Buying a 964 C4 tomorrow
08-10-2001, 01:16 PM
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Buying a 964 C4 tomorrow
Hello
My brother-in-law is going to see a 964 C4 tomorrow.
What should he look out for? Are there any common problems with 964s?
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
Regards
Anoop
My brother-in-law is going to see a 964 C4 tomorrow.
What should he look out for? Are there any common problems with 964s?
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
Regards
Anoop
08-10-2001, 01:55 PM
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Hey there, Snoops!
What year is the C4? There are some important differences in the 964's based on production year.
How many miles are on it?
-- Melissa
What year is the C4? There are some important differences in the 964's based on production year.
How many miles are on it?
-- Melissa
08-10-2001, 04:57 PM
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Snoops,
I drive a 1990 C2 Cabriolet, which has about 83,000 miles on it. I bought it in October, 1997 with about 53k miles on it. It has been a real pleasure to drive & own.
Anyway, with the early 964's, you need to be careful about 3 things:
1. The early cars didn't have a head gasket, so *some* leaked oil from that area. This is a hot topic on this board -- it affects the early 964's reputation, but only a minority of the cars have had any problems. Word to the wise -- if you're thinking of buying an early 964, make sure that it isn't leaking from this spot. Some cars that had this problem were fixed under warranty by Porsche.
2. The early cars had a dual mass flywheel made by Freudenberg (sp?). This flywheel wasn't very reliable. On the car you're looking at, make sure that the flywheel is in good shape, or has been replaced.
3. The dual distributor belt tends to deteriorate over time. There's a vent kit that many install. Make sure the vent kit's been installed, and try to find out when it was installed. I had one installed at about 55,000 miles on my car, but alas, the belt broke a few thousand miles later. Definitely check the condition of the distributor belt! The fix is to replace the belt only (some shops will do this), or replace the distributor with a rebuilt or new one.
Also check for general oil leaks. This isn't just a 964 thing, but some cars develop oil leaks in areas that take a bit of labor to get to, so they can run up your repair bill.
Another area to check is the power steering -- look for leaks and the general condition.
As far as the C4 goes, I'm not extremely familiar with it. I'm sure some of the others on this board will be happy to fill you in on what to look for here.
Since you have a 993, I'm sure you're familiar with the basic Porsche buying advice: get a Pre-purchase inspection by a Porsche mechanic, check the maintenance receipts, etc.
Good luck to you & your brother-in-law!
-- Melissa
I drive a 1990 C2 Cabriolet, which has about 83,000 miles on it. I bought it in October, 1997 with about 53k miles on it. It has been a real pleasure to drive & own.
Anyway, with the early 964's, you need to be careful about 3 things:
1. The early cars didn't have a head gasket, so *some* leaked oil from that area. This is a hot topic on this board -- it affects the early 964's reputation, but only a minority of the cars have had any problems. Word to the wise -- if you're thinking of buying an early 964, make sure that it isn't leaking from this spot. Some cars that had this problem were fixed under warranty by Porsche.
2. The early cars had a dual mass flywheel made by Freudenberg (sp?). This flywheel wasn't very reliable. On the car you're looking at, make sure that the flywheel is in good shape, or has been replaced.
3. The dual distributor belt tends to deteriorate over time. There's a vent kit that many install. Make sure the vent kit's been installed, and try to find out when it was installed. I had one installed at about 55,000 miles on my car, but alas, the belt broke a few thousand miles later. Definitely check the condition of the distributor belt! The fix is to replace the belt only (some shops will do this), or replace the distributor with a rebuilt or new one.
Also check for general oil leaks. This isn't just a 964 thing, but some cars develop oil leaks in areas that take a bit of labor to get to, so they can run up your repair bill.
Another area to check is the power steering -- look for leaks and the general condition.
As far as the C4 goes, I'm not extremely familiar with it. I'm sure some of the others on this board will be happy to fill you in on what to look for here.
Since you have a 993, I'm sure you're familiar with the basic Porsche buying advice: get a Pre-purchase inspection by a Porsche mechanic, check the maintenance receipts, etc.
Good luck to you & your brother-in-law!
-- Melissa
08-13-2001, 04:26 AM
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He got it 
A beautiful red Carerra 4 in good condition. Immaculate inside.
The only problem was that their was a little leak by the right rear wheel but this I think is sorted as a jubilee clip need to be tightend.
A beautiful red Carerra 4 in good condition. Immaculate inside.
The only problem was that their was a little leak by the right rear wheel but this I think is sorted as a jubilee clip need to be tightend.
