PPI results - help decide what to do

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

FWIW, I think you just got $40K plus back on your PPI insurance policy at a cost of $140.00! I'd be very leary of this vehicle, very leary. If it has set for a length of time while the PO tried to figure out how to straighten up the electrical gremlins I feel are in there then that would explain the low mileage ad rotton tyres. A car that sits a long time has problems. Mine sat for over two years and in over three years we still haven't ironed out all the issues. But we paid less than 50% of market price at the time of purchase. Walk and keep looking or give a low ball figure you can live with and use to pay to chase down gremlins!

[Dan Morton]

On paper this sounds like a great car, lots of really nice options. How many owners prior to the dealer? Did you run a carfax?

My '97 Targa had the dash creaks - same body as the cabs. Tires were worn after 15k miles with most of the wear on the inner rear tires.

Personally this sounds like a car that may be worth flying out to see (assuming decent airline prices).
What are the going prices for these cars? My impression is that they are a good $5k-10k more expensive with these options, mileage, and being a cab.

The stereo stuff is annoying but could be undone.
The painted brakes can be easily cleaned up. Keep in mind that the brake paint crap is all over every car catalog and in the catalogs make it look very cool with the right wheels. (okay, not my taste)

You should be able to tell if the fender is original by looking for the OEM sticker on it...correct? Who knows why they removed it

What's the reputation of the dealer? Are you willing to pay a lot more money for a car with no painted brakes (again, the paint makes me gag too) , fewer options (more than likely), probably higher miles, and stock stereo (these stereos are very weak)?

-Dan

[Neilk]

Maybe the tires suffer from dry rot because the PO stored them while driving on 19s. Are there any local Pelicans willing to check the car out.

[MonkeyBoy]

Too late - someone reading my posts already snapped it up!

[ZCAT3]

I kind of figured that would happen with those miles and options at that price. I had a 993 C4 Cab for a while and it was a sweet car.

[MonkeyBoy]

Here is the ad with 30 photos, for anyone curious. Please let me know if you see any C4 cabs that look worthwhile.

http://www.cdmdata.com/cdmdigitallot/VehicleDetails.asp?DealerID=552&vin=WPOCA2997TS341492&dID=552

[nostatic]

there's always another car out there...

where are you located? Buying local is almost always the better way to go.

[Neilk]

You wanted a '96 with varioram and integrated 3rd brake light anyway.

[}{arlequin]

Knowing now what I know about air cooled 911's, and the fact that I'm not the only one "afflicted" with this passion, I would not feel comfortable buying from someone not familiar with this bbs. While many here would like to have big reds, probably not one of us would just paint the calipers red! Definitely not an enthusiast. That may be good b/c the car may not have been beaten on, but at the same time, it may not have been cared for properly, either.

Who can afford a 993c4 (cab!) with all the options and not have $ for a good battery? If you have $50K for the car, how can you not have enough change to install the crossovers correctly?

Door locks clicking started occurring on my old (honda) car due to two reasons: 1) door was ripped out and rebuilt half-assed; 2) many break-in attempts with slim jims bent and altered the lock activating levers. The problem would go away on warm days, but during the cold months it would rattle like a machine gun when you hit the "open" button. Not so sexy....

So was this car stolen, towed improperly when "Bubba" just HAD TO open it with a slim jim to let the e-brake down, or was it hit on the right side?

[MonkeyBoy]

Originally posted by }{arlequin
While many here would like to have big reds, probably not one of us would just paint the calipers red! Definitely not an enthusiast.

Just for kicks, do a search for "paint calipers" and you'd be surprised at the number of boardmembers who have done this.

[MonkeyBoy]

Originally posted by nostatic
there's always another car out there...

where are you located? Buying local is almost always the better way to go.

I'm in MA. Desired colors:

Black
Midnight Blue
Silver
Arena Red

Not: Guards, White, Yellow

Must be manual

[ZCAT3]

Originally posted by Neilk
You wanted a '96 with varioram and integrated 3rd brake light anyway.

96 is varioram and there is no integrated brake light on the cabs - they all have the basket handle light.

That looks like a sweet car - I think someone got a deal. It is certainly optioned like an "enthusiast" car - with the sport seats and rear seat delete.

[D Hanson]

I think that car looks looks great. The a/d/s speakers are a good sign. Probably not a Circuit City or Best Buy system. I would fly to see it or have someone look it over and make sure not wrecked if you are willing to spend the price. Be difficult to find another like this one. Maybe take it for a second opinion at different dealer. I would say 16k mile 96 993 cab that looks this pimp is worth another PPI to see if wreck can be ruled out and see what the clicking sound is.

The Sport seats are awesome and the wheels look brand new. It is possible that there were other wheels on the car before traded in. Cannot really call the owner too cheap as he definitely bought a well optioned Porsche cab and he has decent taste in speakers.

[D Hanson]

Originally posted by MonkeyBoy
Too late - someone reading my posts already snapped it up!

Ouch, you mean someone bought it??? Oh man, that is a bummer. I really don't understand why everyone was so negative about that car. 993 and 996s have a tendency to draw negativity here.

If I was in the market and it had rear seats for my kids, I would have snapped it up if I could have ruled out a wreck.

[MonkeyBoy]

The paint meter test actually showed the same thickness on all panels. Let's not talk about this though, it's gone. It had a lot of owners and none owned it for very long, so I'm inclined to believe that they weren't too crazy about it, although the most recent one traded it in on a BMW.

[MotoSook]

Originally posted by D Hanson
I really don't understand why everyone was so negative about that car. 993 and 996s have a tendency to draw negativity here.

I don't think 993's are viewed negatively here..996's are somewhat, but the description of the car and the PPI results are what had me and perhaps a few others a bit skeptical.

It is likely that the "damage" done to the car was not the work of the original owner (the one who optioned the goodies). A carfax would have been one's first step. Who ever owned the car last was more concerned with bling than most of us are....

When one polls a BBS like PP, expect varied opinions.

[D Hanson]

Originally posted by MonkeyBoy
The paint meter test actually showed the same thickness on all panels. Let's not talk about this though, it's gone. It had a lot of owners and none owned it for very long, so I'm inclined to believe that they weren't too crazy about it, although the most recent one traded it in on a BMW.

Yeah, I am sure it sucked and would have drained all your money. And a Sony head unit, what were they thinking. Must have been Ricer owned and street raced. I hope that makes you feel better . . . Good luck in your search.

I looked at 993 cabs long and hard this summer/fall. Alot out there with high miles and etc., but never found one that I had to have.

[ZCAT3]

MonkeyBoy - this is not the first time someone has bought a car out from under a poster and it won't be the last. Just be aware when you do all the leg work and research and then post it here, you are basically giving someone else who may be looking for a similar car a lot of free help.

[MonkeyBoy]

Of course - and he didn't buy it until I had turned it down (I had a deposit on it). I'll admit that the PPI didn't scare me as much as most of you, and I would have gone for it, but I'd be more comfortable paying significantly less for 40K more miles if I could.

[D Hanson]

If you are cool with more miles, you can save $$$. I saw reasonably clean 95 cabs for around $ 30k with 60k to 70k miles on them.