[Jastx]

My two cents -- a PPI should be the final event, after an agreement to sell and the price has been negotiated. Pending no problems of signficance are discovered with the PPI, the deal should close shortly after.

In an ethical sale -- and I have been the buyer in one of these -- you agree on the price. The PPI confirms condition. If items are found, then negotiation reopens where the seller can adjust his price or not -- it's his choice. Likewise, the buyer can elect to negotiate, still buy at the previously agreed price, or pass. During this period, the seller and buyer are committed to each other and the deal. The seller shouldn't sell to someone else and the buyer should expect to pay the seller after the PPI.

In the real world, anything can happen -- the buyer or the seller can act unfairly. If I were selling my car, I would permit a PPI and cooperate with a buyer on bringing my car there, within reason as far as time and distance is concerned. All costs would be on the seller.

As a buyer I think the seller having a copy of the results should be negotiated to be clear. The PPI on the 993 I bought cost me $700. I wouldn't just give that info to the seller if the deal fell through -- in that situation I would have just invested a lot of money to find out the car wasn't as represented. IMO, if the seller want's the PPI results, he can pay for them or have his own PPI done.

Now, any time someone messes with your car like with a PPI, there is risk. A sale of a car involving 10's of thousands of dollars is a significant financial transaction. Therefore it wouldn't be out of line, especially if the car is a concours-level beauty, to put some risk on the buyer -- like when he test drives a car at the dealer. Like a dealer, you get license and proof of insurance and have him sign a document accepting responsibility for accidents or the shop screwing up your car.

Some of these actions might kill a possible deal, but if the buyer or seller thinks the other guy is unreasonable he can withdraw. What is reasonable depends on the car and its selling price. If it's a high dollar deal there are more potential issues. A seller and buyer should agree on the price and all the other terms, like when payment is made, prior to the PPI. The more details you discuss and agree on up front the less chance there is for a problem.