Volare

I’m in the market to pick up a 964 C2, and I had a couple of questions I was hoping some of you could help me out with.

1) I understand that a PPI is a must, and I will get it done, but are there anything in particular I should ask them to look out for, or just let them do their thing? And does anyone know about how much a PPI will cost (SF Peninsula)?
2) The hood and trunk springs are not working properly, so they don’t pop open with a pull of the latch, is this a costly repair, or just a simple DIY?
3) When I close the doors, there is a rattle that comes from underneath the car, like tin or metal parts rattling for a brief moment as closing of the doors shakes the car ever so slightly. Has anyone every heard of this?
4) The rear tires are completely bald, could someone please confirm that the dimensions for non-Cup wheels are 205/55 ZR 16 front and 225/55 ZR 16?

I understand that these questions are very mundane for most of you, but please understand that I am new to the 964 world from a 356, so any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks if advance.
Jeff

loot87

While most say that a PPI is a must, I feel they're overrated. If it finds something that uncovers a disqualifying feature, then it's great. However, a passing a PPI doesn't guarantee that a problem like that doesn't exist. My first purchase was an 83SC. The PPI missed evidence of a rear end collision that hurt when I sold it.
For my 964 Turbo, I didn't do a PPI. I figured my time and the cost of flying around the country looking for the "perfect" car are worth something to.
IMO, being a mechanically inclined person and having NEVER found a wrench that I trust, outside and interior condition are most important, followed by what major work has been to the drive train. The more recent, the better.
I know many people believe the PPI is a must and the gospel. I guess I'm just jaded against mechanics in general and am happy to do it myself when problems arise.

The hood and trunk shocks always wear out. The left rear is a hassle due to the engine pad and the risk of dropping parts into the engine, but an easy DIY.

Seight

Hi Jeff,

1. yes a PPI is a must. Look out for the vent kit having been done on the distributor housing - or the belt between the two dizzys dies. Also any oil leaks at all need to be investigated thoroughly. All warning lights work as they should. And that the Dual Mass Flywheel is not causing any vibration or noise.

2. These struts for bonet and boot are cheap and easy to fit.

3. This noise is not a problem. When the heater has been on in the car there are some flaps in the system that come into play. As you close the door the backrush of air through these flaps causes the noise you descriobe. It's not a malfunction and you won't notice it in warmer weather.

4. Tyre sizes sound about right but someone else could be more definitive than me as I have 17" on mine.

Good luck, and if it all works out welcome to the world of 964 motoring.

Cheers
Alex

MARC A. 964 C4

Sounds like a normal 15 year old 911/964 to me... You will have to work and restore and invest in it...
Just like any other Sports car...
Try and give us a few photographs...For me it's easier to see the Porsche 911/964 in question...
Sort of a vibration/ reverse osmoses thing I get when I see it...

For sure PPI...

Can't help you any more then that..."Sorry"...

From here,
Marc...

grankin

The other answers are spot-on, so I won't chime in with anything other than an "AOL" - but I suspect they (or I) might not have caught the import of this question. Is it that the two lids do not pop up so you can get a hand under them when you pull the latch? If so, then it is a question of adjusting the cables that operate them. My trunk lid would sometimes pop open, sometimes not. So, when it did, I tracked down the termination of the cable release at the latchpoint up front, slacked off on the bolt that pinches it with a little ignition wrench, gave the cable a tug so it was now tight, then clamped it down with that little bolt. Gave it a squirt of lube, and all was well. Helps to have lived with cable-operated brakes and clutches and shifters on motorcycles and bicycles.

A CheeseHead

Indycam

#1 " anything in particular I should ask them to look out for"
If they do not know what to look for , they should not be doing the job , $50 - $300
#2 low buck diy
#3 yes it could be just the normal noise , could be something else but , allmost 100% normal noise.
#4 205/55-16 225/50-16 , not 55 in the rear . And the speed rate could be W
"Z-speed rated tires are capable of speeds in excess of 149 mph" W=168 mph

If you want it checked out , I'm up for it .

Rennen

Invest the extra $ in a leak down test. It can double the cost of a PPI, but it will tell you a lot about the condition of your valves and rings.

Kahdmus

My cost of a PPI in downtown San Francisco was either $125 or $150 and was very thorough. The mech spent simply hours on it and it must have cost him money to donate so much time for that price. The list of items examined was incredibly detailed and he spent another 30 minutes walking me through the car and explaining how to check the oil etc. and talking about what mods/upgrades etc. I may want in the future.

Rick964

Tire sizes for the 6 and 7 x16 D-90 wheels are 205/55-16 and 225/50-16. You check whether or not the rattle noise you hear when closing the door is the heater by simply opening a window before closing the doort - that negates the back pressure into the heater duct.

GG Allin

And check for the distributor vent kit.

biggs

Volari... I purchased mine in October 1994 c-2 cab, " warning " nothing is cheap but that's the price of admission... A complete history is worth it's weight in saving, if you don't have one assume the worst... get a PPI by a pro ( don't skimp) ... make sure to check for oil leaks and get a compression test, check the clutch and trany. Remember you are not getting much change from 12 (k) cdn for a rebuild... The rest of the stuff is fixable, just be patient and get a good one.

garrett376

For what it's worth, I've bought 3 C4's, none of which ever had a PPI - two of them I even bought sight unseen

Even if a PPI says things are OK, as Marc A. points out - it's an old car so expect to be fixing it over its lifetime.

I think PPI's are good for finding duds if you're not sure of whether it's a dud or not, from talking to the previous owner...

last toy

Volare, your questions have been answered but here are some more advice from a new purchaser myself and not knowing this website existed. So your first actions to ask questions here could alleviate future headaches. here are my suggestions from experience:

1. ask if the rear blower( left side) resistor has been upgraded. Fires have been known to occur from the OEM resistor gone bad
2. ask if the dual distributor belt has been chedked or replaced. If you don't see a vent tube going from the blower duct to one of the distributors, the chances are the belt is OEM. The belts decay with ozone and result in single distributor function---not good.
3. Crank the heater and blower ***** to high and make sure heat comes out of all upper vents and defroster.
4. Run the air conditioner at max while car is in neutral and check to see if the compressor clutch is engaging.
5. Run a magnet over all panel to make sure they have not been replaced with fiberglass because of an accident.
6. If the cylinder heads have not been machined to accpet a gasket, you could end up with costly oil leaks in the 89 and the 90 models. Therefore, you may want to look for a 91 to 94. Be real picky about oil leaks, they are real common but not all oil leaks are of the same level of cost.
7. You may want to have an engine compression check done, but if you take it out and red line it in each gear and it feels and sounds real good. That should suffice. The oil pressure guage should read at or near 5 bars at acceleration and around 1.5 to 2 at idle.

8. More than likely the battery is near its end if OEM. The 964 has a lot of ongoing battery draw to support the electronics when the car is down. $120 bucks.

9. ZR rated tires are $180 to $200 each

10. Ask if the car has been tracked.

Hope this helps, i didn't ask or check these potential issues when I bought mine and so far, except for a few minor quirks, the Porsche gods have been good to me and my baby.
Good luck

kgorman

Good advice from others. Also check for rust. My criteria was no rust at all costs. We are blessed here in CA to have good cars, but if you see one where it's an import from another state, just pay attention to any corrosion. The carfax will show the history of the car in terms of where it has been registered.

Also, check for body damage. It's hard generally to detect, and these cars are getting on it years so it's not uncommon to see repairs. Just look for bad repairs. Look for uneven spray or overspray, bad panel alignment, missing stickers, latches or doors that dont close, or just paint that looks shabby.

hope that helps.

Michael Delaney

I can add one thing. Familiarize yourself with the numerous dashboard lights by looking in the owners manual. Make sure they ALL work. Some expensive repairs can be hidden here by removing light bulbs.