1991 Porsche 928 S4 Auto

Finished in Slate Grey with a very-of-the-period red and black interior, ‘H647 MPD’ is a 1991 Porsche 928 S4 automatic that has only just clicked over the 100,000-mile mark.

Part of that is due to it being off the road between around 2007 and 2023, something the good service record and online MoT history confirms. The seller isn’t sure of the circumstances behind this as he bought it at an estate sale, with the previous owner’s son telling him the Porsche had been his dad’s “pride and joy”.

Recently recommissioned at vast expense, it is now MoT’d and ready to face another summer, hopefully in the hands of an enthusiast who’ll appreciate just what a survivor this example is.

The Slate Grey (paint code L22D) presents very well indeed; we’ll come to our in-house assessor’s detailed assessment later, but the headlines are very good panel alignment, neat and consistent shutlines, and a very good finish to the paintwork with his assessment concluding: “overall the paint finish is very good” with only “minimal stonechips to the front end and usual places.”

Trust us, that’s him gushing.

The aerodynamic aids are all present and correct too, with the large rear spoiler and front valence working in combination to keep the big Porsche planted even at the sort of three-figure speeds the 928 is capable of sustaining for hours at a time.

The recently refurbished alloy wheels are in fine fettle too with no obvious damage to their rims, something that’s an ever-present risk with low-profile tyres like these – and speaking of collateral damage when parking, you’ll be pleased to note that all four corners and the door mirror caps are all free of scuffs, scrapes, and other damage.

As for the rubber that’s fitted, there are good Toyo Proxes on all four corners, and we will never get tired of telling you that our experience is that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly.

The factory metal sunroof slides fore and aft as it should too, sealing tightly and fitting the aperture four-square when it is closed. A small spoiler also pops up when you fancy some fresh air, and this will help to cut down on turbulence (spoiler #3 is that because the air-con works you won’t need to open it to cool yourself down…).

The headlamps pop up and down as they should too.

Which means there’s little on our list of flaws: the nearside front lower lamp cover is cracked and the offside headlamp lens is discoloured; there is a very light scuff to the offside front wheelarch; a light scuff mark to the top of the rear screen on the nearside; and tiny cracks in the trim piece on the offside rear wing with a small but noticeable area of paint damage to the same panel.

The black and red leather interior is utterly fabulous, rocking a late-eighties/early-nineties colour scheme that is evocative without being eye-catching for the wrong reasons; think Nirvana rather than early Duran Duran.

The black hide seats are piped with red, and they’ve survived the vicissitudes of four decades (yeah, who’s feeling old now, eh?) with impressive aplomb. Still firm and comfortable and electrically adjustable, only the very lightest of wear to the outer edges betrays their age.

The rear seat might be small, but it is perfectly formed and has survived in an even better condition that the two seats that are fitted in front of it.

The dashboard is a paragon of minimal design and flawless ergonomics. Demonstrating in the clearest possible way that quality is engineered in rather than bolted on, it’s still in great shape and offers all the information and toys you need without feeling the need to offer any extraneous fripperies; that confidence for you.

The red carpets, which are protected by a set of purplish overmats, are in a good condition, as are the black headlining and plastics.

When/if you ever get bored of listening to the wail of the V8 engine you can keep yourself amused by listening to the modern high-power Sony headunit that’s fitted in the dashboard. The door cards, with their white leather inserts, are fitted with a pair of speakers on either side, with another six being fitted in the rear quarter panels.

The boot is clean and nicely presented too. It also contains a space-saver spare wheel, although lifting this out reveals a little light surface rust.

Which is probably its biggest fault because our man reports: “the plastic housing for the small door speaker in the driver’s door is broken” but that’s all he could find, with even the air-conditioning blowing good and cold.

It’s stellar condition is due to the careful curation it’s benefitted from over the years, with the service history booklet recording the following routine maintenance:

• 02.05.1991 and 3,006 miles – service by AFN Guildford
• 29.08.1991 and 11,241 miles – service by AFN Guildford
• 12.03.1992 and 21,753 miles – service by AFN Reading
• 27.03.1993 and 36,996 miles – service by AFN Ray Northway Porsche
• 11.12.1993 and 48,922 miles – service by AFN Ray Northway Porsche
• 02.08.1994 and 59,446 miles – service by AFN RSR Engineering
• 29.04.1996 and 72,497 miles – service by AFN RSR Engineering
• 26.01.1997 and 85,788 miles – service by AFN RSR Engineering
• 28.10.2001 and 92,349 miles – service by Oak Tree Garage
• 31.07.2003 and 94,506 miles – service by Oak Tree Garage
• 20.11.2004 and 97,670 miles – service by Oak Tree Garage
• 12.11.2023 and 100,135 miles – service by 928 Specialists to a cost of around £4,000

This latter work involved a through going-over and the replacement of engine, transmission, and differential oils and filters, the coolant, fuel filter, HT leads, knock sensors, hatchback locking mechanism, and manifold and cam covers plus much more including recharging the air-conditioning system; please see the invoice for details.

As you can see, the investment has paid off because the 32-valve V8 fires into life with enthusiasm. It also shows good oil pressure and a healthy charge to the battery, idles beautifully, and revs as it should with a superb exhaust note.

The engine bay is in a good condition too. Clean and neatly presented following a recent detail, we can’t see many folk finding the need to prettify it any further.

The underside looks good too with largely intact underseal. Sure, there’s a little light surface rust here and there but none of it looks like too much of a problem; certainly no MoT tester has ever had cause to mention structural corrosion.

As for mechanical faults, the last MoT revealed the following:
• Offside Rear Position lamp slightly affected by the operation of another lamp (4.2.3 (c))
• Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))
• Offside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))
• all coil springs are slightly corroded
• Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))
• Offside Front Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))
That’s not a bad To Do list, is it, although there is also a warning message on the dashboard saying the differential control is off.

The Porsche’s MoT certificate is valid until September 2025, and the recent Vehicle History Check is clear.

The 928 comes with the book pack and wallet, the stamped service history booklet, and a few invoices in addition to some expired tax discs and old printed MoT certificates.

If you like your daily driver capable of despatching a continent with the same ease as it does Becketts then your options are limited – and if you’re trying to do it on a sensible budget, then they’re even further reduced.

And yet, for the price of a bottom-of-the-range Dacia Duster you could have this in your garage.

Yes, that’s right: we estimate this absolute corker is only going to sell for somewhere between £18,000 and £22,000 – and when you also factor in the horrific depreciation you’d face with a new car, the maths make even more sense.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.