Don't enable me, convince me not to.

These are getting low enough to be dangerous even to me. I read and listen to all the warnings, but I love a good crazy woman.

I run across an add like this: http://baltimore.craigslist.org/cto/4695239648.html , and think maybe I should sell my incredibly reliable Miata and buy it.

So you want a GRM priced, reliable, FMR, V8, rear transaxle, sports touring car?

Available in convertible form, or with a roof.

Or the go extra fast version

Kenny_McCormic wrote: So you want a GRM priced, reliable, FMR, V8, rear transaxle, sports touring car? Available in convertible form, or with a roof. Or the go extra fast version

Nope. Leaves me cold. I would always know that deep inside its just an old farm truck.

A good friend of mine relented and pulled the trigger on an early 5spd 928. The car of his dreams since they were new. He is a German car nut, tinkerer, good with wrenches, excellent with electronics. The kind of guy who happily sits down to an unlabeled late 90's BMW wiring harness and creates a fully featured management harness in an hour The ideal 928 owner.

He lasted 3 months with the car.

bearmtnmartin wrote: Nope. Leaves me cold. I would always know that deep inside its just an old farm truck.

I never did understand people who feel this way. What magic fairy dust intangible do you somehow imagine Corvettes are lacking?

In reply to bearmtnmartin:

There's about as much old farm truck in a Corvette as there is farm tractor in a Lamborghini!

My comment was very tongue in cheek. I know they are awesome cars. But it's not so much a what car thread as a discussion about why the bad in owning a 928 outweighs the good. I want a 928. They do more for me than vettes(stingrays excluded) and 911's.

If that's the case then buy the 928 and put a Corvette driveline in it.

Kenny_McCormic wrote: If that's the case then buy the 928 and put a Corvette driveline in it.

That's a pretty good idea.

"I can't afford you because you drive a Porsche"

"Why should I pay that much he obviously doesn't need the money"

People gauge you by the emblem on the front not the age of the car.

I saw the same kind of thing when I worked at a pizza place. People would tip based off how much money they thought you had because of your car.

foxtrapper wrote: These are getting low enough to be dangerous even to me. I read and listen to all the warnings, but I love a good crazy woman.

But you're married... isn't one enough?

HappyAndy wrote: In reply to bearmtnmartin: There's about as much old farm truck in a Corvette as there is farm tractor in a Lamborghini!

Ahem:

A buddy rented a C6 while in Vegas and took it for a Serious drive in the hills around town. He stated the 'vette felt like a larger, faster version of his beloved 924/944's. Since he's a driving instructor, spec944 racer and all around decent wrench and driver I take his opinion with a certain amount of weight. The shop he was working at refurbed a 928 for resale and they were very happy when it sold. They enjoyed driving it, but keeping ahead of broken stuff long enough to show it to perspective buyers was enough for me to hear.

Keep this in mind when looking at them: they were slated to replace the 911 and their maintenance and monetary requirements reflects this.

I'd say the 928 may still leave you cold, but take one for a drive and see how it feels to you.

bearmtnmartin wrote: You guys are mostly not helping me to just say no. But then what did I really expect...

you do understand that coming here to be talked out of something isn't going to work don't you …

doesn't matter whether it's a Yugo, Fiat, Porsche, Jag, Chevy, Ford …… whatever… we're going to tell you to get it … with the occasional dissenter

moparman76_69 wrote: "I can't afford you because you drive a Porsche" "Why should I pay that much he obviously doesn't need the money" People gauge you by the emblem on the front not the age of the car.

i used to drive the vette to sales appointments when i really did not want the job, and wanted to give a big middle finger to the person without actually doing so. such as "berk you here's my ginormously inflated quote because i think you're a phallus and i'm leaving in my vette to go make elevenses on the way home"

it got me out of several things that would have otherwise been trouble. otherwise i drove my caprice or truck and pretty much got any job i wanted.

i guess it depends on what you're selling and to whom. i wouldn't, but from your old farm truck comment, i say go for it

I like 928s, but I can't help but think that it's an FC RX-7 with a Ford Mod motor in it. Same awful ergonomics, same driving feel, even similar looks.

Streetwiseguy wrote: Open the hood and imagine trying to do ANYTHING through that tiny little opening. Then phone the porky store and check the price on a timing belt change.

They are really not that bad to work on.

The timing belt change is not terribly bad either, as long as you don't have to replace the $1200 tensioner. Which, really, is just a stack of washers that gets engine oil pressure, and a lever switch that turns on a dashboard indicator to let you know that the belt is loose. (Really. I ain't making this up.)

I'm going to start looking. Not much point in buying one in October as my shop is already full of projects but by March there should be a little room. I'm going to look for. Nice s or s4 that is more of a driver than a show car. I do kind of like the wing though.

SEADave wrote:

bearmtnmartin wrote: Nope. Leaves me cold. I would always know that deep inside its just an old farm truck.

I never did understand people who feel this way. What magic fairy dust intangible do you somehow imagine Corvettes are lacking?

A C5 would be a great sports car, but it's a terrible GT car. The interior alone disqualifies it from that. C6 isn't so bad, haven't seen a C7 in the flesh but from the pics it looks really good.

Kenny_McCormic wrote: If that's the case then buy the 928 and put a Corvette driveline in it.

I already mentioned that route I've seen a few 'Murican-V8-swapped 928s at the track. Weight of even an LT1 is a smidge less than the later Porsche V8s, LS1 is even better! Eliminates a lot of the pricey frequent-maintenance parts, too. The electricals, however, most of that is still old Porsche

Knurled wrote: I like 928s, but I can't help but think that it's an FC RX-7 with a Ford Mod motor in it. Same awful ergonomics, same driving feel, even similar looks.

I can see the FC comparison with a 944/951, but the 928? I don't think they look anything alike, and I don't remember the FC interior being that similar to the 944/951.

Do it. A 5 speed GTS is still a dream car of mine. I had an '84 S 5 speed and an '87 S4 5 speed and out of my nearly 200 automobiles these two both still rank in the top ten best cars I have ever owned. They are amazing. Very ahead of their respective times. Great ergos and controls, conversation-starting dogleg gearbox (James May's shenanigans of constantly reversing from a stop are just malarkey), gorgeous looks, an amazing rumble and even more BWAAAAAAAAAAAAA when you replace the rear muffler with a straight pipe.

Now it is true that at the time (and I don't know whether this is still true) the 32v cars held the record for the longest timing belt ever used in a production engine. But I had mine done by a very reputable P-car independent shop on both the 16v and the 32v cars and the S was cheaper than the timing belt job was for my 968 and the S4 was a couple hundred more. So not really out of line for water cooled Porsche maintenance.

We've all heard about my car boredom over and over again. My auto ADD is strong. Most of the time I decide to sell a car, if the first person that emails me and sees it buys it at my asking price, that is me stuck with the car for too long. When I sold the S4 and had a fat wad of hundreds in my fist, I saw the new owner driving it away and that is the only time in my life I have ever thought, "That was a mistake. I should not have sold that car."

Don't delay. There is no substitute.

My concern is that they are now all old, and you are talking long road trips where you need to get where you're going. Pleasure yes, relying on it as a business vehicle, ?

after owning 1.5 944/951's, I say pass. There is more Volkswagen character to them than actual porsche. They aren't the pristine driving machines that the marquee typically values, and they're pretty obnoxious to work on.

My bottom 3 in terms of personal issues with 944/924S/951's specifically-

• Unannounced part and design changes during a model year. You legit have no idea what is in your car unless you look at it to verify everything first.

• specialty tools- Seriously, 12 pt triple square CV bolts?! Was torx too American?

• Leaks everywhere. From dryrotted internally routed sunroof drains to leaky gaskets, my car would be more went inside than out after heavy rains. I could never find all of the leaks. Ever.

I really like 928s, so say go for it. I currently have a very nice 85 Carrera, but my buddies early 928 and is a much better trip car.

I can see the FC comparison with a 944/951, but the 928? I don't think they look anything alike, and I don't remember the FC interior being that similar to the 944/951.

Really? Look at the door shape, the hatch shape, the "bulbous frog" look.

The interior feel is very similar FC vs. 928. Meaning, atrocious headroom and ergonomics unless you're 5'6. The last time I drove a 928, my head was directly over the rear A/C vents.

golfduke wrote: after owning 1.5 944/951's, I say pass. There is more Volkswagen character to them than actual porsche. They aren't the pristine driving machines that the marquee typically values, and they're pretty obnoxious to work on. My bottom 3 in terms of personal issues with 944/924S/951's specifically- - Unannounced part and design changes during a model year. You legit have no idea what is in your car unless you look at it to verify everything first. - specialty tools- Seriously, 12 pt triple square CV bolts?! Was torx too American? - Leaks everywhere. From dryrotted internally routed sunroof drains to leaky gaskets, my car would be more went inside than out after heavy rains. I could never find all of the leaks. Ever.

It's "marque"

The leaks are no different than any 25+ year-old car. They get clogged with tree/nature detritus, which cause the rot. Same with sunroof/window seals, not many 25-year-old cars will have good seals anymore. As far as the CV joints, that's ALL old Porsches (and some other German stuff too), and I don't recall seeing Torx bits on anything else built in the 80s/90s.

That said, front-engined Porsches have tight engine bays (better than a Z32 twin-turbo, though!) and some of the work can be a royal PITA (e.g. 944/951 thermostat). Hence the LT1/LS1 swaps But for a track car it'd be easier and more cost-effective to just get a C5 (better suspension geometry, too), the plus for the 928 is the interior and cruisability.

Knurled wrote:

I can see the FC comparison with a 944/951, but the 928? I don't think they look anything alike, and I don't remember the FC interior being that similar to the 944/951.

Really? Look at the door shape, the hatch shape, the "bulbous frog" look. The interior feel is very similar FC vs. 928. Meaning, atrocious headroom and ergonomics unless you're 5'6. The last time I drove a 928, my head was directly over the rear A/C vents.

I'm 6'2" and have zero problems driving a 928.