT..which..isn't a "lot of car"..but its developed to feel quick and spirited...and that'll catch a young driver up really...really...fast.
With a row of big ion-exchange resin-y looking recyling tanks along one wall, usually. As you might imagine there's all sorts of legislation about water recycling in commercial carwashes. Which is perfectly reasonable.
Besides, every group shower I've ever taken has been awesome.
I've been squinting hard - are they genuine cup II's? I *think* I can see embossed somethings either side of the valve.
Did the back of the rear hatch stay dry? My experience is car washes are sometimes strong enough to push water past the seal along the trailing edge of the hatch, on top of the tool panel, especially if the rear latch is adjusted a little loose (or has failed), as it squashes the seal flat over time.
Sweet ride, congrats. My 16YO learned to drive on the 90GT. he drove it to school for a while, then switched to the truck. Both had airbags, and that's the only thing I would want for a teen in a 928.
I may have mentioned it before but, my advice to the kid was 'Son, you have by far, the fastest car in school. There is no need to prove it to any lesser vehicle'. He did fine.
Gas lines, brake fluid change for peace of mind right away. In addition to all the usual suspects of course.
04-29-2015 | 01:01 PM
Good for her and you!
