jkrowas

1985 Targa, 85K miles, has a few rust spots on the bumpers. Targa top in good condition, interior good except for 1 crack in dash. Recently new steering rack. PPI will be done by Jerry Pellegrino at European Performance Engineering. They are asking $13500. Anything special to look for? Also, has anyone dealt with Majestic Cars in Cohasset, Massachusetts?

jester911

If there is rust on the bumpers then there may be a problem. Someone correct me here if I am wrong but I believe the bumpers are aluminum. Where on the bumpers is the rust? Chances are if there is rust there then probably elsewhere as well. It also means it lived outside a lot. Being a targa there is a good chance the top leaked. Check all the floor pans and door sills and jack points under the sills for more rust. Being a northeast car it is very possible the salt is eating away at this car.

Amber Gramps

the car, year, and price all fit well together. I can't believe nobody has responded to your post. of course you may have tiped off guys in the market to scoop the deal.....anyway, lots of stuff to look for. first is Peter Zimmermann's book on "the used 911 story" www.Amazon.com it will tell you exactly what to look for. every guy have a "perfect" 911, but the truth is they are all great cars.

theiceman

I would not even consider that car at that price . Cracked dash and rust indicates neglect ,.. that is a sub 10K car.

Corrales911

I think you're being a bit harsh - how big a crack are we talking about (my dash has a 4 cm crack but the car was still was appraised at $19K)? Is the blemish on the bumper a rust stain on the paint or a big hole? I wouldn't walk away from any car based on the limited description provided.

Peter Zimmermann

Actually, so little info is given that I was waiting for pics, etc. ice is correct, and so is Jerry, rust on aluminum - I don't think so. But, if the paint on the bumper(s) is bubbling that's a sure sign that something weird is going on. Earl Scheib (are they still in business?) paint job, paint with no primer under it, who knows? A cracked dash should always be considered a big negative, replacement's expensive and must be done perfect. After all, that's the part the owner looks at every time that he gets in the car. If there is one crack, more will follow. Of course, like everything else, dash cracks can be viewed as "not bad," but personally they drive me nuts. Also one must question the steering rack, why was it replaced? They just don't go bad, so you have to assume (I know the definition of that word!) that the car had an accident. There is much to learn about this 3800mi./year jewel, but what we know so far, well, we'll re-visit that later.

Amber Gramps

could the term "steering rack" really be "turbo tie rods"? ok so I'm optomistic

theiceman

I am sorry you compared my post to your car but first impresions are everyting. Rust is never better than you think as you start looking under paint and cracked dashs look awful . There is nothing wrong with asking good dollars for your car , but if you want it your car has to be very well sorted. Cracked dash and rust to me is not well sorted . Sorry if i ofended you but it is what it is ..

old man neri

Pete, could neglected torn tie rod boots lead to a steering rack failure?

jkrowas

OK, so here is the listing on cars.com : http://tinyurl.com/2emez3
I already have a deposit on it, so you all can't ****** it up.

Being a bit of a n00b, I didn't realize the bumpers were aluminum, so obviously, what I saw wasn't rust, but there was some sort of bubbling under the rubber strip on the driver's side rear bumper. Is there opportunity for galvanic corrosion between the bumper and what I assume are steel fasteners?

I understand that the dash is an expensive part and a difficult replacement. It doesn't really bother me, so I'm OK with it. I'm not looking for a perfect car, I'm looking for mechanically sound, and not going to cost me more than the purchase price over the next year. EPE will be inspecting it today, so I'll see what Jerry has to say. The Carfax is clean, FWIW.

Also, I should note that due to particulars of my situation, whatever car I get will be summer-only, covered, but unfortunately not garaged. It will be stored indoors in the winter. Given the above, I'd feel bad about subjecting a "perfect" car to such treatment.

jester911

The pictures aren't bad. Pretty clean outside. The bubbling at the bumpers is probably the fasteners that hold the bumper to the bumper shocks rusting. The underside of the car needs to be checked thoroughly for rust. The rust you don't see is what to look for to ensure the car is still structurally sound.
The PPI should reveal any problems like this.
Good luck.

UberXY

Nice color.

As for the cracked dash: I had the same problem on an 85. I bought this after market plastic shell that fit over the dash and was easy to install. However it was so cheap and crappy looking I never installed it and gave it away. Just a tip in case you consider that route after you pick up your awesome new car.



Steve
84 Carrera
64 356C

UberXY

Nice color.

As for the cracked dash: I had the same problem on an 85. I bought this after market plastic shell that fit over the dash and was easy to install. However it was so cheap and crappy looking I never installed it and gave it away. Just a tip in case you consider that route after you pick up your awesome new car.

http://qualitycarinterior.com/1969-1...h-speaker.html

Steve
84 Carrera
64 356C

KC911

Just my .02 (you asked ), but I'd be VERY cautious about that car...a GOOD PPI is a must. You're in the "low end" range for a Carrera (and that's with the dealer's markup), and typically you get what you pay for. For 85K miles (if legit), that car sure seems to have been neglected. Personally, I would not consider a Carrera that had even a speck of rust...why roll those dice? Cracked dash is just another sign. Good luck!

Keith
'88 CE coupe

Paul K

Don't buy this car without a thorough, independent PPI.