speedwalker

Can any provide advice on the acquisition of a low mileage, previously repaired C4S? The vehicle looks & rides great. However, I am not certain whether the painted bonding on the metal area inside the front trunk is original or the result of a major repair. In addition the screws around the rear bumper guards are missing.

teflon_jones

No offense intended, but nobody on an internet forum is going to be able to tell you anything about a car they can't see! Take it to a Porsche dealer and get a PPI (Pre-Purchase Inspection) done.

okbarnett

Get a pro body shop, or porsche dealer to inspect it.

pongobaz

PPI and paint density check by a reputable dealer is the first thing you should do.

fast1

I am not certain whether the painted bonding on the metal area inside the front trunk is original or the result of a major repair. In addition the screws around the rear bumper guards are missing

It sounds like someone got their car repaired very cheaply. A body repair done professionally would be undectable to the untrained eye. The value of a Porsche that has been repaired takes a financial hit depending upon the severity of the repaired damage. To give you an idea of how sensitive this issue is, the Porsche Dealers near me will not repair minor body damage on the 911s on their lot until after purchase. They want potential buyers to see that the damage was superficial before it's repaired.

Adrian

Here's a little piece of advice when it comes to crash damaged/repaired Porsches. You only consider these cars if they are being offered at between 25 and 35% of normal retail price. If not run away. I personally treat crash damaged/repaired cars as being "in the trade" items not retail and treat them as such. Inotherwards act like a used car dealer would looking for cheap stock. If the owner does not agree then I take the appropriate steps. Very large ones in the opposite direction.
You can take somebody along with you who is an expert with a Paint thickness meter. Somebody who knows what they are doing can quickly draw a picture for you of the exact damage, how and where it was repaired. If you purchase a repaired car at retail prices of today you are more than likely to be seriously hosed when you try and sell it.
A little trick to see if the car is bent. Ask for the tow hook. Remove the tow hook cover and try and insert it. If it goes in easily and to its full thread length then the car is pretty well assured not to be bent. If it goes in at an angle or it starts to tighten up after a few turns, run away.
Believe me when I say I speak from personal experience. There was a time not long ago when these forums along with the rest of the Internet did not exist. In those days you were on your own. I got done due to lack of experience when purchasing a Porsche and I got hosed when I went to sell it and the purchaser turned up with a Paint meter and knew how to use it. The picture he drew of the damage hidden under the paint was quite scary.
Also keep in mind that if the car has been damaged, you do not know how long it took to repair. Crashed cars can sit around for quit a while whilst the insurance companies battle things out. This allows the elements to go to work on the exposed metal. Once the old nemesis "Rust" has found its way into the car it is doomed to rot away from the inside out. Rust spreads like a cancer unseen for years until it decides to rear its ugly head for the world to see.
The Porsche corrosion warranty does not cover crash repaired cars unless for some reason they (PCNA) approved the repair and inspected it afterwards before it was released back to the customer. Very rare these days.
Ciao,
Adrian.