21K strong buy with stronger PPI.

Some PPI's check light blubs and point out door dings and wont do borescope or drop sump plate and do compression/leakdown test.

An expansive PPI is needed.

 

I've gotta run to the office and do some work, then hopefully i'm gonna test drive it after traffic dies down in a few hours. Either the engine runs is in good shape or it's not. I'll try to take some videos of the engine sound for you guys to check out.

 

Wow. Is that a launch edition with PCCBs? Thats cool.

Good luck @drmain1! Car looks like its been kept in great shape. Those AC switches can easily be replaced. You can do a core exchange from www.MAcarbon.com for like $160 and they look OEM.

As for miles, check out the high mile thread. I think another 997.1 is getting up near 200k and a bunch in the 120-150k range. I personally would take a car that's been driven everyday and cared for than a car thats been a garage queen.

If you like working on cars this car will be an epic hobby and a fun car. And for that price you really aren't taking much of a risk. Put in comparison it would cost you more for a rusted shell air cooled car than this.

Some tips and recommendations for the PPI:

1. Absolutely, positively remove the oil filter and inspect for any debris. Its the best way to see what's going on in the engine. I would also take the oil pan off too to inspect the sump. Its a 1hr job for somebody that knows what they are doing. They can also scope the bores while its off. Jake at Flat6s has a new youtube video showing tips on how to do that.

2. Definitely make sure you get a DME report

3. Check for any leaks, particularly around the transmission

4. If it had a replaced IMS it should may have a sticker somewhere


Things you can check during your test drive, which are typical maintenance items on these cars:

- Ignition switch: check if it turns over immediately of has a slight delay between when you turn the key and the starter fires up. If there is a delay the switch is going bad. Costs about $150.

- Coolant expansion tank: take a flashlight and inspect closely for any spider cracks or bubble gum looking substances around the tank. These will dry out with age and crack. Cheap part, a bit of a hassle to install.

- Strut mounts and suspension: drive over some potholes or rough road at low speed and listen for any knocks in the front suspension. Then take some higher speed turns on rough roads and listen for any rattles in the rear. When you are in the turn and load up the suspension you can isolate which strut the rattle is coming from, if any. Push down on the front and rear of the car to check the struts. They should be firm, not jiggly. Check for any leaks in the struts. Check the condition of the foam yellow (will probably look black now) strut stops. They typically rot with age. If they look good that means the struts may have been replaced already.

- Starter/Alternator cable: Get the car over 200F oil temp then turn it off and and restart it. If the start feels slow or sluggish the starter/alternator cable is bad and needs to be replaced. Another cheap part but involved install.

- Engine mounts: look if either tailpipe is lower than the other. These should probably be replaced at those miles anyway. Cheap and easy part to replace.

- Exhaust tips: check if the left (or right) look excessively black. That could mean scoring, or a bad coil pack.

- Excessive smoke at startup: ask them not to start it today so you can do a cold start when you arrive. Look for an excessive smoke. That could be a bad Air Oil Separator (or scoring).

- Ticking or knocking: as a California car I wouldn't suspect bore scoring but keep an ear for it when idling and get a PPI.

- Check to make sure it tracks straight, no vibrations (not even a little), and it brakes evenly.

- Get down on all 4s to inspect the inside of the tires. They wear first. Your center tread may look like fine but your inside edge may be completely shot. With those miles I would not expect it to have old tires, but check for any cracks and dry rot in the treads anyway.

- Oil pressure: check to make sure the gauge reads 0 when you put the key win the ignition (before startup). It should read 5 duding a cold start. Once to 200F it will idle between 1-3 bars. It should read above 3.5 (typically 4-5) whenever you hit the gas.

- Mirrors: check the passenger side mirror. That one tends to go out.

- Frunk switch: that tends to break. Cheap replacement.

- Headlights and foglights: hazing can be polished out. If they are crazed (spider cracks), then cant. Very expensive to replace.

- Check the oil pan and engine carrier for any signs of bottoming out. Check in front of the front wheel wells for any cracks or missing plastic in the underside panel.

- Look under the car and see if the engine looks pitted or rusty. That would be a tell-take sign it hadn't spent its entire life in California.

- Check that the passenger window goes up automatically and doesn't stop halfway through

- Check the seat belts retract properly and don't stick. (Can be fixed easily)

- Check to make sure all the switches in the PCM and AC work: heated seats, etc. Check to make sure both power seats controls work.

- Check the windshield and seal to make sure it's good. if it had an aftermarket windshield they sometimes put crappy seals in that rot. You have to replace the whole windshield to fix it.

- Check if putting it into 1st or 2nd is overly notchy. this is "normal" when the car is cold as long as its not excessive. If the car hasn't been used for a while it may be a bit stiff but that will improve once its driven more. Also listen for any grinding when shifting into 4th or 5th the first time.

- Look under your left exhaust pipe at the water pump. Check for any visible leaks or signs of prior leaks on the hoses around it.


Thats what I can think of off the top of my head. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

Test drive wont tell you anything from the list above.

Last PPI I didnt from a dealer lot car shop replaced the oil filter the day before PPI.

PPI caught it. Said its not uncommon for used car lots to do this. Zero to few miles on new oil and new filter to mask what could be an expensive issue.

Be careful and good luck.

 

Nice summary. Can you elaborate more on what you mean by no vibrations? "- Check to make sure it tracks straight, no vibrations (not even a little), and it brakes evenly"

 

Thanks TheBruce. This is good advice for all of us.

 

Drove the car just now and it actually was pretty clean, i felt that some of the other 911 C2S that i've drive have a little more power but i'm sure it could be time for a new set of plugs and coil packs. I attached pics of the PCCB if someone can tell the condition. I have a video of the engine sound i'm trying to work on uploading.

 

For the video, upload it to YouTube and then post the link here.

That small section of that one rotor looks good. You need to look at the front and back sides of all of them, and carefully around the circumference for any chips, but from what I see on this one, those rotors don't looks to have been tracked as there aren't any dark splotchy areas which is what happens when the carbon ceramic starts to wear and come apart.

Not sure what the black streaks all over the wheels are though. Unless that car hasn't been washed in a thousand miles, or was just driven in the rain, you might have a wheel bearing problem on that wheel as PCCB brakes are almost dustless. Now it was driven in the rain, the little bit of dust that gets caught in the vent vanes can get washed out and then spray around like that. Does it wipe right off with your finger like it's dust or is it greasier, like oil?

Here are some different pictures of what pristine PCCB rotors should look like on the surface.

 

Hey there - yea I was just referring to alignment, tire balance and brake wear. It shouldn't pull one way or another and the steering wheel should track straight (during my PPI we found mine was off a bit which the prior owner fixed). the steering wheel should not vibrate at all, not even a little. I had got lulled into thinking a very tiny vibration in my wheel was normal until my indy got in the car and instantly told me my front wheels were out of balance. He was right and I was embarrassed.

And when braking it should track straight, not pull one way or another, squeel or shutter. But, PCCBs may be noisier than regular rotors. Would ask Pete about that.

 

If this is your first Porsche not likely that you will hear or feel the things mentioned.

Remember, used car lots are kings at detailing cars.

Dont fall in love with how clean she is.

 

I haven't noticed that to be the case. Maybe a whoosh sound when the brakes are engaged and the rotors are spinning against the pads but no squealing or scraping sounds. Not like steel brakes for the track can make.

 

PM sent DrMain! I'm local to where that car is and would like to offer a 2nd set of (admittedly inexperienced with 911's) eyes. Want to start understanding more about what used examples of these cars look like for when I buy mine within the next few months.

 

Thanks again guys, the car will be at the PPI tomorrow. What are the chances that this 2005 has the larger stock IMS bearing? The mechanic says for $1k he will start dropping the transmission as soon as i buy the car to sort it out.

 

Virtually no chance. Launch cars are the first ones built to introduce the new model which means it's an early 05, like one of the earliest. You should have an IMS Solution kit ready to be installed if yiure going to pay money to have the transmission removed. I guess there is a chance that someone has already addressed it and installed an aftermarket IMS bearing but not knowing when that may have occurred, all of them except the IMS Solution have a service life of about 50,000 miles - the Solution is lifetime.

Personally, I wouldn't spend the money on the trans removal until you're lined up for the replacement work.

 

the mechanic is ready to go to install a new IMS bearing, obviously, check the clutch out probably swap it regardless at 150k it's probably ready for it's second.