Volkert

Ditto on above. If you like a project this could be one; still I think you can find better ones if that is your goal. I think you can flip the discussion and ask yourself if all the necessary work is done to have the car in drivable state again what would it be worth? 12k? Because it did not run for 7 years so likely there is stuff to be fixed you don't know about yet. So what is then the value of what is currently for sale?, 3-4K?

dporto

I'm afraid JI is correct on this one! If you're just looking for a project that will take a long time to sort out, and you don't mind spending countless hours and money on that car is for you. I wouldn't pay more than roller money for it, because more than likely that's what it is - or will be shortly... buyer beware!!!

FRUNKenstein

Every time I buy a project car, I end up regretting it.

Every.

Freaking.

Time.

kromdom

If this car was remotely close to a "good deal," I would have expected THE MECHANIC to have undertaken this project already. He obviously already knew years ago that it was NOT worth his time/money/energy/grief, etc.

808Bill

These are all around the country
https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/invent...ting=177736837

ejdoherty911

My guess is you think you are buying "a cheap Porsche." Let me tell you that animal does not exist in the wild. Viola metallic, sitting for 7 years, transmission problems, body damage, driver seat stuck, prior damage, owner refused to put any money into it... HOLY FREAKING SHEETS - you are about to purchase a very very expensive Porsche.

Atrox

Do this with it

dblvanos

I agree with kromdom, the biggest red flag to me is why is the mechanic not swapping trans and selling the car.

If if you can get a solid reasonable answer to that then buy it. I agree that you may be able to find a solid car for the same end money, but sometimes that is borning.

KoB

I really have no horse in this race -- and personally, I would probably walk away from that $7k car. But, the potential problem with all those $15k 996's out there is that you still have to find one that has been properly maintained. Otherwise, you can drop 3 to 5k on deferred maintenance items ... and end up spending about what a decent car would cost anyway.

KoB

Probably true. Although I had an interesting conversation recently with the owner of a local auto repair business. He was telling me about the number of cars -- a surprising number, at least to me -- that have been abandoned by owners who brought them in for repairs and then just walked away.

Like most shops, he'll start assessing a storage fee seven days after the owner is asked to pick up the car -- whether it has been repaired or the owner has elected not to repair it. After a month, he sends a registered letter to the owner detailing the storage charges. At some point, the storage cost reaches the point where he can file a lien on the car. I know that he has had complete and partial cars in this process for years ... maybe not seven years, though I think he said he'd had some things sitting around for almost that long.

The upshot? He hates to do this. He says - and I believe him - that he really doesn't want to take ownership of cars, doesn't want to put time and money into cars for sale, and doesn't particularly want to sell cars. Obviously, everyone runs their business differently, and I'm sure the laws governing this stuff vary state to state ... but it may simply be that the OP's mechanic let this car sit for a while because he was too busy to file the lien, and then just couldn't be bothered putting his own time and money into it. It's easier for him to sell it as is, and he turns a profit either way. Why he didn't do that years ago is anyone's guess -- but I can understand why he might not have done any repairs.

808Bill

Absolutely plan on spending 3-5K in this price range. But a driving project car is better to start with than the one being discussed. A thorough PPI is a must.
There are several under $20K that look like good buys as well.

black04

From your description one can not say that this is a transmission problem.
If I remember Auto Shop 1a, the clutch is between the engine and the transmission. So the transmission is still turning when you push in the clutch.

I'm not sure what that means, but the solution may be more simple than you think. Maybe the clutch or clutch bearings. Maybe even an LSD problem.

Someone who knew more about transmissions would probably drive the car and note if the noise changes with acceleration, deceleration and cornering, with and without throttle

Chris(MA)

Even if you get a good $15k car (mine was $14.8k and so far no scored bores, no cracks, very low oil consumption, good mileage etc) you still have to drop money in.

After driving it 6 miles from where I bought it, I spend $2500 just on parts and tools (my labor, so free) before I comfortably drove it...

It still needs some minor things...

Kris Murphy

If you end up buying it, I have a transmission available out of a 2000 C4. PM me if interested.

chamilun

i bought a running car with higher miles for 6500 a couple years ago. offer him 5k