Joined in 2004... Sig said *951 coming this summer* Yeah, summer 2013. Here it is.
09-25-2013 | 05:51 PM
#17
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Joined: May 2001
Posts: 4,027
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Exciting! Car looks pretty clean. Keep us updated and feel free to fire over questions. We have a pretty healthy catalog of parts to help support your projects here. Let us know what questions you have and please keep us posted on what you plan to tackle on your 951!
Mark/Pelican Parts
Mark/Pelican Parts
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09-30-2013 | 07:30 PM
#18
Thread Starter
Rennlist Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 844
Likes: 29
From: Round Rock, TX
Update:
Results of the PPI confirmed my worst fears...
Guy was at best totally ignorant and at worst maliciously deceptive in the sale of the car and I have learned an expensive lesson. He said the car 'need's nothing' other than a power steering hose and a sunroof motor and the AC worked...
Essentially, the reverse is true.
The only things that it doesn't seem to need are an interior, engine and a transmission.
Body: Repaired front and rear
Frame: Previously bent and straightened
AC: Not functioning
Suspension: Shot
Brakes: Needs fronts
Tires: Shot
Resale value: Shot
He says he's going to give me a grand back because he is 'ethical.' I won't hold my breath. Let this be a cautionary tale to anyone shopping for a preowned Porsche (or any other car.) He commissioned his own PPI which I took at face value, I should have paid for one at the Porsche dealership... Would have saved me this disaster. This would really have been a horrific experience if I were hurting for cash. I'd be on suicide watch.
Attached are the results of the PPI for your morbid curiousity.
Seeing as to how I now have a firm grip on a POS, my only choice is to sort it as economically as possible, so here's what I have purchased for the car already:
4 nearly new Michelin all season run-flats off of a 2 month old Cadillac ATS: $300
Polyurethane sway bar bushings (ebay: ) $69
PU control arm bushing (ebay: ) $89
Front brake rotors, generic blanks (Amazon: ) $75
P/S Suck hose (rock auto: ) $21
P/S Return hose (ebay, used) $57
P/S Pump (ebay: )
P/S Fitting (ebay: ) $16
Brad Penn oil X6 (ebay: ) $50
Mahle oil filter (ebay: ) $14
CV boot kit (ebay: ) $121
Any recommendations on trustworthy shops/independent/shadetree mechanics in the Austin area that won't destroy me on labor? I don't have time to wrench on it myself but don't wanna get bent over either considering that after the travel expenses and parts, I already own a $5000 car for $10000.
Results of the PPI confirmed my worst fears...
Guy was at best totally ignorant and at worst maliciously deceptive in the sale of the car and I have learned an expensive lesson. He said the car 'need's nothing' other than a power steering hose and a sunroof motor and the AC worked...
Essentially, the reverse is true.
The only things that it doesn't seem to need are an interior, engine and a transmission.
Body: Repaired front and rear
Frame: Previously bent and straightened
AC: Not functioning
Suspension: Shot
Brakes: Needs fronts
Tires: Shot
Resale value: Shot
He says he's going to give me a grand back because he is 'ethical.' I won't hold my breath. Let this be a cautionary tale to anyone shopping for a preowned Porsche (or any other car.) He commissioned his own PPI which I took at face value, I should have paid for one at the Porsche dealership... Would have saved me this disaster. This would really have been a horrific experience if I were hurting for cash. I'd be on suicide watch.
Attached are the results of the PPI for your morbid curiousity.
Seeing as to how I now have a firm grip on a POS, my only choice is to sort it as economically as possible, so here's what I have purchased for the car already:
4 nearly new Michelin all season run-flats off of a 2 month old Cadillac ATS: $300
Polyurethane sway bar bushings (ebay: ) $69
PU control arm bushing (ebay: ) $89
Front brake rotors, generic blanks (Amazon: ) $75
P/S Suck hose (rock auto: ) $21
P/S Return hose (ebay, used) $57
P/S Pump (ebay: )
P/S Fitting (ebay: ) $16
Brad Penn oil X6 (ebay: ) $50
Mahle oil filter (ebay: ) $14
CV boot kit (ebay: ) $121
Any recommendations on trustworthy shops/independent/shadetree mechanics in the Austin area that won't destroy me on labor? I don't have time to wrench on it myself but don't wanna get bent over either considering that after the travel expenses and parts, I already own a $5000 car for $10000.
09-30-2013 | 10:25 PM
#19
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,151
Likes: 0
From: Calif
you are doing yourself and your wallet no good at all by not trying to do work yourself. nothing you mentioned sounds like it needs unusual mechanical skills. It looks like you are becoming upset at what I would call "normal wear" (like brakes) and fluid changes - maybe I am not understanding, and you were deceived, but let me go through your initial list and offer an opinion:
Body: Repaired front and rear - OK, harmless
Frame: Previously bent and straightened - if straightened right, this is harmless.
AC: Not functioning - the usual issue is loss of refrigerant due to a leaking seal on the compressor - change to R134, send compressor to Polar Bear in Florida for a rebuild (I really like working with them even through I ship cross country to them), will cost you under $300 total if my experience is any guide to get it going again. The only other failure I've seen is a blown HP hose, so you can check that first and maybe save $$. The hose itself, if damaged, can be repaired by a competent auto machine shop for about $30 or so, I just repaired one 3 months ago.
Suspension: Shot - really? what does "shot" mean - the usual wear I would assume is ball joints and shocks - Travis at Rennbay sells a nice balljoint kit, rear shocks aren't too expensive, fronts can be.
Brakes: Needs fronts - takes me about 8 minutes per side to change the pads, use OEM pads, costs well under $100
Tires: Shot - usual wear, replace (as you did)
Resale value: Shot - these are very rarely a car you can expect to resell for a profit - I hope your thought was to drive it, not resell. If you want to make a profit, these are almost always more valuable as parts than as a running car, even if in pristine condition.
my suggestion is to fix critical items and then over time fix the rest, and do the work yourself. I usually figure that a newly purchased (used) 944 will require about a grand of materials if it is "good", maybe up to 2 grand if it is marginal. It is easy to get more into the car than it's worth, but that's true of almost any automotive restoration.
Body: Repaired front and rear - OK, harmless
Frame: Previously bent and straightened - if straightened right, this is harmless.
AC: Not functioning - the usual issue is loss of refrigerant due to a leaking seal on the compressor - change to R134, send compressor to Polar Bear in Florida for a rebuild (I really like working with them even through I ship cross country to them), will cost you under $300 total if my experience is any guide to get it going again. The only other failure I've seen is a blown HP hose, so you can check that first and maybe save $$. The hose itself, if damaged, can be repaired by a competent auto machine shop for about $30 or so, I just repaired one 3 months ago.
Suspension: Shot - really? what does "shot" mean - the usual wear I would assume is ball joints and shocks - Travis at Rennbay sells a nice balljoint kit, rear shocks aren't too expensive, fronts can be.
Brakes: Needs fronts - takes me about 8 minutes per side to change the pads, use OEM pads, costs well under $100
Tires: Shot - usual wear, replace (as you did)
Resale value: Shot - these are very rarely a car you can expect to resell for a profit - I hope your thought was to drive it, not resell. If you want to make a profit, these are almost always more valuable as parts than as a running car, even if in pristine condition.
my suggestion is to fix critical items and then over time fix the rest, and do the work yourself. I usually figure that a newly purchased (used) 944 will require about a grand of materials if it is "good", maybe up to 2 grand if it is marginal. It is easy to get more into the car than it's worth, but that's true of almost any automotive restoration.
10-01-2013 | 12:30 AM
#20
Instructor
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 204
Likes: 0
From: New Orleans
For the AC there are two easy fixes (hopefully). First check the connection. Sometimes it comes loose on mine. Also check the relay. If its a bad relay then drop it on the ground a few times and plug it back in. Yes, I'm serious.
10-01-2013 | 03:13 PM
#22
Thread Starter
Rennlist Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 844
Likes: 29
From: Round Rock, TX
you are doing yourself and your wallet no good at all by not trying to do work yourself. nothing you mentioned sounds like it needs unusual mechanical skills. It looks like you are becoming upset at what I would call "normal wear" (like brakes) and fluid changes - maybe I am not understanding, and you were deceived, but let me go through your initial list and offer an opinion:
Body: Repaired front and rear - OK, harmless
Frame: Previously bent and straightened - if straightened right, this is harmless.
AC: Not functioning - the usual issue is loss of refrigerant due to a leaking seal on the compressor - change to R134, send compressor to Polar Bear in Florida for a rebuild (I really like working with them even through I ship cross country to them), will cost you under $300 total if my experience is any guide to get it going again. The only other failure I've seen is a blown HP hose, so you can check that first and maybe save $$. The hose itself, if damaged, can be repaired by a competent auto machine shop for about $30 or so, I just repaired one 3 months ago.
Suspension: Shot - really? what does "shot" mean - the usual wear I would assume is ball joints and shocks - Travis at Rennbay sells a nice balljoint kit, rear shocks aren't too expensive, fronts can be.
Brakes: Needs fronts - takes me about 8 minutes per side to change the pads, use OEM pads, costs well under $100
Tires: Shot - usual wear, replace (as you did)
Resale value: Shot - these are very rarely a car you can expect to resell for a profit - I hope your thought was to drive it, not resell. If you want to make a profit, these are almost always more valuable as parts than as a running car, even if in pristine condition.
my suggestion is to fix critical items and then over time fix the rest, and do the work yourself. I usually figure that a newly purchased (used) 944 will require about a grand of materials if it is "good", maybe up to 2 grand if it is marginal. It is easy to get more into the car than it's worth, but that's true of almost any automotive restoration.
Body: Repaired front and rear - OK, harmless
Frame: Previously bent and straightened - if straightened right, this is harmless.
AC: Not functioning - the usual issue is loss of refrigerant due to a leaking seal on the compressor - change to R134, send compressor to Polar Bear in Florida for a rebuild (I really like working with them even through I ship cross country to them), will cost you under $300 total if my experience is any guide to get it going again. The only other failure I've seen is a blown HP hose, so you can check that first and maybe save $$. The hose itself, if damaged, can be repaired by a competent auto machine shop for about $30 or so, I just repaired one 3 months ago.
Suspension: Shot - really? what does "shot" mean - the usual wear I would assume is ball joints and shocks - Travis at Rennbay sells a nice balljoint kit, rear shocks aren't too expensive, fronts can be.
Brakes: Needs fronts - takes me about 8 minutes per side to change the pads, use OEM pads, costs well under $100
Tires: Shot - usual wear, replace (as you did)
Resale value: Shot - these are very rarely a car you can expect to resell for a profit - I hope your thought was to drive it, not resell. If you want to make a profit, these are almost always more valuable as parts than as a running car, even if in pristine condition.
my suggestion is to fix critical items and then over time fix the rest, and do the work yourself. I usually figure that a newly purchased (used) 944 will require about a grand of materials if it is "good", maybe up to 2 grand if it is marginal. It is easy to get more into the car than it's worth, but that's true of almost any automotive restoration.
I work 60+ hours a week, it's difficult to find the time to work on my own stuff- it's not that I'm not capable.
Also called and clarified with Northwest Imports that the control arm wasn't 'broken' as stated on the estimate but the ball joints needed to be replaced. As such, I've ordered the rennbay kit.
Thanks for the information on the A/C too guys, I appreciate the tips. I've never owned a P-Car of this age or needing this amount of work so I'm very new to all of this stuff. Appreciate the latitude on my noob-ness.
By the way... Rear shocks are new KYB units.
Anyway, took the car to www.diytexas.com today and threw it on the lift to get a better look at the control arm and frame... Here's what I found:
10-01-2013 | 10:27 PM
#23
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 118
Likes: 0
From: The frozen white wasteland of the north
That's highway robbery for a PS reseal as well. Check out rennbay - I was able to do mine in about 2 hours this weekend and that's with a thorough degreasing of the exterior and interior of the part, a careful rebuild, and reinstall. The only tricky part is getting the bushings out of the casting that holds the pump in place - and even then a few whacks with a hammer got them out, I just checked here and Pelican to make sure I was hitting the right part.
Welcome to the 951 owner's club, it's a great community and you'll love it here.
Welcome to the 951 owner's club, it's a great community and you'll love it here.
10-03-2013 | 05:37 PM
#24
Thread Starter
Rennlist Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 844
Likes: 29
From: Round Rock, TX
Yeah I felt that the whole estimate was steep-ish. And thanks for welcoming me to the club.
The dealership I work at does a lot of work with German Auto Center in Austin and I've used them before so I just emailed the owner, Len, the laundry list of necessary labor. All of the parts are trickling in. Hopefully he can hook me up, I just want to put this to bed.
The dealership I work at does a lot of work with German Auto Center in Austin and I've used them before so I just emailed the owner, Len, the laundry list of necessary labor. All of the parts are trickling in. Hopefully he can hook me up, I just want to put this to bed.
10-04-2013 | 11:20 AM
#26
Thread Starter
Rennlist Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 844
Likes: 29
From: Round Rock, TX
Pic one is the driver's side, pic two is the pass side front frame rail.
The pass side is bent in at a 15 degree angle or so. I don't think it affects the way the car drives at all as we measured diagonally from point to point to the rear frame rails and the measurements were equal, indicating that the frame isn't tweaked in any way that will upset the car's balance. We hope.
The pass side is bent in at a 15 degree angle or so. I don't think it affects the way the car drives at all as we measured diagonally from point to point to the rear frame rails and the measurements were equal, indicating that the frame isn't tweaked in any way that will upset the car's balance. We hope.