H.H.Chinn

Welcome! It sounds like you know what you're looking for. There are quite a few cars changing hands lately. Some are staying in the U.S. and some are being shipped back to Europe. My car was purchased from a fellow Rennlister, and shipped from around mid nation in an enclosed trailer as I did not have the time to drive it back nor did I want to traverse the snow covered passes in December.

gjones1735

Hi Guys,


One thing I didn't really think about was cars that might have had some damage in the past. I know it will hurt resale and may disqualify it from winning a concours event but is there any real reason not to buy one if it was repaired well and you get a really good price. Here's an example of what I'm talking about:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?t=459998


This is just an example, but there are lots of cars like this floating around. I appreciate your thoughts.

Thanks in advance,

George

guardsredcab

Hi George, Welcome from a fellow newbie. Just bought a '95 993 a few weeks ago. Actually took me several years to find the one I couldn't resist. In the meantime, I bought a 996 cab (fun and polished, but just not the same). I echo the sentiments above regarding price... from my very recent experience,$30K will get you a lot more than $25K. regarding purchasing a car that has had damage, I would only do it if you can see it in person before buying. my cab had been repainted (taken to bare metal), but fortunately, it was only a 3 hour drive to see it in person. Although there are reputable shops in most areas that will give you an unbiased opinion, it's ultimately your money at stake. Good luck with the search!

Tango635

George, there is a 97 C2 blk on blk that seems to fit your bill in the classifieds for $24000 with 97k miles, slightly more miles than your target but the car has some good maintenance work behind it. Car's located in Dallas. Good luck with the search

gjones1735

Hi Tango635,


I saw the one in Dallas. It appears to have been well maintained. The black on black with dark window tint was a bit on the dark side for me, although it's been well documented here on Rennlist that black cars are the fastest The owner appears to have surrived the heat and the sun of Dallas with this setup so having black on black can't be that bad here in Virginia. No idea what the inside looks like and Dallas is 1,400 miles away so there are airfare, motels, gas, etc. in going to get it ( I would probably drive this distance myself )

It becomes a question of doing a car like this for something like 20K or doing a much lower mileage car like this:

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...standard=false

Its one of the cars I've been watching for the past few weeks to get a feel for the 993 market. A pretty much showroom example of a '96 in polar silver with only 39,800 miles. I watched it as the price went down and down and finally the guy put it up on EBay and just sold it for $30,000. With EBay fees that means he took in the high 20's for it when all was said and done. Its about $10 grand more than the black/black Dallas car but I could drive it for 8 years before it equals the mileage that is on the Polar silver car from NJ. Of course, the NJ guy hasen't done all the repair work and modifications that the Dallas guy has.

The arguments go round and round...

I appreciate all the car links and advice. Please keep sending!


Thanks again,

George

95 C4 993

I spent about 3 months looking for a Dodge Viper and bought a Porsche. I didnt know a thing about 993's but after I test drove one locally, it was right up my alley.

I purchased mine on Ebay almost 7 years ago---95 C4 with 34k on the clock--bought unseen and drove it back from Incline Village (Tahoe) and a 1 year later, bought the C4's previous owners 77 Bronco Sport. Driving the C4 back from Tahoe was a blast--about 560 miles and a grin the entire way. Both vehicles are great examples of their years, model, and limited production (only 539 95 C4's).

I always wanted a black on black sports car and I found one that fit the bill.

Best of luck on your search!!

grwoolf

I personally would not buy a car with this kind of damage in it's past, but the price is compelling and I can understand why people do. For me, it's more about the right car, not the best deal. If I did go down the path of buying something like this, I would have to be very, very comfortable with the shop that did the work, get under the car myself, take a bunch of measurements, etc. Structural metal/tubs/frames are not really meant to be straightened, but sometimes that is the only path that makes sense. The only really right way to fix structural stuff IMO is to cut out the bent stuff and weld new stuff in, and there can still be problems getting everything aligned. I've looked at a lot of cars that have been fixed after accidents, and it's rare that I can't find a significant issue with the way it was repaired, and I'm not a professional. Beyond the known issues you can see, there are possible unknowns that even the best shops can miss, so it's a bit of a crap shoot. You can win big getting a nice car at a killer price or end up with an unfixable issue that plagues you forever.

For this particular car, the fact that they didn't replace the airbags after the wreck would be a deal-breaking red flag for me. It doesn't exactly scream "let's fix it right and make sure it's safe". If they cut corners on an easy, fairly cheap issue like airbags, where else did they cut corners?

JasonF

On the flip side of the accident-history coin, my current 993's door was replaced when the previous owner slipped on some ice and banged into a tree. Since one half of the car would be newly painted (or blended) and the other half original, the owner decided to pull out all the stops and respray the entire car at great cost to him.

I had copies of the insurance adjuster's report, the body shop report, and felt fully confident that the damage was not structural at all. Since ANY HINT of prior bodywork will send many buyers to the exits, I was able to get the car for a very good price (plus the seller was motivated to get some cash to restore a Jag E-type he found abandoned in a barn).

So I have a car now with 103k miles and a fresh paint job completed by a well-regarded shop. The moral of the story is not all accident history should be treated like the plague. Make sure there's adequate documentation, and if you're intent on purchasing, get all the bodyshop records and even have a new shop inspect for possible structural damage.

Quadcammer

hi miler with 18s and a valve job?

if so, can u pm me your thoughts?

thanks!

ship4u

Hi George,
Your plan is well thought out and I agree with all of the excellent advice you've received. I just purchased a beautiful black cab, low mileage, well cared for, at an excellent price. As others have said, it is important to be patient.
I looked at a black cab in Maryland that seemed like a good price, but it turned out to be a dog. I am a firm believer in tuning into the owner, and you can get a good feel for how the car was treated and maintained. I would pay a little more and avoid a car with issues, or, as they say "deferred maintenance," which is a kind way of saying that the owner didn't take care of the car properly.
With today's economic troubles, there are excellent cars out there at very good prices.
Regarding previous damage, I would avoid anything but a very low speed incident, and I would have to be convinced that the work was done top notch. A good PPI can help if they have the equipment to judge paint thickness, etc. I would probably avoid the white car you mentioned because it was damaged so badly it had a salvage title at one point.
Feel free to pm me if you want to talk more.
Don

LuftKuhler

Hi George,
I echo the others about taking the time to get the right car. It took me over a year to find the car I wanted. I found it on e-bay but never hit the reserve. I called the guy 2 months later, he had not sold the car and was able to negotiate a price we were both comfortable with. In the end I got a 7 year old car (in 2003) with 12k miles. Patience is key....

As far as long distance transport...I bet there would be a lot of offers for someone to drive it home for you!

Texas993

I have seen and driven the Black Dallas car mentioned above. Yes, it is a nice car. Not cosmetically perfect (road rash and worn driver's seat), but mechanically sound. PM me your phone number if you want more details. I have no affiliation to the seller.

gjones1735

Hi guys,


I just got back in and saw all the postings and pm's. I really appreciate the great advice and the personal car buying stories. I guess that in the end, every car is different and each one has to be judged on its own merits. There really are some great cars out there at amazing prices these days.

How does the group feel about 30 to 55K mileage cars in excellent cosmetic condition with good service records for $30K versus the 80 to 100K mileage cars that have more options, top-end jobs, clutches, etc for 20K? I've been wrestling with a more expensive "garage queen" class car versus a very well maintained, 33% less expensive, higher mileage, more rock chips and dings type car that I wouldn't hesitate to drive most days and leave parked all over town. This is my first P-car so I don't have a real good feel for how it might affect my life.

Please keep sending the cars and pm's. I really look forward to them.


Thanks,

George

Duckman

Welcome, George. I found and bought my 993 in January. For reference, here's my experience.

I live in the Charlotte area and the car was in Chicago. No problem. I found a local specialty shop for the PPI, which cost $500, including compression and leak-down tests.

The car had 78,500 miles but it's in excellent shape, as demonstrated by the PPI. It also is loaded with extras. See my signature. The price was $27.5k but I had to put new tires on it before driving it home to NC. I picked it up in a Chicago snowstorm, waited it out overnight, and drove home the next day.

Overall, it was and remains a great experience. Good luck with yours.

gjones1735

Hi again all,

Anybody familar with this car...


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?t=438878


The search continues. I appreciate all the help.

George