Funny question to ask here, of all places.

928s can be very reliable and can go a long time. They sometimes have a bad rep since they did not have initially have the strong 2nd owner market that the 911 has always had and many 2nd owners did not have the resources to maintain them properly. So some of them have lots of deferred service issues.

My suggestions:

1) buy the best you can find. Not so much in terms of mileage or paint (unless that is important to you), but in terms of service. Preferably service that has been done by one of the masters already named here. My (former) GTS) had $60K or $70 in service records from the dealer but the flex plate tension had never been released in the whole history of the car and the very expensive timing belt job had been done wrong. You don't appreciate how bad that is, but its about as bad as it can be.
2) drive it regularly to work out the kinks. These cars do not do well sitting. Any any time you take a car that has been sitting for a long time and take it on a long road trip you are taking a risk. It is not just use that damages parts, but also time, so when a car sits things degrade but don't show symptoms until a little while after it is put back in use.
3) buy soon. Nice examples may be out of reach soon.
4) buy an S4. GTS and GT are nice and the better investments but there are lots of parts for S4 and they are very solid cars. Need a to replace to motor? Transmission? No problem.

 

I just recently took my 91 S4 (Automatic, 111k miles) on a 1,000 mile road trip to San Diego and Anaheim, and it performed flawlessly. On my car, everything works, except one headlight washer nozzle is a bit weak.

Of course, it had all cooling hoses and fuel lines replaced at some point, has relatively new tires, and had a recent fluid change. In the 16 years I've had it, it was always babied. It has quite a few upgrades, and is super clean inside, which makes it a lot more enjoyable than many you see offered for sale.

The bottom line: A well maintained, clean, and late model 928 is reliable and enjoyable. But when you find one, you should be prepared to pay a premium for it. I would not sell mine for less than $28,928.

Best of luck in finding a nice example!

 

Of COURSE you're crazy to want a 928. You're crazy to drive a Porsche, instead of something sensible like a Nissan Maxima, or Honda Civic.
….so?

Had a 928 in the early 90's. Like the college girlfriend you dump (before she becomes Miss Texas and then goes to medical school), I didn't appreciate it enough to never let it go. Idiot.

Buy the best/cleanest you can afford, and accept the fact that it's probably older than half the people posting on this site. Old cars are old. S**t happens to them. Perhaps there's some philosophic benefit to growing older with an old car---but probably, it's just an annoying PITA that one accepts, in return for having a truly hot car that always brings driving joy, and stares from aficionados and the uninitiate, alike.

 

Driving a few different 928's is a good idea, but nothing substitutes for owning one to see if and how much you like it. A few nice 928's turn up each year, and the nicest will continue to fetch a premium and be worth it. YOLO, get one while you can.

 

Here's the next question - how many 928 owners would would trade for a 993? How many 993 owner's would trade for a 928? Are they too different to consider/compare? If you could only have one, which would it be?

 

My previous Porsche was a 993 before my 928. I didnt like it in the end. Sold it after 1.5 years tweaking it and still not happy.

My 928 is a far more stable and comfortable car.

But remember- they are old cars. The newest 928 is the same age as the oldest 993 (1995). Most need work and maintenance. Do your research and ask questions here on RL (lots of resources) and enjoy the search!

 

To answer your first question: We bought our GT in 2008 with 150K miles, lots of discussion about mileage, price, etc. We put on another 90K on it during the next 6 years, back and forth to Calif, SC/NC/TN, SLC, Texas, Kansas, etc and then had GB rebuild the motor and did another 15K in the last year to Vermont & Cali x3. Mostly trouble-free, the rest was the usual stuff: alternator past its use-by date, fuel pump ditto, etc. Highway cruising or attacking the mountains, I've never driven anything more versatile or enjoyable.

What's a 993? I've driven earlier 911s, not even close. I'm sure the 993 is a better long-distance car, but that's not the right question. If you drive 2900 miles VT to WA in 4 days (with a willing co-driver), which car would make you turn around and smile as you walk away? Or San Diego to Seattle (1400 miles) straight through overnight?

It's not whether you would ever do that again (of course you wouldn't, but we have short memories) but which car did you feel a part of, rather than simply driving it?

 

That is a tough one for me. I have had multiple 928s and love them. I also love the 993, and think it is the pinnacle of what a 911 is supposed to be. The most beautiful of the model imho (including the water cooled variants), and the last of the air cooleds. Unfortunately I am not the only one who thinks this based upon the wildly escalating prices. Having said that, I have never driven one, so I have no idea what that feels like. I'd like to find out though.

 

You are asking a bunch of rock climbers about taking up the sport, and we're telling you it's very rewarding and perfectly safe if you're careful. If there were a forum for former rock climbers who slipped or fell, you'd want their perspective, too.

But a 928 is just sheet metal and machinery, so that's overly dramatic. If you feel the passion, and your kid's college fund is not at risk, give it a whirl. It will change your life, probably not dramatically, but maybe.

 

Are they too different to consider/compare?

Never drove one (993) but I'd say yes.
Probably in many ways.
What I can say is the 928 is a very nice car to drive.
Easy and comfortable, for short and long distance, with great sporting capablilities.
Both cars exterior are beautiful.
The interior of the 928 is beautifully designed. Very comfortable and ergonomic. The curved shapes are very nice. And is full equipped (for the time)...


If you could only have one, which would it be?

A 928.
I would never trade mine for a 993.

Like many said, find a well maintained example.
Don't try to save money when you buy a 928.
It will get you and fast.
They're all "old" cars and need preventive and regular maintenance.
The more that has been done in the past, the less for you to do in the future.

Bought mine 11 years ago and really enjoy driving it.
But I did put a lot of time (and a few bucks too!) to bring it where it is now.
I didn't quite follow the advice above.

Good luck.

 

Instead of comparing a 928 to the 993, you should be comparing it to the Cayenne. They are much more similar in comfort. My first impression of driving a Cayenne was it felt like driving my 928 only I sat higher up.

I have both a 94 928 GTS and an 04 Cayenne S and would take either on a long trip without any hesitation. However, I do keep my cars well maintained. I am however, a stickler. If anything sounds of feels different than normal I check it out. Several times I've noticed things that I waited to make it worth replacing because there was still lots of use left. The caveat is to get the vehicle (of any age) to the point it is considered well maintained.

The 05 Cayenne Turbo I just purchased looked great and passed PPI. But within a month I have had to address several issues that were either poorly repaired or deferred altogether. Only now it is to the point I consider it to the point of being considered well maintained and reliable enough to road trip in.

 

I have owned both models. I've had my 993 for 15 years. The 993 is a wonderful design requiring very little maintenance. They are phenomenal on a twisty mountain road and smooth and comfortable on the open highway. Rarely does it require out of the ordinary maintenance. Mine has been as reliable as a Toyota Corolla. The 928 can be reliable but you are going to work at it. It is not a 993 design...not even close. Search out a local PCA club and try driving a 928 before you buy. Look for a nice well maintained car. You will be a happier person and much further ahead if you buy one for over $15k than under $10k. Its definitely in the category of "you get what you pay for"

 

The key statement is to buy the best you can find and afford. Also, preferably one that is currently being driven and has been upgraded with many of the components that are available from engineers/vendors on this site.
My 87 is a pure joy to take on long trips and has been rock solid reliable for the past 2 years. Right now I am getting ready to deal with the "flap clicking" noise coming from the dash due to a vacuum line leak. As stated earlier, these little issues crop up from time to time, but they give you a chance to upgrade and also check other things out while addressing them.
My 72 240z is the alter ego to the 928 so I have the best of both worlds. They both bring a smile to my face and I still get excited when it come time to get behind the wheel. It's also cool to be the lone ranger of cars in the parking lot.
No problem finding them....just look for the crowd. The 928 trajectory is on the upswing so you better jump in before the price gets too high for admission.

 

A 928 is perfect for the purpose that you intend to use it. I have an '89 928 GT that I daily drive from the time the snow melts in spring until it arrives again in late fall. Usually mid-April to late November here in Southeast Michigan. It racks up about 5000 miles each year. My AWD turbo Audi (that is faster than the 928!) sits in the garage on a battery tender 7 months of the year. My 1995 Audi S6 is fun and fast, but I absolutely love driving the 928! The sound, the feel, the look, it just pushes all the right buttons. It's very comfortable, but still responsive and nimble so that you can toss it around on a twisty road and be greatly rewarded.

I bought mine with 135k miles for a ridiculously low price considering it's a GT. It is in 8/10 cosmetic condition inside and out and was reasonably well maintained when I got it. It needed rear CV boots, one front tie rod end and wheel bearing and an AC recharge at purchase in June 2013. Then I dove it everywhere all summer.

In late Oct the engine started running warm and I found oil in the coolant. The oil cooler in the radiator end tank had a leak. I replaced it with a used cooler that I got from Hans (a fellow Rennlister) at the same time I also replaced the plastic end tank that the cooler mounts in. These are known to sometimes crack and develop leaks as they age. After flushing the entire cooling system until it ran out crystal clear without a hint of oil residue I put coolant back in it and all was good.

After that fix I drove it all summer in 2014 until the last track day of the year when I took it to my local track for its first HPDE. Unfortunately just before the last session of the day I checked the oil level and found it about 1/2 quart low. Stupidly I added too much oil and overfilled the crankcase. This lead to the PCV system (over the RH cam cover) to suck up oil that had accumulated in the head during a long LH sweeper. The oil caused all the rings to get stuck in their lands and I had no compression. I parked it for the winter and contemplated how best to repair it.

The following spring Davek9, a local friend and Rennlister, had an '88 S4 that had been wrecked and he was parting it out. He had recently done a timing belt/water pump on the car for the owner that wrecked it. I bought the engine to drop in place of my original. I swapped the engines myself and in a couple weeks I was back on the road. While the engine was out I cleaned everything up and replaced anything that looked worn or is a common 928 issue that can cause problems. Fuel lines are the most important items as they can cause a fire that will destroy the car in seconds. I'm keeping the original GT engine to eventually rebuild and put back in. For now the donor S4 engine is perfect since I'm adding a supercharger. If anything goes South with the tuning another replacement S4 engine is easy to come by and not a huge loss if I blow one up. The much more valuable original GT engine is safe in my garage.

After the engine swap. I drove it everywhere again for the next two summers. I just did typical maintenance stuff like yearly oil changes, fresh brake fluid, a new battery, new air filter after a mouse chewed up the new one over the winter that I had just replaced the previous fall. Yesterday when I started it up I was greeted with a low coolant warning. An inspection showed a small puddle of coolant under the radiator. Today I’ll get it up on the lift and see where the leak is. I suspect the plastic drain plug. These are prone to crack and leak, which is why I keep a spare in the car at all times.

It now has 155k miles on it. I’ve put on 20k miles in 4 years and had a few minor and a couple major issues, but it was all easily fixed by diving in and doing the work and relying on fellow Rennlisters for help, advice and parts. I wouldn't hesitate to dive my GT anywhere in the country. Sometimes things break and that is part of the adventure. There are 928 nuts all over the country and if my car did happen to break down out on the road I would use the opportunity to make some new friends and put a face to a Rennlist screen name or two.

I DIY all my repairs, but in your case of paying a shop to do the work I would start with a fully sorted car that has been gone over by an expert and all existing and potential issues addressed. The type of car you want to buy was recently sold on BAT. http://bringatrailer.com/listing/1991-porsche-928/

This car was bought by Rob Edwards (Rennlister) and brought back to life after sitting for years. You can read through this post to follow the discussion of the purchase and rebuild by Rob. https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...t-project.html He went over every inch of the car and cleaned, restored or replaced everything before selling it on BAT. It brought a premium price because it is a GT, but any 928 restored to this level will bring top dollar and is worth every penny. You could buy a much cheaper car, but in the end bringing it up to the level that Rob did would cost about the same or more.

 

YES! I am CRAZY, I own a 928!! Mine is an '83 Euro 5-speed, one of 719 and it sat on a used car dealer's lot for 5 years that I know of. 'Stole' the car for $3500. In the past 5 years I've put about $4000 in parts for it. The dealer wanted $5900 for it so I figure I'm fat on that.
I didn't get a 928 to make money on it, or win Pebble Beach with it. I agree with Dr. Porsche-"I designed my cars to be DRIVEN not polished!" I did take it to 4 shows the first year I had it and won 'Best Import' at the 15th Delaware Valley Corvette Show and 2nd place "Survivor" at the 2nd Garden State Custom Car Show. BUT I got it to drive!!.. When I first saw "Risky Business" I fell deeply in LUST with Rebecca DeMornay and the 928!! Now I have a 928. (Rebecca DeMornay is still on my list)LOL.
It helps that I'm an old time hot rodder and I like working on cars. Mine has K-Jet so there's NO computer or EPA crap on it. I couldn't own or maintain a 928 without all the knowledge, support, and encouragement from 'The Pros From Dover' here on Rennlist. With their help, my only limitations to working on mine is I don't have a lift.
Check out the FRENZY thread on this forum to find out the kind of 'Motley Crew' you're joining when you get a 928.
As for reliability, Like any car, you get out of it what you put into it. The 3" long POS hose from the block to the heater core decided to fail the week before Frenzy, such is the problem with "original matching factory numbers".--LOL. So I capped off both sides and drove 'ZoomHilda" down to FRENZY from New Jersey anyway. Drove her all weekend, 500+ miles,80+MPH, with no problems, Ran great! When I got back home I did a post trip walk around and found that my coolant reservoir cap had been loose during the whole trip. Despite getting stuck on the parking lot they call 'The Beltway' in 95* heat for an hour AND being run in a very 'spirited' manner all weekend, she didn't overheat at all!!
I'll never sell mine. Because: There's nothing that performs, handles, drives, rides, or turns heads like a 928. When is the last time anything 34 years old passed you on the Interstate doing 80MPH? And it's not even breathing hard! They don't make cars like this anymore, and never will.
While it's involved to work on, I don't find it technically difficult for me.
By the end of this 'Winter Stand down' I'll have a total of $8000 into it--(Purchase price + Service Life Extension Program). My SLEP has included: Wp/Tb, cam, oil pump, timing gears,& seals, Porken tensioner, new injectors, front shocks, steering rack, tie rods & boots, motor mounts, A/F sensor & gage,front brake disks and pads all round. I do all the work myself except taking the shock/springs apart.
Like everyone else has said: Try out a few, get the best one you can afford, keeping in mind you may put about $4k in it the first year. Do the timing belt/ water pump first thing. I was having too much fun driving mine around and after about a year, the water pump let go, fortunately just the shaft seal, not the bearing, but it did dump all my coolant out on the condo parking lot. I got mine without a service Hx, but I did a lot of 'due diligence and asked a lot of 'Dumb Questions' on it here first.