OT a bit: 928 on the brain. Always a bad idea?
12-09-2008, 12:44 PM
#16
Three Wheelin'
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I have a very relavent perspective on this as I went from owning two 993's to now owning a 928. Here's my $0.02.
1.) If you own a 928, you need to be a DIY-er. If you are, you'll ownership will be wonderful as DIY-er maintenance is well supported peer-to-peer with lots of folks willing to help.
2.) If you are not a DIY-er, finding shops who like the 928 is tough. Most Porsche shops like to make light of the car and take an approach repairs as being overly difficult.
3.) Complexities of the 928 vs. the 993 are about the same. I have found both cars have about the same level of difficulty to work on, each with their own gremlins. Either car can be very reliable or not... really !
4.) Driving-wise, the cars are very different and not something that is easily compared. There are specific driving circumstances where I would pick one car over the other. The 928 drives a little more modern than the 993 as its balance is nearly perfect.
5.) The myth that 928's are overly large and heavy. This is a myth. Just compare real weights, 993's vs. 928's. Also park the two cars next to each other as well as to other current cars, 996,997 Vette, etc.
6.) From having made the move to a 928, I would say the toughest item to work through is deferred mainteance on what ever 928 you might purchase. With the understanding that most shops do not like working on the 928's, lots of little things get left for later. I would go into 928 ownership looking to perform lots of littlle TLC items needed to bring the car back into Porsche levels of quality. The car has the design, but with it being 20-ish years old (or more), things need touching up.
Enjoy the quest !
1.) If you own a 928, you need to be a DIY-er. If you are, you'll ownership will be wonderful as DIY-er maintenance is well supported peer-to-peer with lots of folks willing to help.
2.) If you are not a DIY-er, finding shops who like the 928 is tough. Most Porsche shops like to make light of the car and take an approach repairs as being overly difficult.
3.) Complexities of the 928 vs. the 993 are about the same. I have found both cars have about the same level of difficulty to work on, each with their own gremlins. Either car can be very reliable or not... really !
4.) Driving-wise, the cars are very different and not something that is easily compared. There are specific driving circumstances where I would pick one car over the other. The 928 drives a little more modern than the 993 as its balance is nearly perfect.
5.) The myth that 928's are overly large and heavy. This is a myth. Just compare real weights, 993's vs. 928's. Also park the two cars next to each other as well as to other current cars, 996,997 Vette, etc.
6.) From having made the move to a 928, I would say the toughest item to work through is deferred mainteance on what ever 928 you might purchase. With the understanding that most shops do not like working on the 928's, lots of little things get left for later. I would go into 928 ownership looking to perform lots of littlle TLC items needed to bring the car back into Porsche levels of quality. The car has the design, but with it being 20-ish years old (or more), things need touching up.
Enjoy the quest !
12-09-2008, 01:11 PM
#17
Drifting
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The essential problem - IMO - with the 928 and the basis of all 928 "stories" is that PAG did not get fully behind the car, market it, and build it in numbers. As a result, nearly all Porsche techs never do the same job twice on a 928. They don't like working on them. They don't make any money working on them. So they don't give a **** about working on them.
Until PorscheFans came around in the mid-90s, if you took your 928 to a dealer or an independent "911 shop" there was a 9/10 chance of getting a car back in worse shape than when you dropped it off. That's the root cause of all '928 time bomb' stories. The more a 928 has been 'dealer maintained' the more remedial work is required. Whereas a 17-year old example that's only had fluid changes is better starting place because nothing has been eff'd up by thoughtless monkeys.
There are exceptions. There are a tiny handful of gray-haired Porsche techs that work on enough 928s to not screw them up to the point of self-destruction. But, you have to find one. Or become one.
Until PorscheFans came around in the mid-90s, if you took your 928 to a dealer or an independent "911 shop" there was a 9/10 chance of getting a car back in worse shape than when you dropped it off. That's the root cause of all '928 time bomb' stories. The more a 928 has been 'dealer maintained' the more remedial work is required. Whereas a 17-year old example that's only had fluid changes is better starting place because nothing has been eff'd up by thoughtless monkeys.
There are exceptions. There are a tiny handful of gray-haired Porsche techs that work on enough 928s to not screw them up to the point of self-destruction. But, you have to find one. Or become one.
12-09-2008, 01:16 PM
#18
As long as you have both, why not?
12-09-2008, 03:13 PM
#19
Three Wheelin'
Having owned a 928 in the past all I can say is make sure the PPI is thorough and you know what you are getting. Repair costs can easily outweigh the market value of the car and is the very reason I parted with mine. It was quite possibly the most comfortable car I have ever driven.....and the most expensive to maintain.
12-09-2008, 06:14 PM
#21
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Thanks for the input guys. Very good food for thought. I'm thinking it might be better to go with something that's not so functionally redundant as my 993.
I figured that would be about as useful as asking us if 993s are any good! 
4th owner. If a rich guy has like $50 going into savings most months after 401K and all his other overhead, then maybe. Next year, my daycare/preschool nut goes to almost $1,300...that's cheap for 2, and would make a very nice car payment!
4th owner. If a rich guy has like $50 going into savings most months after 401K and all his other overhead, then maybe. Next year, my daycare/preschool nut goes to almost $1,300...that's cheap for 2, and would make a very nice car payment!
12-09-2008, 06:44 PM
#22
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Maybe I'm misreading this but are you saying the 993 and 928 are redundant? I'm not sure I would agree unless your broadening the description of redundant as a category such as "sports cars" vs "SUV".
Interesting how many 928 owners also have 993's......
12-09-2008, 07:35 PM
#23
Three Wheelin'
I've had both and they seemed redundant to me in that they were both basically 2-seater cars. True you can get much more luggage in a 928 so its a better all-around daily driver, grocery getter than a 993 and its more luxurious and comfortable, a true gran tourer.
I sold my 928 and purchased a Toyota Forerunner so I could tow trailers, throw all sorts of stuff in the back, take more than one passenger with me and use it as a reliable daily driver and not worry about it.
If I could only have one car for all-around daily use that was sporty and I wanted a Porsche I think I'd have to go with the 928. To me both the 993 and 928 are sports cars and while the 928 offers a little more in terms of practicality, the 993 is a far more entertaining and involving car to drive (as you all know). My 928 was a great car, but I never felt the same way about my 928 as I do about my 993. It is truly a sickness!!!
I sold my 928 and purchased a Toyota Forerunner so I could tow trailers, throw all sorts of stuff in the back, take more than one passenger with me and use it as a reliable daily driver and not worry about it.
If I could only have one car for all-around daily use that was sporty and I wanted a Porsche I think I'd have to go with the 928. To me both the 993 and 928 are sports cars and while the 928 offers a little more in terms of practicality, the 993 is a far more entertaining and involving car to drive (as you all know). My 928 was a great car, but I never felt the same way about my 928 as I do about my 993. It is truly a sickness!!!
12-09-2008, 08:33 PM
#24
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I've had both and they seemed redundant to me in that they were both basically 2-seater cars. True you can get much more luggage in a 928 so its a better all-around daily driver, grocery getter than a 993 and its more luxurious and comfortable, a true gran tourer.
I sold my 928 and purchased a Toyota Forerunner so I could tow trailers, throw all sorts of stuff in the back, take more than one passenger with me and use it as a reliable daily driver and not worry about it.
If I could only have one car for all-around daily use that was sporty and I wanted a Porsche I think I'd have to go with the 928. To me both the 993 and 928 are sports cars and while the 928 offers a little more in terms of practicality, the 993 is a far more entertaining and involving car to drive (as you all know). My 928 was a great car, but I never felt the same way about my 928 as I do about my 993. It is truly a sickness!!!
I sold my 928 and purchased a Toyota Forerunner so I could tow trailers, throw all sorts of stuff in the back, take more than one passenger with me and use it as a reliable daily driver and not worry about it.
If I could only have one car for all-around daily use that was sporty and I wanted a Porsche I think I'd have to go with the 928. To me both the 993 and 928 are sports cars and while the 928 offers a little more in terms of practicality, the 993 is a far more entertaining and involving car to drive (as you all know). My 928 was a great car, but I never felt the same way about my 928 as I do about my 993. It is truly a sickness!!!
12-09-2008, 08:39 PM
#25
Three Wheelin'
The answer is easy then Chuck:
Jeep Wrangler with Rag-Top.....done.
Or Rolls Royce's latest....you know, the one with the umbrella in the door jam?
Jeep Wrangler with Rag-Top.....done.
Or Rolls Royce's latest....you know, the one with the umbrella in the door jam?
12-09-2008, 08:55 PM
#27
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Thanks for the input guys. Very good food for thought. I'm thinking it might be better to go with something that's not so functionally redundant as my 993.
I figured that would be about as useful as asking us if 993s are any good!
4th owner. If a rich guy has like $50 going into savings most months after 401K and all his other overhead, then maybe. Next year, my daycare/preschool nut goes to almost $1,300...that's cheap for 2, and would make a very nice car payment!
I figured that would be about as useful as asking us if 993s are any good!
4th owner. If a rich guy has like $50 going into savings most months after 401K and all his other overhead, then maybe. Next year, my daycare/preschool nut goes to almost $1,300...that's cheap for 2, and would make a very nice car payment!
12-09-2008, 09:02 PM
#28
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I have bad memories of Jeeps. I pushed my then-girlfriend's water-logged and stalled Wrangler through the intersection on Robertson and National at the US 10W...in the RAIN!
Actually, I'm a bit of an SUV hater. Just sold my full-size OJ Bronco. After I sold my boat, I totally didn't need that thing, especially with the 4-door E-wagon in its place.
12-09-2008, 09:10 PM
#29
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Then it sounds like your 993 has been through many hands and can apply the same logic to it as you have applied to 928s according to you if I read correctl if were not the original "rich guy" owner we don't care or take care of our cars. All we do is rice them out and drive the prices to the ground....
However, it does seem reasonable to correlate to certain extent fewer owners and lower miles, in that each owner is natually compelled to pile on his miles. Of course maintenance, records, condition and PPI prevail, YMMV, yadda.