38 replies to this topic

[Ian A McLaren]

After a week chasing the owner we finally got together and I got a look at the 1992 968 soft top but there are a couple of issues. The dash pad is junk (the car is originally from SoCal ) the radio is missing (apparantly had an aftermarket tape deck installed) and the airbag warning light is on. It has a hundred and five thousand miles on it but other than the aformentioned issues it is in vey good shape . Standard transmission that shifts well and no funny drive train noises . What are the ramifications of the above issues The car comes with a pile of service history about 2 inches thick . Shows the airbag issue has been an ongoing problem , Two clutch replacement and as far as I can tell two belt changes but no mileage on the last one . There are a mess of services so the car has been well maintained and the top is about a year old and looks great . Any input would be welcome . Thanks Ian

Edited by Ian A McLaren, 28 July 2013 - 06:50 PM.

[Inkedupfatboy]

I just bought a '94 that had sat for 5 years - 44K - lots of work to engine ( all belts/H2O pump/tune up/ All fluids flushed and replaced/Tires/ etc.....) $2900 initial service BEFORE turning a key. Got it running only to find a failed pinion bearing in transaxle - another 3500.00 - make sure it is the car for you before you pull the trigger...I am told interior parts are next to non-existent, so make sure you can repair/replace the dash before you buy. Search the site here for the PPI (Pre Purchase Inspection) thread! Tons and Tons of info! I have 9K in the car so far not including purchase price, but still well ahead of the game.
Good luck - best advice as a fellow new owner and site member? Read the info on this site!
Ed

[craigawoodman]

Have the shocks and bushes ever been replaced? Engine mounts and upper suspension mounts? Being a cab and a manual is there any firewall cracking? Also, being a 92 what ECU does it have and are all of the engine trim pieces there? Are the manuals, tyre compressor, spare, etc also present?

What about all of the seals, nose and side skirts seals in place? Do the headlights go up and retract as they should (headlight motors are expensive). Brake pads and brake fluid - when last changed? Cam chain and tensioners - been replaced? Leak down test for valve guides/leakage?

In short, get a really good PPI by someone who knows the car.

DME relay - when last changed? Idle control valve?

Lots if little things to check on a 20 year old car.

[Scott Collins]

Hello Ian,

Excellent comments, above. All good suggestions.

I would press the owner to provide some sort of documentation regarding the last timing belt change. That's a very important detail. If he can not, I suggest that you factor in the cost of doing the belts, front engine seals, and water pump. Parts alone will be about $650. Add another 6-8hrs labor. Since you don't know when this was last done, you should do it before driving the car.

Hope this helps.

Scott

[Inkedupfatboy]

Again, ditto on what Scott said. We did H20 Pump, Timing belt, Thermostat, Balance belt, plugs, DME, Oil change.
Flushed out fuel lines, Brake lines & clutch lines and tires, all before we started it...Do some serious homework here. You didn't say the asking price...I paid 5K for mine, and have so far put 9K into it...Make sure you look around online for comparable cars for sale...There was a showroom fresh 95 with only 15K on the clock that hit 21K online and didn't hit the reserve.

After doing some online homework and some forum lurking here, I figured the car was worth 17 - 20K. I figured It was going to run me 10k to get it on the road and so far the car has not disappointed me....I still figure it's cool, because many of the ones I have seen at dealers are in the 16 to 17K range.

Figure your budget too....if you have to put cash into it in large quantities, it is maddening to have a beautiful Porsche in the garage and at everyone's shop and not be able to drive it! I can talk of this personally. Since I bought the car, it has been weeks at two different shops and then weeks in my garage waiting to get back into the shop...It will however one day all be worth it..Once I get all the new stuff (valve cover gasket, fuel gauge, odometer, and temp issue) solved I still need to put on my strut tower, firewall, and castor braces, then front end alignment.

Keep researching....and good luck!! This was my first Porsche and I think I am hooked!

[hot968]

Make your choice based on tech stuff and how it runs and most important how well it was maintained. I brought my 968 based on just loving the look, the interior and exterior colors and I was told the oldest coupe in US, but I paid way to much for it and have gone through $15,000. in mechanical repairs so far. Still needs a lot of cosmetic stuff. BUT that being said I do love the car it drives like no other Porsche I have had.

[Inkedupfatboy]

Yea, I bought mine as it belonged to a friend who passed away. I loved it and thought, how cool to get a cheap Porsche - lol
It is one thing to do some research and say it needs between 5 and 10 K to get it up to prime, another thing entirely to have it in two shops for two months and then write the 10K in checks - lol

[Rap]

That's not true. If a well done PPI can be had by a mechanic well versed in the 968 you might very well expect time in the shop and a big check. The key here is the start from the PPI. These cars are 20 years old. Most of the items mentioned above may very well need to be replaced. Perhaps you might consider preventative replacement even if parts are still ok. They will eventually need replacement and it will cost less now and part availability may be an issue later. Get a estimate from the person who does the PPI on a major fix beyond what the PPI finds. Then see if you can negotiate with the big job. Winter time can can be slow in cold climates and a major job may be welcome during this period. I did a big job and did what I just said, except of course for the winter part. Then because I seem to like to flog myself, I went back in February to have a stage 3 installed. It will often boil down to just how much money you are willing to commit to a car. Then you should add more!

[Inkedupfatboy]

I bought the car - knowing it sat for 5 years - no test drive, no start, flat tires, dead battery and no keys - she had a key made - No PPI - just a bit of reading online, and I dove in....Actually, if I had known all this, and said, I will just go buy one done, it never would have happened.

[smshirk]

I bought the 80 911 Weissach, just becasue I wanted a Weissach, after it had been sittng for several years, Biggest mistake I ever made. 5 years later, still not done and I've put less than 1k miles on the car. I haven't even seen it in a year. Was supposed to pick it up Friday but he called early aftenoon and said not to come.That car will never be right.Less than a year after buying it I ran across a one owner with 30k miles that had been garaged its whole life. Moral is to wait for the right car, It will come along. Since I bought it, a rust hole appeared in the drivers door jamb!!!! They galvanized everything in 76, but apparently the door jambs hold water in one spot if not moved.

[gbarrier]

If it has been driven regularly then just be sure the belts are less than three years old and have fun. Others will tell you how to address the cosmetics such as dash pad. They're not new cars. There is always something that is approaching needing spiffed up a bit.

[Inkedupfatboy]

Keep us posted

[Ian A McLaren]

One other question I found traces of was seemed to be motor oil on the trunk surround it may have come from the power top rams are they a big deal if they need replacing? I've come up with a price and will know in the next two days if I'm an owner .

Edited by Ian A McLaren, 05 August 2013 - 09:05 AM.

[Inkedupfatboy]

check with some of the other guys - top parts from what I understand are almost non existent and if you can find them are priced out of reach for many.
Many guys run their top in manual mode just so they don't have to deal with a motor failure..

Edited by Inkedupfatboy, 05 August 2013 - 10:12 AM.

[tamathumper]

I wasn't aware there were any hydraulic cylinders involved with the cab top?

[hot968]

smshrik, WOW! I don't feel quite as bad as I have for buying my car-92-968, but the story is close to yours as I have not driven it much during the 1 1/2 years I have owned it. Always needs some kind of repair.

[flash]

there are no hydraulics in the top mechanism. it is cable driven. there may be a tiny bit of oil in the motors, but they are very small, so i would guess it would be no more than a cc or so each.

[Ian A McLaren]

Yes I have looked into the operation of the top and I was wrong about the cylinders (just a mild case of the stupids ,, sorry)

[AJG]

If you have deep pockets and can afford to throw money at it then yes buy one. If your budget is tight and you are a great mechanic ( like Flash, what a crawler I am)and don't mind junk yard seconds then you should be okay. If like me you just want to drive the thing and like me can't be arsed tinkering with it or you are maybe not mechanically minded or don't have somewhere to do that, which is an important consideration, then do not buy one. It will end up being driven much less than you might want to and just be a drain on your pocket. And they can be difficult to move on again, especially if there is problems. Don't say you haven't been warned.

[Inkedupfatboy]

Interesting AJG,

I have thrown much at this car financially since I bought it in April. About 10K plus purchase...In fact it is in the shop now for minor fixes and suspension upgrades...With the price I got it for, I figured I could spend up to about 10K at it to get it on the road ( I ballparked that number from some internet research on the cars) and it has taken every bit of it...As I own the car and drive it, I will see if your theory holds true and it continues to be a car that continually needs to have large amounts of cash thrown at it or if I can just drive it semi-regularly on the weekends with normal maintenance.

The bummer is I could have gotten my Volvo finished and on the road for what I have in the Porsche - and I chased my Volvo for almost 20 years before the owner let it go..