anyone know any info on this turbo[http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...7523334&Log=0]just got the vin #wpoab29922s685072

 

Looks like a decent deal.

 

anything I should do before I buy the car?

 

Get a PPI!

 

Yes a PPI is an absolute MUST before you buy any used Porsche. It's the best $200 you can possibly spend! (or maybe $250, depends on the particular dealer)

Is this going to be your first Porsche?

That looks like a great price for the car, and if the owner is advertising it at $35k and doesn't say "firm" anywhere on the price (which I didn't see in the listing), then you've got a decent shot he's willing to take at least a thousand less and maybe more. I'm curious what options it has. In general the options don't affect the retail value all that much other than the X50 package which generally adds $2-3k to the sale price. Are those chrome turbo twist rims too? It's hard to tell in the photos. Those are usually a love/hate thing and most people really don't like the chrome.

The only thing I wouldn't go for is the supple leather. It doesn't last nearly as well as the normal leather and shows its age ten times as much. It looks good in the pictures but I'd expect in person you're going to notice significant wear on the driver's seat with that much mileage on the car. These cars stay much more reliable the more they're driven, and that's not that much mileage on a 10 year old car anyway. It shows it's been driven consistently though which is a very good sign.

I'm a big fan of the darker gray versus the standard silver that everybody and their brother has! Post the results of the PPI and your test drive once you get them done!

 

yes this will be my first porsche and what is a ppi?

 

Pre Purchase Inspection. I just had one done at a dealer in VA for a car I am looking at, and it was $275, but they are always worth it. Even if they don't find anything, you're paying for peace of mine.

 

the old saying, you get what you pay for always holds true. If you are looking at a few, sometimes the cheaper car isn't the best deal. I purposely went for a certified preowned because I did not want someone else's headache. I got a pristine turbo and have not regretted it even though the price was higher than what I could have paid.

 

Here is a list of some things I tried to get answers to before I bought my 911. It's also in no particular order.

Smoker
Mileage
Curb rash on wheels
Chips on hood
Condition of headlights
Tread depth on tires
Brand/model and size of tires
2nd gear pop out issue
Driver side seat bolster condition
Do rear wing hydraulics work
Slave cylinder Replaced with 997 or GT2
Rain sensing wipers
What repairs/service has been completed lately
Have the coolant hose sleeves/water pump been pinned/welded
If this a dealer with a documentation fee
Any dings
Scatches on the "C" pilar due to the wiper
Are mounting points for rear tail lights broken
Any accidents or paint work
Flood damage

 

I saw that ad too a week ago, it looks like a great deal. If you look really close at the pictures it looks like there are some paint issues though. Especially the front end shot and the one of the passenger side fender. It looks like some scratches. For $35k I wouldn't expect a perfect car, but if it is mechanically solid that is a great deal.

 

http://www.carfax.com/viewEmailRepor...3D&language=en

 

The price seems very low for CA. Lots of owners too, which is a little weird unless they just moved in between dealers but I don't think it says "personal" then.

Definitely get a good PPI on it! I'm a little skeptical on it.

 

I agree. It's a deal if you get it for 33-34 and realize it has those things like higher miles and owners exc...A "real nice" turbo will run you about 40-50 depending on year/miles for example. And yes a PPI - IS a must.

 

An '02 with that kind of miles will typically be listed between $40-$45k in CA. I watched the market very closely for a while and bought an '02 with similar miles and options (supple leather) in June for higher 30s. (it was listed at $45k and later at $42k).

Mine also had a lot of owners but it moved in between dealers in Socal in a very short period of time. The last owner had it for 4 years, kept all maintenance records and had a full inspection done at every service, so I felt pretty confident the car was solid. I also had a PPI done and had my own mechanic look it over.

So, all that said, $35k is a very low list price

 

keep the car in 2nd and give it some gas and then off do this a couple times to determine if it has 2nd gear pop out! try to get the revs up