Recently I went through my cars Jap and Australian service records (yes deciphered the Jap Hensai dates to our ones) and put it all in Excel. Can see for the last 12 months, 10,000km, 2 oil changes and a few maintenance repairs almost exactly $1500. Not too bad for a car of this type. My car immed before this was a 928S4 Porsche. Over 3 years this averaged out @ $4500 a year in similar maintenance. I can't remember if it was the smirk of the guy who owned the place where this was serviced or just the bills that finally got me in the end. Sure there was not a lot of deprec ($6k in 3 years and about 20,000km) but I thought it was pretty expensive motoring. The Nissan is about a third of the price to maintain. And twice as much fun at legal speeds to enjoy. At high speed? Well the rules have changed and it's not really possible to do that any more in Victoria. It's hard to know what would be harder to sell... the Nissan or one of my type of Porsches. Again I'd have to say the Porsche market might be more limited. But there again there are always enthusiasts for any make out there somewhere.
The Porsche 928... I forget what year exactly that model came out, but it was around the time of the Z32 from memory. If I'm not mistaken, the Z32 was designed to compete with it along with the Corvette of the time. I think it did a great job too... I think that the 928 hasn't aged as well as the Zed has. It still clearing has an 80's feel to it, whereas the Z32 can still pass for a modern car, if it is well looked after. Actually, and I might get flamed, but I think if you put all the 80's sports cars together, the Z32 will probably come out on top in terms of age vs. style. I never held the 928 in high regard because I always believed a Porsche HAD to have the engine in the rear. I know Ferrari have a few models with a front engine too and they don't have the same appeal as the other rear engine models... It's nice to hear though. We always hear that Porsches etc are great cars, but you never hear about how well they age. I think a good car will be reliable for 1 decade. I think a really great car will be reliable for several decades. Sometimes I think the Z32 was ahead of it's time...I say this about anything which lasts the test of time and does it in style... Cheers Rob.
My 928 was white and with 18", being white and the rounded bum it still looked like a new car. Honestly washing the rear guards where it met the curved back it was sexier under a washing mitt than oiling up a naked woman... but I digress . One thing the enthusiasts of this model (same as the 300zx guys here) have done is that it doesn't really feel like you are living in the past. Previously I had an E-38 Charger and a lot of the Charger guys I felt where living back in 1972... perhaps a lot like the Phase 111 GT and Torana GTRs. An E38 had a very nice engine (a lot like a 300ZX TT) but pretty ordinary brakes. A 300ZX and the Porsche although nearly 20 years old still drive and look pretty much like a late model car. Sorry 90TTZ the Countach is too 80s looking for me... the slab sides. Truly the Muira from around 1965... what a timeless design. I think the 300ZX has aged better than an NSX HOnda for example.. coz the Honda is also too wedge shaped. Of course with the changes to the 15 year rules we never got to see many Jap NSX come here. But even the NSX dash looks old compared to our Nissans. But with you on the Ferraris... driving one of these even for a day must be something to do before you die. One thing the Porsche boys were boned up is the latest and best lubricants to use in them. Many used Mobil Delvac instead of Mobil 1 Synethic. There was an upmarket Castrol automatic trans fluid they swore on. Don't read much like this in the forums here... actually it's a bit of a relief. Pentrite HR10 I think for this boy. I guess for any old car buying the magazines and reading the tests when they are new is part of the ownership journey. But being out on the road, having a bit of legal play.. knowing that the torque and smoothness will see people off but calling it quits as you hit the speed limit... well that's a bit of fun.
928 is one of the few porches I like (possibly influenced by the archade game "Chase HQ" lol) I was one in Wangara for sale about a year ago in a car yard for $10K. Jokingly mentioned it to the sales rep to which he glanced over at my 180zx and said "to be honest mate, you're better off keeping the nissan" lol. But if it's your passion, thats the price you pay. I know for a fact that just a regualar service on a Testarossa will cost $5K Will that stop me buying one when the time comes? Hell no!!!
