AndyK

So it appears nobody knows any mechanics in Miami--and the dealer charges $300 for a PPI and isnt available on the day I am going there...so:

I'M SAYING "WTF"! Using my knowledge gained here, and my gut instincts, I will be checking out that car in Miami myself! As long as the car sounds good, feels good, there are no oil leeks, the oil is nice and clear (as opposed to frothy with coolant), the rotors look smooth behind the holes in the rims, the batery hasnt eaten a hole in the passenger footwell....If I can get the price down a little, I figure I either get a great car that just needs the usual belts/pump/rollers done--or, I get stuck doing more repairs than I would have thought.

I'm going for it-call me crazy!

Any other tips for a do-it-yourself PPI??

Perry 951

I do all mine. You have the basic knowledge.

See if you can bring a floor jack along (or the owner has one) and jack it up. Shake the wheels for play (ball joint, tie rod, wheel bearing), look for leaky struts, dents in the floor, etc. A good PPI won't just be visual, you need to get a little dirty to do it right.

Also, ask for records, recipts, etc. If he ain't got them, and cannot tell you some of the things that have been replaced, run like the wind!! (Run Forrest RUN!)

Clem

I think I'd still highly recommend a PPI.
Check out web page
for Florida service centers.
You may also want to give a quick look at the regional PCA website down there, to see if they have any recommended mechanics.
A phone call or two could really save you a few $ in the long run.

Good luck - hope all works out with the car!

Clem

jim968

Look for body damage (maybe got a "spot rot" magnet, or any small magnet wrapped in thin plastic); wavy body lines, orange-peel, overspray.

Have someone follow you while you A) accelerate hard and B) let off the gas suddenly in second or third. Have them look for smoke; this checks rings & valve guides & seals.

Check the cold tire pressures; low / uneven pressures can be used to disguise a pull or tendency to wander caused by worn front-end parts.

I wouldn't pass the car up for worn rotors; fairly cheap to fix.

Check that eh A/C works; can be either pricey or cheap to fix. Assume pricey....

Jim, back to the lab..."Come on, Igor!"

billybones

Check drainage holes in rear... also look at the CV joint boots... jack up the front and check the ball joints for play,,,, Hit a few bumps with the front end and feel for bad struts... crank up the stereo and listen to the back speakers... run the rear wiper... drive in a tight circle both ways and listen for clunks. stall the engine with the clutch and listen to how it dies... and lastly pull one spark plug and look at it... look over the hoses visible and get a good look at the hoses underneath... look for cracks strech them manually twist and turn them... last thing get over the outerbeauty... try going to a porshe dealer and do this all on a car there first... this will get you past the initiall I WANT IT.... thing... Good luck!

BRB_85.5_NA

AndyK--

I'm taking the plunge too. Found a clean, straight body, excellent paint 1985.5 944 NA, 130k miles down in SoCal (I'm in San Fran) for $2900. The seller is a valley girl who won it in a contest, took it to a Porsche shop to have it checked out, mechanic said the timing belts had to be replaced, so she had it done. I had her fax the mechanic's bill/record to me--reveals minor problems (minor oil leaks, needs struts and shocks (but that means I can go for some performance parts), etc.) but nothing major. The title history was absolutely clean, and it spent most of its life in TX (zero rust). At this price, even though I've seen lower, and after test driving so many of these, I decided even if it has some problems I could handle that, so I just went for it, sight unseen (except for a bunch of pictures). She needs the money and got scared by the bill for just a timing belt on one of these (a little more than her Geo metro). Anyhow, flying one-way to Burbank tonight to pick it up. Wish me luck! And go for it!

BRB
pround new owner 1985.5 944 na

AndyK

Good Luck! At least you know it has been to a dealer, who looked at it. At that price, as long as the body/interior are clean, you are good. Worst case you spend another $4000 on service. You wind up with a $6900 Porsche that's in excellent mechanical shape!

Post the outcome!!

Andy

David Floyd

What about list sponsor Ian Riley at Ian's Euro Parts in Pompano Beach (954)968-3766

Hope this helps

Schneider

This is turning into a VERY valuable thread. Would someone consider collecting PPI type checklists and maybe we could get our fantastic webmaster to put together a spot for just such checklists. Even if I have someone else do the inspection, I would love to have my own list to make sure the inspector covers all the bases.

bs

you mentioned checking for coolant in the oil... you should also perform the reverse of this: check the coolant reservior. make sure it is sufficiently filled and look for brown stuff floating on the top or gummy froth on the underside of the cap. consider putting some gas in and making sure the gas gauge responds. look at the condition of the tires and be prepared to drop at least $500 for new ones if they aren't quality.

and most importantly, i'll say it again: service records are key! look for replacement of: water pump, belts, engine mounts and regular oil changes. make sure the milage increases correctly through the records.

and check out the 944 faq.

AndyK

Saw the car yesterday--all it took was a 2 minute visual PPI to determine it was a no-go. Seems that the car with "original factory paint" had white paint covering the stone guard stickers!? And overspray in the wheel wells.

Accident? Rust? Whatever--not worth taking a chance on.

Thanks for all your advice and help--the search continues--Waaaaaaa!!!

Andy

Operator

at least you didnt waste your money going there just to see the car
and didnt waste your money on the worthless ppi
heck it still might be a good car but for 3 or 5 grand or whatever it was i doubt it keep lookin man.. theres some good ones up here, i promise!

AndyK

If I am gonna pour money into a 944 for repairs, maint, etc, I want it to be at least cosmetically sound. This one was neglected and gave me a "forget it" vibe.

How is your silver beauty doing? I want one in silver!

Operator

very true Andy.. and its a good thing you have the strength to walk away when walking needs to be done. good call.

so far so good with my S ... engine didnt explode or anything yet! just a few small things I actually fixed myself (wow). I just hope it stays that way till summertime and then I guess I'll go ahead and blow the 2 grand or whatever for the belts+pump to be changed! Thanks for asking