Landshark87

Possibly looking at a 2001 996tt tip w/ 77k. Are there any common troubles to look out for?

Trying to read as much of the posts here as possible, but i don't get much time on the internets lately. I appreciate any help!

parsonii

firstly make sure you're not overpaying for the car -- a tip with that many miles is worth less than 30k i would say. get a thorough ppi done; if the clutch hasn't been replaced expect to drop a few k getting that sorted out. make sure the 60k service was completed with replacement of the plugs. the dv's will need to be replaced and with a 10 yr old car with those many miles, you'll need new coilovers.

Mikelly

There is no clutch... it's a "tip".

And price is going to be subjective... I'd make sure to get the cleanest, best condition car (Year not specific) that you can and be prepared. These cars aren't outragious to maintain, but it ain't no Acura.

I own an 01 and have had zero issues with it, but have made some significant upgrades over the last 3.5 years. Differences in the 01 from the others are no glove compartment, "funky" cup holders and a hit-and miss issue with 2nd gear pop-out in the manual 6 speed versions.

This month Excellence Magazine has their annual "model in review" report with expected pricing. It is depressing for the rest of us to look at, but a good read for potential buyers like yourself.

Mike

Landshark87

thanks for the advice.

i've seen the "no glove box" thing mentioned a few times - what's the deal with that?

leftlane

LOL - show me a sub $30k 01 Turbo please. And I'd like a tiptronic with a clutch.

DVs would not "need" to be replaced. Coilovers would not "need" to be replaced. If a PPI checks out and the maintenance is up to date, then you can decide if the price is right for you. Beware lots of of advice that is entirely incorrect though. Do whatever Mikelly says - he'll steer you right.

Macster

At the top of this forum, read the sticky thread that starts with "Pending projects...." Here's a link to the thread. In the 1st post there's another link to a Turbo check list.

https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...ferrerid=46040

First and foremost the Turbo is a used car so use a good used car check list to go over prospective car from top to bottom and front to back looking for anything that needs attention or indicates you should reject the car.

As for things specific to the Turbo, a few things I picked up in my research when I was looking for one is the A/C condensors (and radiators) can leak. The condensors are rather exposed to rock and such while both are at risk from corrosion if the radiator ducts are not kept clean and free of trash/plant debris. This stuff tends to hold moisture and lead to accelerated corrosion.

I have no experience with a Tip but generally speaking you want to the automatic transmission to be smooth and jerk free when shifting from park to neutral to drive to reverse, etc. There should be no groans, noises and the engine's idle should remain steady though it might drop a bit when shifting from park to a gear. On the go either with a real light throttle foot or a real heavy one shifts should be smooth and quick. It helps to experience a variety of Tip equipped cars to get a feel for what's normal. Downshifts should be the same.

Check the spoiler works using the in-cabin button. Have someone work the button while you're outside and listening to the spoiler work. Keep your hands away from the thing.

There are more things but I have an errand to run.

Ok errand done. (Had to remove the clothes from the dryer so the clothes don't wrinkle!)

It is important to really listen to the engine. Before you start a cold Turbo engine be sure all dash warning lights come and when you start the engine all go off. You want to verify all the lights work -- no burned out or missing bulbs -- and that they all go off. CEL is important but all the lights need to work and go off to ensure at least the car's various subsystem controllers believe the car is healthy.

After engine start get out and walk around the car listening to the engine as it warms up. The engine should be free of disturbing noises. It helps to know what healthy engines sound like under these same conditions.

The idle might be a bit rougher than you would expect -- for example my 03's idle is not as smooth as my 02 Boxster's idle for instance but not as lumpy as my 06 GTO's idle -- but the idle speed should fall to near normal and the idle should get smoother. Let the engine develop some heat while you continue to listen.

Have the A/C off (at least for now).

Arrange to have the owner/salesman take you on at least a 15 mile test ride route. The route should allow the driver to subject the car to all sorts of driving conditions from city/stop and go driving, moderate and steady state crusing on roads with higher speed limits all the way up to freeway speeds.

Once up to operating temperature have the driver run the car up through some gears. You want to listen to the engine as it accelerates the car from a low (but not too low an rpm) all the way up to redline or very close to it. Ideally this test should be done in such a way the transmission gets to select one more more higher gears to continue the car's acceleration.

Upon slowing down pay attention to how the transmission downshifts.

The engine should pull smooth and strong, really strong as the boost comes on around 2700 to around 4000 and beyond.

After the test ride back at the starting point let the engine continue to idle and again now the engine and drive train are fully up to temp continue to listen to the engine for any scary or even suspicious noises.

Ideally you want to let the engine idle long enough to hear the radiator fans and the engine compartment fan come on and of course after a while which ever fans are on to shut off again.

Carefully check vital fluid levels mainly coolant and oil. You should have checked this with the engine cold, at least the coolant level. The oil level can only be checked with the engine up to temperature. Check hot idle oil pressure. These oil pressure gages (and senders) are not the most precise but an oil pressure reading between 1.5 bar to 2.0 bar at hot idle about right. I'd not reject a car simply because the oil pressure read a bit under 1.5 bar as long as everything else checked out but you should ask how old is the oil (how many miles on it) and what oil was used. If the oil has a lot of miles or the oil's not the right type, viscosity grade, this may be reason enough to reject the car.

Now you take the car out and follow the same route and this get a feel for how the car drives. The drive wants to cover all phases from backing up out of a parking space, to creeping along slowly in a parking lot, to accelerating up through the gears under light, medium and heavy throttle, how the car steers, stops, and so on.

Keep an eye on the boost gage display and the oil pressure gage and note under very hard acceleration the boost should touch 0.7 bar though only for a moment or so. Above 4K boost falls away so you will see max boost between 3K and 4K.

Oil pressure should be 4.0 bar or higher at 3K rpms. My Turbo's oil pressure gage needle twitches some between 3 and 2 bar but it is the sender or the gage that is at fault not the oil pressure.

Once back at the starting point again let the engine continue to run and again check for noises, look for signs of leaking fluids.

At this time you can turn on the A/C and verify it works ok. The engine might react a bit to the A/C coming on but the engine should recover promply and without any drama. As with most of the other things it really helps to have some experience around cars that are are known to be in good shape.

You want to test drive with the A/C off for some of the time to ensure the engine gets nice and warm. With the A/C on the radiator fans run full time and this works to keep the engine a bit cooler than it would otherwise be.

When the engine is shut off arrange to hang around some more and check under the car for any signs of fluid leaks. Of course at some point you or someone on your behalf (a test performing a PPI) will have to see the car in the air and thus be able to really check the car for leaks from beneath the car.

But this involves a PPI and if you can spot a fluid leak early you save a PPI.

The 30 mile or so test ride/drive is to give the engine controller a good chance to detect any error conditions (like misfires) and set the CEL. The seller may have on purpose or by accident (replacing the battery recently) cleared any error codes and you can't tell this without sophisticated equipment so a longish test ride/drive is necessary to give the Ecu time to complete all its tests. Well, most of them.

There are more things to check but these are the same for just about any car.

Once you have examined the car and have found nothing to cause you to reject the car and believe you can make a deal for the car then you need to have the car subjected to a PPI. During this among other things the Ecu overrev readouts want to be read. These less a problem with a Tip but still just to be sure. The car will be put in the air and signs of fluid leaks (or damage or damage repair, etc) among other things checked for. Look for leaks from the front of the car all the way to the back around the spoiler hardware.

Look for fluid leaks (or grease leaks) around the front diff, the cardon shaft, all axles and their CV boots, around the shifter linkages where they go into the transmission housing. Anywhere there's a shaft or something that fits into a housing that contains oil, grease, water or gas, check for any signs of a leak. You may not see the leak proper just the stain or discoloration. If underside of car exceptionally clean maybe it was steam cleaned to remove leak sign?

Tires should be N-rated, and all the same (save for front/rear sizes) and have some tread left. Wear should be even across the tread face from side to side. Rear tires may be worn more than the fronts. Typically a set of rear tires lasts half the miles a set of fronts last.

Brake discs want to be in good shape, no signs of heat discoloration, rust (inside rotor faces worse), holes free of stuff and no cracks or heavy scoring.

Look for bits of tire rubber on top of the underbody panels which is a sign the car has been tracked. If you find these and seller assured you car had not been tracked...

As for prices I'm not up on the Turbo market.

What has worked well for me for several car purchases including buying my 03 Turbo a year ago last June is to use one or several of the online sites that provide used car prices, from trade-in to private sale to retail sale to get a feel for the car's value at the various selling points.

Generally speaking a car is worth something between its trade-in value to its retail sale price. Various factors of course play a role that can move these values up or down some.

How much you pay over a used car trade-in value is between you and the seller.

Couple of things to remember: Price is not a fact only an opinion.

And there is always another car. Do not be afraid to walk away from a car that gives off the wrong vibes.

Sincerely,

Macster.

OCNYPORSCHE

+1 There seems to be alot of people magically appraising TT and giving them low prices. The best way to know a price is to see what is out there that is similar. Now way that car is under <30K unless it is a salvage title or has major issues.

Landshark87

thanks again for all the replies!

had to figure out what "dv's" were (i guess the same as a "blow-off valve, only multiple?) LOL

i will DEFINITELY be checking the AC on the car - used to have a 928 S4 with bitchy climate control, and that was not fun in the summer.

the price is actually $4k under Blue Book value, but i certainly will be haggling if i'm interested.

plastex

What kind of condition is the car overall? Interior in good shape?

Sebaflex

DV = Diverter Valve , quite similar to a Blow off valve, but it recirculates the air into the intake instead of letting it out to the atmosphere.

Good luck with your search

dantzig

Macster gave a really nice description of what to do for any used car, plus some specifics for the 996TT. I think that the OP wanted to know some of the problem-prone areas on the 996TT, and those haven't all been hit above. I've had several of these myself, and when looking through the forum for DIY's, I've found them to be common:

Fuel pump. Lives in the tank, and has several submersible lines. Tow of these are prone to failure by splitting. Symptom is loss of fuel pressure, and if bad enough the car will not run. I caught mine early. Listen for high-pitched whine from the front under the black half-dome shape, especially at low fuel level.

Rear spoiler hydraulics. Macster mentioned this one. $1500 fix if you go OEM replacement route.

Ignition switch. $9 NAPA part ($29 from Porsche) and a pretty easy <1 hour DIY. Does the key go in and out smoothly? Sticking is the first symptom. I caught mine before the car became undrivable. Some people have been stuck with a car that won't start.

Radiator leaks. I haven't had this one, but a lot of others have. Usually the outboard radiators, lower connections. Coolant is pricey. Failure can be catastrophic and inconvenient.

Boost leaks. These cars are a mass of plumbing, and boost leaks are pretty common. Symptom is less than 0.6-0.7 sustained max boost. Have a pressure test done to find them. Unless someone has actually gone through and zip-tied them all off, the car probably has some.

Clutch slave/accumulator. This is a problem on manual transmission cars, so not to worry for the tip. If your view extends to a manual car, check this out.

Jon

mdkelly1

+1 on Dantzig's comments.

Just replaced spoiler hydraulics (under extended warranty $1500), and the previous owner replaced the ignition switch.

Search for threads about coil packs and expansion tank/cap. If you decide to get a manual transmission car instead, look for threads on clutch accumulator. That should bring you up to speed.

They are great cars. Very addictive and very fast

You will also find it less complex than your 928, and not quite as comfortable on a long trip.

They are very good cars at great prices.

rocketrider2

To add to the list:
Front wheel bearings, seems about every 40K miles but YMMV.

I have an 01 that is pretty modified and so far the only "failures" have been the front wheel bearings, headlight switch and alternator. All of which my extended warranty covered. And I really cant even blame the headlight switch, that was more my fault than the cars.

Lane

dantzig

I have 62k miles, and all of my wheel bearings have been replaced, too. I didn't know how common this was.

Jon

ltc

IIRC, there was a TSB for MY01 where the check valve was replaced (look for a blue dot), helping prevent oil from draining back from the turbos...important at start time.
I would definitely check for this and make sure it was done long ago...