In 2013 when the F-Type convertible launched, you needed from £60,000 or so to get one. Today, a six-year-old entry-level 3.0 with 35,000 miles is a shade under £25,000. That’s more like it. As a new car, the F-Type has always looked expensive next to the competition, but used ones make a lot more sense. There are hundreds to choose from at prices ranging from the aforementioned £25,000 all the way to £140,000 for a 2016-reg limited-run Project 7 convertible. In between are clusters of achingly desirable examples at multiple price points. Jaguar approved used cars start at around £30,000 for a 2014/64-reg 3.0 coupé with 45,000 miles, backed by an impressive two-year unlimited-mileage warranty. Meanwhile, legions of specialists are selling F-Types, albeit with less comprehensive warranties, as well as private sellers whose prices can be optimistic. A hard economics lesson and threats to look elsewhere usually softens their resolve. The original 335bhp 3.0 supercharged V6 is handy enough and good value, but the more powerful, 375bhp S version is the one you’ll wish you’d bought. It costs around £3000 more but supplements the standard car’s sports suspension, partial leather trim and steering wheel paddles with a sports exhaust, adaptive suspension and a mechanical limited-slip diff. You want an electronic diff? You need the 488bhp 5.0 V8 S convertible. The cheapest we found was a 2013/13-reg with 27,000 miles and full Jaguar service history for £35,000. The coupé version was called the R and had 542bhp. Pay from around £39,000 for an early 2013/13 with 40,000 miles. This engine is what it’s all about and why you’ve been saving all these years. The all-wheel-drive SVR, with an uprated chassis and lots of aero features, arrived in 2016. Today, prices start around £65,000, a reflection more of their low mileages than anything else. In fact, low mileage is a feature of used F-Types. Perhaps owners have something more practical in the garage… In 2017, the F-Type got its first facelift and a couple of new versions. The 400 launch edition was based on the V6 coupé and convertible, with two- or four-wheel drive. We praised its near-perfect set-up and specification. We found a 2017/17 with 27,000 miles for £47,000. The bigger news, though, was the arrival of the F-Type’s little brother, the 296bhp 2.0-litre. It doesn’t wake the neighbours like its beefier siblings but is lighter on its feet and great value. How about £36,950 for a 2018/67 with 10,000 miles? From 2018, the F-Type’s badging was changed so that the 2.0-litre became the P300, the basic V6 the P340 and the V6 S the P380. The 5.0-litre engines stayed the same. Something else that remained the same was the F-Type’s sheer charisma. This side of an Aston Martin, nothing can touch it. Need to know S and R versions of the F-Type have Jaguar’s Adaptive Dynamics system that actively controls vertical body movement, roll and pitch. Check that it all works on the test drive. The F-Type was facelifted in 2017 (new bumpers, LED headlights, Touch Pro infotainment) while R-Dynamic replaced S and the 400 Sport arrived. In 2018, it got torque vectoring, a bigger infotainment screen and new badging. What Car? voted Jaguar’s approved used scheme the best of its kind in 2018 and 2019. It includes a two-year unlimited mileage warranty with no limit to the number of claims. Two-year breakdown assistance is also included. Our pick Jaguar F-Type 5.0 V8 550 R AWD Coupé: All the looks with the power to match: that’s the F-Type R. We favour the tin-top but the convertible adds another dimension with little trade-off. The SVR is more powerful but £20,000 dearer. Jaguar F-Type 2.0 I4 Coupé Auto: The least powerful F-Type is actually one of the better versions to drive. That it looks like a full-fat F is a bonus, the cherry on the cake being that a 2018-reg with 10,000 miles is just £36,950. Ones we found 2014 F-Type 3.0 V6 coupé, 68,000 miles, £26,985 2017 F-Type 2.0 i4 coupé, 15,000 miles, £39,950 2015 F-Type 5.0 V8 R, 32,000 miles, £47,750 2018 F-Type 3.0 R-Dynamic, 2000 miles,
Origin: Nearly-new buying guide: Jaguar F-Type
buying
Used car buying guide: Renault Megane RS
With a hot hatch on your mind and £7000 in your pocket, what are you going to buy? Allow us to suggest a Renault Sport Mégane 250, perhaps the 2010/60-reg example with 67,000 miles that we found. It has a full service history, every fettle slavishly listed with its corresponding mileage in the private seller’s advertisement. It had its cambelt and water pump changed last November, almost bang on schedule. It’s had five owners, but then, as a motor trader once told us, that’s five honeymoons when the car has been spoiled rotten. Based on the third-gen Mégane, the all-new RS 250 arrived in the UK in 2010 before going out with a bang in the form of the 275 Trophy R of 2015. These two models alone remind us just what a confusing world planet RS Mégane can be. To recap, from launch you had the RS Mégane 250 powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine producing 247bhp. It was partnered by a cheaper and more focused Cup version (lower, lighter, stiffer and with a limited-slip differential), although you could have the standard, or Sport version as it was called, with the Cup chassis. Both were exceptionally well made, and today a good used one still feels solid. Accept nothing less. So that’s the 250, but then, in 2011 up popped the Mégane 265 Trophy with 261bhp. It was based on the 250 Cup but cost £3800 more, a premium in part justified by the fact that only 50 came to the UK. Its party trick was the squeal from its special Bridgestone Potenza tyres as the car launched itself at the horizon. In fact, they were credited with helping the model break the front-drive lap record at the Nürburgring. The obligatory facelift occurred in 2012, the most obvious feature being the new daytime LED strip lights. Less obvious to bystanders was the fact that the 265 engine in the limited-edition Trophy had elbowed aside the old 250 unit to become the car’s standard powerplant. As before, there were Cup and Sport versions, as well as a combination of both. An important thing to note, however, is that the car’s default mode remained 247bhp. To unleash the full 261bhp, you press the ESP button. Hold it down longer and the stability aids are turned off. Check it all works on the test drive. And still Renault couldn’t stop tinkering. Rattled by newcomers such as Seat’s Leon Cupra 280, in 2014 it launched a flagship version of the Mégane called the 275 Trophy. With 271bhp available, the Cup chassis as standard and a very vocal, titanium Akrapovic exhaust doing the dirty work, it looked like being the best of the bunch – and then along came the even lighter, Öhlins suspension-equipped, limited-edition 275 Trophy R. That’s a lot of names to remember but, when it boils down to it, be it a £30,000 275 Trophy R or a £7000 250 Sport, an RS Mégane is a great, used, hot hatch buy – period. How to get one in your garage An expert’s view Floyd Hollinshead, RS Four Ashes: “I’ve had an RS 250 for four years and love it. The engine is strong and can handle serious upgrades. I’ve fitted a K-Tec Racing Stage 2 performance pack, taking it to 350bhp. It costs £4500 fitted, and you need to upgrade the brakes and suspension. We do a Stage 1 upgrade, a remap and panel filter to 300bhp for £349. It’s enough for most people. My favourite is the 275 Trophy R with Akrapovic exhaust and Öhlins suspension but have you seen the prices? Whichever one you’re interested in, check that the gearbox, flywheel and suspension are sound and not making odd noises.” Buyer beware… ■ Engine: Depending on age and mileage, check the cambelt and water pump were changed at six years or 75,000 miles. An RS needs 5W-40 fully synthetic oil. Check for oil leaks around the rocker and sump covers. ■ Transmission: The PK4 gearbox can suffer from noisy bearings. The cause isn’t clear but it’s an expensive job to fix. On cars with over 60,000 miles, the dual-mass flywheel can develop a faint clicking or tapping noise. It’ll only get worse. ■ Interior: Check underfloor storage cubbies for damp and driver’s seat bolsters for splits and cracks. Make sure all the warning lights go out after start-up. ■ Suspension: Rubber top-mount bushes can split and anti-roll bar drop links wear. The latter make a slight knock. More serious are worn lower swivel joints, first heard as a slight knock but in serious cases as a creaking on full lock. Such cars are undrivable: accelerate and the bottom of the suspension will try to pull itself outwards; when you brake, it will pull inwards. ■ Brakes and tyres: Examine the edges of the discs for heavy lipping and that the car pulls up straight. With the front wheels at full lock, check the inner shoulders of the tyres for excessive wear. Check the tyres are a premium brand, too. ■ Body: Check the windscreen scuttle drainers for blockages. Rear wheel arches attract stone chips and need attention before corrosion sets in. Also worth knowing In 2015, a chain of dedicated Renault Sport dealers (renaultsport.co.uk)
Origin: Used car buying guide: Renault Megane RS
Nearly-new buying guide: Mazda MX-5 Mk4
The cheapest new MX-5 is the £19,495 1.5 132 SE convertible, but why spend that when you can spear a four-year-old 2.0 SE-L Nav rag-top for £10,995? Why subject yourself to the curse of depreciation when there’s a perfectly good MX-5 down the road on which the leeches have done their worst? Okay, it’s done 53,000 miles and, for all we know, it’s had a couple of owners. It’ll have a few scratches and maybe the brake calipers look a little tired. On the flipside, it’s a Mazda-approved car, which means it’s passed a multi-point inspection and has a 12-month, unlimited-mileage warranty and breakdown cover. The Mk4 MX-5 launched in 2015. Even smaller, almost as light despite having more kit, just as pretty in an edgier way and with a lower centre of gravity, it drew favourable comparison with its Mk1 forebear. Purists preferred the slightly lighter and revvier 129bhp 1.5 over the 158bhp 2.0 but took the 2.0-litre home anyway because it’s usefully quicker. And then there were the trims. Basic SE came with cloth seats and valve radio, SE-L got climate-controlled air-con, DAB radio and a colour touchscreen, while Sport added rain-sensing wipers, rear parking sensors, BOSE sound system and leather. Most buyers plumped for the full-fat 2.0 Sport (see above); better still, the Nav version. Later in 2015, Mazda scratched its special-edition itch with the 2.0 Sport Recaro based on the 2.0 Sport Nav. Limited to 600 cars, it has the aero bodykit, special alloys, an Alcantara-trimmed dash and Recaro chairs. The 1.5 Arctic special, with silver body detailing, followed in 2016 and the 2.0 Z-Sport in 2017. Bear in mind that as the MX-5 Mk 4 ages, condition and originality will trump any special-edition premium. Also in 2017, the hard-roofed RF (for ‘retractable fastback’) arrived. Its removable centre section leaves the rear buttresses intact. It’s more convenient and quieter at a cruise but it’s heavier, more expensive and, to these eyes, not as pretty. In 2018, the argument for buying the 2.0-litre Sport became stronger still when its rev limit rose by 700rpm and power went up to 181bhp, bringing the 0-62mph time down by almost one second to 6.5sec. Meanwhile, across all versions the steering wheel became telescopically adjustable. I recently bought a pre-registered, approved used 2018/68- reg 2.0 184 Sport Nav convertible with 500 miles on the clock. Finished in Machine Grey it cost £21,500, or £4250 less than the new, undiscounted price. I’ve since noticed the radiator is dented and the rear wing shows evidence of a small paint repair – blemishes not disclosed when I bought it. The rear numberplate was delaminating, too, and I had to buy mats for the car. The experience shows that approved used schemes still have a way to go, but as a way of avoiding the leeches, a used MX-5 Mk4 is definitely the way forward. Need to know If it’s going to be your only car, know that motorway journeys are likely to be something of a chore in the convertible. You’ll want the 2.0-litre for those, but whichever engine you choose, be prepared for road noise at a heroic level. If you’re parking it outside and don’t have anywhere for it to find shelter, consider getting a cover for the hood. Sounds daft, but an MX-5 is such a sweet car that you’ll want to do everything to protect it from the worst the elements can throw at it. It helps to keep it more secure, too. Look out for used MX-5s with the optional safety pack that brings rear and blind spot assist, a reversing camera and LED headlights. Blind spot is especially useful on the RF, which has deep buttresses. Our pick: Mazda MX-5 2.0 Sport Nav 184 The uprated 181bhp engine that accompanied the mid-life refresh has more mid-range punch yet still delivers 47mpg with a light foot. You don’t have to work it as hard as the 1.5, sweet though that engine is. Wildcard: Mazda MX-5 1.5 SE Hardly a wild card but a basic 1.5 SE from 2015 feels like the purist’s choice. Light on its feet, keen to rev and stripped of fripperies, it seems closer to the MX-5 ideal. Ones we found 2015 2.0 SEL-L Nav, 52,000 miles, £10,995 2016 1.5 SE, 7000 miles, £13,000 2016 2.0 Sport Recaro, 12,000 miles, £16,000 2018 1.5 Sport Nav, 10 miles,
Origin: Nearly-new buying guide: Mazda MX-5 Mk4
Used car buying guide: Ferrari F430
“Now’s the time to buy a 430 while prices are soft and there are plenty to choose from.” So says James Caborn, sales executive at Kent High Performance Cars. The dealership majors on Ferrari and the day before we spoke, James had sold a 15,000-mile 2006 F430 Spider F1 for £77,000, or £3000 off the screen price. It was a proper car, too, finished in Rosso Corsa with Nero Black leather, and fitted out with the interior carbon pack. On the same day, the cheapest approved used F430 in the official dealer network was also a coupé F1; another 2006-reg but with 24,000 miles, finished in Nero Black and advertised for £79,900, including the excellent, official used car warranty. But whatever you spend on a 430 (from around £60,000 for tired cars all the way to £280,000 for a late, lefthand-drive 16M F1 with full exterior carbon pack and 8000 miles) you’re getting a wonderful, usable Ferrari. It was launched in the UK in 2005 in both coupé and convertible forms, powered by a rear mid-mounted 4.3-litre V8 producing 483bhp. This was an all-new engine with, crucially, chain rather than belt-driven camshafts, laying to rest buyers’ concerns regarding the expensive belt-change intervals associated with earlier models. (On that point, the 430’s forerunner, the 360, does at least have a removable panel for access to the offending area.) Drive passes to the rear wheels through a clever electronic differential called the E-diff that channels torque to the wheel with the greatest grip. You can play tunes on it via a rotary controller called the manettino mounted on the steering wheel. Depending how courageous you’re feeling you can cycle through five grip levels. Verging on crazy? You can turn it off completely. The same controller allows you to adjust damper settings, shift speeds and throttle response. Gearboxes are a choice between a six-speed manual or Ferrari’s F1 automated manual with paddle shifts. Only around 10% of 430s were sold with the manual ’box. From 2007 a stripped-down, 503bhp version of the coupé called the Scuderia was offered followed, in 2009, by a convertible version called the 16M Spider. Also, from late 2007, previously optional carbon ceramic disc brakes became standard. Great if you like track days; not so if you don’t and the discs need replacing… That expensive niggle aside, the 430 was a thoroughly well-sorted car from day one, so don’t fret about buying an early one over a later model. Problems? Exhaust manifolds can crack – although there’s a fix and in any case, many were replaced – it’s heavy on suspension and the rubberised finish on the interior can come off on your hands. A full main dealer or specialist service history, the toolkit and the right tyres are a must. If it’s a convertible, check the hood is free of tears, and folds and sits properly. All good? Then do what the man says: buy now while prices are soft. How to get one in your garage An expert’s view Scott Chivers, Multiple Ferrari owner and self-taught Ferrari fixer: “I owned a 430 Scuderia I bought from a Ferrari dealer in Austria and drove home from Vienna without a problem. The car had only done 6000 miles but I sold it a few months later to a chap who has barely driven it since. That’s a tragedy because like the 360, the 430 is easily a daily driver that can take serious mileages. If the entry price is too high, consider a left-hand-drive one. There’ll always be a good market in the US and Europe for it when you sell. Rosso Corsa, or what I call Resale Red, with either a black, tan or cream interior is the best combination.” Buyer beware… ■ Engine: First, have the undertrays removed. The engine has a dry sump so check the oil level when it’s hot. Services should be every 6250 miles or annually. Check for cracked exhaust manifolds. Excessive engine vibration may be a cracked engine mount. ■ Transmission: Check for regular fluid changes and hydraulic actuator leaks. Examine the transmission control unit’s clutch wear record; a worn clutch will make the car sluggish from take-off. On manuals, check for a heavy clutch and for slippage. A troublesome E-diff might be faulty solenoids. Examine the gearbox mounts which can crack. ■ Suspension and brakes: It’s heavy on balljoints and bushes. Check ride modes work and for play in the steering wheel, suggesting worn tie-rod ends. Feel for worn wheel bearings (about £800 a corner). If ceramic brake discs are fitted, check their remaining life using Ferrari’s diagnostic system. Check caliper pistons aren’t seized. ■ Body: Corrosion of the largely alloy body shouldn’t be an issue so any you see is likely to be damage-related. Check the expensive and hard-to-replace windscreen for chips and cracks. Make sure the Spider’s hood sits correctly. Feel for loose tail-lights (a broken bracket that can’t be fixed) and loose wing mirrors (a loose screw). ■ Interior: Examine the dash leather for shrinkage (noticeable around the vents
Origin: Used car buying guide: Ferrari F430
Used car buying guide: TVR Griffith
As the all-new Griffith inches closer (deliveries should start next year), interest in its forebear remains strong. Not as strong as it was when news of the new model first broke, though. Then, values of the old Griff stiffened quickly as people made the connection, only to soften slightly as its successor’s launch date was pushed back. Add winter’s usual chilling effect on convertible prices and now is probably your last chance to snare an old Griff for sensible money before the new model, costing from around £90,000, hoves into view once more. All that said, these days you’ll be lucky to find a decent runner much below £15,000, while good, refurbished cars start at around £20,000. The best nudge £35,000, while the very best, lowest-mileage and cleanest last-of-the-line SEs go all the way to £50,000. The good news is that a good Griff, lovingly maintained and refreshed with essential new parts, should one day be worth more than you paid for it. The Griffith was launched in 1991 with a 240bhp 4.0-litre Rover V8 under the bonnet. Power went to the rear wheels via a five-speed Rover LT77 gearbox and a GKN limited-slip differential. The electrical system was by Lucas and lifted straight out of the Range Rover, and that, if you were wondering, is why there’s so much wiring stuffed in with the battery, located in the passenger bulkhead. You’ll also find the ECU, fuse box and heater pipes in there. It’s not a place for the faint-hearted. The Griffith’s glassfibre body is mounted on a spaceframe chassis with outriggers that extend from the backbone of the car. Mud and debris flicked up by the wheels stick to these and in time they rot through, although it happens from above, which can be hard to spot. Replacing the outriggers, without removing the body, costs up to £2000. In 1992, a 4.3 V8 making 280bhp became available, and around 25 of them were produced with big-valve cylinder heads. These were very torquey and, because they just preceded the 1993 law that required a catalytic converter to be fitted to all new petrol cars, gloriously vocal. After a brief suspension in production, in 1993 the Griffith re-emerged with the engine it should have had from the start: a 5.0-litre V8 with 340bhp. It powered the model to the very end, which came in 2002 heralded by the special-edition SE. Some ride on 16in wheels, where most Griffs sit on 15s at the front and 16s behind. The gearbox in 5.0 Griffiths is a Borg Warner T5. You can tell it from the Rover ’box because reverse is to the right and back, where on the Rover it’s to the left and forward. Reverse often spins, so to avoid it crunching, select first then reverse. The engines are generally tough and reliable. It’s electrical gremlins, tired dampers and bushes and chassis corrosion that spoil things. Keeping on top of them should keep you busy at weekends, but the rewards will be incalculable. How to get one in your garage An expert’s view David Hothersall, TVRCC: “I’ve had my 1998 Griffith 500 for 13 years. I bought it with 19,000 miles and today it’s showing 83,000. It’s my daily driver and has mostly been trouble-free. If there had been any serious problems, there’s enough support out there to build a new one. In fact, there are at least three TVR businesses operating from the old Bristol Avenue factory. The Griffith isn’t complicated but, given its torque-to-weight ratio, you have to respect it.” Buyer beware… ■ Engine: Listen for camchain rattles: they last about 100,000 miles; camshafts can need replacing at 50k. Expect oil leaks from rocker cover gaskets and sump cover. Early 5.0s had crank issues. Check oil pressure and also engine temperature since the radiator can become blocked and the fan can seize. Check exhaust condition and for smoke from the manifolds. ■ Transmission: Five-speed gearboxes are tough, but check the fluid has been changed at intervals; on the later T5, check reverse doesn’t crunch. Early GKN diff is noisy; later Salisbury units leak oil. ■ Suspension and steering: Push the car down at each corner to check for any bouncing. Check the condition of the ball joints. Check tyres for uneven wear: wheel alignment issues can be hard to resolve if crash-related. ■ Electrics: Check the ECU, battery and Lucas wiring loom in the front passenger bulkhead are watertight and neatly stowed. Try all the electrics; the body flexes and can chafe wires, and earthing issues are common. ■ Chassis: Check the outriggers that extend from the centre section to the sills, and from which steel sections run at right angles front to back. They collect mud and debris and rot from the top. The seat belt anchors are located on them, so corrosion can compromise safety. Poke underseal with a screwdriver to check it’s not masking rotting steel. ■ Body: Check the body for ripples, cracks and overspray. Inspect the windscreen base for water tightness. Also worth knowing The TVR Car Club (tvr-car-club.co.uk) is a good place to
Origin: Used car buying guide: TVR Griffith
Nearly-new buying guide: Porsche Boxster (981)
Having been unveiled at the Geneva motor show in 2012, the 981-generation Porsche Boxster reached its seventh birthday just last month. Ordinarily you would expect a car of that age to be worth only a fraction of what it cost to buy new, perhaps as little as one-third. But were that true of Porsche’s mid-engined roadster there’d be 62-plate Boxsters kicking about on the used market with £12,500 price tags. If that were the case, Porsche would probably never sell a brand new sports car again… The 981 has held its value better than just about any other comparable performance car. The cheapest examples offered for private sale go for around £23,000, but if you want a Porsche Approved car with a two-year manufacturer warranty, you’ll have to budget for £28,000. The 981 Boxster arrived in the UK during the summer of 2012, the entry-level version costing from £37,589 and the higher-powered Boxster S £45,384. While those original buyers will be very pleased with how well their car has held onto its value, the rest of us will find it a touch regrettable. After all, even after seven years the bargain-basement 981 Boxster doesn’t seem much closer now than it was back in 2012. There is another way of looking at it, however. These cars are depreciating more slowly now than they’ve ever done, so if you were to stick £28,000 into one today, you’d get most of that back two or three years down the line. The 981 Boxster was a bigger car than the 987 it replaced, but it was also lighter and more powerful. While it is undoubtedly true that the earlier cars with their hydraulically assisted steering were more tactile, this newer model has a far more modern cabin, much more muscular styling and, in the way its suspension combines body control with ride comfort and bump absorption, one of the best real-world sports car chassis of recent memory. Apart from being such a joy to drive, the Boxster has resolutely held its value, it seems, because the model that replaced it in 2016 just hasn’t been met with the same level of demand. Its turbocharged four cylinder is nothing like as sonorous as the 981’s tuneful normally aspirated flat six, and many buyers have elected not to upgrade. For the full interactive sports car experience you’ll probably want the manual transmission, in which case your options will be somewhat limited. So many new buyers ticked the PDK box on the options list that finding a manual car today is anything but straightforward. Porsche’s approved used stock showed only four such examples offered for sale for less than £35,000 at the time of writing, although it should be said the PDK dual-clutch automatic ’box is actually very good in its own way. And if the basic 981 Boxster with 261bhp is simply far too underpowered? You’ll want to spend upwards of £34,000 on the 311bhp Boxster S. Need to know The 981 Boxster should be serviced every 20,000 miles or two years, whichever comes first. A minor service is around £500 at a main dealer; the major service is only a little more expensive. In 2015 Porsche introduced the Boxster Black Edition. Aside from black paintwork and 20in wheels, these models also got an uprated infotainment system, parking sensors at both ends, cruise control, two-zone climate control and a better stereo. Along with Porsche Torque Vectoring, other options to look for are Porsche Active Suspension Management and the Sport Chrono Package, which includes adaptive transmission mounts. Uptake was modest, though, so you might have to wait patiently. Our pick Porsche Boxster (981): The faster Boxster S is more desirable in absolute terms, but it costs quite a bit more. The basic Boxster is fast enough and best enjoyed with the superb six-speed manual transmission. Wild card Cherry-picking all the best performance bits from the options list, such as Sport Chrono, the 2014 GTS was the most involving Boxster of the lot (save for the super-rare Spyder). You’ll pay for it, though: the earliest cars still command £50k. Ones we found 2014 Porsche Boxster, 50,000 miles, £27,994 2014 Porsche Boxster, 32,000 miles, £30,799 2013 Porsche Boxster S, 41,000 miles, £33,957 2014 Porsche Boxster S, 35,000 miles,
Origin: Nearly-new buying guide: Porsche Boxster (981)
Used car buying guide: Porsche 928
It’s 41 years since the first Porsche 928 rolled off the production line in 1978. More astonishing still, in this age of model cycles barely longer than a weekend, it’s only 24 years since the last one bowed out in 1995. That’s a huge age range to contemplate, but as is always the case when we’re talking about old motors, only one thing really matters when buying a 928: condition. For years the model languished in motoring’s retirement home, celebrated occasionally but otherwise left to rot. As recently as 2013, decent runners could be picked up for as little as £4750, some dropping as low as £2300. One rare GT manual with a good service history was £8250. They’re not that cheap today. Cars that are decent if care-worn start at around £10,000, while sound 928s begin at £20,000 and those that let you sleep at night cost from £25,000. With the exception of a few sought-after manuals, they’re all autos. The cheapest, straight-sounding manual we found was a 1982 X-reg 928 4.5 with 80,000 miles and full service history, being sold privately for a not unreasonable £21,500. A later 5.0 GT manual in sound order and with around 100,000 miles was £38,000. The best low-mileage GT manuals go for around £50,000. Intended to take the place of the 911, sales of which had slumped, the 928 was first powered by a front-mounted, 4.5-litre, fuel-injected V8 producing 237bhp. Drive went to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox or optional three-speed auto. David Hemmings, author of two books on the 928 and currently the 928 register secretary of the Porsche Club, bought one new in 1980 (cost: around £20,000) following a succession of unreliable British sports cars. He subsequently acquired a 1992-reg S4 in 1995 and then in 2018 bought the first manual 928 to arrive in the UK, a 1978 4.5. “My first 928 impressed me with its looks, solid build quality – it was galvanised and had aluminium panels – and good standard equipment level,” he recalls. “The V8 was great, of course, but it was also reliable, which made a change.” Today, early 928s are prized for their clean lines and relative simplicity. For the be-spoilered 928 S of 1980 the engine grew to 4.7 litres and produced 296bhp. The 928 S2, essentially a more powerful (306bhp) and updated S, followed it in 1984. The S4 of 1987 upped the ante with a 32-valve 5.0-litre V8 producing 316bhp. The limited-edition SE manual arrived in 1988 (it fetches high prices today) followed, a year later, by the equally rare 325bhp GT manual. As the end beckoned, in 1992 the S4 and GT morphed into the GTS, powered by a 5.4-litre V8 producing 345bhp. The last cars left the production line in 1995. Of the 4500 928s sold in the UK, Hemmings reckons between 2750 and 3000 remain, testament to the appeal and durability of this charismatic GT. Put one on your drive before prices are out of reach. How to get one in your garage An expert’s view Andrew Means, founder Gmund Cars: “I owned a 928 for five years, bought out of the classifieds for £6600 and sold for £20,000. Today you have to be really careful when buying one. I was offered three last year but didn’t bite; I later saw one of them sell at auction for £30,000. I hope the buyer knew it had a knackered gearbox. For years, few people wanted a 928 so they weren’t looked after properly. People pay fortunes for the rare manuals but the dog-leg ’box doesn’t suit righthand drive. Give me an auto any day.” Buyer beware… ■ Engine: Engine smoke when warm hints at worn valve guides and cylinder bores. Check the oil level and try to gauge oil consumption (500 miles per litre is typical). Lumpy running could be a worn distributor or failed ECU; vibration at idle may be worn engine mounts. Timing belts, tensioners and water pumps should be changed every 60k miles or four years. Check for coolant leaks; Porsche coolant needs changing every four years. ■ Transmission: Check that the torque tube connecting the gearbox to the diff isn’t putting pressure on the flywheel mounting plate. Examine the underside of the automatic gearbox and torque converter for leaks. Rare manual ’box has a notchy change but too much stiffness can wear out the synchros. ■ Brakes, steering and suspension: Check the brake lines and hoses, steering and driveshaft gaiters, and suspension arms and bushes. Clonking could mean worn bushes; a floaty ride suggests worn dampers. ■ Body: The galvanised 928 has aluminium doors, front wings and bonnet but check for bubbling around windows and the rear hatch, and the underside for corrosion. Tired sunroof and tailgate seals can cause damp carpets. ■ Interior: Check all the electrical systems work. Where fitted, a failed air-con suggests penny-pinching elsewhere. Expect trim and upholstery to be worn or torn, so factor refurbishment into the price. Also worth knowing In the Porsche Classic section of the Services Accessories menu at porsche.com/uk you’ll find a wealth of information on the
Origin: Used car buying guide: Porsche 928
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