The Porsche 928 is one of the reasons I love used cars. When it ceased production in 1994 a new one had a list price of £72,000, today the same car can be bought for just £15,000. That’s about the same money as a new Mazda MX5, MGTF or Mini Convertible, but the Porsche has a 350bhp, 5.4litre V8 engine and a top speed of 171mph. Which I reckon makes it a bit of a bargain.

Revealed to the public in 1977 the front engine Porsche 928 was intended to replace the all ready aging 911. The 928’s water cooled V8 engine and 2+2 body was seen as the natural successor to its smaller, tail happy sibling.

Today early Porsche 928’s change hands for as little as £3,000 but they aren’t for the feint hearted and keeping one on the road requires more than your average DIY mechanic abilities. Your better off spending around £10,000 where you’ll find a good selection of early, albeit high mileage, 928 GTS’s which represent the final and finest incarnation of the car.

Despite exhibiting all the quality and engineering integrity usually associated with the Porsche name a used 928 is not a car to be bought on a whim. And there are a few rules to apply if you want to find the car of there dreams rather than the one of their nightmares.

It’s always better to buy a Porsche 928 on condition than age; whilst it is fundamentally a very well made car the difference between a good example and a bad one can be repair bills that would put a small nation into economic recession. Your better of paying a little extra for a fully serviced car with straight body work than one with patchy history and patchy paint for a few grand less.

Sit inside a Porsche 928, turn the key, prod the throttle and all logic will desert you. A Porsche 928 is an intoxicating car to drive so make sure you check it over before you take it for a run. If you take the test drive first you’ll be trying to convince yourself that it’s perfect when you look over it rather than being realistic about any faults.

Being heavily galvanized the bodywork should still be good but look out for uneven panel gaps and signs of body work. Be cautious of immaculate bumpers and an absence of stone chips, a sure sign the car had paint. Check all the electrics carefully as these can be very expensive to repair and take a long look under the bonnet for signs of oil leaks, if the engine bay has been steam cleaned be suspicious the seller could hiding something.

Most buyers buy the first or second car they see but if you want to get the very best car you can then be prepared to travel and look at several. Cars of similar age, price and mileage can drive very differently but it’s impossible to tell whether you are sat in a good one or a bad one when you’ve only had a sample group of one. Drive as many as you can, you’ll know when you find a good one. But be warned it’s difficult to walk away from a seemingly immaculate Porsche 928 only to drive 300 miles to look at another one, but the experience will mean you end up with the best car you can for the money.

Despite what many sellers may tell you there are plenty of 928’s for sale, in fact over 60% of all 928’s ever imported into the UK are still on the road and that equates to over 2,500 cars. Always give yourself time to find the right car; if it’s not for sale this week, the chances are it will be next. If you don’t find one immediately then take advantage of the extra time by talking to existing Porsche 928 owners or visit sites like www.928.org.uk  you’ll find information about common problems, specialist dealers that can look after your car and even cars for sale.

When you find a car you like and you feel yourself falling in love always get the car checked over by a Porsche engineer or independent specialist. If the sellers not keen that you take a closer look at there pride and joy then don’t be afraid to walk away. Spending £200 to inspect a car you might end up not buying might seem like a lot of money but missing a set of worn discs could cost you a lot more than that.

There was a time when buying a Porsche 928 was an expensive business but with prices pretty much at there all time low the 928 is now a car that represents a viable buy for many sports car enthusiasts, but before you all rush out and buy one, get in line. I’m buying one first.

• Boot – lift carpet and check boot floor for signs of any accident damage
• Automatics – oil pressure should read 5 bar when engine is running at 5,000rpm
• Hatchback – Check seal are water tight and tailgate lines up when shut
• Engine – check coolant for signs of oil and look underneath the car (on ramps) for any oil leaks
• Water leaks – check roof lining around the sunroof
• Timing belt – change every 45,000-60,000 miles and re-tension every 15,000 miles.
• Service History – only buy cars with full histories and original receipts, don’t be put off by cars that have some large service and repair bills in the files, they are the ones to buy
• Wheels – Beware of non standard wheels which on 1990 -1993 models will not have the standard fit tyre pressure monitors installed
• Traction – Limited slip differential standard on post Sept 1989 build cars
• Air conditioning – check system works properly, its expensive to repair
• Electrics – operate all controls including electric seat adjustment, stereo, windows and mirrors
• Steering – stiff steering can be caused by worn front suspension ball joints or wear to steering shaft universal joints

• Porsche 928 GTS
  4 speed automatic gearbox
  1993 ‘L’ with 70,000 miles
  Pay £14,795 at a dealer or £12,000 privately

Values Porsche 928 GTS auto

Total UK sales 1979 – 1995 = 4,294

 © Jason Dawe Productions Limited October 2004