If you buy the car in CA and drive it home yourself I believe they are REQUIRED to charge you sales tax at the point of sale now. Yes I know that if you lived in CA you would be charged sales tax for the city you live in, but not out of state, last time I checked it was at the point of sale (I was looking into buying a CA car to take back to CO last year and that was the line given by several dealers. You may or may not be able to recoup that from AZ when you register it. However if you have them haul it to the state line then no tax. Check into it, it may be cheaper to transport it than pay the tax but in that case you'd want to go to CA and try it out yourself before signing for it.

I also believe the tires have to have a minimum tread depth if sold in CA. Maybe you want to replace them bacause of age? But if due to tread depth or lack thereof, that's something else to look into the law first.

If you haven't laid eyes on it yourself ask someone here who lives nearby if they can eyeball it for you. At the prices you are talking it's hopefully better than you are describing.

Wheels are easy, all kinds of 18" factory options all over ebay and craigslist for under $1000 for a set of 4. No way would I buy a single replacement wheel from a dealer.

Good luck, please keep us posted but if you walk away from this one nobody here will call you a fool...

 

tires are $1000

 

Good point Woody! And if the cupholder doesn't work, we all know the car isn't worth much more than a roller. Heck, it can have ticking sounds, smoke out the tail pipe, and all the MIL lights on, but if the cupholder doesn't work, you might as well dust your shoes off and wash your hands of that car and move on to the next one.

Word up?

 

Cupholders? These cars have cupholders? My 968 doesnt. My 911sc , 914 and 356 didnt. Are these sportscars or restaurants???? Another item to check out during PPI.

 

996 mk2 (2003) has cupholders like a pricey movie theater.

996 mk 1 - is a real sportscar, sans cupholders.

968 real sports car.

muuuaauahahahhahauahahaaaa!!!

 

1st rule of PPI: NEVER have it done by selling dealer.

 

I think the dealer is being somewhat up front. It is common for dealers to wholesale or send to auction their trade ins. Like this car, they would keep the car for a month, put on a low price to generate traffic. If nothing comes of it, they will pawn it off--inventory is money. There is a big market for wholesaling out--thats how all those small used car lots get their inventory by being chummy with car dealerships.

I would be more wary about the top fitment. To have it adjusted can be very time consuming and costly; and if they need a part would need an overhaul.

 

+996. = $$$$$

 

Exactly, asking for a "PPI" from the wrong person can be embarrassing. Just ask Tom Cruise, he'll tell ya!

 

So I'm passing on this car. There's a 6 year gap in the service records that can't be found. Too much risk it didn't get serviced properly. Guess that's another kissed frog that didn't turn into a prince. I will keep looking. I have a really great 968 sitting in my garage, without a factory cupholder, that will keep me going until I find the perfect 996. Thanks for all the sage advice. Maybe what I need to do is start to define the perfectly optioned car as a guidance (psm, pasm, pdq, 40-way electric seats, power visors, etc.)

 

I think you made the right decision.

 

Wise decision weedhopper. This is what I often counsel. Wait until you find what you really want. It's out there somewhere.