From: Richard Davis [rkd@zipbang.com]
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2001 2:58 AM
To: 928
Subject: [928] Re: 928 vs 944 S2

Hi,

Originally started looking for a 928 3 1/2 years ago. After 6 months of 
not finding a suitable 928, decided to just get a red 944 to drive until 
the right 928 came along. Mainly because a resonably priced red 944 sells 
in a weekend. That weekend I drove all 4 red 944s for sale and had walked 
off the lot to get $500 more off the price on a really nice 86 NA. Called 
back 20 minutes later and it had already sold. And for $1000 more than 
their last offer to me. Salesman told me they had a white 88 Turbo S that 
they were getting ready for the lot and I should come by and try it out. 
Really didn't want a white one, but went for the drive anyway. Man that 
Turbo S Blew My Socks Off! They were gracious enough make me a similar 
price offer as the red NA. I took it, and honestly I would have paid 
their original asking price if I had to. Accelerating was an adrenaline 
experience.

6 months ago my mechanic called. A perfect Red 90 928GT had just came in 
for a buyers inspection and the price was very reasonable. The Turbo was 
paid for, so decided to buy it and have both even though the 928 just 
didn't have that adrenaline acceleration.

For the Next 4 months I drove both the 944 Turbo and the 928GT, Daily, 
Trips, Autocross and Track. They are very different cars. The turbo feels 
light and agile with a LOT of driver feedback as to weight transfer and 
tire grip, the turbo acceleration urges you to go faster. The GT feels 
big, smooth and powerful, it is capable of the same agility, but you find 
yourself leisurely cruzin through traffic instead of zipping in and out 
of it. The 928 is about the same from 0-60 even though it feels slower. 
The Turbo is quicker from 60 to 100 but aerodynamic drag hits at about 
110 and accelerates slower from there. The GT is much more comfortable 
doing what it was designed to do, highway crusing.

Oh, and there is the apperance factor. All the local hot rod teenagers 
(at heart) wanted to race the Turbo. Friends and relatives wanted to go 
for a ride in the GT. Got pulled over 8 times in the Turbo (no tickets, 
whew). Have been followed 4 times, but not actually pulled over in the 
GT. A neighbor brought his dad over to see the GT, weren't at all 
interested the Turbo. Sex appeal, well a Por$che is a Por$che, if you 
want to attract women with a car, get a Vette.

Now for the important part autocross and track!
With Yokohoma R032 tires on the Turbo and Pole Postions on the GT, the 
Turbo was only 1.5 seconds a lap faster for a 80-90 second 1 mile 
road/autocross course. The GT was about 5mph slower in apexs and matched 
top speed before braking on the straight. The GT could have used a little 
suspension tuning as the rear was a little loose (fun but not optimal). 
The Turbo felt like a go cart on steroids where the GT was simply fast 
and smooth. On a favorite 20mph clover leaf with both cars on Pole 
Postions the max corner speed was about 45 for both cars. That same turn 
with the Turbo on the Yokohomas is about 50. Autocrossing with the same 
tires I feel both cars would be pretty evenly matched despite the fact 
the Turbo feels faster. I assume that is the difference in the torque 
curves.

Which car do I like better?
Well, still can't decide. My income just couldn't support the care and 
feeding (read maintenance and repairs) for two high maintenance Porsches 
so...Put the word out that I would sell whichever to whomever came up 
with a reasonable offer first. It was the Turbo, and in less than a week 
even though it wasn't red! Guess my original plan to drive a 944 until 
finding the right 928 seems to have worked out. Just idn't expect to get 
so attached (read addicted) to that turbo adrenaline machine.

Richard Davis
90 GT




From: kjcracer@yahoo.com [mailto:kjcracer@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 28, 2002 9:53 AM
To: 928
Subject: [928] RE: 928 vs 944


The '89 944 Turbo S is a competitor at the track!  Why?  It has the same
braking system as the S4...and weighs a 400 pounds less.  Nearly the same
wheel and tire size will fit (with a different front offset,) and, it
weighs 400 pounds less.  So technically they should be able to outbrake
and out corner the 928.  Oh, the factory published quarter-mile time is
13.5 vs. 14.1 for a 928GT or 13.7 for a 928GTS (manual.)  If they can
outbrake and outcorner and outaccelerate us...at least in theory...they
are not easy to beat (assume equal drivers.)  I worry more about these at
an event than most 911's actually.  They aren't nearly the GT car the 928
is, I had the occasion to drive one for a whole week (thanks to Porsche's
ad agency being in here in Minneapolis at the time.)  A 2.5L Turbo engine
does not have the instant torque of a V8 and the interior couldn't be the
same quality at about half the original price.  They are not inexpensive
to repair either...a biggy being the clutch, as the 944 does not have a
split bell housing.  This double the labor cost for that repair over a
928.  They have the same "belt" issues and the #2 connecting rod bearing
issue (in track use.)  That last of the 944's was a product of their own
"Turbo Cup" race series (Germany and Canada, not the U.S.) and it showed. 
On the other hand, my experience is that Turbo cars get diddled with very
easily, and the chips that raise the boost pressure are commonplace. 
There is a subsequently downside...head gasket failure (or worse) in cars
that have been tracked that way a lot, especially if they aren't using 100
octane gas. I felt the 944 Turbo S was the cheapest fast Porsche had. 
Finding a good one isn't any easier (or harder) than finding a well cared
for 928. It also appears to have suffered the same "hold back" problem, as
the 928.  When it came time to combine the 3 liter, 4 valve motor of the
'89 944 S2 with the Turbo...it would have been very fast.  Fast enough to
beat off the then competitors: Mitsubishi VR 3000 VR-4, Toyota Supra, 300
ZX Twin Turbo. It also would have been faster than the 911 Turbo.  Guess
what never happened?  And the car's sales weren't improved by the 968,
despite better pricing, and it vanished the same year as the 928.  When it
came time for the 928 to maybe get that "double version" of that 944S2 3
liter engine (we all know the origin of the 944 engine is from the 928)
that didn't happen either.  Do you think the 6L, 416 hp (just double the
944 S4, make that 472 hp for the double version of the 968) version of the
928 would have had it's marketshare eaten by the ZR-1 and the NSX?  Doubt
it.  But it would have been faster than the 911 Turbo, too.  Guess what
never got built.  Both cars whose development was seemingly held back, and
the market was very unforgiving. If you notice the Boxter being kept just
one step slower than the 911, do you think that's a random event?  The
real question is will the 315 hp BMW Z3, and the new 342 hp M-B SLK 32 be
the same kind of devastating marketshare blows to the 250 hp Boxter S?  I
think the jury is still out on that, these faster versions of the
competition are pretty new, it remains to be seen if the buying public
considers them competition.  But
 know that the stage is just maybe set for a possible "replay."   Back to
the original question, the 944 Turbo S...it's final form is a very fast
car (a tough competitor at the track) and no where near the elegant GT car
the 928 is.  There is no combination of speed, style and construction that
the 92 represents.  The closest current equavilent is the Ferrari 550
Maranello @ 225K.  Kinda make you feel good about our car, know it costs
that much to really replace it in every respect. Kim