sstoots

I've looked at it (more than a few recently) and it's a beauty inside and out. 55K miles, clean Car Fax. Scheduling a PPI next week. Given the PPI is favorable, $25K is my offer. Anything revealed in the PPI reduces the offer accordingly. All power options are operable. At least four owners and curiously, no service records which I find odd. The tires appear new, but have no idea about valve adjustments or any scheduled maintenance. I was told that the fluids were just changed.
After reading Zimmerman's book, I have trepidation. Seems a car averaging a few thousand miles a year is "due" for major work. Am I wrong ? Could this be as good as I hope it is or as bad as I fear it might?

TheMystro

Not really. As long as the car was taken care of and stored properly, low miles is a obvious big advantage.

JABSEA

For what it's worth, I bought an '89 five years ago with 53k on it and it has 70k on it now. Over the last five years I've changed the oil, replaced the shocks, and had the 60k service done. Low miles does not directly relate to looming problems.

sstoots

feeling somewhat more optimistic. thanks. The Zimmerman book should have the desired affect; make you informed and cautious.

Tom 97 C2-S, So. Cal.

Just know that the car is decades old. The interior and exterior rubber/soft/pliable/bendable parts and pieces will most likely need attention prior to the engine/tranny (assuming clean PPI).

Post the PPI report, where you reside & body type. You will get a lot of feedback - quickly. With no records, I would make sure your mechanic loves the car.

On my 89 I bought in December, the car door sills were shrunk, the front lights were fogged out & some other bits were attended to. All fun 1 cigar x 2 beer projects. This forum was invaluable.

I know where you are coming from. Over analyzation leads to paralyzation. Cover the big ticket items, engine/tranny/ac/suspension and keep a few thousand loose for tidbits/maintenance.

wildcat077

Don't get hung up on the service record thing,the car i bought four years ago had a ton of paperwork and that's just because the PO that had the car for ten years didn't know how to change a spark plug ...

I have a two inch stack of oil change,tuneups,battery replacement,window adjustment,etc ... all stuff that a normal owner could do himself minus the paperwork !
So far i'm into well over 20K in upgrades for my car and don't ask me where the paperwork is,the car speaks for itself ... lol

Cheers !
Phil

sstoots

Using the Zimmerman book, I put together a checklist for the technician performing the PPI to follow. To your point , I have concerns around the fuel lines; rubber pulling away from the steel lines as well as oil lines and brake lines, in short anything with a rubber coating and or insulation. Thanks for your replies.

downtownab

Not to hijack your thread sir, but I've also been looking at an 85 Carrera (have a specific one back in my hometown picked out). There are 2 things I was meaning to ask on here. First off I am getting a PPI done on this vehicle, but the owner said "I'll tell you what they're gonna find."
He said that there are 2 small oil leaks, one where the cam tower meets the...case? I think? and another part where the camtower meets something. I'm completely unfamiliar with 911s as this will be my first. Is this oil leak common? (if you recognize the one I'm talking about. He said it leaks about a paper plate size circle's worth after a month, and adds a quart of oil every 1200 miles.
The other thing is that if he doesn't drive it for about a week-week and a half, when he starts it up there is blueish smoke. Just wondering what anyone thinks about it. Thanks!

mfyoung1086

Oil leaks are fairly common, but just listen to what the Mechanic says about them, cost to fix

Blue smoke on startup could be an indicator of wearing valve guides, thats a bigger concern have your mechanic look as well.... (also if I'm not mistaken isn't the factory method of testing for bad valve guides to pry on the brass a bit and see if they bend haha)

theiceman

yeah those leaks are not uncommon but the problem is they could be expensive to fix if you decide to . The leak is between the chain box and the cam tower and it leaks down the back of the cahin box. The oring is about 1 dollar but i have to come up with about 3-5 G to fix it

I have the same leak , it is not very big and not cost justified at this time.

The blue on start up is open to interpretation. They are horizontally opposed engines so a little leak into the cylinders may not be a huge deal. It all depends on how blue how much how long etc so better to have it checked with a leakdown as valve guides on a Carrera can be an issue.
good luck

downtownab

Thank you gentlemen for the input. The seller said that it smokes blue for about 10 sec on startup and then goes away, and thats only if it hasn't been driven for about a week. He also said that the leak has been the same way for the past 5 years he's owned it and has also not seen it as cost justified to fix it.

mfyoung1086

A good mechanic will tell you whats up, without photos of the leak, or seeing the smoke on startup we're all really just throwing darts at the wall geussing what it is.

theiceman

I have a budy with a 3.2 that is exactly as you speak .. smokes on startup for about 10 seconds. I agree with above and have a leakdown if you are serious.