Are you currently looking for a 996 Turbo to buy?

 

I would validate its an X50.

 

Well done sir on catching the bottom of the market. And enjoying 6 years of driving excitement. Hope yours will soon be worth six figures. Providing you with a tidy profit. Sadly, the Napleton car would probably cost tens of thousands of dollars to solve its problems. The Carfax oddness was three owners and a transfer from California to Florida. Being sold in Illinois by Napleton on a Florida title. Perhaps all the Carfax oddness because it couldn't pass California emissions? Will be an unpleasant surprise for a buyer in Illinois when the emissions test is required for registration renewal. Did I mention Napleton refused to sell the car any way other than as is? No warranty available.

 

Honest question...how do you figure 10s of thousands?

 

How did you come up with that amount?

 

I'm assuming the worst. To start with. The button for the rear spoiler was removed completely to accommodate the (ugly) after market spoiler. Isn't that a reflection of sloppiness in execution? There was black smoke from the exhaust on start up. To feel totally comfortable, would much rather see it returned to stock. But can't help wondering if permanent damage hasn't been done. Perhaps my estimate is a bit high. What would you consider a more reasonable figure?

 

I still don't understand how you calculate the cost to be "tens of thousands of dollars".

I have no idea. I don't come up with numbers when I have no idea waht may be wrong with the car.

Are you actively looking for a 996 Turbo to buy? If so, then based on how you feel about this particular car, I'd suggest you proceed with searching for a different 996 Turbo.

 

Without knowing the code or codes associated with the CEL one can't say if it is easy (inexpensive) to fix or not. An O2 sensor related error code with my 2003 Turbo required 4 new O2 sensors at a cost of around $1000.

Not able to really comment on the convoluted car history. A google search using the car's VIN didn't turn up anything really suspicious about the car other than it is has been listed for sale from a number of towns in Illinois.

As for the price I plugged in the car's numbers into KBB's site and Fair Market value is $42,036 to $47,925. Suggested Retail is $45,952.

Trade in value range is $36,870 to $41,507. Trade in value is listed as $39,189.

Based on the above then and the CEL I'd say that $62,590 price is a tad optimistic, but that's a car dealer for you. Even if one manages to come in and negotiate say 5% even 10% off the price he's going to leave thinking he got a good deal while the dealer still banks a heck of a profit.

If one is really interested in the car take an OBD2 code reader and read the codes, active, pending, and permanent, and write them down. If you can clear the codes.

A thorough test drive is very critical for various reasons. I won't repeat my test ride/drive recommendations but will point out that if the codes are cleared it is important that the car being given a sufficient amount of road time to let the DME run through all the readiness monitor checks and set these to complete -- which you can confirm with the ODB2 code reader/data viewer.

If they don't complete, if the CEL comes back on again with the same (or different) codes that's very important. Now the car may still be worth owning of one has enough experience to make a good guess as to what it would take to address the CEL.

I mean for instance $1000 to replace all 4 O2 sensors is not the end of the world.

But I note the car's low mileage and a CEL at low miles tends to scare me, though knowing the codes would be necessary before going much further.

I won't post details of the used car check out but of course those PCCB's have to be carefully/thoroughly scrutinized to ensure they are in good condition and have plenty of life left. To freshen up just an axle's worth of PCCB pads/rotors can run into the several thousands of dollars (or more) so one wants to be darn sure those are ok.

 

What do you want to bet someone at that dealership has knowledge of what the CEL represents on this car, and has made an economic decision not to address it hoping someone just buys it anyway?

 

In the State of New Jersey it is illegal to sell a car that can not pass emissions, so therefore correcting the CEL prior to the sale would be a must.