Warning About Buying a Porsche without PPI

[Todd157k]

I've bought/sold MANY cars off ebay including 3 944's. I think you got a pretty good deal like the rest has said.
One thing you have to look at when buying off ebay or anywhere online, is you get what they state (usually). Don't assume the rest is good. If it were good, they would have stated it to help sell it.
If you talked to this guy on the phone, he should have disclosed some of the obvious things like leaks/squeaks/not working stuff.

[JoshB]

Originally Posted by Cking1975

What is wrong:

The entire brake and wheel system were shot (beyond anything I have ever seen)
Rotors
Bearings
Calipers (front)
E-brakes and cables
Struts/Shocks (shot)
PS pump shot (I rebuilt it) Leaking
Air cleaner was so messed up I built a custom K&N setup
Tires were gone (not worn) there was no tread left
Fuel lines were leaking
Transmission I think needs a rebuild....although it may be the mounts
Hood release was broken
It has a cheap paint job
Top is shot
He never gave me the cabrio boot
Oil pan has leak
Front Main seal is leaking
Balancer belt whines like a baby

The part that gets me is this guy has a lot of money...? He dropped off the Porsche is his brand new Ford 350 truck and nice trailer...Of course considering the market for these cars, I only paid 6K for it. and it has 140k miles

Hmm - I typed up a much longer post but decided againt it. If you don't mind let me know your ebay id so I don't ever have a chance to dissappoint you. I've been on ebay a long time and as a seller and buyer I think it is great!

[Cking1975]

Hate to disappoint you, but I am Ebay power seller with thousands of feedback...all 4.9 Stars and have a flawless record. I don't like people that do not do the same. Perfect example is Travis from Rennebay, I know I can trust him and he has always provided me with good quality used parts, same goes for 20th street. If you state in an auction "THE CAR HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED". and it needs 3K worth of work to pass inspection in the state of RI, then you are a big fat lier...maybe this will help:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220208107185&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:MOTORS:1123


The only reason I left him positive feedback was so he would not leave me negative feedback...you have to love EBAY

[hpservertech]

I agree with you to a degree. I think its a matter of perception really. Reading the auction description after the fact doesn't help any. I always take things with a grain of salt though.

Things in the description:
Car has been well kept: It sure has, car looks beautiful. Way I read that is he kept it clean, doesn't say anything about mantained.
Top has a small tear: Any time I see this on a convert. I always assume it needs a new top.
Recent work: Without records to prove it I always assume they are lying.
Leaks (vary rare for older Pcars): Well we all know that just isn't true, right? The seals go bad, period.
Powersteering leak: They all do dont care what anyone says.

I think we can all agree these cars need work on them and the work is never cheap. I still say $6k for a cab (when they can go for twice that easily) is a damn good price and having to put $3k into it is still a steal. However I would still be upset if I wasn't expecting it.

Again, I think it's perception. Just from reading the description, in my mind I already assume that it needs a new top, belts, PS pump rebuilt, front end seals and maybe new PS lines. I always assume any used car will need tires and brakes, unless there is a record showing me they are new.

Just my 2cents worth.

[Dave L]

I agree with HP, you just cant assume anything and there are lots and lots of people who feel that by simply washing thier car and bringing it in for the occassional oil change it means they take good care of it.

One thing is for sure, I would never buy a car off ebay or any other venue where I didnt look at the car first, its just too much of a risk. The ebay feedback system is a scam as proven by the fact that you gave him good feedback despite your feelings.

Good luck with the car, it looks great and im sure once the hard work is done it will be a great driving car as well.

[hpservertech]

I've actually helped a fellow pelican or two out by looking at cars for them. Looked at a 928 once....and I dont know squat about them. But I was able to find a few issues out, similar to what you had issues with. Things such as brakes and tires and oil leaks really can only be seen in person. One was an ebay item and another was a craigslist item.

Both guys ended up buying them, but at least they were able to get another opinion other then the owners.

[Cking1975]

One thing for sure...you guys are honest (in a good way), and the truth is everyone these days is very careful with their money. When you have your wife breathing down your back asking you why the car is not running....and how much is that part going to cost ? You become a little more of a whiner so to speak.

I am acutally very happy with the "idea" of having a well maintained nice Porsche for summer driving.

[hpservertech]

your lucky. would rather hear how much is that part going to cost instead of "when can I part in the garage"

I do understand how frustrating it is. Been there man, and will be there again I'm sure.

[Tervuren]

Originally Posted by legion

To be fair, the previous owner probably didn't know about half the stuff himself. These are 20-year-old cars. Lots of stuff will fail the second they change hands.

This is why when friends ask if my car is for sale, I calmly say no. If it breaks right after I sell, I'll feel bad.(and believe me, they will, having bought a 944 from someone close.)

I understand the frustration. I bought my first Porsche off of eBay and my second one here on Pelican. Both needed a lot more work than I anticipated--and I got a very thorough PPI the second time around.

I expect about $2K to be found within the first few months of picking up a 944(I've bought three, my first surprisingly I only did $250 of work in the first year - then a guy totaled it)

Honestly, at a $6K buying price for a S2 cab, you got more then what you paid for. It darn hard to even find a decent S2 coupe for that. You got a sweet deal with a $6K buying price and only $3K of work to have a S2 cab for $9K.

My '84 944 has been a bit of an ouch, but I'm proud of the car. I'd said I was buying the car, and two days later a tire slammed into the right front bending the body work and suspension. I bought it as is, and it took a bit more than I expected to bring it back to full condition. The AC died a week after I bought it. I have more than what I paid for it in parts/labor, but its one darn fine car. I just have a few interior things to take care of and finding a better 944 will be awfully hard.(My list, Fuch's, recover seats, new steering wheel, replace passenger window switch)

[Monkey Wrench]

how much are the new plastic electric cars again? the batteries will last how long before the already short range is reduced and cost how much to replace? will they be worth new batteries in say 7 years? or done by then?
If the thing is in any sort of accident you can bet he repairs for all those plastic bits will be lots and at that time you have already invested lots so you go ahead. Then no one wants it because it's been in an accident.
I drive junk for good reason, sure Ive had a few tow homes, 1 a year maybe? and some work in the summer to get them all ship shape so I dont need to go out wrenching much in winter. Never regretted it. Never made a payment, never had to hire a mechanic. Never paid for collision insurance, never made a car payment in my whole life, Never been on a car lot. Oh there are times I think maybe Ill buy something newer but then I realize all the technology requires the dealer to be involved.

Houses here are crazy, rent is nuts here too. If I had bought new cars I'd probably be living in a compartment with no shop, nothing much to do but watch TV. because I saved up and invested all I could muster into a house at 40, it tripled in value, at least. was 370 aftr separation I bought it again for 500 by paying her out.. now, 20 years later it's close to 1.5 mil. If I had bought new cars and made payments it would be really hard. with interest rates high I'm a bit scared but the house appreciated so much I could always take a step down and at least own my own compartment.

Its all relative I guess, new cars are nice. every parking lot I enter I look around and my car is the oldest. I don't care about image or keeping up with the Joneses, I still have payments but If I had made the choice to buy an apartment and keep some cash for a new car , it would have changed my path. The Porsche is sort of a toy, I might work on it more than I use it, It might not ever be perfect, just fun.. I dont mind, Its what I want to do.

with the fuel prices and conversion to electric I'm happy it doesn't have a huge gas pig engine, and its still going to be as much fun. I expect fuel prices may go higher as we get electric cars forced upon us so I don't want a V8.
I figure It'll be worth close to what I spend on parts and my original investment of 2K my time is free (for me) lots of peope spend way more on cars and do not wish to challenge themselves with car maintenance. For me it made a huge difference. I thin 3K before the rubber hits the road and Ill still want other stuff like shocks etc.. maybe it will be more. part of the reason Im taking my time is because then I can spread the costs out a little. I consider it a hobby not a great investment but if I apply myself I figure I'm not really "spending" sure it's a little investment.
If I had mechanics and dealership work on it then I think I'd lose about what those costs were on it's value. I dont see a lot of the new cars really exciting people much, who wants to fix all those broken plastic clips and stuff. they just arent' really made to be repaired so much, the car companies break the mold every year to prevent it. I keep hoping a car company wil make a repairable car that is designed with a longer term repair strategy, Its a pipe dream, the things are like printers now , the ink rns down so you buy a new one because the ink cartridges cost nearly as much as a new printer, so it goes in the trash. one would think society would figure that out since recycling is so big now. today I see plastic spoons are being elliminated. they just started making plastic screw on spouts for the plastic impregnated milk cartons. I never had much trouble opening one,does it need a screw on spout? but I cant; have a spoon?

I thought that's about as much plastic as a spoon and I need to replace it after using half litre of milk. where is all this stuff made from recycled plastic? I htink they just burn it in the incinerator.

car companies don't give a hoot about environmental concerns, they cant even standardize wheel bolt patterns let alone anything else. Its just a huge scam to make people buy new cars and they are decreasing the designed in lifespan quite systematically. a certain percentage of a person wage goes to the car companies. I don't see it as any great environmental fix, rather as a way to keep economies moving. old hondas of the 80's got just as good of gas mileage as new many cars of today. My 66 Volvo got 25 MPG, the car companies could have used technology to decrease fuel use if that is what they wanted. They chose not to.. Its all about profit, not common sense.

now if I was a doctor or a lawyer and made bug bucks maybe I'd feel different but personally Ive enjoyed the challenges. I have 6 80's cars, I figure I can keep something running for a while and they are certainly not worth what a new car is. I think its not the "normal " way people look at things but it's my way, by choice.
I bought some real junk when I was younger, It taught me to fix stuff..