Faults:

This car was 21 years old when I bought it. Previous owners had selectively repaired important items, leaving less imperative systems for the next guy to repair; namely me.

Few things have broken since I took ownership. The following list things that were due for refresh/replacement when I took possession. Bear in mind that after a pre-purchase inspection and taking ownership, I drove the car home from San Francisco to Maryland without incident, before doing any of the following. I provided all labor for the following:

1) Motor mounts were due for replacement.

2) Oil pan gasket was due for replacement.

3) Transmission was due for service.

4) The vapor recovery canister and system were due for maintenance.

5) Interior lights (5) would not illuminate due to a short, requiring detective work to resolve.

6) Instrument panel warnings did not work, due to a failure in the central warning computer.

7) Vacuum hoses were leaky; overdue for replacement.

8) Air breather hoses were due for replacement.

9) Steering rack seeped fluid, and was due for replacement.

Believe it or not, none of the parts for the aforementioned were very expensive. The central warning computer (for example) was found used for $30.00 and worked perfectly. Good solid motor mounts were found for $45.00 each. And so on…

General Comments:

Reference my earlier review of a 1981 Alfa Romeo Spider (Titled Lorelei... reef siren... harpy... vampiress). Probably shows up under MY 1980 reviews. What a difference in experience between these two cars.

I knew that there were a list of things to refresh. The car only cost less than $7k US to buy, but drove like something else entirely. These are not very good cars to folks married to the local shop-wrench. They are excellent cars for the shade tree mechanic, and provide an unbelievable return on investment in the way of exciting miles. I doubt that there is more shared information available for any other car. Any operation that someone could think of to do will have pictorials posted on rennlist.com. Things fixed stayed fixed. A mechanic's dream.

The car is 80's fast (0-60 in 6.2 seconds), which is fast enough, but not competitive in straights with modern cars. But the car's forte' is handling and cornering, which few cars of any generation can match. And comfort. Geez....my wife loves this car. The seating position is laid back, knees up, steering wheel between the legs. You provide the inputs and the car does the rest. More like driving an F16.

The amount of shared information and the availability of new/used/rebuilt/improvised parts makes this the hobbyist's heaven.

Faults:

When I got the car, she had 150,000 miles and was still running great except for the tired clutch, so to be on the safe side and familiar with auto mechanics, I went ahead and replaced the clutch, timing belt, all belts, fuel pressure, fuel and oil filter, coils, spark plugs, brake pads, CD, tires, fuse and relays.

My original Bosch alternator went bad around 170,000 miles, and I got it rebuilt for $100.

I drive the car on holidays, and every time I drive it, it's like a kid trying a new toy feeling. Best car I have ever driven. If you drive a Porsche, you can't go back. Don't buy one unless you know how to work on it. Dealer charges you an arm and a leg, and the majority are not familiar with the 928.

General Comments:

In my opinion the 1986-1986.5 Porsche 928 32 valve 5 speed is the best bang for your money. The car is lighter than a S4, the rear does not look like a Lexus, and the 5 speed gear box can shave a second off your 0-60 or 1/4 mile. With a little modification, it can go as fast as the newer Boxster and 911 Porsches.

The 1987-88 ECU (DME) has shown to be not as reliable as the 1986 ECU (DME). A 1986 Porsche 928 5 speed is a quicker car than a 1987-1988 automatic, and does come with a LSD and ABS. The 1980-1984 are not worth buying unless you find one in a show condition with low miles.

The 1995 GTS 5 speed is the one to collect, and the best 928 ever made. Smart people drive Porsches and the rich drive Ferraris. Guess what Bill Gates drives? A 1985 Porsche 959.