bott63

$41k in maintenance receipts for 14 years of ownership on the 86.5?
Me thinks that spending ~$3k in maint. per year for 14 straight years while driving 15-20k miles per year would cause my own personal gasket to fail!
Is this an accurate cost prediction (maintenance) for one who doesn't wrench on their own 928?

Barry Johnson

Hmm, I'd personally pay 10k for the car if the exterior was really nice, and the ATP wheels are the Riva model (Tony's old wheels).
My 87 has something like 162k on it, and it runs awesome. Check the tranny though and the torque tube at that mileage, my valve bodies on the tranny need a rebuild and some new seals.
If its the original owner and really that well taken care of, I'd say anything UNDER 10k would be a great deal. Keep in mind you're buying a car that cost something like 80k in the late 80s... (or was it 60k, whatever a lot of cash for the year )

Jerome Craig

Labor rates are high.. but not that much higher than any other car. I would estimate that 40%-50% of my total costs were for labor. But here are some of the highlights - and keep in mind that car was a daily driver in DC, Northern VA and the Baltimore area. Based on a little math, my '87 seems to have cost the PO $0.33 per mile, while my '86.5 cost me about $0.28 per mile for parts and labor. For a long time the 86.5 only used factory parts - then I discovered the Big 3! Factory parts seem to be all that's ever gone into the '87.

I bought the 86.5 in 1992 at a good price - about $16K. There were a few things that needed tp be done to it right away. Keep in mind heat, vibration and age are factors other than use that cause some things to wear out or need to be replaced. Some of the stuff I did was purely preventative, as I drove the car everyday. I also spent a lot of money trying to get the HVAC system to work properly.

Here are some particulers: TB/WP = 4 times / 100k mile service = 2 times

Replaced: steering rack / torque tube / radiator / EVERY! hose... I mean every hose in the car! / complete front suspension - thanks to DC potholes! / transmission @ 215K miles / half shafts / all 4 calipers rebuilt / every part of the HVAC system replaced - over time / drivers seat and passenger seat motors / passenger window motor / sunroof motor / 3 front windshields - $500 deductable! / 8 sets of tires / 2 - power steering pumps / alternator / front air dam / turn signal assembly / rear hatch lock / motor mounts / shocks / etc.

I also had some fun stuff done like: steroid links / poly sway bar bushings / RMB / MOMO wheel / cast hole rotors / Cup 2 knock off wheels - Milli Miglia / Autothority chips / etc.

As for the future: I recently purchased the 9 volume WSM, I am having a two car garage built, I have started acquiring a good selection of tools, I do business with and get advice from the "Big 3" and most importantly - I joined Rennlist. Through this association I have met a good number of 928 owners, one of whom lives less than 5 miles from me and loaned me his spare MAF to do some troubleshooting. I intend to get much more involved with my own maintenance once the garage is built.

Keep in mind, I've had a 928 for 14 years and I very rarely if ever met anybody who had one, or for that mnatter - knew what a 928 was. I'm now at a point where I drive the Shark when I feel like it - not because it's my only transportation. They are fantastic cars, but they are also virtually hand made, they are not Honda Accords. Most seem to have similar problems: torque tube, steering rack, HVAC issues, electrical gremlins related to poor grounds, interior lights that grow dimmer and dimmer, motor mounts, etc.

As for what you can expect: My experience would say "There are 928s and then there is (are) the 928(s) that you own!" The better you mantain it, the longer it will last.... the more you can do yourself, the cheaper it will be to own and operate and the more you'll know about it.

Remember, "Pleasure has a price!" And as long as I live and breathe... I will own a 928

Jerome

JG928S4

Excellence Market Update Dec 2005 ( prices have increased last 2 years)

1987 S4

2005 Prices
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Low $10,750
High $16,363

2004 prices
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Low $10,611
High $16,150

2003 prices
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Low $9,297
High $14,150


It will be interesting to see what the next update shows.