smackboy1

I have a deposit on a 2002 C4 Cabrio from a non-Porsche dealer. From my examination it looks in good condition. I guess the downside to a non-Porsche dealer is they are clueless about the car. It's scheduled for a PPI but I had some questions:

Where is the electric pump for the collapsible spare located? I couldn't find it.

What does the hardtop removal/installation tool look like? Where is it kept?

How does the hardtop defroster get power? Is there a harness you have to plug/unplug somewhere?

Is there supposed to be small plastic covers for the 2 holes where you insert the hardtop tool?

I found a small steel tool in the glovebox which look like a crank or wrench for something, but I don't know what it is for. Anybody know what this is?

TIA

pl

lol
u are like buying MY car.

Where is the electric pump for the collapsible spare located? I couldn't find it.
the guy at the dealer car wash sold it on ebay last week it should be with the spare tire, in the front trunk. i don't have it either.

What does the hardtop removal/installation tool look like? Where is it kept?
it's a L sharp tool, with red plastic handler.

How does the hardtop defroster get power? Is there a harness you have to plug/unplug somewhere?
don't know, but my hard top does have power.

Is there supposed to be small plastic covers for the 2 holes where you insert the hardtop tool?
yes. mine is missing too. $5 each in your local p-car dealer.

I found a small steel tool in the glovebox which look like a crank or wrench for something, but I don't know what it is for. Anybody know what this is?
that's for the hardtop. not the org. equipment, but it works. (hopefully) i have this in my trunk

plus, make sure you have all the floor mats, lic. plate holder. etc.

programmatore

First thing you have to do is LOCATE AND READ THE OWNER'S MANUAL! All the answers to your questions are covered in the manual. Make sure the dealer includes one with the car.

You can also find an online manual on www.renntech.org. But in case you need to know the answers now...

There is no electric pump for the spare. The spare is not collapsable and you must make sure it is inflated at the proper pressure (it is something ridiculously high).

The small steel tool you found in the glovebox IS the hardtop removal tool. You use the red plastic end to pop off the hole covers and the wrench end to tighten/loosen the hardtop mounting pins.

There is no harness for the hardtop defroster. They get power from the mounting pins.

The same 2 plastic hole covers that you popped off earlier will be reused once you put on the hardtop. The hardtop should come with 3 pastic pieces/covers -- 2 covers that look like speaker grilles and a plastic cover to cover up the latch over by the dome lights.

Good luck on your purchase and make sure the dealer gives you a manual -- either the one that came with the car or a brand new one if the previous owner lost the original.

programmatore

Oops. Just re-read your original post. You have a C4. Yeah, you should have an air compressor. My bad.

smackboy1

Thanks for all the other info, I am downloading a manual from Renntech.com as we speak.

The metal tool I found in the glove box doesn't seem to be the hardtop tool. It's all metal and the shaft is about the same diameter as the hardtop mounting pins and it has 2 pins at the bottom. The dealer removed the hardtop with a torx headed ratchet. There's no plastic and no prying end.

Where exactly is the electric pump attached? The spare has never been used. All the tools were in a cloth bag inside the spare wheel, but no pump. How much is a pump?

programmatore

I don't know what that tool is. Doesn't sound like anything that came in the tool bag. It might be one of those emergency tools you can use to smash the window in case your car falls into the ocean and you need to bust open a window to get out before you drown.

On the bottom of the trunk beneath the carpet/liner you should find the spare. In the middle of the spare should be the tools, air pump and a big plastic bag where you can put the flat tire -- the front and rear tires will not fit in the trunk so Porsche supplies a plastic bag to put the tire in so your car's interior doesn't get too dirty when you haul the flat tire in the car.

4s

Just make sure you get your car inspected by a place that has NO affiliation with where your buying it. I just learned that the hard way

Palting

The electric pump is not attached to anything, and consequently can be anywhere in the car. It runs off the cig lighter. The pump is a small flat black box about the size of a thick book. Programmatore gave you the most likely location. I keep mine wedged between the spare tire and the wheel well.

A word of caution where you are buying the car. One of the posters on the board bought a Porsche from a Ford dealer, and has sorely regretted it. Only bullheadedness and sheer determination has kept him from torching the car altogether. Hey, Bob, this is your cue!!

Another word of caution on the car. If you are buying this in the US, there was NO 996 C4 cabrio in 2002. The last year for the C4 here in the US was 2001. The C4S coupe was introduced here in 2002, and C4 was discontinued stateside. The 996 C4S cab was intoduced here in 2004. AFAIK, there were no C4 cabs available from any US dealer in 2002. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

an02boxster

!-800-PORSHE can help you get history on the car. Servicing dealer then can get all the service records. A car that old should not be missing all that equipment. Previuos owner did not car enough. Or the dealer workers have it.
.02

smackboy1

Right, I've been reading Bob's posts. Very unfortunate. Which is why I am holding the car on deposit pending a PPI w/ compression/leakdown test at the Porsche dealer. I'm also getting a bumper to bumper extended warranty to cover any surprises. The service history is clean, no RMS, no engine replacement, no major issues. It's a 1 owner lease-return vehicle so it is kind of surprising that so much stuff is MIA.

I think you're mistaken. In 2002 with the facelift and 3.6L engine, the C4 COUPE was discontinued in the US (available in Europe I believe), but the cabrio was available as a narrowbody C4. A quick perusal of Porsche.com's preowned search confirms this.

pl

the dealership near me had a 02C4 a few month ago, asking for 62K, sold very soon.
how much is yours if you don't mind.
also, big tip, do the PPI with the tech in the dealer(most of them are nice, after all, you paid 2 hours laber), u need to learn a lot if this is your first 911.