Porsche Enthusiasts Club Forum

HI All, Hope your well. I love me 928- but I suffer from "imaginery budget ill have a look on ebay/piston-heads syndrome" Is there anything else out there (with four seats) that could tickle my fancy for the same money?

you have an imaginary budget that is the same as your current car?

my offerings;

newer - mazda rx-8

older - ferrari 400

but id take a nice 928 over either.

IMHO nothing compares. Only other thing I would look at is a 280 Brooklands, don't know why. Lightning sold his and bought a Mondial, but he explained that costs are higher for servicing and repairs. Do you have anything in the back of your mind that you would consider?

It depends on how big your imaginary budget is and whether you want four doors as well as four seats, E39 M5's are a lot of car for the money or if not quite your thing an original Audi Ur Quattro could be fun.

Nissan 300zx ?

Hmmm..some nice cars but nobody has mentioned the Jag XKR! Ok, Ill get me coat!

I sold my 928 S4 earlier this year and bought a Ferrari Mondial 3.4t Coupe. While this cost me £18,000 the Mondial can be under £10,000 in fact a nice one just sold on ebay for £7300. I viewed this car and it was OK with no real issues, except the need for a major service (£1500 at a specialist)

The Mondial is a superb car, and compares well with the 928. The potential for scary bills is just as bad, if not worse, but I've owned mine for 6 months/1000 miles and it's needed nothing. Even the aircon works! The car feels strong, not fragile, and is built to be driven hard. The interior is good quality (remember these cost £60,000 new) and later cars were galvanised.

There are tales of massive repair bills and parts prices with Ferrari, but often this can be avoided if you join the forums and use the internet. Very much like this forum, where advice from other owners can save you a fortune.

I still miss the 928, I wish I could afford to own both, but the Ferrari more than makes up for it.

Hi Lighting, glad your well and enjoying ownership of that beautiful Ferrari...but outside my budget! Just a quick question though.would you say the Mondial offers the same thrills as the 928 for the money you pay? I guess it must be a little more exclusive and you can say, "im poping to the shops in the Ferrari"..Cheers Rob

It's different.
At first I would have said that the 928 was not as good, but that's not the case. I'd love to buy my 928 back when it comes up for sale (the new owner may be selling soon)
Both cars handle well of course, the 928 more of a GT and the Mondial a sports car. The 928 has more of a relaxed feel to it (mine was an auto) but in reality it's just as fast. I'd say the 928 was better made but more complex, the Ferrari does not have many "toys" like the S4 did.
Of course it's a Ferrari and that's enough for many people. While I did not buy it to show off or name drop, knowing you have a Ferrari sat in the garage is something special.

Hi Lightening

The Mondial is a lovely car, test drove one about 3 years ago. So much fun whipping up and down the gearbox, listening to that lovely howl!

Steering around town was mussle building to say the least.

Did you buy your car in Maidstone by the way? I think I recognise the garage forecourt.

David

Hi there yes you are correct, Ferrari Centre Maidstone, that's one of the dealer photos taken just before I bought the car. None of my own photos will download as this forum has a limit of 256k per image. I tried to resize but then ended up with a picture the size of a postage stamp! Not sure why the interior pictures were lower resolution. Taken with a camera phone.

The Mondial t has power steering, earlier versions did not and were heavy at lower speeds. It also has ABS, the first Ferrari to have it. In many respects the Porsche 928 was highly advanced for its time, in fact it still is.

I think that Ferrari in those days were manufactured to different parameters, to be a pure driving machine, hence the lack of aids such as PAS, ABS, traction control etc but as time went on the resulting compromises (such as heavy steering at low speeds) became less acceptable.

Nowadays to get that you need a Lotus Elise.

BMW 840 Csi's are a nice looking car although I think the rear seats may be even more cramped than the 928's.

I have a colleague who's son worked there. He had a bad smash in a customer's Ferrari which has now left the poor kid paralysed from the neck down

Heavens, I'm so sorry, that's awful. When did that happen? Must have been a pretty bad accident, mind you cars like these tend to be involved in bigger accidents than ordinary cars.

I know the chap who owned the car, a 348, he was devastated at the injuries to the mechanic. It happened over a year ago.