Should I buy this 02 C4S? New engine, no records, $25k

[Mosney]

Hey Pelican forum, hoping you can give me a sanity check on this.

I'm looking at buying this 2002 C4S for $25k. The price looks good but there's a back story. Local used auto dealer bought the car at an auction knowing it needed "a little work", but then were surprised to learn from their mechanic that it needed quite a bit of work. They decided instead of doing several repairs to the engine that had 90k miles, to put a "new" engine with 4400 miles into it. So that means new engine, clutch, alternator, the whole deal. However, the car has no other records whatsoever, beyond this recent maintenance. Carfax has several service records (as vague as those are), and an accident - which the dealer said required repainting the front bumper, but nothing major. The title is clean, not a salvage.

Here's the car:
PORSCHE 911 CARRERA 4S

This dealer has been in Santa Cruz for a long time, although they only have two Yelp reviews, they're at least positive: Beach Auto Sales - Santa Cruz, CA. But even though I think they are honest dealers, this could still be a bad idea. My concerns:

1. No records. This is probably normal for a lot of auction cars but... yeah... obviously not a good thing.
2. Engine and body #s won't match - I understand that's crucial for a vintage Porsche, but how important is that for newer ones?

All that said, the price is very good. The car is exceptional in appearance inside and out, and drove nicely when I opened it up, took some curves, braked hard, etc. And if the story is right, it's a major deal to get this car at this price with a almost brand new engine, right?

I'm getting a PPI done tomorrow, then I'll need to make a decision. What do you think?

[Bristol]

Shoud you buy an '02 C4S? Definitely!
Should you buy this '02 C4S? I would not, at that price.

I have had an '03 C4S for a number of years - fantastic car. I can go on and on about why I think these are the best of the best of the 996 era, but PM me for my phone number if you want to discuss.

A friend of mine is also looking to buy an '02 - '04 C4S and he has a few that he's been looking at. The two best that he's narrowed down are: cheaper than this one, lower miles, and no accident history. The "fair" price for a C4S seems to be in the 30's now, but there are a few in the low to mid 20's that are pretty nice.

So based on what my friend is buying: also an '02, 70K miles, $23.5K, no accidents - I would say that your car is an okay deal, but there are better deals out there. I would keep looking. The accident alone would scare me away. I do NOT trust dealers when they give you their opinion about how bad an accident was.

Kirk

[Six Gun]

Listen to bristol !!!!

[Mosney]

Thanks guys, I decided not to buy the car. I think the accident is what worries me the most, along with complete lack of records. But the price is good if you're willing to roll the dice.

The search continues!

[Matt Monson]

There are a lot of $25k 996s out there. The price would be good and worth the roll of the dice if you could get the dealer down under $20k. But it is a dealer, so it couldn't hurt to go make an offer. And if he says no, wait and watch. If the car is still there in a month they'll move. Most dealers in this class of dealer don't have the liquidity to sit on a car like this for long.

[Bristol]

Here's one for $23.5K with slightly higher miles, but some nice upgrades and no accident history:

Cars for Sale: 2002 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Coupe in Encinitas, CA 92024: Coupe Details - 335737098 - AutoTrader.com

Kirk