I Tried A Manual Porsche 928 And Now I Want One! 

IMO: Cut your losses and do whatever it takes to sell your car, and then look for a good example of a manual 928 that you can still make your own.

My 91 928GT now had 56k miles and is a delight to drive. A manual gearbox transforms the 928 experience.

Automatic or manual, both are great cars for different reasons. I prefer my S4 automatic as my daily driver.

I was looking forward to this one and it didn’t disappoint. As others have said, repair the current Auto box, enjoy it and its waftyness and keep an eye on the market for a proper manual. Cyrilles face during the first part of the drive was priceless!

I love the way guys like you keep these beautiful cars on the road. The 928 is possibly the best car ever made. Have you tried changing the ATM fluid?

I was the 3rd owner of Cyrille's 85 928S and it was indeed a gem. I sold it in 2013 to buy a 911 and I'm happy with it. Re 928 gearboxes, pre-85 manuals are not good, the synchros are weak and will grind. I'm not a fan of the dogleg truth be told. Car is looking great, glad it went to a loving owner! Cheers.

Buy the manual

I had a euro spec 5 speed '83 928S and it was glorious !!!

I had a 1991 928S4 with a 4 speed automatic, drove it for a few years. But then I happened on to a 1991 928GT with a 5-speed. I owned both for a long while and ultimately sold the S4 and kept the GT 5-speed. In 91 the GT engine had 326HP and the rear-end was a 2.73 ratio. The S4 auto was 316HP with a 2.53 rear-end. There are some big differences in the cams between the S4 vs. GT. The GT is much more aggressive and the engine red line is a bit higher. Those cams with the higher ratio rear-end make a huge difference. I have owned the GT for over 10 years and from time to time think about selling it. Still thinking.

Mate, having that Cyrille-guy popping up in his 928s with a manual transmission is the last thing you needed😂 Such a cool and smug guy😂That dog leg gearbox is awesome, takes a bit getting used to, but that is the charm of the car, beats cruising around in a lazy automatic all day long.

Manual is always the way to go!

This was enjoyabls to watch. I love manual transmissions in most cars. I enjoy driving so shifting the gears makes it much more interactive.

Great video... I have a 1988 928 S4 5spd that has owned me since 1997, put 120K miles on her.. One of the best driving cars of that era.. I have driven both transmission types and much prefer the manual version. Good luck on your journey :)

I LOVE my 5-speed 1986.5! I don't think it detracts from the GT aspects of the car at all. Heavy traffic is not fun, of course, but it never is. The engagement (sound, gear selection, speed, etc.) is a wonderful dimension not to be missed!

Good one Jay The Automatic is pretty slick when in fine form,manufactured by Mercedes Manual transmission takes a bit of getting used to,and on the early cars,can be notchy Like most European cars of the era,you have to let the transmission get warm✅ My car is a 5 speed,with a short shifter,and the synchros need replacement But they are fun in manual form,not as slick as the Corvette There are kits available to install the 6 speed 6060 transmission,but it’s expensive Mine will have the LT 6.2 shortly and that will be 500 hp,and the manual gearbox is very strong,but I’m not racing Reliability is what I’m looking for Hang on to your Automatic Jay,get a good transmission expert on the job🥳 Yes the 928’s have dropped in value even the GTS,but once you have invested lots of$$ like you have just keep it going They are true GT Tourers✅ Cheers Frank

Looking good 😘 Jay!

I owned a 928S ('86.5) with a manual and factory-optional BBS wheels, and it was a beast... it could hit 110 mph in 3rd gear (and 80 in 2nd!). That said, all of the inputs felt VERY heavy, and the shift was stiffer and longer than the 951. But yes, it can be a fun vehicle if you have space to really run it out. It's just not a car for short sprints... or people not used to the dog-leg gear pattern! Oh, and btw, you NEED to get rid of the rear muffler and let it breathe. It sounds *fantastic when you do!

I think manual will make 928 much more of the raw hard edged FEROCIOUS sports cars of the 70’s 80’s and 90’s . I have a 928S2 auto and wouldn’t change as originality will be lost plus the S2 had the 4 speed box…the actual road tests of the time show the autos to be hardly any slower and have to be very skilled driver to beat an auto in a manual..may be worthwhile driving a good auto too

I would automaticly go for a manual! The automatic is only appealing if you are day in day out in traffic jams or if the driver has no ability to drive a manual...or both...good luck Jay to find a proper manual😀😀😀😀

That looks like so much fun!

Talk about expense, Jay. Now you've got me hankering after a 928S! UK prices may from £15K - £40K, but beginning to appreciate.

I dare say, Jay, you’re almost making me “928 curious” after years of thinking only the 911, Boxster, and Cayman were for me. Almost. Stop resisting the manual, Jay. Everyone appreciates an underdog story and for some people the automatic makes sense. But this refusal to admit that you are, in fact, a manual guy is becoming downright stubborn. 🤣🤣🤣

Hey Jay! I'm just up the road in New Brunswick, Canada. I have a car you may be interested in, especially given the U.S.-CAD exchange rate. I know you mentioned in the comments that you're looking for something 1985 or later, my 1981 (in overall very good condition and in special-order Chiffon white paint) 5-speed manual is worth considering. Why? Because the early cars were geared to produce insane amounts of fun from zero to about 80 mph. The later cars with larger, much more powerful engines were geared to come alive from 80 mph and above, but who gets to enjoy that? All the fun is down low in the legal limits. That's where a manual 1981, with all of its glorious original charm, absolutely shines and that's why the 1978s to 1982s are showing the fastest growth in value among the 928 lineage. Let me know if you'd like to talk about my car.

Nice video. Hope you get your auto gearbox fixed. I'm Lucky enough to own a couple of these fantastic machines. The first one I bought back in 2005 an S2 auto. 310bhp. You were saying that they are criminally cheap now. I got the S2 for 3750 pounds. Fully working. Then I got an S4 auto. about a year later. The shocking part about the S4 is that IMO it's gearbox is one of the best things about it. It's seems way more responsive than the S2. The S4 was a well looked after German import. My S2 needs a lot of work now.

I own a 1983 928s with a 5 speed manual . It is a dogleg 1st to 2nd shift . It was very notchy to shift, then I found out on the forums that it had the wrong transmission fluid . Once corrected it shifts much easier. Also I got a stage one supercharger from 928 Motorsport in Wisconsin and it has a lot of torque . Amazing well built car.

The big price jump on the 85 & 86 available cars on the market certainly depict the 50+ HP difference from the pre-85's. Have you ever researched if there's a way to modify an 84 to gain that HP?

I just bought a 78 manual that needs a ton of work but I'm so glad to have one!

Own a 83 928 s auto and 1980 928 5 speed , love them both. I Prefer the lighter pre 85 models.

auto to manual swap is easy. less than a 1 day job with one person. with 2 or more people it's a weekend morning job. I've done it.

I have a 78 with the Manual transmission and I love it. 👍

Feels like a manual is a must but to swap or to buy one is the question. I don’t envy you in having to make the decision. Something to be said for making the car your own just scary to jump into a transmission swap

I have no experience with the 4-speed but the 3-speed in my 80 RoW S is almost as nice as a manual when it's properly adjusted and kick-down solenoid working properly. Keep yours automatic and buy another manual if you want that.

The 928, especially when equipped with airbags, doesn't leave much space for the drivers left knee, because of the reinforcement crossbar under the steering wheel; so it can be quite uncomfortable to activate the clutch. I have always owned manual 928s (an S4 and three GTSs), but I must say that the auto really makes the car much more enjoyable for every day use.

I have a 91 GT with the manual of course. Love it but also like the S4 with the auto - better cruiser. The GT is the drivers car and it can play around with newer fast cars on country lanes and on the Autobahn it is seriously fast. Normally, shortshift 1 3 5 … Driving 500 kilometre to Berlin requires not more than 10 downshifts from 5th to 4 th 😊

Manual box with short shifter is better than a broken auto box?!?! Who'd have thunk it? 😂 Not sure if your auto box is the same as my 87 S4's but the gearbox has modes. 2 isn't second gear, but mode 2 - the car sets off in first and holds first until the redline then shifts to second. 3 the car sets off in second and changes to 3rd at the redline but will never shift into 4th. You can obviously switch modes at any time with the shifter.

Biggest difference between manual and auto 928 as an owner of both GT & S4? The auto flatters you and makes you feel like a better driver than you are. The manual…it tells you straight up if you’re crap, then it proceeds to demonstrate how bad you are until you pull your head out of your…remove your ego and get in balance with the car and life, then it lets you kick ass! Nothing beats that moment except for one other physical activity…’nuff said.

Close your eyes and you’ve got Louis Theroux driving a Porsche 👍🏻

Superior to the SC in nearly every way. I’m building an ‘84 euro twin distributor 5sp resto mod! Costing me an absolute fortune but it is so unique

Wow

...I was waiting for the " Oh shit" moment with going in reverse...

I have an 89 Speedster & a 95 GTS 928…get what makes you feel good mate.

Love mine 😊

I think converting yours to a manual could be not only expensive, but might devalue it. Have you checked what a gearbox overhaul would cost? I'm wondering if the brake bands on the epicyclics need adjusting.

I had 2 auto 928S2's and both had issues with the transmission, and no improvement with an oil & filter changes.

Did you change out the transmission fluid?

If your objective is to keep the car on the road and enjoy it, take the least expensive route. Modifying the basics often doesn’t turn out well. If you want the journey than stick with the basic, the trip will be less expensive and less stressful! Define your real objectives and stick to them.

What about a flush, new filter and new switch pack in your auto first before committing to the big spondoolies?

I always wonder why you still have the german "Überführungskennzeichen" under your licence plate. By the way, it's from Braunschweig, the city where I work. Now Cyrille also still has the old licence plate from Ingolstadt. I would be interested to know the reason for this.

Manual swap 💯

A GTS would do it for me...

oneofus oneofus oneofus oneofus oneofus oneofus !!

Get your auto trans sorted first, see how it drives then. If you decide to sell, it's an easy sale with a working autobox. If you decide to convert the car to manual you can sell the autobox and associated parts, you might even get lucky where somebody wants to convert from manual to auto. Bear in mind buying a manual car will no doubt require work anyway. The Devil you know is better than the one you don't... BTW, how much would it cost to buy an excellent Euro S2 manual? And don't kid yourself as I'm betting once you go manual you'll miss the auto from time to time.

what 2-3 years a go u could by one for like 6000euro now they are up 12000euro to 24000euro even 26000euro and soon realy high ! and im living in sweden

I would not do the manual swap. Buy a car that came with the manual originally, fix and keep the auto.

Why don't you put a 5 speed in your car?? Can't you swap the transmissions??

Just buy the manual. Conversion wii5put you do far in the hole you will never see daylight 😢.

When new these automatics weren't great and 40 years of age didn't improve them - time to start the search for an S4 GT!

Keep and try to adjust your auto and... purchase a manual S2-Euro ! The best 928 (I have a S-1980 manual Euro, a S-1983 auto Euro, a S2-1985 manual Euro, a S4-1991 auto and a GTS-1995 auto Euro... can this be treated, doctor? :) )

Convert to Corvette C5 6-speed transmission

The Mercedes auto wasnt sporty. Think 450 SEL

If you like the manual - just row through the gears - go try a good auto first - I have two manual 911 but I prefer the 928 auto on motorways and in traffic

Yeah you’re going to HAVE to do the manual swap after that.

Swap! Swap! Swap! Build another memory with your son…and make the car more “yours”. You could always buy a manual but what kind of story would that be? 😊

Find MB CL 65 v12 AMG

Save the manuals.

Do it! Time for a manual swap. Remember it’s only money. 😂

Get rid of the slug box & buy a real GT with a manual gearbox!

Knew you would flush that turd. Buy another? Don’t you learn from your mistakes?

If you decide to get a manual, sell yours. You can probably break even as a you tube follower will know what you did. Car guys want a manual. Doctors and lawyers wanted the auto for city traffic

Why would anyone want a 928 ???

Buy the manual. Then buy another one

Try changing your transmission fluid before anything else. There’s a good chance it’s never been done.