Turbo purchase issues

[mikeran]

I am looking at an 86 Turbo to buy.
I have it at a garage today for a PPI, the current owner gave me a 2" folder of receipts for the car since new. car has 219K currently

Major things
Clutch changed at 213K
Timing belts/pump changes 215K
Always Mobil one since new.
It has been serviced at the same garage since 1992 always Porsche parts, even when the steering rack started leaking , new Porsche rack $550 put in at 197K

Since I had such bad luck with my last one, what else should I look for or check before making an offer on it?

Thanks

[aj951]

Motor mounts, ball joints, and see if paperwork shows when the rod bearings were replaced. There are ball joint rebuild kits available but if they are shot and you want new Porsche control arms, plan on spending approx. $1K just for the control arms.

A.J.

[mikeran]

Thanks
The control Arms were replaced with new ones at about 135K
The motor has never been apart

[carlege]

how much is he asking?

[nize]

front and rear engine seals.

oil pan gasket.

[mikeran]

Oil pan gasket has been replaced in 2003 at 190K
Funny tons of receipts, but none exactly say front seals, but I am sure they have had to been replaced at least once by now

Don't want to say the price just yet but lets say it's very fair price

[trivgar]

Seems to me that even with 219k that if the car has been taken care of, which it sounds like it has, that it's probably a good deal.

Better to buy something like that than one with 40k that's never had the belts done if ya catch my drift.

[kdjones2000]

With that kind of mileage, I would start to worry (Past worrying, actually) about the connecting rod bearings.

What is the oil pressure like at idle when warmed up?

If they did the oil pan gasket, then should have done the bearings, as they are not that expensive and easy to do WYAIT. #2 is a known problem area.

[trivgar]

If the car was having work done at a Porsche garage and the pan gasket was done recently I would hope the rod bearings were done. Check through all those receipts.

[mikeran]

Oil pressure once it's hot and just sitting at Idle is about 3.5

The PPI came back with just some simple things most of which I already knew about.

I went a head and bought it I got it for $3500

[Roman944]

I say for that price, good pickup, best of luck!

[carlege]

Good buy. for that price i would have expected less of a car "maintenance wise"

[mikeran]

Interesting note about "checkbook mechanic" Porsche owners and some shops. researching all these receipts the shop was very well aware he was a cash cow, he would have the timing belt replaced every 40K but then at a different interval the water pump and seals were done. Same when he had the clutch replaced they didn't replace the rear main seal, they did it on a seperate job.

[carlege]

what a shame

[mikeran]

Yes I agree, yet another reason to learn as much about these cars as possible.

[Roman944]

lol but sometimes that "while I'm there" list gets so long ... that you just have to set some short term goals and get them done/out of the way