porsche 928 daily driver----?asking for trouble?
Discussion
I had a 924 Turbo with dog-leg first, and after a short while that layout makes more sense in a 5 speed car, though I will never forget the day my (ex)gf dropped it from 5th into 2nd.
Shows the build quality though because the car revved right up and slowed right down, but no damage done!
Shows the build quality though because the car revved right up and slowed right down, but no damage done!
Do it. I have a 1991 S4 - it does 6-7,000 miles a year and has only let me down once in 3 years' ownership (the fuel pump died, which was a nice quick job and set me back about £300 including a new pump). If it weren't for the congestion charge and parking nightmare that is central London I'd commute in it without a second thought.
That said, I would definitely echo the advice "buy the best one you can afford" - these cars often suffer from deferred maintenance, and it would only take a couple of years' neglect to turn a decent car into an un-fixable money pit. Sure, the fuel economy is a bit rubbish if you're used to a TDi (mine is an auto and delivers mid-teens around London and high twenties cruising at 70-ish), but the tank is nice and big and all that petrol does deliver a pretty good amount of wallop when required.
There are many electrical systems (plus some delicate-ish engine electrionics in the S$ and later cars) but they aren't particularly complex, just numerous. You can buy the full workshop manual on CD for about £25, which includes circuit diagrams, and as long as you're methodical you can track down and kill electrical gremlins pretty easily. If you can find a car that hasn't got a retro-fit alarm, you may do well - a lot of the no-start type electrical problems I've heard about have stemmed from inept installations of aftermarket alarms.
That said, I would definitely echo the advice "buy the best one you can afford" - these cars often suffer from deferred maintenance, and it would only take a couple of years' neglect to turn a decent car into an un-fixable money pit. Sure, the fuel economy is a bit rubbish if you're used to a TDi (mine is an auto and delivers mid-teens around London and high twenties cruising at 70-ish), but the tank is nice and big and all that petrol does deliver a pretty good amount of wallop when required.
There are many electrical systems (plus some delicate-ish engine electrionics in the S$ and later cars) but they aren't particularly complex, just numerous. You can buy the full workshop manual on CD for about £25, which includes circuit diagrams, and as long as you're methodical you can track down and kill electrical gremlins pretty easily. If you can find a car that hasn't got a retro-fit alarm, you may do well - a lot of the no-start type electrical problems I've heard about have stemmed from inept installations of aftermarket alarms.
tali1 said:
The consistent 18mpg urban figures postedis more than enough - my Mondeo 2.0 auto only did 16mpg and 12mpg with A/C on -with OBC showung av speed of 11mph
And my 307 1.6 auto did only 18-20mpg urban -which means if i had a 928 it would do about 8mpg!
An auto 928 S2/S4 will happily do 30mph at 1000rpm, while with the 5spd box you will be chugging along at 1250rpm... Makes a huge difference to economy... It also depends on how you drive it....And my 307 1.6 auto did only 18-20mpg urban -which means if i had a 928 it would do about 8mpg!
I'll pipe up and agree, buy the best one you can afford. Find one with all the gubbins working properly (check the HVAC particularly carefully for operation), and a full book of service history by a garage that knows how to look after, and it will be a reliable car.
As said, engine thust bearing failure (almost always terminal) occurs on the Autos and is usually caused by servicing by a mechanic who doesn't know the 928's quirks. The driveshaft shifts along its adjustment and applies pressure to the flexplate that is affixed to the flywheel. If the pressure isn't relieved by regularly releasing the adjustment on the driveshaft then eventually it will kill the thrust bearing.
Also worth making sure that the cambelts have been done recently as they can and do snap if left, and cause a hell of a mess. Again, the replacement has to be done by someone that knows 928's, as they are quite fussy with belt tension and such.
Also, any vibration felt through the floor when the car is idling is indicative of collapsed engine mounts, which need to be sorted really and isn't a cheap job.
Finally, as the cars are getting older, they tend to develop a variety of minor front suspension and steering faults that are all conducive to vague steering, which doesn't combine well with the difficulty in aligning them. If you test drive one that feels floaty or tramlines, then don't be put off of 928's, just the one you're driving! It can be sorted, but take it from me, it's most effectively done by doing the whole lot rather than picking off bits at a time!
I was bequeathed my GTS by my Dad, who used it as his London commute workhorse. It was his 3rd 928 over a 30 year period. He serviced it properly but used it hard, and neglected any problems that weren't cheap to fix and didn't affect him too much... although I'm not quite sure how he managed to go with the heating stuck on full, with no A/C for 5 years!
He gave it to me as it was so cosmetically unappealing (dents, kerbed wheels, shabby interior, knackered suspension) that it wasn't worth selling, and I wanted it because of the sentimental aspect of growing up with 928's.
I've ploughed thousands into it putting it right, new suspension, rebuilt HVAC, complete respray, various ancillaries replaced, and there's still more yet to do. In the absence of any emotional attachment I would have started off with a good one, but I justify it on the basis that it's worth saving because it's such a late model, and because it was so worthless that at least some of what I'm putting into it will be reflected by an increase in value.
Really though, it's completely irrelevant as I love it and I'll never sell it.
Oh and the old man still hasn't settled on a car that fully replaces the 928's blend of character, performance, comfort, practicality, and robustness! In fact he's being eyeing up his old car as it's started to become pretty again! Not a chance!
As said, engine thust bearing failure (almost always terminal) occurs on the Autos and is usually caused by servicing by a mechanic who doesn't know the 928's quirks. The driveshaft shifts along its adjustment and applies pressure to the flexplate that is affixed to the flywheel. If the pressure isn't relieved by regularly releasing the adjustment on the driveshaft then eventually it will kill the thrust bearing.
Also worth making sure that the cambelts have been done recently as they can and do snap if left, and cause a hell of a mess. Again, the replacement has to be done by someone that knows 928's, as they are quite fussy with belt tension and such.
Also, any vibration felt through the floor when the car is idling is indicative of collapsed engine mounts, which need to be sorted really and isn't a cheap job.
Finally, as the cars are getting older, they tend to develop a variety of minor front suspension and steering faults that are all conducive to vague steering, which doesn't combine well with the difficulty in aligning them. If you test drive one that feels floaty or tramlines, then don't be put off of 928's, just the one you're driving! It can be sorted, but take it from me, it's most effectively done by doing the whole lot rather than picking off bits at a time!
I was bequeathed my GTS by my Dad, who used it as his London commute workhorse. It was his 3rd 928 over a 30 year period. He serviced it properly but used it hard, and neglected any problems that weren't cheap to fix and didn't affect him too much... although I'm not quite sure how he managed to go with the heating stuck on full, with no A/C for 5 years!
He gave it to me as it was so cosmetically unappealing (dents, kerbed wheels, shabby interior, knackered suspension) that it wasn't worth selling, and I wanted it because of the sentimental aspect of growing up with 928's.
I've ploughed thousands into it putting it right, new suspension, rebuilt HVAC, complete respray, various ancillaries replaced, and there's still more yet to do. In the absence of any emotional attachment I would have started off with a good one, but I justify it on the basis that it's worth saving because it's such a late model, and because it was so worthless that at least some of what I'm putting into it will be reflected by an increase in value.
Really though, it's completely irrelevant as I love it and I'll never sell it.
Oh and the old man still hasn't settled on a car that fully replaces the 928's blend of character, performance, comfort, practicality, and robustness! In fact he's being eyeing up his old car as it's started to become pretty again! Not a chance!
I run a 1995 928 GTS as my daily drive, not really sure what to add to what has been written already, probaby the biggest problem I have with it is parking in car parks as its very wide and the doors are very long so unless you park miles away from anything you end up looking like a right idiot trying to squirm in/out of it, there are 19 yr old russian gymnasts who couldn't get into the car elegantly.
It hasnt been too expensive to run, but that said I don't do mega miles and I have an invoice for £2000+ of new heater matrix from porsche just prior to me buying it so caveat emptor, there are some big bills out there if your unlucky.
DR.
It hasnt been too expensive to run, but that said I don't do mega miles and I have an invoice for £2000+ of new heater matrix from porsche just prior to me buying it so caveat emptor, there are some big bills out there if your unlucky.
DR.
barchetta_boy said:
Great story. Any chance of a pic of your GTS?
Joel
Yeah sure! Sorry, I picked it up from the bodyshop and took it straight out into a wet and unpleasant A1M to bring it home, so the only picture I've got of it finished is a wobbly iphone job, but I've thrown in a few pictures of the resprayJoel
![](http://thumbsnap.com/sc/ZQNI4sEd.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/Vql8QU2c" Target="_blank">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/Vql8QU2c.jpg)
I'll take some proper pictures when I've had the corrections done at the end of the month!
Cheburator mk2 said:
An auto 928 S2/S4 will happily do 30mph at 1000rpm, while with the 5spd box you will be chugging along at 1250rpm... Makes a huge difference to economy... It also depends on how you drive it....
You could apply the tall gearing to virtually any big engined luxury /GT car -it is not unique to 928.Regardless of how low the revs are sitting it will always be a big hungry v8 first and foremost
tali1 said:
You could apply the tall gearing to virtually any big engined luxury /GT car -it is not unique to 928.
Regardless of how low the revs are sitting it will always be a big hungry v8 first and foremost
Actually, I have to say for a heavy, old fashioned auto car with a big, batch injected engine and crude electrics, mine is surprisingly light on fuel.Regardless of how low the revs are sitting it will always be a big hungry v8 first and foremost
I mean high teens around town and mid twenties on the motorway isn't exactly stunning, but I only manage high twenties in my lighter, smaller engined, direct injection, manual 997.
aycee said:
I think fuel economy and servicing costs are relative to the car.If you want something cheap to run, buy a cheap to run car.You dont buy a 5litre or there abouts, v8 powered car, for economy.
Shall we discuss speed and handling and character and comfort.
Speed - low 5s for 0-60 sprint, but where the car really shines is the 100 to 150mph dash. When tested back in the 1980s and 1990s it was noted that the only Porsche that could better a 928CS's acceleration over the ton was the 959. Not bad for a 1972 concept. Top speed at 170+ is nothing to shout home about these days, but the way the car gets there and behaves afterwards is still excellent even by today's standards.Shall we discuss speed and handling and character and comfort.
Handling - when introduced in 1977 it was a heavy and big car, tipping the scales at 1450kg. Today, a 3-series BMW weighs more. The car is very neutral and easy to drive fast, with a natural understeering bias. The latter can be easily controlled with the throttle. No idea how, but Porsche somehow has managed to produce a car, which shrinks around you at speed. Unfortunately, most cars today are still on their original suspension. For a heavy car, they are surprisingly good on ball joints and bushes, what usually goes first is the actual shocks. A properly set-up car is a delight to drive - just the right mix of waftyness and sportyness. The 928CS lapped the Ring in 8:30, the E34 M5 in 8:50 and the SL500 in 8:57 in 1990.
Comfort - I don't think Porsche have ever bettered the 928 with regards to its GT abilities. The 993/996/997 turbos are all quicker, but as an overal ergonomics and ability to eat miles all day without a break they still leave something to be desired. The 928 was a 1970s concept, but the built quality of the cabin, particularly on a fully optioned one (full leather) was only matched with the introduction of the 997. A 996 Turbo interior feels like a Toyota Carina Mini Cab in comparison... And please don't start me on the Stevie Wonder designed and built air-cooled 911. Actually, I think the Panamera (which I love) has surpassed the 928, but it is not really a sports car...
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