I came here this morning to say things, got distracted, came back now and found most of it had already been said. I'll add a few things.
If you are a handy home wrench - and you say that you are - then you can do everything except the engine work, *if* it needs it.
If the gasket - VC? it's not said but it seems like this - is "partially protruding" then the VC has been overtightened and of course it's leaking. Remove VCs, check head studs, replace VCs with new reusable silicone gaskets, don't over-tighten
TOD leaks are hard to get to on a 3.2 but they're cheap and easy to fix, access aside. I just did some of mine.
Shift coupler bushings can be done in an hour for like $15, or get all fancy and get a PSJ if you want to be a big spender.
Trans mounts can be done in another hour, new mounts not expensive.
New bushings and ball joints in front is more work, but doable. Ball joint requires a spacial tool you might could borrow from someone here.
Front shocks get replaced when the front suspension is apart, rear shocks just bolt in.
Sway bar bushings and end links are as easy as you think they are.
Tie rod ends are easy peasy. Use the kind of cheap splitter you can get from Harbor Freight, the joint will be apart in 15 seconds.
If 84s are still before axles with a hub-end stub axle that's part of the axle assembly (was that 85? I don't remember) then you can get whole new axles and just bolt them in, or boot kits for like $100-150 and replace them yourself.
Brake rotors and pads are as easy as you think they are. Check wheel bearing adjustment when you do this.
Brake hoses are as easy as you think they are.
Don't know what the speedo and tach issues are, but you can probably send them to John Bell and he'll fix it for a couple hundred or something.
2/3 of that big scary number is worst-case engine work that it very likely doesn't need, and the rest is stuff you can do yourself to eliminate 90% of the cost.
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnythunderr
TL;DR: Bought a "well-sorted" 1984 911 for $51K without a PPI. Post-purchase inspection revealed $44K in needed repairs including engine rebuild. Don't be me.
- Engine rebuild recommended: $29,640 - Oil leaking from cylinders, suspected broken lower head studs on cylinder #2, cylinder #6 gasket partially protruding, "triangle of death" leaks (PCV, oil pressure sender). The shop can't say for certain if the engine needs a full rebuild, but they're quoting for what they think to be the worst possible outcome and will know nothing further until they're able to actually pull and inspect the engine.
Everything Else That's Wrong:- Transmission: Shift coupler bushings shot ($585)
- Transmission mounts worn allowing 1/2" vertical play ($617)
- Front & rear shocks leaking, bushings cracked ($2,608)
- Control arms and ball joints completely worn ($2,724)
- All sway bar bushings and links need replacement ($735)
- Tie rod ends blown ($650)
- CV boots ready to split ($900)
- All brake rotors warped and scored, pads due ($2,357)
- Front and rear brake hoses cracking ($1,045)
- Tachometer needs internal repair ($200)
- Speedometer/odometer issues ($500)
- Various other smaller items
Total recommended repairs: $44,050.96
My Questions for the Community
Engine decision: Is it worth rebuilding a 1984 3.2L at this cost, or should I source a used engine?
Prioritization: If I can't do everything at once, what's the safest order to tackle these repairs?
Legal recourse: The seller clearly misrepresented the condition. Anyone had success pursuing sellers for significant misrepresentation like this?
Cut and run: At what point do you just accept the loss and move on?
The Lesson (Please Learn From My Stupidity)
GET A PPI. ALWAYS. NO EXCEPTIONS.
I don't care if: - The seller has a binder full of receipts
- The car is 3,000 miles away
- You can't find a convenient shop
- The seller seems trustworthy
- You're "good at spotting problems"
- The photos look great
- You're excited and don't want to lose the deal
None of that matters. A 2-hour, $400 inspection could have saved me from this $44K nightmare.
If you can't arrange a proper PPI, walk away from the deal. There will always be another car. I thought I was being reasonable by relying on maintenance records, but those records clearly didn't tell the whole story.
The seller either: - Knew about these issues and lied
- Was completely oblivious to the condition of their own car
- Had been taking it to shops that weren't being honest about needed repairs
None of those scenarios end well for the buyer.
For Those Who've Been Here
If you've dealt with similar situations - major undisclosed issues after purchase - I'd love to hear how you handled it. Did you pursue the seller? Focus on the repairs? Cut your losses?
Right now I'm sitting on a car I paid $51K for that needs $44K in work to be roadworthy, and I'm kicking myself for the most expensive lesson I've ever learned.
Don't be me. Get the PPI.
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1984 911 Carrera, 123K miles, currently more of a very expensive paperweight than a sports car
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