Advice - Ditch the talon for 928

xveganxcowboyx · 03-03-2007

My step mother just picked up a 1985 Porsche 928, but doesn't plan on keeping it (she bought a 95 jetta, 96 GT Mustang, 85 928, etc... all at once). I could pick it up from her for probably around 3K. Unfortunately I would have to sell my Talon to do it. I had an 85 944 for a while and absolutely loved it. I just miss the handling, but always wanted the extra grunt of a turbo model or 928.

BTW, it has 95K on the clock, apparently is in pretty nice condition, in/from Colorado. It was listed as an 84, but has the 32 valve engine so it must be an 85.

Advice me.

b00stcreep21 · 03-03-2007

I believe the answer is clear...... Porsche > DSM

**Goat Blower** · 03-03-2007

Wow, that's unbelieveably cheap for a 928. I've got a 90 with 107K and I paid a more than three times that for it. I think you'll find that they're not quite so nimble anymore. If you put a lot of money into it, it'd be a lot of fun. But if it's all original, you could run circles around one with a stock Civic Si.

I'd pick it up just for the investment, then you can decide if you want to keep it. They are ungodly expensive to maintain and most Porsche mechanics won't touch them.

niterydr · 03-03-2007

928?
Pick it up and re-sell it.

Super Bleeder!! · 03-03-2007

Grassroots Motorsports had a big writeup on 928s less than a year ago. Things to look for and things that need to be swapped out.

I'd probably take it though, because you could enjoy it for awhile and then flip it later for some profit.

MATCHBX · 03-03-2007

I've never been fond of the 928. Looks like a car in a tanktop.

I would definitely take a 944 before I would take the 928. Like was said before, get it and sell it.

xveganxcowboyx · 03-03-2007

I'd feel a little bad about flipping it, because that's what my step mom would probably do if she didn't sell it to me for cheap.

Goat Blower, do you really think they are that poor, because I absolutely loved the handling of my stock 944. Is it a design issue or are you just thinking worn out suspension, because that can be remedied pretty easily.

My main purpose in switching would be for the handling and drive feel. (and when you tell a girl you drive a porsche you get a lot more smiles than if you say you drive and eagle

)

JustROLLIN · 03-03-2007

Agreed 944 > 928.

MATCHBX · 03-03-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by xveganxcowboyx

I'd feel a little bad about flipping it, because that's what my step mom would probably do if she didn't sell it to me for cheap.

Goat Blower, do you really think they are that poor, because I absolutely loved the handling of my stock 944. Is it a design issue or are you just thinking worn out suspension, because that can be remedied pretty easily.

928's were more power than handling. 944's were built (and dubbed by many a magazine) to be the best handling production sports car of the early to mid 80's under $50,000. A properly maintained 944 will outhandle just about anything on the road straight out of the box. But like Steve said, the maintanance is absolutely killer. That's why my mother got rid of her 84 944. It didn't get driven much and every year she took it out of storage there was another problem with it. It only had 70,000 miles on it (she bought it with 62,000) and I put most of those miles on. I loved that car, but I wouldn't be able to keep up with the repairs on it. Parts are expensive and nothing else matches them.

xveganxcowboyx · 03-03-2007

Yes, I'm concerned about repair/maintenance costs. I was thinking the 928 would be even higher than the 944, because the 944 shares a lot of components with the more common 924. In the year I owned my 944 I had nothing major go wrong with it.

Is it possible to give a comparitive description of the handling between the 944 and 928? I expect the 928 would be a little less "nimble" given the extra weight, but anything more specific? Unfortunately the car is in colorado so I wouldn't be able to drive it before deciding.

MATCHBX · 03-03-2007

Not sure about the technical differences between the 2 vehicles (928 vs. 944). I read something about that when I was in high school, but I've slept too many times since then to remember anything about it. I always thought they were ugly as sin though.

But as far as the 924 vs. 944, general body shape is all they have in common. Different engines (I can't remember if it was joint venture of Audi/Porsche or VW/Porsche). The 924 was dubbed "The poor man's Porsche" because of this. You could pick one up for less than half of what the 944's cost back in the day.

xveganxcowboyx · 03-03-2007

For a while the 924 had a 2.0 I believe, but later on they shared the same 2.5 liter engine. Also, the interior is very similar as are many of the mechanical parts. The body is what is most different with the fender flares on the 944.

**Kracka** · 03-03-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by xveganxcowboyx

and when you tell a girl you drive a porsche you get a lot more smiles

...until you tell her its from the mid-80's. For a car I had to own and drive I'd rather have a DSM.

xveganxcowboyx · 03-03-2007

So I just got off the phone with my brother. He failed to mention it is an auto. That's kind of a deal breaker for me. Either way, I'll drive the hell out of it when I'm out there to visit

92EvilTalon · 03-03-2007

Do that rather then buying it. Yes the 924 sounds nice. But keep the DSM...some day it might out do a 944 haha

Thor06 · 03-05-2007

Wow, I have never seen such a god aweful looking car in my life. I'm not a big fan of Porshes to begin with plus I like the looks of a DSM much better so I would say keep the Talon.

**Shane@DBPerformance** · 03-05-2007

We have done some work and tuning on a 928. But it is a 928 with the Mercedes auto, a built Chevy small block engine, and a Ford wiring harness/ECU with a GM MAF. The thing looks like it is straight out of the mid 70s instead of 80s with what the owner did to the interior and body.

A//// Guy · 03-05-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by S2kracka

...until you tell her its from the mid-80's. For a car I had to own and drive I'd rather have a DSM.

Haha true but 944s look nicer than any 1G. And girls care about brand names more than anything else really, you should know that.

A 928 is a beast, for how cheap that is, I would pick it up, but if your worried about maintenance then I wouldnt touch it.

Instead, find a nice >86 944T and have fun with that. Ive always wanted one but decided they are too old and if I get a Porsche it has to be a 911.

A//// Guy · 03-05-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by 92EvilTalon

Do that rather then buying it. Yes the 924 sounds nice. But keep the DSM...some day it might out do a 944 haha

WTF are you talking about? 944>dsm when it comes to handling... period.

**Goat Blower** · 03-05-2007

There is no comparison between a 944 and a 928, they are as different as different can be. The 944 is a 4-cylinder car, the 928 only came with a V8. The 928 can definitely be made to handle well. When I used to autocross around 1995-1997, there was a red 928 race car that used to come out and play. It was nasty fast and outhandled anything else there except an open wheel car or shifter cart. With the right parts, it'd outhandle most anything. I was referring to the stock suspension combined with age.

Mine is also an auto, they shift well, but might not be the best setup depending on what you use it for. They have a lot more wiring and such than the 924/944. The Bosch electronics had problems(which I just had fixed on mine) and can be a bear to track down. Since they are so different than all the other Porsches, most Euro shops won't touch them. I got mine fixed up at Auto Edge in Mahtomedi, since they were the only ones that would work on it that I called.

Also, mine has the newer S4 style rear and spoiler, which look much better than the old ones. I'm pretty sure you can swap those parts on and put some better looking wheels on than the phone dialers they came with in 1985.