cwalvoord

I test drove a 1998 C2 Cab today and all the carpets were loose. Not the mats but the carpet that is supposed to be glued(?) to the metal floor pan. Driver, passenger and both rear seats could all be lifted up to expose bare metal. I was surprised as the outside of the car is immaculate, the PPI from a shop recommended here and other places said there was no evidence of body work, it drove well, and the car has only 36k miles. The carpet also had a number of black stains. There were a few other minor issues, driver seat did not raise and lower (a problem for me as I am 6'4"), replacement wheels (Fiske), replacement top was OK but not perfect (no wind deflector???) missing tire inflator, and the oil gauge on the left (temp?) did not work. I really wanted to buy this car but something just did not feel right.

Any thoughts on the loose carpet?
Thanks
Chris

cpdjfd107

Either the PO tracked the car and removed the carpet for weight reduction (unlikely as it is a cab, most aren't used for track), or it was in some water. The black stains are probably mold the seat controls could have shorted out from the water. Not all cabs had wind deflector so no biggie there. I would pull up all the carpet and check for any other signs, rust? Possible current water leaks? Good luck.

vjd3

That's a bit bizarre, because the glue that holds that carpet in place is tenacious, ask anyone who's tried to remove the carpeting. It's difficult to even get it out in one piece, much less put it back without any adhesive and have it be presentable.

nile13

Ummm... I'm willing to bet my last $1 that the OP has not done a lot (if any) research and this was teh first 993 he's driven.

1. The carpet is not glued to anything. There are mats and there are mats under mats. They lay on top of sound insulation material. Just lay there. You heard it here first

2. Wind deflector is an option. Buy one if you want one (trust me, you want one).

3. Fikse. Sell them and buy 3 sets of OEM wheels for the money you get.

4. "Oil gauge on the left" is probably not a temp gauge (if you are talking about the leftmost gauge).

5. Seat did not go up or down - is that an electric seat? If so, what the front or rear not going up/down or both? Details.

In short, you are not ready, young Jedi. Keep looking at the 993 and driving them as well as do a search here for the issues. Ask questions, we're here to help.

cwalvoord

So I have one vote for tenacious glue and one vote for none. Not sure what to make of that. I do know the carpet was all loose though so that, plus the Fiske wheels, might suggest the track use theory is a good one, although this is a cab and the paint showed no signs of track rash.

It was the rear seat hight switch that did not work, the front went up and down just fine.

And FWIW, nile13, this was the first 993 I have driven but certainly not the first 911. I have done a fair amount of research. I bought my first Porsche (a 944) in 1988 and originally joined this forum back when it was called Porschephiles. There is certainly a lot I don't know about 993s but I am not a newbe to Porsches.

Thanks to everyone for all the thoughts.
Chris

cabrio993

Sounds like water damage to me. That carpet is glued like a son of a mother!

nile13

Chris, there is wealth of info here, so, as I've said, don't hesitate to ask. Based on what you've asked so far I thought that this is your first time in a 993.

Let's go over the carpets again, so to speak. Are you talking about horizontal carpeting in the car (i.e. the carpets that would be under the mats in any regular car)? If so, they are _not attached_ to anything. Imagine the car with two sets of carpeted mats. Well, that's 993. If however, you mean vertical carpeting, like those at the footwells, below the rear seats, under the thresholds, etc - those are glued with German nuclear-powered glue.

Let's make it even easier. What color was the car? When you pulled this lose carpet, did you see that color or did you see black? If black, was it definitely metal?

ro9beam2002

I am in flooring buiss, i have changed out various carpeted interiors in vehicles. Some use glue and some don't, yes it can be a bitch with some of the spray adhesives that are used... Most of the time, the padded felt/ sound deadening material is usually glued and the top layer "carpet" is usually molded and lays on top and then various trim pieces keep it secure. I love using hair-n-jute for the padding/sound underlayment or a synthetic felt.... then various cut pile wools for the "show area" These carpets are not molded, that is where skill comes into play