XS29L9B

What does the Porsche 928 mean to you?

Was it a dream car from when you were younger? A flashback to a great era of automobiles? Did you see one in a movie and have to get one? What was it for you?

Maybe the engineering? maybe just the lines? Maybe you just find it peculiar, and that's why? Whatever your reason, why do you like them, own them, or lust after them in general?

Ad0911

Back in 1978, at the age of 17, I was most impressed by the stories in the car magazines. It all sounded like this was the car the motoring press was waiting for. Superlatives all over. At the time this car was as expensive in the Netherlands as 5 x an Audi 80 which my father just had bought. The first time I saw one "in the flesh" was in Antwerp in 1979. I told my father about the price of the car and I remember him saying: "well, it certainly doens't look that expensive". I tried to explain without much succes that the value is not in the bling but under the hood. I on the other hand was hooked. And not in the least by that crazy but beautiful Pasha upholstery. When I finally decided I wanted to have a 928, it had to be one with the Pasha.

Tom in Austin

I admire it's individuality ... it belongs to no class or category. It came from a group of people who simply set out to do more things better than any other car ... what an amazing inspiration.

DKWalser

I was in high school when the 928 came out. I spent hours reading about it in the school library. Then, life intervened and I all but forgot about the 928. Four years ago, I was in the market for a new daily driver and almost bought a 2002 911 (it failed the PPI). While idly searching for another car, I came across a 1987 928 on a classic car dealer's website in LA. After 1.5 years looking and kicking the tires, I found a 1990 S4 that passed PPI. I flew to Orange county and drove it home to Arizona. The car shouldn't have passed PPI. I should have had someone more familiar with 928s do the inspection. I didn't and I'm glad I didn't because the car wouldn't have passed inspection and I'd still be looking. I love the car. My commute doesn't take any less time, but I arrive at work and at home in a better mood.

So, the 928 represents the dreams of my youth (and my current nightmare).

The Deputy

When I first saw the car...thought it looked awesome...and I believe I'm awesome...so it was a prefect fit...an awesome car for an awesome guy.

Okay, maybe that wasn't the case...but I did think the car was awesome.

No, I believe it all began when I saw Risky Business. Liked everything about the car and wanted one. Searched briefly in 1988, however, this was prior to the internet, and settled for a 944. That was twenty five years ago. Now, you can find one easily and they are very affordable.

Brian. (aka - a-somewhat-awesome guy with two awesome cars...lol)

Edit: Seems too be a theme here already...I was 18 and in high school in 1978.

SwedeInSiam

Wasn't a big fan of the 928 when I was young. Liked the interior and mid section of the car but always thought the headlights and rear looked a bit goofy.

Back in 89 when it was time to put my hard earned money into a my first "real" car I was looking at 944 but it was a bit too much money so ended up with a 85 Camaro and got hooked on V8's (still have the Camaro back in Sweden).

Fast fwd to 2014 and me living in Thailand since 2002. Been driving Hondas since I moved here because of crazy taxes on and "fun" cars and were starting to get the car bug again. Was looking to buy a 1972 Vette that needed full restoration but had to say no due to price and sketchy registration.

That's when I started looking at 928 again.
Have V8, Check
Affordable in Thailand (5 times the price in US), Check
Let's find one, Done

Had it for a bit over a year now and have driven it 3 miles. Decided to go through the car completely since it been serviced by Thai "jungle mechanics" since 1989.
Have to say that the car is really growing on you. I now like the "goofy" looks of the lights and rear and love it for being different.

Now I just have to get it running (very close).

oldfrat

I was looking for a 1967 Corvette coupe with automatic transmission and AC when I bumped into a 928 at last year's Mecum auction in Dallas. I had had a friend who owned a 928 and knew he loved it. I got into that 928 and was amazed by the leg room and comfort it offered. It had no reserve and a documented amazingly low mileage. So I bid on it when it came up and was amazed to get it for about 1/3 of what it would have taken to buy the '67 Vette I was after. Probably because it was not in any of Mecum's advance advertising material and not even on the Xeroxed bidding sheet for the day.

I then discovered I have a 928 mechanic wizard (Sean Ratts) 10 miles from me and 928sRus a few more miles away, and that these people have created a club of really great owners of 928s. I feel rather blessed!

I'll be the tall, bald guy with a cane and a blissful smile at 3rd Coast.

Brad

PS: I have subsequently been able to satisfy my 1967 Vette lust with this beauty, only to discover the engine needs a total rebuild.
http://www.stlouiscarmuseum.com/inve...orvette-coupe/

When I researched it, I was amazed to find out how closely my 928 matches this 327/300HP Corvette in dimensions and straight line performance. There is no contest, though, when it comes to roads with curves or taking an Interstate cruise. 928 hands down!

WyattsRide

Since I was about 12 or 13 I loved all Porsches. 911's, 914's, 356's, 935's, 917's, 930's, 924's, 944's ..... If it had that Stuttgart badge on it, I loved it. I built models of them. I collected small diecast cars of them. I made scrap books of them with pictures and articles cut out of magazines. I bought books about them. I counted them on long trips in the car and wrote down what they were. (still have that list) But, my favorite was ALWAYS the 928. I really don't know why. Maybe the shape. Maybe the pop up lights. Maybe just because it was a different looking Porsche. I can't say. It just hit me somewhere and I just loved it. About 10 years (4 years before I even thought about looking for one) or so ago my Brother-in-Law asked me what my favorite car of all time was? Without hesitation, "The Porsche 928". He said "Not a Ferrari? Lamborghini? Corvette? Mustang? Yugo? Camaro?......." Nope, "The 928"

Now I have one in my garage and I still can't think of any other car I would want in it's place....well, maybe the Yugo....

JWise

I can't describe it any better than David E. Davis Jr. did in 1978:

"Cynics and died-in-the-wool 911 and 356 fanatics tend to write the 928 off as a cross between a 924 and a Corvette. They're wrong. If you approach this car with an open mind, open the door, sit down, fire it up and drive it away, it will quite simply blow your mind. To get out of whatever you were driving and take the 928 for a spin is as liberating as your first ride on a motorcycle, your first kiss from a girl who knew how. You may frighten yourself, in a burst of unbridled enthusiasm, but the 928 won't. It's a rolling womb of whispering, humming, tactile assurances that everything on this particular road on this particular day is going to be all right. Dreamlike, you fly down the road like a bat out of hell with nothing more than the blurring of the trees and the moan of the engine to call your attention to the speedometer. This is grand touring, folks, and whatever it costs, it's worth It."

Daniel5691

At the moment......

Captain_Slow

Rick pretty much summed it up for me. I have a few stand-out memories of the car. I remember one around Reston when I was in middle school. It looked so incredibly futuristic. Everything was angles back then, in stark contrast to the 928. I wasn't really impressed by it's beauty as much as it's futuristic and obviously well engineered form (in a form following function way). To me it was the first car that seemed VERY carefully thought out and well constructed - and full of innovation.

The other memory I have is of a Porsche magazine add with Ferry describing the "timeless design". I was young, so I was puzzled....how could Porsche know it was timeless? We couldn't know until 30+ years in the future, right? But at the same time I agreed with the statement. Nothing about the design fixed it to a particular design period. It was completely unique - so unique that copying it was impossible without being too obvious (though the RX7 and 300ZX came close). So the 928 form remains unique and I like the looks more than ever. There certainly aren't any other designs I can think of that have aged as gracefully (I might give second place to the Avanti...a car with a similar story of innovation and unique styling).

ltoolio

Like I finally "made" it from a material standpoint.

I've got a great wife, great kids, a great job, a great house, great hobbies. Life is good.

But back when I was a teenager, and even up until 5 years ago, I never thought I'd have a 928 in my garage. Hell...it was a Porsche. And it was supposed to be the greatest Porsche back when they rolled it out (I'll still hold that as accurate). How would little me ever be able to get one?

But, here I am 40ish, and the one "big" material thing that I wanted as a youth and grew a further appreciation of as I grew older is now something that I go an work on a few nights a week to relax (most of the time).

As I mentioned earlier...life is good. Maybe it's a reaffirmation of that.

Roy928tt

I wasn't smitten by 928s I was however aware that they had a front V8 and transaxle. After an ill conceived episode turbocharging a 302 Falcon, I resolved to revisit the concept with a better suited chassis. I happened across my 928 and figured it fitted the bill. I didn't even know there was a 4.5 litre available, soon learned !

Now, I'm so pleased to have such a fine and unique vehicle in my life. The first Porsche designed from the ground up as a Porsche product, no expense spared and founded in the desire to build the best they could. I don't think there is a car that comes close.

DeWolf

My room was full of 928 posters as a kid. Even had an RC 928 I asked Santa for. Now it's a thorn in my side.

Adk46

An issue of Road & Track that described a new Porsche was special. In this case, a car aimed above and beyond the 911, not a low cost version like the 914 or 924. Not an exotic car - a real car. It was cemented into my head more solidly than hundreds of other cars that were introduced during that period.

I'm not a contrarian, exactly, but I somehow enjoy poking a sharp stick in the eyes of those who are trapped in tradition or overwhelmed by nostalgia. On the other hand, Porsche went too far when they put the key on the right. I think that was the 928's downfall.

In more recent terms, as I posted earlier this year, this was my explanation about how I came to be a 928 owner:

"I get the vintage Porsche bug, non-specific but it seems to mean '911'. Four-cylinder models do not inspire me - their history has too much VW in it - but wait, the VW history is even stronger for the 911 - gotta ignore that. I learn that the best "raw" experience would be a pre-nanny-end-swapper 911 with a G50 transmission - 1987-89. I seem to be late to this party, though - $30,000 - and the Youtube video for changing spark plugs belongs in the "horror" genre. The end result is yet another old 911 (probably in faded Guards Red), driven like a Prius by an old guy who might otherwise be a docent at a museum.

"And there you have it: me, an old guy who is incautiously doing his own mechanical work and, if he succeeds, will drive his Porsche-pure 928 around incautiously, grinning at those docents. Overall, doing something special, mesmerizing the crowd at the PCA meetings. With enough money left over to buy an old Boxster (and with the new-found confidence to do the IMS/RMS job himself).

"This story is being repeated all over the world, every day. Don't you think? Even the price of old Boxster 986s is going up."

(Update: Never got a Boxster, but now have a Bugeye Sprite.)