Ed Hughes

No kidding...my insurance covers me on whatever I drive, and I'm covered when someone else drives my car.

When I was looking at my car, the seller let me pick it up and take it for the day to get a PPI.

Unless we're talking about cars worth several hundred thousand $, and the seller's sitting in the seat next to you, why wouldn't one expect to drive the car they contemplate buying?

Peter Zimmermann

I have a story for you regarding buyer drives. A good customer of mine put his very nice 1969 911T up for sale, including an ad in the L.A. Times. He got a call on the car, and a meeting was arranged that was convenient to the freeway. To my customer's surprise, the buyer showed up - on time! This encouraged him, so much so that when the buyer asked to drive the car my customer said OK. Down the on-ramp they went - 1st gear, 2nd gear, 3rd gear, 2nd gear (instead of 4th), OOPS! After the tach needle went past "VDO", the car began to sputter, buck, and miss-fire (common symptoms for severely bent valves). The buyer pulled to the shoulder, shut off the car, looked at my customer and said, "I'm glad it's your car." He got out of the car and began to walk to the next off-ramp, as my customer sat there, simply dumbfounded.

Moral of the story; how could you know if your buyer is under the influence (prescription meds or not), and how do you know how much experience, and touch, they have with a manual transmission? I would never let a buyer, unless I knew him already, drive my car prior to putting the cold, hard cash in my hand.

nikkoa

What an unfortunate story pete.

Then again, sometimes letting the PO show you the ropes can be a good thing. I test drove a few p-cars before making my decision; responding to a craigslist ad, one guy in specific was tearing through all the gears, almost red-lining before entering the next one. Even in the parking lot he was driving the car as if it was his last day alive. Needless to say i passed on the opportunity!

dave morris

Pete ... interesting story. But the seller obviously needs to use some good old common sense. I'd agree, I wouldn't just turn over the keys to somebody w/o asking some questions and assessing the guy first. It's somewhat like the conversation between the instructor/student at a DE. And I would have asked the guy to dial it back when he got up to 4000rpms in 3rd.

Anyway, if after having establishing my "bonafides" as a prospective buyer, you declined to let me drive a car you were trying to sell ... well ... let's just say I'd move on to the next candidate. No problem.

Ed Hughes

Interesting story Peter. However, I would not buy a car that I don't drive first. But then again, I have respect for others' property and never attempted to set speed records.

And, I waited a few years before doing the ol' miss-shift in MY OWN car....

Peter Zimmermann

LOL! Oh, those painful $$$ mistakes!

The last car that I sold, my '80 SC, was sold to a gentleman with whom my wife works. He's well educated, established in the community, and I had met him once or twice during the previous year or two. Even then, I drove him around for about a half an hour, I drove in traffic, and I drove very fast on one of our nearly-empty country roads; I taught him the two-part shift, limiting 1st gear revs to about 4500, and a few other little things.

He was extremely receptive, so after we returned to my house I turned over the car to him and his wife. As he drove away I noticed that his feel for the clutch was exceptional, which was reassuring. He returned in about an hour and bought the car. That was five years ago, and I would not do that for just anyone.

The timing of this thread is amazing, I just spoke with him two days ago. He needs a steering column bushing ($10 part + 10 minutes labor), which is the first repair the car's needed since he bought it. I told him to stop by the house this weekend and I would teach him how to fix it.

500

I like to ride with the owner when he/she drives - always an interesting window into how the car MAY have lived its life. I am sensitive to the worry that an owner feels when a stranger drives their car so my personal rules are:

1) Only ask for a drive if I am pretty serious - usually I won't drive the car myself the first time I look at it. Only if I have come back and am getting pretty serious.

2) Ask the owner about any quirks or such that he/she would like to advise me about (e.g. "strange" shift pattern a la 901 etc).

3) I always ask the owner to accompany me while I drive.

4) Drive VERY carefully!

I've only driven a prospective purchase and then NOT actually bought the car twice in my life. In both cases I made a point of phoning the owner again and expressing my thanks for letting me drive their car.

I find it is important to drive the car, especially something like a 911 which has, ahem, unusual ergonomics and may not be to everyone's liking.

PPI is still king though.

theiceman

When I bought my car I actually didn't want to drive it belive it or not . i wanted the owner to drive it. he pointed all the 915 idiosynchracies out to me and after watching him drive it . it was enough for me ..

I have not looked back ..

924Porsche81

Wow! Looking at a 1980 USA model on sale here (Montreal, Canada). Does anyone know a qualified local mechanic or garage that follows Peter Z's formula?

The seller is a mechanic, but in case he doesn't do the PPI that way...

Ed Hughes

Don't let the seller do the PPI.

924Porsche81

Thanks. He brought the car from the USA, low mileage, pics available on local Kijiji in case you're interested - will PM you with the link.

Ninetynine996

Provost Motorsports is a great indie shop located on Rt206 in Bordentown, NJ. Our local PCA chapter members (Schattenbaum) use this shop a lot. Both my 996 and now my 1982 SC have been serviced there by Rob, the owner/operator. A PPI costs around $200. If you want a leakdown it will be closer to $900. Telephone: 609.298.3555

Peter Zimmermann

$700 to do a leakdown test? That's insane; even if it includes lower cover removal to check the exhaust side Dilavar head studs.

Ninetynine996

Pete, I may have been wrong on the cost of the leak down. The PPI was $200. Let me double check on the other costs. Rob is reasonable, certified and a great mechanic...my 54 yo memory may be fuzzy.

theiceman

Go to canadian forum we even have a french speaking section lots of Montreal guys will suggest a spot