I can't help it - I LIKE the 928!

[tadink]

Guys - - please talk me off the ledge here.

I've sold my 67 911 to free up some cash, and have been looking to immediately replace that hole in my life that not having a P-car leaves.

So - looking around for stuff that is 'reasonably' priced, I keep coming across these sweet 928s with 5 spds that are apparently 'smokin great deals' considering all that these cars were / are.

Please tell me I'm right, these are now a great deal for a great car - - OR - - please tell me I'm nuts for looking at 20+ year old, technologically 'advanced' in their day money pits.

Are there common fatal failures just lurking under the hood - like water pump / timing belts that will trash the car in a nano-second like the 944s? all opinions welcomed.....

td

[porkee]

td-Good thread as I could be a potential sucker for a 5spd 928.
I'm sure you'll get a lot of imput here and more if you post over at the 928 tech forum. Hopefully pelicans Normy, M21sniper, etc will check in....

[MPDano]

Your gonna find lots of 928's out there. If you find one with zero maintenance records, then you WILL be doing the big TB, WP etc. just to be sure that it won't have a catastrophic failure on you. For the most part early 16V 928's are non-interference (exception is I believe the later 16V Euro 84?), the 32V motors ARE Interference.

I bought a non-running 81 Euro which should have been parted out and sold, but I took it upon myself to restore it. I put a newer block and it's running great. I did all the maintenance stuff while the engine was out and learned a lot from these Forums.

My opinion for you is to buy the most you can afford, but post out a link or info on it before you purchase. The guys on the 928 Forum will let you know if it's a keeper or one to run fast real fast from. Good luck in your search. I really do love my 928. A V8 in such a small body, there's nothing like it.

[m21sniper]

I love my 928. Watch the video in my signiture, and you'll hear why.

They are top end Porsche's though, so if you're not a DIY'er, you will bleed through the nose owning one of these. Ask more detailed questions in the 928 forums, as there is a huge difference in power levels from model to model.

If i could have any MY, it would most likely be an 86 Euro 310hp 4.7liter.

Couple pix of mine:

[Danglerb]

I won't talk you off the ledge, but you should hammer a few fingers into a crack so you don't fall off too soon. Buying well is insanely important.

My theory is that nobody ever sells a nice 928, and I think its fairly accurate except for times like now with such a nasty economic situation. EVEN SO, 95% of the 928's for sale are going to be money pits that go from owner to owner never really getting fixed. Nationwide maybe half a dozen to a dozen nice 928's are sold each year.

Whats your budget and what are you wanting from the car?

Where are you located, so you can hook up with locals for help?

Also moving this to 928 tech, or restarting there once you find a likely candidate will work better.

[m21sniper]

I think Dangler is being overly pessimistic.

[DanielDudley]

Just like you don't want a 911 with engine problems, you don't want a 928 that has been neglected. The faster variants are quick and fast, and can be made absurdly powerful, if you don't need to be emissions compliant.

[rogman]

great cars but not cheap to fix....i do think you can make a great deal on one and there certainly is something special about the car......if it makes you happy and doesent kill your budget what the hell!!!

[tadink]

thanks for all the comments -- I have also heard that they are costly to fix, but I've never had anyone offer up a good explanation for that? Is it like dropping the engine to change the plugs on the 930? are things just difficult to access or require engine removal for ordinarily simple stuff? any help or insights appreciated....td

[DanielDudley]

They are not costly to fix if they have been kept up on. But you can drive them forever without putting any money into them. Then they become needy, and costly to maintain. They have more systems than your average air cooled, and that means more stuff to deal with that also happens to be more complex.

These are well built and engineered cars, that can rack up absurdly high mileages with a good PM schedule. They like dry garages for the rubber and electrics. They like to be run on a regular basis, and exercised. In many ways, they are like Italian classics that seem to run better the more you drive them, and the harder you drive them, as long as you are smooth. You also need to run the AC and all the electrics.

They have a fuse panel that looks like it would run a jet airplane. They have vacuum activated controls for the HVAC system, which does work when working. Some have 32 valve interference motors, and all have the worlds longest production timing belt, which also drives the water pump. Power steering. Radiator. Much of what modern Porsches have was pioneered in the 928.

Again, a lot to neglect, if you elect to rectify it all at once after purchase. Not too bad to maintain, if kept up on, and not impossible for a decent home mechanic to tackle, but strange and foreign to many air cooled specialists. Remember, there aare a ton of 911s out there everywhere. Not very many 928s, and proportionately fewer good mechanic to work on them.

Lots of pretenders though, and they can actually make a good car worse just by wrenching on it.

IS that any more clear ?

[DanielDudley]

BTW, the 928 forum on Rennlist is the largest and most informative data base available to the 928 owner. That is where I would go next, if you are undeterred. These cars are highly underrated.