Shawn Stanford

^This, plus a preference for the cleaner early body lines pushed me into an '82.

My experience with these cars is limited compared to most others on this forum, but I've owned a '79 and and '82, and my recommendation is that once you get the car running: drive it. These cars - the early ones, anyway - like to be driven. My '79 had something over 250k on the clock - probably over 300k - and it stopped running because I let it sit during a deployment.

Anyway: Half the fun of ownership is the search! Good luck with it and keep your eyes on this forum, people post good CL finds here all the time.

RKD in OKC

I like the 78 thru 95 the best.

pluckedchicken

polecat702

Mechanically these cars are solid, electrical problems IMHO are the real issues.

Wisconsin Joe

Ok, my $0.02 (maybe not even worth that much).

Step 1 - read the "New Visitor" sticky. It covers a lot of the common problems.

Step 2 - Figure out what you want it for:

A daily driver or a weekend/nice day car?
A show piece or just something cool to drive?
Something you can drive on a regular basis or one that mostly sits and gets looked at?

Something well sorted that you only need to keep up or a project car that will keep you busy in the garage?

Step 3 - Figure out what you want in the car:

Newer with all the bells and whistles or older, less complicated?
Manual or auto?
Lots of power or not so much (the older cars can be beat by a new V-6 Camry)?

Step 4 - What is your budget:
Lots of money?
Lots and lots of money?
"I just won the lottery, money doesn't matter?"
(note that "not a lot of money" isn't there)

Step 5 - What is your mechanical skills and capabilities:
Complete shop with a lift, can do just about anything up to a complete engine overhaul?
Fairly comprehensive tool collection (more than one rollaway), can do most tasks on a car?
Small tool collection, can do basic stuff (oil changes, tuneups, electrical troubleshooting)?
Virtually no tools, everything on the car is done at an outside shop?

(note that the money level, lower to higher, and skill level ,higher to lower, correlate - the less you can do, the more it will cost)

You can get anything from a GTS that is ready to take coast to coast (big $) to a late US 16v auto that needs work (a couple thousand).

Keep in mind that the "Cheapest car to buy is the most expensive to own." And that if you buy a "cheap" car, it's very easy to stick $10k into in (parts alone, not labor) and end up with a car that's only worth $5k or $6k.

Hilton's post (#11) has a pretty good breakdown of the choices. He does miss the 84-86 Euro 16v (known as the 'S2'). The best 16v motor made, more power than the 32v S3.

Shane

The best way to figure out what you want is to "see" all that is available and find the one combo you like above all the rest, then using that to decide what to look for in the market place...

Look here to find the many combos out there:
https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...-stay-out.html

I found what I was looking for on the old "928s4vr" website there was a Ruby Red S on the opening page; and I ended up with an early '86 in a similar color Garnet Red Metallic, later I found the Rennlist and moved up to the '86.5 in the same color but boosted by Tim Murphy who has put more boost to 928s then any other...

You've come to the right place!

SanDiego928

I have an 81 16V 5 speed and it is totally fun to drive. Lowest HP but still enough to have fun. There are 5 speeds remember and each one is great.

Owner / Fixer / Driver since 2010.

MainePorsche

Absolutely my settled upon feelings too.
Had a late 86.5 and liked it very much.
Had a 91 and just liked it. Really didn't like the digital toy in the pod.
Just love my 87. It is the Patriarch of the later, and last line.

Edwardoo928s

I have a 1985 with S4 engine and brakes, best of both worlds.

The Forgotten On

Don't dismiss autos. I have a 3 speed 81 that goes to 75+ easily in first gear, it's a lot of fun to take the early 16V cars to redline and the early autos make it all too easy.

ashmason

I love the nose of the earlier cars, but was not a fan of the tail. I also wanted a stick.... I test drove quite a few before finding a diamond in the rough of a 1990GT and made it mine. I had plans to work on it myself but a bad back and not enough spare time meant I had to have others work on it for me.

What that means is.. looking back if I were to do it all again I would walk away from my car and find something in better shape, just catching up on maintenance alone cost me a chunk. On the other hand I am so upside down it gives me the perfect justification to never sell it and I do love the car

My criteria came down to.. must be a stick, S4, (I never specifically looked for a GT because I never thought one would fall into my price range) and had to be in black and tan.

I don't regret buying the car I did, and she has never let me down yet.

In my opinion the only real 928 bargain is a car that comes from someone like the owners on this board, and that means someone like me who has put the $ into it to maintain and restore, and then for whatever reason decided to sell. Spend as much as you possibly can, don't shy away from the higher mileage cars, there is really no good reason to if the maint is kept up, and finally remember. With a 928 you will pay the price of admission, either up front on purchase, or after you purchase what you thought was a good deal on a fixer upper.

Good luck, test drive plenty, don't rush and find one that speaks to you.

worf928

'89 S4 5-speed would be my choice if I started all over.

tv

The best 928, (really only 85/86), maybe only 25 examples worth buying though

rgs944

that,s my thinking. I sure would like to have some GTS flares though.

Hilton

I've owned two 87 S4's (still got one).. and still prefer my 89 over them, for these reasons:

1. digital dash has better lighting at night
2. the higher-compression engine just feels better (piston change around feb '88)
3. electronic cruise control, not vacuum based (MY88 onwards has this)

Otherwise, there's not much to choose between them.