Copyright Veloce Publishing and David Hemmings

Good points
A smooth shape coupled with a smooth engine on all models. Easy to keep clean, and Porsche paintwork responds quickly to a bit of TLC. No areas of chrome to clean. Alloy wheels as standard. Quality replacement wheels are easily found. A hard-wearing interior that has plenty of room for two, and the space for an extra two at a squeeze. Generous luggage space for a sports car. Docile in traffic, very reasonable around town, it laps up the miles on long journeys. Neutral handling with extraordinary grip. Many body panels in aluminium, and galvanised steel elsewhere, together with a nose and tail in plastic, offer a longer potential life. Service intervals of 20,000km/12,000 mile. Every model except the first has at least 300hp/221din at its disposal ? the 928 has power that many still lack today. This power is deceptive too ? a quiet roar is a contradiction in terms, but a test drive will soon prove it to be so calm that some are not happy until they fit a special aftermarket exhaust to transform it into a deep roar. Although the brakes feel firm, some might say a little ‘dead’, they do not fade. It has been known that a heavy clutch, when replaced with a new one, suddenly becomes much, much lighter, but it costs a lot to find that out!
Find a good 928 and it really can be reliable daily transport.

Bad points
Narrow lanes might seem inhibiting. An attractive shape can attract the wrong kind of attention. Reverse parking takes practice. Some find the seating quite low and restrictive, but take a moment to adjust all the angles and then try to settle in. Interior tyre noise from the rear wheels was always a shortcoming, and whilst it was improved it was never fully tamed. The rear tyres are prone to wear in the middle, only partly alleviated by reducing the recommended pressures, because a heavy right foot and a heavy car combine to shorten tyre life. Fuel consumption is never going to be a strong point with this V8. A range of electrical accessories, such as air conditioning on every model, need regular attention, so poor historical maintenance can mean constant fault-finding. Early cars may not be the bargain they appear. Do-it-yourself maintenance can be difficult; a well equipped tool kit is needed just to get all the plugs out, for example. The cambelt repair schedule should not be overlooked. Workshop manuals are still not readily available (except in the USA). Straying too far into modifications can lead to a resale disaster.

Copyright Veloce Publishing and David Hemmings