My old man has an 87' S4 he bought new. Its had a valve job, several radiators, a transmission overhaul (by a non porsche shop that pressed a bearing on the torque tube themselves to save money). Its got exhaust leaks and the heat pours into the cabin. It slams into gear on the first upshift so hard that it has worn the rear tires prematurely because of it. The car hasn't been redlined in the last decade - guaranteed. The brake pedal is very spongy and the master cylinder doesn't provide for full stopping power. It's sad on one hand, but on the other it says a lot about porsche build quality. Its got 155k and its doing better than our 87' S class did before it died 5 years ago with 175k on the odometer.

I'm waiting for the engine to grenade and shoot a piston through the misaligned hood that's been painted at least 5 times and won't close without "the touch".

 

If you just want it to die I can take it off your hands

 

Why do you think the older Porsches are going up in value while the newer ones plummet in resale? I'll tell ya why the older ones are built MUCH better, so much better its laughable when you compare them side by side. A simple pop of the hood will prove this. Look at all the plastic in these newer cars, while your dads S4 contains magnesium, aluminum, and stainless steel. Back in the day when Ferry had control every nut and bolt had a purpose, now a days Porsche is run by bankers and accountants whose only motive is profit.

To be honest I think you have a better chance dying before that engine does if you service it like you should. I'm actually surprised your dads car has that many problems. I have 2 928's, one that I drive daily and the other for garage queen duty and I have logged over 120k on mine with only minor maintenance. t-belt, torque tube, shocks, and AC repair. Torque tube I wouldnt classify as minor but it is a 25 year old car.