Hi!

Been creeping on these forum pages for years now and finally signed up due to the fact I might be buying a 03 4s today or tomorrow but had a few questions.

First off the car is $33k with 89k miles great service records up until 2018 and it is currently for sale at a Porsche dealer which is a plus in my eyes to a certain extent. The issues is they do not know if the IMS has been replaced there has been no documents from PO's and they cannot find anything. The salesmen gave me the oh ive never seen an IMS fail thing but after researching this for the past 2 years the IMS on an 03 c4s is something that worries me. They just did a bunch of work and provided me the docs on that and it is pretty much up to date in terms on service at 100k. The car inside and out is clean from the pictures, the inside looks better then many newer cars ive owned. The question here is do I roll the dice on the IMS, they changed the oil a few days ago so even if I pull the filter there wont be much of anything in it. I am going to ask to see if it has been over revved and since its an auto I would "assume" not.

I am somewhat of a weekend warrior mechanic, ive always done my own work on basic to intermediate stuff and have the budget to replace the IMS right out of the gate if I wanted to. This will be my DD but I run a home based business and to be honest spend 99% of my time working at home and we have a brand new SUV we use to get groceries and things like that, so this will be a fun weekend toy and something that I take out to do little trips during the week if the misses is gone. It wont be a garage queen but if something needs to be replaced it wont be a big deal to have it sit in the garage for a week or two.

this is a car that I have stared at for about 4 years as the wallpaper on my computer, and told my self id buy once i tick a few goals off the list.
Any thoughts?

 

The IMS on a 4S is a single row bearing which has a higher chance of failing. I would replace it with the IMS solution if I were you -- just get it done once and for all.

 

If you plan to keep it for a long time, just do the Solution . Don’t overthink this one.

 

price wise does it seem like a decent deal? it seems like prices are all over the board this year

 

Seems reasonable from a dealer with the way things have been going this year. I'd be more worried about bore scoring than the IMS tbh. One is addressable, the other is expensive. Get it scoped & buy it if it checks out imo.

 

As an owner of a 03 4s I wish you the best. $33k seems like a very good price if its in as good a shape as the pictures depicted. Immediately do the IMS Solution/clutch/flywheel and put in the UAOS as well. Then drive it like you stole it!!!!

 

OP - Proceed with cautious optimism and buy the car if it ticks your search criteria. As noted replace IMS and install a UAOS for longevity and peace. Price seems pretty good for a crazy market. Bore scoring is always a worry. Ask the dealer for a bore scope of both piston sides of bores if you commit to buy on condition. You’d cover all your bases for ballpark of $4k and have a beast to drive with all the freakish new amount of free time you’ll discover.

 

I agree that a bore scope is more important than the IMSB prior to purchase. And if the bores are good, the IMS Solution would be the next logical step. Yes, both of those cost a good deal of money, but it’s all much cheaper than a replacement engine (about $20k).

 

If you buy this car, leave the IMS in place but replace the IMSB immediately.

 

You don’t want him to get the shaft?

 

What are you betting the same dork that told the OP he had never seen an IMSB fail will say he has never heard of scored bores on these cars...? OP I hope it works out for you. The C4S is an awesome car.

 

Ask the dealer if they are willing to replace the IMS or come down on the cost of the car the price to replace it.

 

My 02 C4S had the original bearing at 99K.

 

That will never happen. My local dealer wanted $5500 to change mine. Indy did the solution for $3000.

 

Assuming you get the car, it's a simple decision. 2k for an IMSB or 25k for a rebuild. I would replace the IMSB. No need to be a hero.