Fess Up: Did you get a PPI before buying?
 

I know everyone screams "get a PPI" to everyone else, but based on my experience looking for a 911, lots of cars get bought and sold without them.

So fess up: did YOU buy your car without one?

Note: this doesn't apply to projects, but cars you were planning on driving. For those that did get a PPI, what was the result? Did you pass on the car? Buy it? Use the results to get some $$ off the seller's asking price?

NO! (1976, Augsburg, West Germany)

I didn't get a PPI because I got to speak to the mechanic (Tom Amon) who worked on it just a few weeks before I bought the car.

He told me it was in fantastic shape, and it wasn't worth it.

He was 100% correct.

hm, that's sort of a PPI.

No.

Nope. I sifted through almost 20 years of receipts and did my own inspection.

Yes on a few, no on most. For #13 (and to some degree #15), I really, really wish I had...

Nope, trailered mine home. It was gonna be easy, or a fun project, either way I'd be happy. It was easy. :)

No PPI. I bought it from a very good friend and knew it's history. It had just had a very thorough service at Dave White Racing in Tampa. I have had it for eight years and have had zero unpleasant surprises. I don't recommend skipping the PPI in most cases. Maybe I was just lucky. My car had low mileage at 36k and a good service record.

Owned over a dozen Porsches since 1984.

Never had a PPI done on any of them.

It doesn't work with the way I buy cars. I show up with cash (or ready to go to the local bank to get cash/cashier's check), ready to go.

That's how you get the best deal. Cash on the spot is very appealing to most sellers.

umm...add one more to the poll....

i got a ppi and "passed" inspection. two months later had to invest $2700 in a major tune up...this is when i had no idea about doing my own work...

Yes: spent $150 and the owner ended up dropping the price 2K. Worth every penny.

No PPI and no regrets... first 911 purchase too. I read enough about them and drove a good selection before buying mine on the spot. The more you drive the more you can spot the good from the bad. Nothing against a PPI here... $300 can reveal a WHOLE lot of hidden issues. For me, my car worked out great though.

No on both Porsches. Brother owned the 70T and had the receipts. The 89 3.2 Targa was such a good deal, I decided to wing it. Had a few problems, nothing major, paid 12k for it and put in about 5k, tires, rear brakes, fixed lots of piddly stuff and a top end, valves, guides. If they had not dropped price, I would have done a PPI. Steve

Yes, and the mechanic missed the bubbles in the paint - only cost $12,000 to fix...

No and never will. :)

Having worked in auto repair in a prior life, I thought I knew enough... but upon my first visual inspection I knew that these cars are not like any I had worked on. I took the car to a great local shop to get a PPI and it revealed a strong engine in a very unoriginal and modified car. Ultimately, the PPI resulted in my not buying that car, but getting educated by the shop in what I should be looking for and what "matters".

Using that information and the MANY MANY amazing posts on these forums, I went on a search and bought a different car with cash on the spot after my own thorough inspection (plus a fair amount of receipts). I pointed out the issues to the seller and the price dropped to a place that made it a deal I couldn't refuse. So far, I got exactly what I wanted and have enjoyed the maintenance almost as much as the driving.

Didn't know anything about them. First Porsche. Sunroof cable repair, trans rebuild, steering box bearings, and in the middle of an engine rebuild later... Still love it.

Every used car I bought...no exceptions!!

Had a PPI done, and the "highly thought of" mechanic in Oakland did not tell me about the 3 broken head studs, (74 Targa with SC motor):mad: