Porsche 928s - talk to me

[flatline84]

Its rather st isnt it? I want one badly but need putting off.
Been looking at the E24 M6, but you can actually hear them rust on quiet nights.
Any other 30 year old cars with similar performance and go?

They seem to be misunderstood beasts, labelled astronomically expensive by people who have bought them for peanuts and subsequently have been handed 5k of catching-up bills.

Anyone out there with experience?

[AndyT77]

Tom Cruise liked them in Risky Business. Hope this helps?

[Dalto123]

928's are lovely cars. I'm a bit fan of them meant to be a great car to drive apparently. Beware though there will be crap examples out there and parts/labour can get expensive. As an example my dads 944 (ok so not a 928) had £20,000 spent on it bringing it up to scratch by the previous owner. But the costs/values of front engined cars are low enough so a good car can go for a reasonable price. Hope this helps.

[jodypress]

some good debate/advice here: http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f...

I've had my GTS for 5 years now. Love it. I'm taking it on a European roadtrip in June to really stretch her legs.

Not found anything to replace it with that can do a comfortable 175+ and still fit my bike in the back at weekends. Mind you I'm driving my friends RS6 (remapped to 700bhp) this weekend at RAF Marham for the 30-130 challenge. Still doesn't sound as nice as mine with the X-pipes and RMB exhaust.

[deadslow]

928s are great cars so long as they are in regular use and so long as you have a decent indie nearby. Very comfy, with perfectly adequate performance. A real sense of ocassion on every trip.

object of recent lust:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...

[flatline84]

Well, if you buy unloved examples then its a matter of playing catch-up, its going to be a rough start.
However, I am not that fuzzed with a few dents and bruises.
As long as everything is mechanically sound, I dont mind a few bruises and scars.
In fact, there is a strange attraction to a beaten Warpig who just keeps delivering effortless transeuropean jaunts...

[Dalto123]

Well one thing about them thats fantastic (particularly with Porsche) is the reliability. The 944 never let us down, and the 150,000 miles on the clock was barely running in, in terms of these cars

[deadslow]

LesMiserable said:

......was suffering from deferred maintenance when I unwisely bought it......I think it had been standing for a while before I bought it

This is actually the classic 928 negative experience. You are better buying a car with 200k on the clock that is used regularly, rather than any car which has stood still for whatever reason. 'Standing for a while' is not much better than 'recently recovered from the seabed' for these cars

[zcacogp]

deadslow said:

object of recent lust:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...

That's chuffing lovely.

Price is on the high side, but I'd still be buying it if I could ...


Oli.

[AndyT77]

I remember seeing a mint one in Stoke On Trent a few years ago. It was at the Tesco Longton petrol station, and was weaing some rather delicious BBS LM's. I gave the owner a subtle nod in appreciation as he glanced through his back window.

[dictys]

I have owned a s4 for the last few years. Great cars for driving, sense of occasion etc however you have to buy right.

If you don't want to spend a lot on maintence then buy a car that has had a good service history, regular timing belt and water pump replacements.

I purchased mine for around 2k, it has cost me around another 10k to bring it up to a reliable and useable car. For me half the fun is doing the restoration but unless you are of the same mindset then go for a fully sorted car.

If you are tall you want a non sunroof car, other choices are manual or auto, 16v or 32v engines. The 928 forum on rennlist is a wonderful source of knowledge on all things 928.

[flatline84]

Im in Norway, and 928 prices are higher in europe. A sorted one is like 10-15 grand minimum.

So I think the best would be to find a LHD for sale in england. Ill keep my eyes open..

[LuS1fer]

I drove one briefly back in 1994 on a test drive. It was a 1985 car and I found everything about it to be heavy. Good car, no doubt, fast, no doubt but ultimately I bought a 1985 Corvette as it was more fun and a lot louder.

[angusc43]

deadslow said:

928s are great cars so long as they are in regular use and so long as you have a decent indie nearby. Very comfy, with perfectly adequate performance. A real sense of ocassion on every trip.

object of recent lust:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...

Until recently there was an immaculate black one just like that in St John's Wood. It looked so fresh it could have been launched yesterday. I love them.

[sday12]

What mpg do you get from these 12?

[Strawman]

What's the story with import tax into Norway, you might be better off buying one in the USA and shipping it over than looking for a LHD example in the UK.

[tr7v8]

deadslow said:

928s are great cars so long as they are in regular use and so long as you have a decent indie nearby. Very comfy, with perfectly adequate performance. A real sense of ocassion on every trip.

object of recent lust:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...

That is truly stunning, love the colour & interior as well

[flatline84]

LuS1fer said:

I drove one briefly back in 1994 on a test drive. It was a 1985 car and I found everything about it to be heavy. Good car, no doubt, fast, no doubt but ultimately I bought a 1985 Corvette as it was more fun and a lot louder.

Different cars though, The Porsche doesnt complete sense until 60+ mph, where it really comes into its stride.
The Corvette is a significantly cheaper construction with more sense of speed, but ultimately more nervous and less settled at 100+..

[flatline84]

Strawman said:

What's the story with import tax into Norway, you might be better off buying one in the USA and shipping it over than looking for a LHD example in the UK.

US cars are strangled due to emissions, wierd bumpers and would cost 2 grand to ship over.
Im planning on taking one in on the 30 year rule, no import tax at all. So ideally 1981-1984 cars.

[LuS1fer]

flatline84 said:

Different cars though, The Porsche doesnt complete sense until 60+ mph, where it really comes into its stride.
The Corvette is a significantly cheaper construction with more sense of speed, but ultimately more nervous and less settled at 100+..

On the construction point, you are correct. The Corvette is dominated by it's V8 and resonates the whole car in a very good way (dependent on what exhaust you fit of course). The quality of materials just doesn't compare to the Porsche though ironically I'd guess that more C4s survive due to the ease of maintaining them.
On the performance side, the Corvette did the standing quarter in 14.1 at 97 compared to the 85 928's 14.7 at 94 despite the Porsche having more power and only around 120lbs extra weight.
On the 100+ point, having spent a good amount of time at speeds comfortably over 130, the Corvette C4 was extremely stable and in 3 years of ownership, I can't recall it ever being "nervous".