JT77

Hi, I'm new and looking at my first P car this weekend. Found a 997.1 6M Turbo at Carmax for a pretty good price. Can anyone give me some advice/thoughts on things to look for? Thanks!

jchapura

When you say "look for" do you mean "features"/things to avoid (options, model year, IMSB-proneness, etc.) or things to complete the purchase decision (maintenance records, over-rev report analysis, PPI results interpretation, etc.)?

JT77

Sorry, should have ben more clear. Any red flags I should be looking for when looking at the car and test driving? Thanks!

jchapura

No evidence of accident/repainting
Review the maintenance records (call previous Porsche dealers' service departments as necessary)
Review the over-rev report (want no high over-revs in the last month)
Obvious fluid leaks - engine, trannie, suspension
Set the stage to have your own PPI done
"Smooth" shifting/no noises
This is tougher without prior experience (because it's a comparison to prior 997 driving experiences) - "nice" clutch engagement/no noises
Nice idle (no hunting); acceleration in line with the model
No suspension noises - big clunks, groans, etc.
Sitting nice, at rest; balanced look; no "tilting"
Mods - suspension, engine, electronics, etc.; properly installed and to your liking
Engine oil level at normal; coolant level at normal; brake fluid level at normal
Tracks OK going down the road; no pulling while braking
No CELs (take an OBDII reader but also go deeper with PPI/Durametric/etc.)
Braking effort/feel - firm, not spongy; ABS not kicking in too early
A/C works

JT77

Thanks! Appreciate the advice.

Austin997.2

Bought mine specifically at Carmax for the warranty. See what warranty you can get with the car, I was able to get a 5 year for $3,000. If there are any issues you can get them fixed under warranty.

Macster

The 997.1 6M Turbo is just a used car so a thorough used car check out goes a long way in providing you some knowledge of the car's condition so you can make an informed decision.

Below is a cut/paste from something I've posted before on this:

Visit the car cold and be sure the CEL and all the other warning lights come on when you turn the key on and then go off when you start the engine.

Let the cold engine idle -- be sure to turn off the A/C for now -- while you walk around the car. Look at body panel fits and finish. Check the age of the tires. Porsche considers tires to be past their replace by date after 6 years. If the tires are not N-rated and matching you probably want to budget for new tires. If the tread wear is uneven budget for an alignment after having new tires mounted.

Check brake rotor condition. For cast iron brakes a 1mm lip around the edge of the rotor is a sign the rotor is worn out and new rotors and pads and other hardware will be needed.

If the car is fitted with PCCBs there will be no lip. You want to look for chips on the edges of the rotors -- these happen when the wheels are removed without using the rods screwed into the wheel lug holes and intended to *catch* the wheel so it won't drop on the rotor -- and the PCCB rotor surfaces look ok. No signs of delamination. No cracks.

My 2nd hand info is PCCB pads are replaced when they are worn to half their thickness.

Check the radiator ducts. If trash present and it wiil be budget for a front bumper cover removal to get that trash out.

If the radiator ducts are full of trash odds are the body water drains are too. Bring along a Torx tool bit set (get the security bit set) and use the tool to remove the screw that holds the panel on either side of the battery -- under the front trunk lid -- so you can view the front body water drains. If the trash is there get this cleaned out first thing if you buy the car. If the trash is wet, or worse, water is standing in the basin you probably want to walk away. Water can overflow into the cabin and the security module is located on the cabin floor under the passenger seat and this gets wet.

All the while you do the above keep an ear tuned to the engine. It should not make any knocks, ticks, or other sounds other than those of a healthy engine. The idle should be smooth and shortly after you start the engine the idle speed should drop to near its normal hot idle level. The idle speed should be pretty stable.

After some stationary checks then have the seller take you on a test ride. The route wants to be 15 miles long (at least) and selected to give the driver a chance to demo the car as you intend to drive it.

Stop and go driving. Boulevard cruising. Once the engine is fully warmed up then a hard acceleration run up through 2 gears then some highway miles. You want a real mix.

Back at the starting point change seats and drive the car over teh same route the same way.

The clutch engagment should be very smooth. You should not feel any pulsing through the clutch pedal.

At some point put the transmission in 4th or 5th gear at around 2K and floor the gas pedal and hold for a while. Just be aware with the Turbo you need plenty of open road ahead cause the car will gain speed like a lightning bolt in a hurry. You want to check if the clutch slips.

Back at the starting point if you still like the car give every system a check out. From the headlights to tail lights, brake lights. The spoiler. Open the engine compartment and carefully look at the spoiler hydraulics. This system can leak. Keep in mind the engine compartment fan can come on at any time. (My 996 Turbo has a 2nd fuse installed which causes this fan to run all the time the engine is on.)

Let the engine idle and be sure the radiator fans come on and both blow hot air and the same amount. The engine compartment fan will probably come on and be sure it runs and blows a good amount of air out the bottom of the engine compartment.

Use your nose. You should not smell raw fuel or anti-freeze. If you do there's a fuel or coolant leak.

Might add the engine should still be free of any "scary" noises at this point as well as at any other time during the check out.

Hot idle oil pressure can vary. With my Turbo cool days the oil pressure is at 2bar. On very warm days (90's and higher) it is under 2bar.

The oil level should not be real low or over the max line.

After all the above then ideally you want a PPI which among other things gets the car in the air so a thorough check for any leak sign can be made. Every gasket, seal, o-ring, CV boot, hydraulic line, line fitting, hose, hose connection, oil/water heat exchangers, radiator, steering rack lines and so on need to be checked for oil or water or other fluid leak sign.

A leaking water pump or radiator is not the end of the world but you have to factor the cost of addressing these or any other issues into your offer price.

Couple of things to close with. Price is not fact only an opinion.

And if you find something "wrong" with the car walk away. There is always another car.

Bruce In Philly

Check with the local Porsche club, send one of the committee members and email.... maybe someone can lend you a Durametric cable to dump the computer. If it is a manual, check for overevs..... you will also see all the hidden codes that don't trip the dash light.

Although, if the car has run for a few weeks since the codes were reset, you will see some odd error like communications-type ones which are normal.

I would never buy a P-car without a codes and over-rev report. When I purchased my 2009 from an out-of-state Volvo dealer, a Porsche speed shop there did a PPI for me (about $150), dumped the computer and emailed me the report. The Volvo dealer was more than happy to drive the car over and back from the shop.

Peace
Bruce in Philly