Shopping for my first 928

MarkP;6989 wrote: Looks like James had a hand producing this ad...

sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/ctd/2682746991.html

ROTFLMAO! That is good! I had to look at that one just to see and yes, I would be MORE THAN HAPPY to have her in my calendar! LOL!

To the OP...

You state you want an '87-89 5spd and then you are looking at an '82 auto AND that you don't like the "restyled" rear end on the '90+ cars. I might suggest you learn a bit more about 928's as the rear end on an '87 - '89 928 is EXACTLY THE SAME AS THAT ON A '90 -'91 car!

Also, if you like 5spds and are thinking along those lines, you probably WON'T like an early auto!

Low mileage, 5spd, excellent condition S4's demand a premium over anything but a GTS. Expect to pay $16k+ for what you are looking for! Sometimes you find a deal on a higher mileage 5spd that is also in excellent condition with all maintenance up to date, but still probably a $13k car minimum.

If in fact you actually don't like the S4 rear bumper cover design (which I find hard to believe as it might well be the best looking 928 rear end ever made) you will need to be looking at '86 and older 928's.

The '86.5 928 S has S4 brakes and 32V 5.0 engine and they are known to be quite fast cars. The regular '86 has the smaller brakes on the front (vs. the larger S4 brakes) but is otherwise the same as the '86.5 and the '85 is the same as the '86.

The '83-'84 928S cars have the 4.7L (254 HP) engine. The '78-'82 cars have the 4.5L (220HP) engine.

There are EURO S cars from '80-'86 with 4.7L 300hp Euro engines, but finding good ones can sometimes be a challenge. If you need to meet emissions they can also be tough to tune or that...

Good luck with your quest! 928's are AWESOME cars, but do your homework and learn as much as you can here before you buy!

For some reason I thought '90 started the red area between the tail lights but I see I was wrong. Looking through more images I'm seeing that on some but not all '91 models.
That's what I don't care for. Was that used on a certain package?

I would prefer a later higher HP model but certainly would not rule out an exceptional older model. As far as price, I would have no issues dropping $15K to $20K for the right car.

The Euros pop up around here from time to time, however I live in an area with very strict emission testing so that can be a problem I'd rather not deal with.

George,

The red "reflector" between the tail lights is GTS only (unless an S4 is wrecked and needs a new rear bumper cover...they don't make the S4 bumper cover anymore). Therefore they should appear only on '92-'95 928's.

Since you live in a smog testing area don't bother with a EURO car...it will be more trouble than it is worth.

You would be best served limiting your search to 5spd cars from '85-'91 and I tell anyone who is interested '89 is probably the best all around year. If you must have air bags then you are stuck with '90 or newer. I don't know why, but I just think the '89 has the best of all the 928's. No airbags (I can take them or leave them), digital dash, lower rear end gear ratio (I think that is true on the auto cars and the manual cars...not positive about this though), parcel shelf below the dash... I just like the '89 cars. Then I'd go '88, '87, '91, '90...

The best of the best are the GTS's, but they have the tail you don't like and 5spd versions will cost substantially more than a comparable S4.

If you are willing to spend $16k - $20k you should be able to purchase one of the nicest 5spd S4's anywhere. Just a matter of finding the right one for you! Keep us posted on your search!

I would advocate much of what James said. Too bad you aren't closer to him, he could show you a variety of years from his collection and explain differences.

Don't get an automatic if you want a 5 speed, you will never be happy otherwise. Many a 928 owner has bought an automatic, fixed it up, and then sold it because they needed a 5 speed, this is a way to expend funds unnecessarily. With that said, there are those that love automatics. So drive both in your search.

Decide if you want a 928 with essentially everything done, or one you are willing to fix up, or have fixed up. Understand that fixing them is expensive and time consuming. You can save huge sums of money by identifying and resolving issues yourself through the resources of other 928 owners. I am fond of saying that I know quite a bit about 928s, but what is more important is I know people who know what I don't know.

Be prepared for some frustration when an issue arises. There are not too many really good 928 mechanics, as most mechanics no longer have a motivation or interest in understanding 928s. There are exceptions, and if you live near one, treat your mechanic like a long lost son.

Right now there can be great deals on 928s, people are more attached to paying for their home and food, then their 928s. Most importantly when you buy have a Pre Purchase Inspection (PPI) done, by someone knowledgeable about 928s. Anything can be fixed on a 928, but some things are much more expensive than others.

Even if you buy a well maintained 928, be mentally prepared for $5k in bills the first year. It may not happen, and often does not, but to those who are unprepared it detracts from the owning experience.

If I were looking, I would check out the '89 GT Brad pointed at. It might be bought for $5k.

Just keep your eyes *wide* open, and you will enjoy the car so much.

The lady in the car picture is my mom, so ya'll be nice!

^^^^^^
LOL! I'd have a MASSIVE edipal (sic) complex if that were my mom!