Opportunity knocks. I know the Porsche 928 is a beautiful car, and that it may be the red headed step child of the clan. That said what should I look for in on and what should I run from. It supposed to be a running driving car with 70,000 original miles, has new timing belt, gears, head gaskets ect.. needs a rack. Talk me down or enable me.
Obligatory picture.
You NEED that car, I had one several years ago, and wish I had never sold it.
You do want to get a copy of the factory shop manuals, expect some things to be tricky to fix, but really no worse than a lot of newer cars.
What year, model, transmission? These are on the rise like the rest of the P-cars, but the specific configuration can make a 10x difference in the price.
Looks like an early 80s S.
Receipts for timing belt or it didnt happen. What year? 32v engines are interference so the timing belt is critical. 16v euro S models are also interference. Check all the electrics are working. There's a mile of vacuum hoses. Check condition. Also the rubber fuel line at the front of the engine tends to leak. Accelerator pedal linkage is fiddly and can rob hp. For automatics they can get some play with the flex plate. This will eventually destroy the engine. Torque tube bearings can wear causing issues. Oh, autos and manuals have different chassis. Swapping a manual is not a straightforward affair. Electrics are the weak point. Main fuse panel is directly below the a/c evaporator and hvac motor. Leak in the evap, condensation or leaky seal around the hvac motor lets water into the fuse panel with all sorts of fun. Grounds can also be a thing. Interior trim and rubber can get expensive. Cracked dash is either expensive, a pita or possibly both to fix. Great support on rennlist.
Overall they're pretty diy friendly. The drive trains are pretty durable. The autos are Mercedes units. Stock parts can be brutal. It was a hand-built supercar. There are usually budget workarounds if functionality trumps originality for you. They still look like space ships. Do eet
It's is a 1983 with a 5spd
85% were autos, so it's on the good list, but down the list a ways. (GTS, GT, special editions like a weissach, 32v S with 5 spd, euro S 5 spd, 16v 5 spd...).
Has a 87 S4. Best car I ever had. I will get another one some day. Just remember it is a super car for its time. They have needs but the needs are not all that bad considering the performance.
I would love to get a very lat 80s or early 90s with a bad motor and do a lsx swap. It would take alot of the neediness out of the car.
sanyarcosean wrote: It's is a 1983 with a 5spd
I have an 82 (16v) with a 5 speed and it's a lot of fun. I have several AC 911s too, but the 928 is special in its own way...a completely different experience.
I had an '84 5spd S and an '87 5spd S4. That S4 is one of the best cars I've ever had. I've had lots and lots and lots of cars and this is the only one I wanted to chase after when the new owner drove it away. I regretted it immediately. I still miss that car.
Issues on these cars are overblown. Check all the stuff above, sure, but as long as the electrics haven't been berkeleyed with, they should be fine. These were super expensive cars when new and it's my experience with mine, and my friends' cars, that most of the electrical issues are from '70s and '80s alarm systems, stereo, installs, stuff like that. I've never had factory electrics really go out on me - only the stuff that was messed with.
They're still easy enough to support and while they were criticized by people like us back in the day for being too heavy, 320hp at 3400lbs and change (for my non-sunroof, M474 car without rear AC), that's E46 M3 territory, except with torque! I liked my 928S4 better than my E46 M3, and I loved that car, too.
Do it. I honestly think these are some of Porsche's best cars. I was sitting with some Porsche German-HQ types at Porsche Parade in Milwaukee (when was that? '00? '01?) and they said there was a reason all the Porsche execs drove 928s rather than 911s back in the day. Brilliant cars.
Neat car love 928, havent seen one running on awhile. Sound like a pain in the ass, have fun.
Here's a shot from 'The Maverick Collection' owned by a watercooled Porsche enthusiast in LA.
Never understood the 911 comparison back in the day. Back then, the 911 was still a sports car and the 928 is a GT.
Based on everything I have read on this board from those that actually went forth and bought a Porsche on any kind of a grassroots budget, I treat the entire Porsche brand as if it were Cacti: Admire from afar or be prepared to get hurt.
I have always like the looks of the 928 and that is a really nice looking specimen from where I am sitting.
Funny story: My ex boss had a 944 that he poured many many thousands of dollars into trying to keep it mobile; that car was a colander when it came to money. When he finally sold it the proceeds were such that they only covered one wild night out on the town for three of us as we celebrated it's departure from his life. That might have tainted my view of the brand.
In reply to NOHOME:
They're complicated European cars, that's all. It's not rocket science, they are totally DIYable, and there are a lot of great internet resources for parts and info. The people that generally get burned are the ones they don't diy. I have some early Beetles too (60 and 62) and when I need a break from the overly complex German stuff I have I go tinker with the beetles...it's almost like therapy. 
The subtle changes to the 87 s4 body to me was a really big improvement in the overall look of the car. To me the layer cars still look modern and could have been sold as new with in the last five years. Where as the pre 87 cars really suffer from there 70s design styling.
By the way the 87 s4 was the fastest 928. The later gts was bogged down by lots of added weight due to safety requirements.
Check prices on steering racks. I understand they're quite expensive.
Everything on these cars can be quite expensive. These were the fastest production car of there time. They are aging super cars. They are however probably one of the least expensive supercars of the late 80s to own now.
You can not expect to keep one of these on the road on a Honda budget. Many have tried and that is why there are so many cheap ones around.
Lets repeat my Mantra for older European Cars.
Do NOT buy one that's been neglected!
Do NOT buy one that doesn't have a COMPLETE service history!
Do NOT buy the cheapest one you can find!
markwemple wrote: Never understood the 911 comparison back in the day. Back then, the 911 was still a sports car and the 928 is a GT.
Never understood this comparison, either.
When the 356 led to the 911, all of the "purists" were very upset that Porsche went soft, heavy, comfy and the 911 was more of a GT car than the 356.
When the long-hood 911s led to the impact-bumper 911s, the "purists" were upset that the 911 turned from a sports car into a GT car.
When the 911 got awd and the 964 came out, the "purists" were upset that the 911 turned from a sports car into a GT car.
Okay, I admit everyone was pretty happy when the 993 came out.
But then the 996 came out and the same thing happened.
Nobody things anything new is ever as good as whatever came before it.
Here's one of my old S4.
markwemple wrote: Never understood the 911 comparison back in the day. Back then, the 911 was still a sports car and the 928 is a GT.
It wasn't a comparison, it was a replacement. The 911 was slated to be replaced by the 924/944/928 series. This was the reason why the "purists" got all panty-bunched and eventually had the CEO that drove that policy removed. This was after the 911 sales were resurrected due to the fear that their weirdly shaped Beetles with mustard up their bottom would go the way of the dinosaur.
Porsche people are just a bit weird.
Anecdotal input... rumor has it that the 928 was the stiffest unibody production car ever built. It may have been surpassed in the last few years, but I do know they are a stiff chassis.
I'm also keen on bastardizing things, so here is how I would approach it: Possible lemon, but I own a welder and a few LS engines, so who cares?
Lugnut wrote:markwemple wrote: Never understood the 911 comparison back in the day. Back then, the 911 was still a sports car and the 928 is a GT.Never understood this comparison, either. When the 356 led to the 911, all of the "purists" were very upset that Porsche went soft, heavy, comfy and the 911 was more of a GT car than the 356. When the long-hood 911s led to the impact-bumper 911s, the "purists" were upset that the 911 turned from a sports car into a GT car. When the 911 got awd and the 964 came out, the "purists" were upset that the 911 turned from a sports car into a GT car. Okay, I admit everyone was pretty happy when the 993 came out. But then the 996 came out and the same thing happened. Nobody things anything new is ever as good as whatever came before it.
The 996 thing was all about water vs air. Still is. The 356 guys moaned about 2 more cylibders, not gt. And some people reaslly had an issue with the looks of the 964 and then the 993s rediculous over complexity. Those isdues still exist. The 911 has been, and always was a rsce car detuned for the street. The 928 was never meant to race or be a sports car Always a gt. Nothing else.
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