996 Turbo Advice
Discussion
I've spotted a nice looking Turbo S for £29500 (private sale). I have contacted the seller regarding an inspection. The seller is in London (no reply yet so not sure where a bouts) who would be the best person/organisation to ask to carry out the inspection? And what would the approximate cast be?
Any other advice on these vehicles, what to look for etc would be appreciated.
Any other advice on these vehicles, what to look for etc would be appreciated.
Agree with DKL I'd get an indie that's used to servicing and tuning them to have a look up on the ramps, drive way inspections won't be as thorough and indies will be used to looking for tell tale signs, underneath etc, if they won't take their car to be inspected by an indie, I'd walk away immediately!
Budweiser said:
I've spotted a nice looking Turbo S for £29500 (private sale). I have contacted the seller regarding an inspection. The seller is in London (no reply yet so not sure where a bouts) who would be the best person/organisation to ask to carry out the inspection? And what would the approximate cast be?
Any other advice on these vehicles, what to look for etc would be appreciated.
The 996 Turbo is just a used car so a thorough used car checkout is paramount. The 111 point inspection techs use for CPO'ing a car is a good starting point.Any other advice on these vehicles, what to look for etc would be appreciated.
Regardless you assume nothing works until you verify it does work and works right.
First, visit the car cold and with the A/C off -- so the radiator fans don't run or run as hard and the engine runs hotter (you check the A/C later) -- turn the key on and verify all warning lights including the CEL come on and then go off as the engine is started and begins to run.
Let the engine idle while you walk around the car. Have the engine compartment lid open. Let the engine warm up. Ideally warm enough to check the oil level. This can take up to 15 minutes based on the data I have seen from my 996 Turbo while it is in the shop getting its oil/filter serviced.
Listen to the engine. 'course it helps a great deal if you know what a healthy Turbo engine sounds like and how it behaves as it idles from cold to warm to nearly hot.
After this idle time have the seller take you on a test ride. The route should be 15 miles long and encompass a variety of roads so you get to experience the car in a number of different scenarios. Pay attention to everything. How the engine pulls, returns to idle, how the shifter works. The list is endless. But it is important you pay attention and look for any signs of an issue. Wrong boost curve or too low a boost or too high. Hot idle oil pressure. Coolant gage needle position. Voltage meter gage. And on and on and on. This is why you are a passenger. So you can focus on these instead of your driving.
At the end of this test ride then you take the car out over the same route, driving the car the same way.
Back at the starting point the 2nd time if you still like the car and believe you can swing a deal for the car perform a thorough used car checkout. Now is when you run the A/C temp/vent/fan speeds controls through their paces. You have the seller raise/lower the spoiler a couple of times while you stand outside and watch/listen to the spoiler go up and down. You test the lights, power seats, radio, wipers, windows, everything. Everything.
Like I started with you assume nothing works until you verify it does work.
Then if you still like the car have it PPI'd. This comes last and as soon after your test ride/drive as possible. The test ride/drive is to give any leaks time to show themselves, among other things.
The PPI gets the car in the air and checks with a bright light all the usual leak areas. Where is this? Simple: Anywhere there is a hose, connection, gasket, or seal. You focus on say radiators and miss a leaking tranny, for instance.
The PPI reads the DME overrev counters and the engine run time. He should be able to go over the meaning/significance of the DME overrev counters. The engine run time you use to sanity check the car's odometer.
Run time divided into odometer miles gives average speed. Average speed is 30mph. Real low (down in the low 20's or lower) is a car that has been driven around town. Real low (mid to low teen's) could even be a sign the car has had its odometer tampered with. For these cars with real low speed averages you need some independent way to verify the mileage. Service history records is one.
Remember there is always another car.
Happy shopping.
Rockster said:
The 996 Turbo is just a used car so a thorough used car checkout is paramount. The 111 point inspection techs use for CPO'ing a car is a good starting point.
Regardless you assume nothing works until you verify it does work and works right.
First, visit the car cold and with the A/C off -- so the radiator fans don't run or run as hard and the engine runs hotter (you check the A/C later) -- turn the key on and verify all warning lights including the CEL come on and then go off as the engine is started and begins to run.
Let the engine idle while you walk around the car. Have the engine compartment lid open. Let the engine warm up. Ideally warm enough to check the oil level. This can take up to 15 minutes based on the data I have seen from my 996 Turbo while it is in the shop getting its oil/filter serviced.
Listen to the engine. 'course it helps a great deal if you know what a healthy Turbo engine sounds like and how it behaves as it idles from cold to warm to nearly hot.
After this idle time have the seller take you on a test ride. The route should be 15 miles long and encompass a variety of roads so you get to experience the car in a number of different scenarios. Pay attention to everything. How the engine pulls, returns to idle, how the shifter works. The list is endless. But it is important you pay attention and look for any signs of an issue. Wrong boost curve or too low a boost or too high. Hot idle oil pressure. Coolant gage needle position. Voltage meter gage. And on and on and on. This is why you are a passenger. So you can focus on these instead of your driving.
At the end of this test ride then you take the car out over the same route, driving the car the same way.
Back at the starting point the 2nd time if you still like the car and believe you can swing a deal for the car perform a thorough used car checkout. Now is when you run the A/C temp/vent/fan speeds controls through their paces. You have the seller raise/lower the spoiler a couple of times while you stand outside and watch/listen to the spoiler go up and down. You test the lights, power seats, radio, wipers, windows, everything. Everything.
Like I started with you assume nothing works until you verify it does work.
Then if you still like the car have it PPI'd. This comes last and as soon after your test ride/drive as possible. The test ride/drive is to give any leaks time to show themselves, among other things.
The PPI gets the car in the air and checks with a bright light all the usual leak areas. Where is this? Simple: Anywhere there is a hose, connection, gasket, or seal. You focus on say radiators and miss a leaking tranny, for instance.
The PPI reads the DME overrev counters and the engine run time. He should be able to go over the meaning/significance of the DME overrev counters. The engine run time you use to sanity check the car's odometer.
Run time divided into odometer miles gives average speed. Average speed is 30mph. Real low (down in the low 20's or lower) is a car that has been driven around town. Real low (mid to low teen's) could even be a sign the car has had its odometer tampered with. For these cars with real low speed averages you need some independent way to verify the mileage. Service history records is one.
Remember there is always another car.
Happy shopping.
RocksterRegardless you assume nothing works until you verify it does work and works right.
First, visit the car cold and with the A/C off -- so the radiator fans don't run or run as hard and the engine runs hotter (you check the A/C later) -- turn the key on and verify all warning lights including the CEL come on and then go off as the engine is started and begins to run.
Let the engine idle while you walk around the car. Have the engine compartment lid open. Let the engine warm up. Ideally warm enough to check the oil level. This can take up to 15 minutes based on the data I have seen from my 996 Turbo while it is in the shop getting its oil/filter serviced.
Listen to the engine. 'course it helps a great deal if you know what a healthy Turbo engine sounds like and how it behaves as it idles from cold to warm to nearly hot.
After this idle time have the seller take you on a test ride. The route should be 15 miles long and encompass a variety of roads so you get to experience the car in a number of different scenarios. Pay attention to everything. How the engine pulls, returns to idle, how the shifter works. The list is endless. But it is important you pay attention and look for any signs of an issue. Wrong boost curve or too low a boost or too high. Hot idle oil pressure. Coolant gage needle position. Voltage meter gage. And on and on and on. This is why you are a passenger. So you can focus on these instead of your driving.
At the end of this test ride then you take the car out over the same route, driving the car the same way.
Back at the starting point the 2nd time if you still like the car and believe you can swing a deal for the car perform a thorough used car checkout. Now is when you run the A/C temp/vent/fan speeds controls through their paces. You have the seller raise/lower the spoiler a couple of times while you stand outside and watch/listen to the spoiler go up and down. You test the lights, power seats, radio, wipers, windows, everything. Everything.
Like I started with you assume nothing works until you verify it does work.
Then if you still like the car have it PPI'd. This comes last and as soon after your test ride/drive as possible. The test ride/drive is to give any leaks time to show themselves, among other things.
The PPI gets the car in the air and checks with a bright light all the usual leak areas. Where is this? Simple: Anywhere there is a hose, connection, gasket, or seal. You focus on say radiators and miss a leaking tranny, for instance.
The PPI reads the DME overrev counters and the engine run time. He should be able to go over the meaning/significance of the DME overrev counters. The engine run time you use to sanity check the car's odometer.
Run time divided into odometer miles gives average speed. Average speed is 30mph. Real low (down in the low 20's or lower) is a car that has been driven around town. Real low (mid to low teen's) could even be a sign the car has had its odometer tampered with. For these cars with real low speed averages you need some independent way to verify the mileage. Service history records is one.
Remember there is always another car.
Happy shopping.
Thank you for taking the time to reply, really helpful and I will be taking your advice. I owe you a couple of pints if your ever in my neck of the woods or if you need advice re security for the house or business just contact me.
Early days but not heard from the seller yet....
Thanks again everyone....
Viewing a private sale turbo you may well not get a test drive automatically, expect to be asked for proof of fully comp insurance on other people's cars, which more than likely you won't have. You may have to offer a deposit for a test drive, let alone a PPI.
As to what to look for yourself when you get to view, there is a lot, some obvious from looking at the car or starting it up (tyres, discs, rear spoiler rams, ac cold, heat shields rattling, warning lights, body damage). Other stuff harder to spot can be dear, such as turbo actuators, leaking rads, worn suspension. Most of the London Porsche specialist garages do PPIs, so whichever is nearest the seller should be able to help if the seller is willing to give up the time.
As to what to look for yourself when you get to view, there is a lot, some obvious from looking at the car or starting it up (tyres, discs, rear spoiler rams, ac cold, heat shields rattling, warning lights, body damage). Other stuff harder to spot can be dear, such as turbo actuators, leaking rads, worn suspension. Most of the London Porsche specialist garages do PPIs, so whichever is nearest the seller should be able to help if the seller is willing to give up the time.
mine's still for sale Budweiser
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/p...
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/p...
Edited by ashway on Wednesday 20th March 22:03
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