1993 Porsche 928 GTS from North America - Comments

Water pump at 32K miles. This is a bit early for a 928 water pump to go. They are the weak point of the car, but they usually last closer to 60K. The reason this one failed is that it has a plastic impeller on a metal shaft. The plastic had shrunk a bit and was spinning freely on the end of the shaft. The new one, which I was told was actually the older design, has a more sensible metal impeller on the metal shaft. As with all 928 water pump changes, the timing belt was also changed, and in this case a timing belt pulley as well. All other belts and hoses were replaced at the same time, for convenience.

Front brakes were done around the same time.

Passenger side mirror glass is losing its silvering.

The tire pressure sensors indicate low pressure unless the tires are about 10psi over inflated. According to 928 experts, this system never worked correctly.

The front tires tend to wear quickly on the inside edges. Again, it's apparently normal for this model.

Maintenance is expensive for two reasons. One, parts are very high quality and priced accordingly. Two very few mechanics (even "Porsche experts") know the car well; and as complex and different as it is, expertise is critical.

The power, and especially the torque, of this car are incredible. If you don't think torque counts, you need to test drive a GTS.

The handling is likewise fantastic. The car steers perfectly without oversteer or understeer.

Despite being a muscle car, it's also rather practical. The hatch back cargo area has a good deal of room, and folding down the rear seats allows quite a bit of carrying capacity. While not comfortable for adult rear seat passengers, the 2+2 arrangement is great for two adults and two children.

This car is certainly not for everyone; it's fairly expensive to maintain and run, and it's not (yet) respected as it should be. For those who like 928s, though, the GTS is the pinnacle. Other than the water pump and tire pressure sensors, every problem the earlier 928s had has been fixed in the GTS; and all the things that made earlier 928s great are still in the GTS, or have been enhanced. The new Corvettes come close in that they have finally moved to a transaxle based drive-train. They're still not Porsche's, though.

Uneven tire wear is not normal. These cars are very tricky to align correctly and alignments must be done by mechanics who know how to do it correctly. The car cannot be lifted (to replace tires for example) and then put on the alignment rack. The suspension must settle and it may take up to 20-30 miles of driving. My last alignment was my best ever and I have perfect tire wear, but it took the mechanic 2+ hours. He knows 928's and has been working on them since they were introduced in the late 80's.

I found the Porsche 928 engine a very logical and thought-out design. There is no real difficulty in the maintenance. My first encounter with a 928 was back in the early 90s, and it involved a distributor that was removed, with the timing becoming disturbed after that. (I had not yet been involved) I was able to get the car running in less than 90 min. and following a brief fine tuning, the owner was so happy he didn't even mind the fact that I laid a patch 18' long on the street "making sure" the car was up to snuff.

Expensive? If the price of parts is a problem, don't consider a Ferrari a Lamborghini or a Maserati. Check that. Look up the price for parts and labor on the Italian stallions, and parts for the 928 suddenly become much more reasonable. (wink)

928-It is a Porsche and it is, in my opinion, the very best Porsche in the line-up. The design is proved with regards to the Datsun Z series or better still the Jaguar of the 60s. The comfort is second to none, all without the typical porsche "6" noise. 928s on the track have bested many Targa/Carrera competitors so the mechanical aspect is quite respectable. It is in the books, easy to find. Now drive one. Yeah, you're hooked.

As the proud new owner of a 1993 928 GTS I must agree on every point made by the author of the 2004 comment. The purchase price was a bargain - I picked up a 10' beauty (looks great at 10 feet) for low $k20's and have had to do little. The build quality is fantastic and the ride and comfort are world class.

I agree that it's important to find a good mechanic. Many communities have 928 clubs that will offer advice on mechanic trained in the art of maintaining a "shark". Local Porsche dealerships tend to be very pricey and many are not well acquainted with the model. Parts are available from 4 large Internet-based suppliers and prices are reasonable.

Remember that Porsche designed these cars as the replacement for the 911. They have near perfect 50/50 weight distribution and superb brakes. With 349 hp on tap and a curb weight of 3,500 pounds the 928 GTS stops as good as it goes. So it goes......................!!

<<Remember that Porsche designed these cars as the replacement for the 911. They have near perfect 50/50 weight distribution and superb brakes. With 349 hp on tap and a curb weight of 3,500 pounds the 928 GTS stops as good as it goes. So it goes...!!>.

That's not exactly true since the 928 is a front engine/rear wheel drive GT vs. the 911 which is/was rear engine/rear wheel drive sports car. The initial intent may have been to replace the 911, but by the time the 928 reached fruition it was obvious that this was an entirely different beast for a totally different market.

It is still one of the best car designs ever and will look modern (unlike, say, the Lamborghini Countach) 50 years from now.

Your partially right there.

The 968 was initially in the design stages set to replace the 911.

However when released, the 911 out sold it so badly that porsche kept it as an individual model until its demise around '93.