Comments on: 1988 Porsche 928 S4 & Missions http://www.moneymissions.com/ben/missionary-life/1988-porsche-and-missions/ Candid Talk from Christian Missionaries Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:01:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Peter http://www.moneymissions.com/ben/missionary-life/1988-porsche-and-missions/#comment-2114 Peter Wed, 20 Feb 2008 03:02:18 +0000 http://www.moneymissions.com/ben/missionary-life/1988-porsche-and-missions/#comment-2114 Dear Ben, Mine is a 1986 Australian-delivered 928 "S3" (similar to the USA "S3.5") with the same 5 Litre 32-valve engine as your friend's father's 1988 928 S4. It has just had its 80,000 km (50,000 mile) service and is in immaculate condition; still gleaming crystal green metallic paint and plush grey-green leather interior. I would love to visit you in Tijuana but as well as the border to cross, there is the Pacific Ocean! I live in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. No, I have not test driven the Altima, but despite often being a target for high-powered modern cars at traffic lights (and provided my wife's steadying influence is absent) I have never been embarassed. I have driven and owned some genuine muscle cars, including an Australian XA Ford Falcon with a 302 V8 Cleveland motor of identical capacity to my Porsche 928. In terms of all-round performance they are like chalk and cheese. Remember that the 928 was not designed for drag racing, despite its reasonably good acceleration from rest. It is a luxury Gran Turismo that really comes into its own when accelerated at speeds over 60 mph and is the ultimate in comfort for long distance travelling. After a recent 2,000 km (1,250 mile) drive from Melbourne to Brisbane, we arrived quite refreshed. Ben, I appreciate that the car comparison you quoted was intended to emphasise your point that missionaries should be "rolling with the times", but I felt obliged to defend my wonderful car from the throw-away line by the "Motor Trend" writer. Best wishes, Peter Dear Ben,

Mine is a 1986 Australian-delivered 928 “S3″ (similar to the USA “S3.5″)
with the same 5 Litre 32-valve engine as your friend’s father’s 1988 928 S4.
It has just had its 80,000 km (50,000 mile) service and is in immaculate
condition; still gleaming crystal green metallic paint and plush grey-green
leather interior.

I would love to visit you in Tijuana but as well as the border to cross,
there is the Pacific Ocean! I live in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

No, I have not test driven the Altima, but despite often being a target for
high-powered modern cars at traffic lights (and provided my wife’s steadying
influence is absent) I have never been embarassed. I have driven and owned
some genuine muscle cars, including an Australian XA Ford Falcon with a 302
V8 Cleveland motor of identical capacity to my Porsche 928. In terms of
all-round performance they are like chalk and cheese. Remember that the 928
was not designed for drag racing, despite its reasonably good acceleration
from rest. It is a luxury Gran Turismo that really comes into its own when
accelerated at speeds over 60 mph and is the ultimate in comfort for long
distance travelling. After a recent 2,000 km (1,250 mile) drive from
Melbourne to Brisbane, we arrived quite refreshed.

Ben, I appreciate that the car comparison you quoted was intended to
emphasise your point that missionaries should be “rolling with the times”,
but I felt obliged to defend my wonderful car from the throw-away line by
the “Motor Trend” writer.

Best wishes,
Peter

]]> By: Ben http://www.moneymissions.com/ben/missionary-life/1988-porsche-and-missions/#comment-2113 Ben Tue, 19 Feb 2008 23:11:35 +0000 http://www.moneymissions.com/ben/missionary-life/1988-porsche-and-missions/#comment-2113 Peter, What year is your 928? And what kind of condition is it in? What a beautiful machine you own. If you're ever in Tijuana, take me for a spin. Although you might not want to cross the border w/ that thing... I haven't seen any other tests; I just quoted the specs that Motor Trend printed. And I don't doubt one bit that at high speeds or through the twisties--there's no comparison to your Porsche. My point was simply my genuine awe of a four-door sedan's ability to be neck-and-neck (0-60mph) w/ Germany's and Italy's best just twenty years ago. P.S. Have you test driven the Altima 3.5 ? Peter,

What year is your 928? And what kind of condition is it in? What a beautiful machine you own. If you’re ever in Tijuana, take me for a spin. Although you might not want to cross the border w/ that thing…

I haven’t seen any other tests; I just quoted the specs that Motor Trend printed. And I don’t doubt one bit that at high speeds or through the twisties–there’s no comparison to your Porsche.

My point was simply my genuine awe of a four-door sedan’s ability to be neck-and-neck (0-60mph) w/ Germany’s and Italy’s best just twenty years ago.

P.S. Have you test driven the Altima 3.5 ?

]]> By: Peter http://www.moneymissions.com/ben/missionary-life/1988-porsche-and-missions/#comment-2109 Peter Tue, 19 Feb 2008 12:14:31 +0000 http://www.moneymissions.com/ben/missionary-life/1988-porsche-and-missions/#comment-2109 Ben, I suspect that you and the original article writer are getting more than a little carried away with your comparisons of the Altima and the Camry with a Porsche 928? Leaving aside the 0-60 and standing 1/4 times (which other tests would claim are 0.5 second faster for the twenty-year-old 928), you really need to drive a 928 hard through demanding curves, or approaching top speed on a freeway. Any comparisons are laughable once you experience the incredible handling of the German machine. When the Japanese family cars approach their top-speed and are terrifying their occupants, the 928 is feeling better than ever and will accelerate for a further 30mph. No sixteen year-old borrowing the family Camry or Altima will ever blow away a Porsche 928. (I confess that I own a 928 and I cannot stop smiling every time I drive it!) Ben, I suspect that you and the original article writer are getting more than a little carried away with your comparisons of the Altima and the Camry with a Porsche 928? Leaving aside the 0-60 and standing 1/4 times (which other tests would claim are 0.5 second faster for the twenty-year-old 928), you really need to drive a 928 hard through demanding curves, or approaching top speed on a freeway. Any comparisons are laughable once you experience the incredible handling of the German machine. When the Japanese family cars approach their top-speed and are terrifying their occupants, the 928 is feeling better than ever and will accelerate for a further 30mph. No sixteen year-old borrowing the family Camry or Altima will ever blow away a Porsche 928. (I confess that I own a 928 and I cannot stop smiling every time I drive it!)

]]> By: todd http://www.moneymissions.com/ben/missionary-life/1988-porsche-and-missions/#comment-2089 todd Fri, 15 Feb 2008 19:13:55 +0000 http://www.moneymissions.com/ben/missionary-life/1988-porsche-and-missions/#comment-2089 Dude, that is a great post! I now feel a lot better about rollin' the 2001 Ford Taurus while my wife drives the Grand Cherokee. Dude, that is a great post! I now feel a lot better about rollin’ the 2001 Ford Taurus while my wife drives the Grand Cherokee.

]]> By: brad http://www.moneymissions.com/ben/missionary-life/1988-porsche-and-missions/#comment-2075 brad Tue, 12 Feb 2008 20:11:18 +0000 http://www.moneymissions.com/ben/missionary-life/1988-porsche-and-missions/#comment-2075 Now here's a missions post I can relate to: one with automotive benchmarks! @Arnau -- actually that Porsche is now less than half -- maybe less than a third -- the price of those new family sedans. Of course keeping it running will add up fast! And even if you could swing it, I'm sure that would weird for supporters to see! :-) Or did you mean you are drooling over an Altima...? :-) BTW, the '80s were a bad time for cars. Most estimates put a 1971 Dodge Charger Hemi ahead of that Porsche, at least in straight-line acceleration. I don't know where that fits in with the above analogy though... :-) Now here’s a missions post I can relate to: one with automotive benchmarks!

@Arnau — actually that Porsche is now less than half — maybe less than a third — the price of those new family sedans. Of course keeping it running will add up fast! And even if you could swing it, I’m sure that would weird for supporters to see! :-) Or did you mean you are drooling over an Altima…? :-)

BTW, the ’80s were a bad time for cars. Most estimates put a 1971 Dodge Charger Hemi ahead of that Porsche, at least in straight-line acceleration. I don’t know where that fits in with the above analogy though… :-)

]]> By: johnny brooks http://www.moneymissions.com/ben/missionary-life/1988-porsche-and-missions/#comment-2072 johnny brooks Tue, 12 Feb 2008 14:39:24 +0000 http://www.moneymissions.com/ben/missionary-life/1988-porsche-and-missions/#comment-2072 Change is vital. Even here in the developing world where change has been slow to come, it is speeding up. What was once slow is now fast. Change is vital. Even here in the developing world where change has been slow to come, it is speeding up. What was once slow is now fast.

]]> By: Arnau van Wyngaard http://www.moneymissions.com/ben/missionary-life/1988-porsche-and-missions/#comment-2064 Arnau van Wyngaard Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:29:29 +0000 http://www.moneymissions.com/ben/missionary-life/1988-porsche-and-missions/#comment-2064 Why is it that we missionaries who can least afford it, drool over cars like this? ;-) Why is it that we missionaries who can least afford it, drool over cars like this? ;-)

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