Have any of you been minding your own business, content with the project car in the garage, when out of nowhere your friend whispers in your ears, “Hey, did you ever think about buying one of those?” Suddenly, a car you were completely content leaving as a mere figment of your imagination becomes all-consuming, and you’re on the quest to own a cheap supercar that will rapidly deplete your bank account. Well, that’s the boat I’m in with this 1983 Porsche 928S for $4,900 on Hemmings Classifieds, thanks to my brother and his evil thoughts.
Up until a few days ago, a Porsche with a V8 wedged in front was the furthest thing from my mind. My brother has an ’86 911 and I’ve got my E30 and E28-series BMWs; life is good. No need for anything else. Then he sends me a craigslist ad for a clean 928 in Vermont with some basic needs for a very fair price. With a 4.7L V8 driving upwards of 234 bhp to the rear wheels, it’s clear a running 928 could offer some serious smiles per dollar. Factor in the comfy interior with 2+2 seating, and you’ve got a great weekend car more than capable of swallowing a duffle bag or two – right?
Well, kind of. You see, a 928 isn’t exactly cheap to operate. But then again, any supercar that’s now old enough to qualify as an antique in most states is going to have a few headaches to deal with. Anyone considering one of these vintage Q-ships should find out when the timing belt was last replaced, as it will definitely need to be done if there are no records. The water pump is also prone to failure, and like older BMWs, this represents a good time to upgrade to the metal impeller-style pumps. The 928 wiring harness is nothing to sneeze at either, and from what I’ve read it is a common headache discovering frayed connectors.
But like any other older exotic, if you buy the best one you can afford, you significantly reduce your chances of being burned (well, depending on your budget!) The seller does not give us much to go on, so any interested parties will have more than a few questions to ask. The later wheels are a nice upgrade, but don’t let that distract you from asking for a thick pile of maintenance records. The seller’s asking price for a cosmetically-rough driver-quality 928 is fair, in my opinion, but only if at least some of typical maintenance items have been addressed. So tell us – would you take a chance on a Porsche that’s lost its parking space?
this also needs to be checked for rust because of cars location. if service is up to date and no rust this would make a nice daily driver that would be able to keep up todays highway speeds. i would sell whichever set of wheels would bring the most money. this is also a low cost entry into the P clubs, great fun.
Always loved these. Timeless design.
Oh boy. This very car & perhaps the same year was my dream car as a kid. With posters and magazine clippings of it plastered on my walls I am very tempted to snatch this up as there will always be a space for it in my garage. Now if it were the later 928S4 I’d be on a plane from Seattle right away.
rsp, there was a red one that sat in the middle of a derelict showroom of a shady used car dealer in the town I grew up in. I was convinced it was destiny and that my parents would buy it for me. How silly I was!