kingcrowing

What should I look out for?

http://www.rutlandmotorcars.net/1989..._142735480.veh

The dealer said this in an email:

"The magnetic bra is removable. *There are no real cosmetic issues with the car. *It is in very good condition. *There is no rust on the car and the underside looks very good as well. *There is a small engine oil leak. *Over the last 45 days the car has dripped a spot the size of a silver dollar. *I don't consider that to be a real issue in a car that is 23 years old."

PNine64

The description is typical. The bra is not only removable but easily removable. So easy that it should have been removed for the pictures. Depending on the condition, the price is probably a bit high. A search here on the forum will probably give you some additional things to think about. Don't do anything without a PPI.

dkcaims

Agreed... Seems high to me also!

Spend the money for a thorough PPI (could be 400-500 dollars) and have it done by a Porsche specialist.
Any service records? Detailed records does not mean a few receipts from grease monkey or pepboys. I would not touch the car without detailed service records, there are too many other cars to choose from.
I bought a c4 last summer without a PPI... beautiful condition, 122k miles. Decided to fix everything mechanical that needed to be addressed to the sum of $10,000.
Would I have purchased the car had a PPI been done? Perhaps, but at least I would have known what additional expenses were required to bring it back to peak mechanical condition and make a more informed offer on the car.
Water under the bridge now...

There are a few things to consider when looking at an '89 c4.
Search around, you'll find plenty of tips/advice.

Good Luck

kingcrowing

Thanks for the tips. I'm going to check it out for myself and take it for a ride and if I decide I'm interested I'll try to set up a PPI. I'll also take a look at documentation, hopefully they've got good records.

PNine64

I actually had trouble getting much documentation from mine because I bought it through a dealer. They cited privacy concerns for the previous owner. I'm not sure how that applies across the US.

kingcrowing

Yeah this is obviously at a dealer as well so it's hard to say what they'll have. Right now I've got an E36 M3 but I've wanted a 911 for a while and this place will take my M3 in as a trade (I know I won't get as much as a private sale but I may just take the hit and do it anyways).

dkcaims

Your first 964?
Here is why a ppi is most important for a 1st time Porsche owner.
If you've never owned a 964 before, there are certain characteristics of the way the car drives/sounds/feels that you might think are issues, but are just unique traits of the car and are perfectly normal...or just the opposite, you think the car drives fine, but a seasoned owner or shop might notice things immediately that just don't feel/sound right.

Case in point, albeit a MB, not a Porsche.
A few months ago, a friend was looking at a MB 400e w124 chassis. Really was in beautiful condition, but within just a couple miles, it just did not feel right for a number of reasons. I've owned a number of these cars in the past (IMO the best car MB ever built...the w124's) and can just tell when it feels right and apparently when it feels all wrong also. The friend who was with me however, thought it drove beautifully. While on the test drive, we stopped by a well known MB body shop and within 30 seconds he showed me evidence that it was in a major rear end collision. Very well repaired, beautiful paint job, but some welds were just not where they should be.

After I bought my c4 last summer, I took it to a body shop whose been repairing Porsche's for 35 years, had him look it over and the verdict was "never in a collision". Got lucky this time.

GET A PPI for the mechanicals at the very least !!! Maybe even find a Porsche body shop who can look at it from the body/chassis side of things.

dkcaims

Privacy concerns? I think that's nonsense for a dealer to claim that.


I looked at a 928 last summer at a Porsche dealer in Denver and they handed me a file at least an inch thick of receipts/invoices. Spent the better part of an hour looking through those.

dkcaims

Daily driver or weekend car?

kboustani

i have an 89 and love it.make sure you do a ppi regardless how good the deal is.good luck with your purchase.

kingcrowing

Weekend car, I live a couple blocks away from my office so I walk. Our other car is a 2010 Jetta TDI, so when we want an economical or more spacious car that's always what we drive.

Good points about the PPI. This would be my first p-car, I've checked out a handful but I haven't found the right one yet - this could potentially be the one, I like the color in & out, the mods look decent (not sure about the steering wheel and spoiler but those aren't big issues), I like that it's a 4, the condition based on the pics is great, it doesn't have super high mileage. I don't need/want a concourse car, I just want one that will be fun to drive on weekends or little trips around New England that is in pretty good condition which this appears to be if the mechanicals and body/frame seem to be in order. Also, it's pretty close to me which makes a difference because having to drive many hours to check it out isn't very easy.

I'm hoping I can get the price down a bit, but price wise it seems decent.

dkcaims

Sounds like you're patient, that's good.
Mods are all personal taste, but this car does not appear to be overly done.
The steering wheel is from a 996 (I think).
One thing I love about the 964 is I never see them on the road. M3's I see all the time.
In all honesty, since August last year, in the Denver metro and nearby mountains, I have not seen another 964 on the road and I'm out nearly every day. 993's a few, a few mid eighties 911's, but not one 964. LOVE THAT !
I think many people worry too much about price (assuming they actually have the money in the first place).
Did I over pay for my c4?... perhaps many people would think so, but when I hear the whine of the superchager, feel the tires on the road, the smile on my face says "I don't care"

kingcrowing

I totally agree about price, it isn't a huge deal if I pay a little more than other people say I should if I enjoy the car. I'm buying this basically as a toy, so if it makes me happy then a number shouldn't be the deciding factor. That being said if it's going to need $10k in service then I may pass on it, but I haven't even seen the car yet so who knows.

I'll be sure to post an update tomorrow after I look at it.

dkcaims

Look forward to it !
I've heard a few people complain about the 964 being "too slow".
Too slow for what?
I'll take a "slow" 1958 Ferrari over any other car currently made and I'll be smiling even when the soccer mom beats me up the on-ramp in her minivan.
The C4 plenty fast for me and it has "soul".
It has a raw feel that the later models just don't have.
If I want speed, I also have a 600hp MB E55...quite the sleeper.
I think I'll go play in the snow with my c4 for a couple hours

Have an awesome day!

Merle

My $.02. If it is without problems, I think the price is pretty much inline with the mileage. I still would try to talk them down a little. I bought my car from a private party, and even though I didn't pay someone to do a ppi, I did do my research and looked at all of the known problem prone areas that I learned about just by doing my research here on rennlist and on the pelican parts forum. I was able to talk the previous owner down $4,000 by doing my research. In some ways I think a ppi is good but in other ways not. I guess it all depends on the person doing it. Likewise, if you are not mechanically inclined or able to repair problems yourself, things can get expensive quick with these cars.