Should I Have Gone Higher? EBay 928

epbrown · 12-26-2003, 06:34 PM

So, I've been looking for a 83-84 928S ion Guards Red with black interior and

this car turned up on eBay. I started bidding on it, then chickened out because I had no idea where the reserve might be and it looked like the start of a bidding war. This was my first attempt at scoping out a 928 on eBay - how was it? Does anyone see anything that should have been a red flag?

Emanuel

AFJuvat · 12-28-2003, 06:58 PM

It looks like a fine car. He seems to have his maintenance records all in line.

Simple fact of the matter is, it is an 84 with close to 100000 miles on it.

The car is a $7k car at best - maybe a little more if the interior is pristine.

AFJuvat

boxstr · 12-28-2003, 08:08 PM

email the seller and ask what the "buy it now" price is. If you agree then buy it.
CCL

epbrown · 12-28-2003, 10:43 PM

Thanks for the replies. I e-mailed the seller asking in what ballpark he was looking for, but haven't heard anything back.

Emanuel

Iggy · 12-29-2003, 05:55 AM

Aside from the mileage, it looks clean. Only a pre-purchase inspection can tell you if it's as healthy as it looks.

Then again, mileage begins to become less of a factor when maintenance is so well done.

I'd take a well-maintained 100K mile car over a 50K mile car that was not driven nor regularly maintained.

Just my opinion (I'm biased...my 108K car is now in better shape that it was when I bought it at 75K miles.....I know it's worth more, too.)

..P · 12-30-2003, 07:05 AM

I bought a 1983 5-speed "S" for $8500, and it needed a transmission rebuild. It was advertized for $9500. I was not fully aware of the transmission needs at the time, but I did know it shifted poorly, but I got the car anyway and put 10,000 miles on it before doing the transmission (which is coming up next week by the way, and I'll photograph the entire process, etc., and post it). The car drives absolutely great, except for some gear noise and slow 1 to 2 shift. Because a bearing is slowly going out, I do need to get the work done for fear it may "explode" one day at speed.

Even paying $8500 + $3000 for the transmission, I'm happy with the car because everything else works well and it's a great looker and driver. For $11,500 and a new transmission in a 928 that runs strong, I'm still (very) happy.

As for the engine, buying one with 100,000 miles on the odometer need not be ANY concern if the car has been taken care of. I've posted this many times, but I have a friend with a newer model than mine and he's got over 250,000 on his now and the car recently ran at the drag strip just to see what it would do. Sorry I don't have the speed, but he did lead a recent Porsche parade and I was next in line, as we blasted over the middle Tennessee countryside I watched his car for many miles, and never saw the first puff of smoke. Those silicon aluminum cylinder walls will last a LONG time. Don't let the milage bother you, it's the condition you're looking for, and the history of good care.

I have a policy when buying a car. If I like it and can afford it, I buy it on the spot. Some haggling, but only on the hoof, never over a period of days. I've lost some deals in the past because I waited. I've also told a guy to "hit the road" when he tried to whine and haggle with me. I told him that if he was going to cry on my shoulder, do it somewhere else, I didn't have the time to listen to all the drivel, ha ha, in a polite way of course, heh heh. I bought my last three Porsches out from under another buyer, just because of that policy. The last one, my S2 944, was purchased on a Sunday evening before the ad hit the newspapers, and I absolutely KNEW the guy could get a whole list of willing buyers then, so we just did the deal Sunday man to man with no other influences. As it turned out the next day (and entire week) the seller got calls from all over the Southeast USA for that car, and I snagged it for a little bit lower than his asking price. I know Porsche cars fairly well by now, so I was comfortable doing it this way. On my first acquisition, the '84 944, I took a big chance and ended up on the better end of the deal, although I payed far too much for the car, I got a good one and that's the important thing.

On your 928 hunt, if you find a good car, well cared for, good paint, good interior, runs well, etc., sheesh, just buy the dang thing. This is no time for hand-wringing, there will be a time for that later on when you have to go to the shop, which happens to the best of us, and with any and every car sooner or later. If it's a 5-speed, be sure the transmission doesn't have some obvious gear whine loud enough to be heard from the sidewalk if you drive by. A little noise is okay. Mine is excessive now. If the oil pressure is in the mid range at idle after running 15 miles, and the guy has all the records, better get the wallet out and buy it, because someone like me will be driving it next week :-)

regards, and good luck

P