Which 928 to buy! I need help!

[Presto7]

Good morning enthusiasts!
I've read countless reviews, buyers guides, forum threads etc etc and the answers I'm after vary substantially! Really hoping to get some insight before purchasing my first Porsche - a 928 😁

I work overseas and will only be home for max a couple of months a year so it will be my daily for when I'm in Australia, so probably won't clock up a great deal of kms - but I need one. That being said, I also want to safeguard with intent for it to be a stable investment into the future. I personally LOVE the look of the first 928 with no spoilers, but if a later version is likely to experience a better/safer return when I eventually outgrow it then I'll happily buy whatever the smartest option is - they all have their own perks and they're all beautiful! So apologies for the lengthy intro, but here are my questions:

(Any answers to any of them are greatly appreciated, I don't expect a full run down on all of it, just some advice here and there 🙂)

What colours should I stay away from? What are the most attractive/sought after? I personally really like white, red or silver, however with the various things I've read, these are apparently less desirable colours? 

Does it make much difference if they have been resprayed, retrimmed, dash repaired, etc? Would a completely original car with imperfections be a better option than one that has had repairs?

Would you recommend getting an S2 manual or the early 928 in a 3 speed Auto? I could happily drive either but I would prefer a manual, though the manuals I'm finding aren't in as good condition as some of the autos for the same price. Is the overall condition more important than being a 'rare' manual or does it make no difference in your opinion?

I'm not as fond of the later S4 interior, tail lights and spoilers, but they are still great to look at. Do you think these may be a better investment due to the extra power, comfort, condition and features? Or stick with the 'original'?

I know what I like and what I would prefer, but I could easily drive any one of them and be absolutely stoked! I just don't want a money pit that I can't sell down the track, it's personally a lot of money for me to throw around, pretty much a house deposit - so I really want to make a good decision here.

Thank you very much in advance! I hope this isn't reintroducing a lot of already answered questions, as I said - everything I read gives me a different answer!
 

[KGB]

I’m a Silver over Black GTS man myself.

Bought an auto as they make a great daily, haven’t driven a manual but heard they’re a bit truck like gearbox wise.

There was a converted manual GTS around the forum a little while ago, one of the two past owners might jump in.

I think the investment potential (dubious!) is around either the first 928 or the GTS.

Great cars, they need love, big love.

[michel]

Tons of questions. Perhaps many answers offered, will be subjective and not fully ground your thinking .

Perhaps  and as above @KGB offered, potential for investment ... dubious 

you buy, the best you can buy. Period. And ideally buy the owner. If you are in the end besotted by a particular colour/spec/year  and it’s a bit of a fixer upper,  go for it, with eyes wide open. Though even a well maintained car , undoubtedly will need some finessing . Old cars.

do you like driving manual or auto or don’t care?

do you like funkY munky Colours and interiors?

You say you like early  sans wings etc . Well there ya go. 

Good luck with the hunt.

[ANF]

Cars are not investments, they (esp Porsches) are for enjoyment. Buy the one you like the most.

[carl888]

 I also want to safeguard with intent for it to be a stable investment into the future.

1. Do not buy a car.  Let alone a 928.

2. if you still ignore the above.  Buy the best condition, lowest mileage, no stories, maintenance up to date specimen you can find of any year.  if you don't, you'll be fixing it for the few months of the year you are here.

Good luck...

 

 

[Coastr]

Early car in interesting color and manual the one that loses least value.

dont buy something laid up.  The car you buy should be stored undercover, registered and driving, as few modifications as possible and a stack of receipts you can stand on to reach the top shelf.

Lots of money pit 928s out there.  As already said, buy the owner.  If the owner looks like they ha e less money than you, beware.  I like buying cars from big expensive houses in nice suburbs.

[KGB]

5 hours ago, Coastr said:

Lots of money pit 928s out there.  As already said, buy the owner.  If the owner looks like they ha e less money than you, beware.  I like buying cars from big expensive houses in nice suburbs.

Cheeky b@2t@rd, but you’re spot on!  😂

[Coastr]

Ha well it’s more the opposite is true, whenever I have gone to see something in a less salubrious area I have always been disappointed.  I curse myself when I break the rule and think ‘but maybe it’s a good one’

Some real keepers in modest middle class suburbs though.  Just got to find an owner with passion and either a check book or time and skills 

[tomo]

If you are worrying about money and buying a 928 ...... Forget it . Any Porsche costs money, Not all of them hold value , The Air,Oil cooled cars are the essence of Porsche Hence the value 

[Presto7]

Thanks for the responses!! I wrote back already but not sure where it when 😕

To clarify, I've just sold my Audi that depreciated $50k in 5 years - when I say investment, I don't mean a return on investment like buying property or shares haha I just mean I don't want to buy one for $30k, spent $30k on it but still only be worth $10k because I had no idea that it was the least desirable model/colour/engine etc.

I've decided on the original, pre-spoilers. Not many around for sale, so it's difficult to find one in excellent condition but I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for the one that jumps out at me. If I can pick one up for around $30-40k that needs little to no work then I'll be stoked. I'll let you know once I've found it! Most have been resprayed or modified, so trying to find an original, unmolested unit without a stuffed dash or interior is a hard number.

Thanks again guys 😊

[earemike]

😂 you got off lightly with that depreciation, in 5 years my Audi has dropped double that.

Good luck with your search, great GT cars. Passing on the highway mine ain’t fast 120-140 but from there 180 comes up quicker...

[carl888]

Not many around for sale, so it's difficult to find one in excellent condition but I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for the one that jumps out at me. If I can pick one up for around $30-40k that needs little to no work then I'll be stoked.

And so would anyone else.  You won't get an early car in excellent condition needing little or no work in that price range.  But let's define that.  I would call excellent condition as showing light signs of use, lightly patinered.  Perhaps a little wear on the seat bolster.  Excellent paint, services up to date with the air conditioning blowing cold.  All electrical items working and proper tyres, no gutter rash on the rims and no large chunks of history missing with under 100,000 kms.

I don't want to buy one for $30k, spent $30k on it but still only be worth $10k because I had no idea that it was the least desirable model/colour/engine 

I actually don't think you should buy a 928.  Sorry, I just see it as an entry ticket to a world of pain for you.

Your $10K example is probably a bit harsh, but if you buy a $30k car, you can easily spend $30K in recommissioning an excellent example it and then you might get $40K for it.  But you shouldn't buy a 928 (Or any other classic) if you care about the selling price when you want to offload it.

I've been around classic cars for 35 years and I've seen it all, people financially buried, divorce, turning cash into noise at alarming rates and the perennial project in pieces for years, myself included.

The healthiest way to enjoy a classic is really to buy the best no stories car you can, enjoy it for what it is and if you must offload it, anything above zero is a bonus.

The only exception to the above is if you really dislike your wife and a 928 is cheaper than divorce and you want to hide in the garage fixing it yourself.

 

 

 

[Merv]

There's that nice 928 GT manual around at the moment.

[Gavn]

I've got an absolute frankenporsche of a 928 - but it is a manual so I can say that it doesn't feel like a truck gbox...in fact quite a bit better than a 915 imo.  I have been told they are quite strong...hence the truck analogy perhaps...

Edit - if you want to talk 928's in detail, perhaps have a chat with Bruce Buchanan....he seems to know pretty much everything about them.

[Whateverreally]

I too am after a nice pre S4 and thought I found the one I wanted but did some research and backed out,

some of that research was speaking to Bruce.

if you choose to speak to him make a cuppa and sit down and take it all in he’s a incredible wealth of knowledge.

[Coastr]

On 16/07/2020 at 04:57, carl888 said:

The healthiest way to enjoy a classic is really to buy the best no stories car you can, enjoy it for what it is and if you must offload it, anything above zero is a bonus.

 

Some sound advice getting dished out right here.

The best you should hope for is an outlay of $2-5k per year in insurance, rego, maintenance and an eventual sale price +/- 15% of what you paid for it.  And that doesn't count the opportunity cost of your garage and time.

The good news is classic car ownership is an entry ticket to interesting people, events and outings.  And busting your knuckles in the garage is more satisfying than watching men with stripes on their shirt run around on a grassy field.