Adamant1971

I'm helping a friend shop for a p-car and we have found a nice low mileage 951, 86.

Straight off I'm sure it will need TB, WP, Coolant hoses, fluid changes etc. The car has not been driven much in the last few years, but stored indoors.

I have read through a few FAQ pages on 951's, seems to be pretty much the same stuff to look for as the 928. Plus some hatch leaks, needed alarm key, Puff of smoke at start up etc. And of course service records.

Have not seen the car in person yet, pictures look very promising though.

The car has 60,000 miles on it.

Any other tips are appreciated.

Biscuits704

This is the third low mileage 951 I've seen crop up in Ontario in recent months (mine included)

What I would say is check the records, interior and exterior condition to make sure that mileage is accurate... the odometers on these things are always failing.

If there are any suspicions that the wear =/= odometer you can assume the mileage probably isn't right. Not a bad thing if everything else checks out, just don't get too focused on the low miles (or km's) being the main selling point.

Adamant1971

Yep, will check, hopefully records to back it up. But it has sport seats and the side bolster looks good, so signs point to the mileage being correct.

Biscuits704

I just had a search to see if I could find the one you're looking at... is it the red one w/black leather interior + cup wheels?

If so, it certainly looks good from what I can see...

Adamant1971

Yep, that's it. Going to have a chat with the owner tomorrow.

Biscuits704

Well, it certainly looks in good shape! Decent price too for the km's.

The only potential question mark I could see from the pics is that it appears he may have taken the back seats out and put some kind of audio install (sub) there. Looks like it from the interior picture. I could be wrong though, maybe the seats are folded down and there's something in the trunk on top of them.

Good luck - looks like it could be quite the steal!

Btw, not sure if you're going to be Toronto in the near future, but you're always welcome to come by and have a look at mine to get an idea of what to look for. The biggest problem I had when deciding to pull the trigger was a lack of experience in having something to compare it to...

goatfarmerdave

Looked on kijiji and auto trader.Couldn't find it.Love the red/black combo. If it's been sitting around quite a lot,be prepared for a possibly long journey.I recommend the LR hose kit also.Replace all water lines and vacuum lines.Look for oil cooler leaks and power steering also.Even lots of money in the beginning,you will have peace of mind in knowing what you have done to it. I bought a pretty good shape 87 951 in our area also ,and had to do lots too get it back from all the sitting around.But we did all the too do things and so far with 6 track days,it hasn't given me a lick of trouble. Good luck and if the body and interior is solid as well as engine internals,clutch,tranny,that's a great start.Cheers.

Adamant1971

It has back seats. But the odometer is broken and it has been re-painted and it's a US car.

Still sounds nice, but will need catchup as it has not been driven much in the last 3 years.

Will know more if we go to see it.

goatfarmerdave

Hmmmm broken odometer and new paint…..you should be able to tell more when you see it.It really bugs me when someone says low mileage and when you look further into it…oh ya…broken odometer…trust is already half gone...

Adamant1971

Ya, but they guy did seem very open. It's as 58k miles on the clock and was broken three years ago when he purchased it in Michigan.

Paint was done 10 years ago and he has the paper work.

goatfarmerdave

Worth a look.There is a white one in Caledon also,but price point way to high for that one with it's history,etc.

Biscuits704

Well that sucks
Mileage is pretty fundamental - should mention that it's not accurate in the ad.

Respray would kill it for me, US car a negative but not the end of the world.

End of day it depends on what your man is looking for... is he looking for a fun car to blast around in and whatever to the resale, or does he want some kind of return on investment? If the latter walk away. If the former, go for it... and I have a spare brand new odometer gear

Biscuits704

Yeah, I'd avoid that one. Don't like the sellers attitude, I'm sorry to say.
"No test pilots", "I will be accepting offers" like it's a house bidding war and a whole load of hyperbole about an "collectors dream" car that's had an engine swap.
As-is always rubs me up the wrong way too.

Price is coming down all the time though, started out at $14k and now it's $12k.

It's a cold one today... fall is approaching. Could be some bargains to be had as we head into the end of the summer... keep looking

goatfarmerdave

I'll keep my eyes peeled.Wants a turbo,not an na?Correct?

doppelganger

My advice. Spend the extra money on a car that has had good maintenance over the years. The 951's are notorious for being driving hard and dumped.