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This time it's NOT for sale
by
Ted Fregon
I've been fortunate enough to own three 911s ('85 3.2 T/L, '89 x C2
and '98 996) and three 928s: ('85 S, '89 S4 and '95 GTS) so I think
I can claim to be uniquely objective when I say that, without any
doubt, the 928 is the best all-round car from Porsche (356
excluded), ever!
Early 1996: I
received a call from a dealer to the effect that Porsche AG had ceased
production of the 928 and they had two left: one black and the other white
and the deals were OK! At the time I was driving a C2 and missing my
'89 S4 with a passion.
A couple of days later the black GTS was mine! At
the time I fully intended to keep the 928 "forever!"
Fast forward to late 1998.
OK, maybe not forever; I've had the 928 for couple of years now;
those new water cooled 996's look pretty good. 928 resale is in
negative territory and falling ... GTS oil consumption ... 996 is
aimed at 928 demographic ... OK, nice leather ... Yep! OK, let's do it!
February 1999: There
she is - Ocean Blue 996, one of first batch, a fabulous car.
But something is missing. I can't put my finger on it!
The simple truth is that the 996 just doesn't do that special
something; doesn't push the buttons. Sure its a great car but it is
not a 928! I started to wonder why I had sold the GTS and I told a few
people ... in fact lots of people ... LOTS of people!!!
Then one day the phone rings and this dealer has a
nice '95 GTS, Metallic Black and "was I interested?" ... You
bet!
Now, just how many Metallic Black, '95 928
GTS's are there out there?
Answer: Not many! The total 1995 delivery
all colours, was 14 cars and this one just happens to have my
business card in the door pocket.
The bloke who "looked after" my GTS for 2.5
years was a collector (sold my car to buy a V-Dub) and so it did only
nominal mileage in that time.
I now drive my GTS every day and can't imagine why I
ever sold it. It is such a better everyday proposition than the 996
that words fail me. As for value for money there is no argument.
Even the Porsche people wonder "... why they
stopped making the GTS just when they got it right?.." Everything
works (even the headlight adjustment) and it feels like its chiselled
out of stone. They stopped developing the 928 because it cost too
much and it shows. Most every part of a 928 has "928" in
the part number - whereas with the 996 the bits come from everywhere,
for instance: the aircon controller is from an Audi A4.
I read a Road & Track article once where Dan Gurney
(I think) was comparing the 928 with other exotics: he described how
other cars might be just as fast but the others didn't have the
windows up, aircon "flat-out" and the Vivaldi exercising
the stereo! (apologies to Dan for detail memory lapses)
This time it's NOT for sale ...
Ever!
But I can't wait for Porsche to bring out the rumoured
new front engined V8 GT: if it's half the car then that the GTS is
now, then maybe my GTS will have some company some day!
Forever ... ? That's a bloody long
time ... !
Ted Fregon
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