Need help! Bought a 964 off ebay and need to know what I can check on myself.
 

I know, I know. I should have gotten a PPI. I have done them in the past with mixed results. I am going to fly up to pick up the car but I want to know what I can look at to do what I can to make sure I am not getting screwed to the extent I can.

The car has 71k and is a manual Cabrio with a recent clutch replacement. It also has a new top. Carfax reports no trouble (for what that's worth).

So, as far as an in person inspection, what should I look for/check on before I hand over my check?

I have lots of Porsche experience but no 964 experience except for about 5 test drives and 2 prior pips.

Any tips much appreciated!

I would relax and just go and use your good judgement.
Drive it, do a simple cylinder compression test and test the oil pressure which is very easy with a 911. This is very fast an easy and worth doing.
If the compression and oil pressure is good when at operating temp and it drove well thats a good sign. On to the body..
Look at the body or panel seams and that that they look correct or the same from side to side, look in the jambs for signs of a re paint. Look everywhere underneath for signs of an accident or paint overspray. Look for paint on the rubber glass seals etc..
Inside the trunk or boot removing the carpet and spare, look for signs of accident repair. You can examine the fender bolts to see if they have been removed and so on.
At those miles the driver seat should be in very good condition.
Good luck.

How do I do the compression or oil tests? Any links?

Got the compression test figured out. How about the oil pressure test?

I would guess the oil pressure gauge on the dash. It should be up in the 4-5 range when out driving, not idling.

I am curious about this compression test? How would you do that in the field on a 964 which has pretty buried plugs???

Open the lids and dig deep into the trunk and engine compartment corners to look for crumpled metal that's been straightened. Same from the underside and in the wheel wells. Check every panel gap and make sure it is even spaced. Run your fingers through each one of them. Definitely spend more time on your back, knees and bent over than standing up. Look for oil leaks under the engine and transmission. Look at the spot it is usually parked - look for signs of oil leaks and oil drip pans / cardboard etc.

Ask the car not to be started or warmed up before you arrive. Have the owner start it and watch from behind for excessive smoke at start up. A puff is okay as long as it clears up within a few seconds.

Make sure you warm the car up during a test drive and try all gears including up and down shifts. Make sure you go highways speeds. Brake hard and see if it pulls any direction. Check the cruise control, a/c, radio, all power options. Check tires for uneven wear. Check oil and make sure it is clean (no metal shavings. :D)

That's just a bunch of stuff.

When I look at a car, I make a thorough check list and go through it one by one. I usually bring a partner that checks off the list.

G

One more thing - make sure you look at the car in good light from every angle, especially oblique to see any signs of paint work, different paint texture, excessive buff marks etc.

I sometimes am shocked what people buy used - I can see the car has been repainted from 10 feet away and they probably will never know ...

G

I thought they all leak oil :)

That is what I tell myself.

Hee.... I bought mine sight-unseen on ebay also. You can find my inspection spreadsheet here. (Hint: it's the file called "964 PPI Checklist.xls")

I took a couple hours to go over the car. Take a flashlight, inspection mirror, clothes or a pad for laying on the ground, and if you can work it a couple pieces of 2x12 to serve as a small ramp.

Rust at the corners of the windscreen or backlight is a big deal. One of the things I missed was a torn door where the door stay attaches (common).

You are going to be very lucky to not find any issues on a PPI. It will probably come down to what the estimated cost of repairs compared how good of a price you were able to get.

The important thing is how well it was maintained. A lot of items can be easily fixed as a diy - these cars are fairly easy to work on. The biggest concern would be on the status of the engine and any body/rust issues as mentioned. A rebuild is lots of money. Mine is reaching 110k and does leak from several spots (even after quite a few attempts to fix). However the engine still pulls extremely hard, so I am holding off on rebuild as long as I can.

Look for rust on bottom of windshield. It will look like little dots at first.

Cancelled it. The seller who claimed to have tons of records and a recent suddenly had all kinds of issues getting them. My favorite excuse was "The PPI from the Porsche dealership was good so they didn't do a report." He couldn't answer even basic questions except to basically say "trust me." Oh well.

Having been searching for 6 months myself, I agree with you...just walk away. There's a lot of "stories" out there: I'm selling for a "friend." The wholesaler lost the receipts. It has all the dealer stamps...the list goes on.

Good luck to you though! If I see a good 964, I'll send you an email (did you only want a cab?).

Matt

battery leaks
 

Check under the battery. Probably more common on earlier cars, but it is still another problem area.

Stay patient & good luck.

I prefer a cab but I will take anything but a targa or a turbo.