Questions about PPI

[Surfncpa]

Thanks, Pedro. Very valuable answers for me!

From reading your site that you linked, I am thinking you steer clear of giving opinions of value of the car versus the price and just report what you see about the car?

I bought my Boxster from a Subaru dealer that acquired it on a trade in. They claimed to have done a pre-inspection and gave me paper work detailing what they did. Unfortunately it is in the car so I can't refer back to the document at the moment to see what exactly they inspected. About a week after I bought the car I took it to the Porsche dealer for 75k maintenance. I find it odd that neither the Subaru dealer or the Porsche dealer discovered the damage from a rodent infestation. The current mechanic said you wouldn't see the damage unless you had some reason be checking things on the top side of the engine or actually pulled the engine. I guess that makes sense. I presume an independent PPI would have likely caught such an issue?

[mikefocke]

is you arrange a price with the seller so he knows you are serious. You arrange with a very experienced Porsche mechanic to do the PPI and he at least tells you what he is going to do or, like Pedro, shows you the form he will use. You expect to pay for the PPI. The best thing is for the seller to deliver the car to the PPI mechanic's place of business. Then the seller and the buyer get briefed on the findings. If nothing unusual gets found, the deal is completed at the agreed upon price. If something major is detected, then both the seller and buyer get the same info and can negotiate from there.

Very similar in concept to a house inspection pre- purchase.

I bought one car without a PPI and one with. My mechanic had a several page form he used so we all knew what he was looking for. My seller was motivated (it was February and there was 6" of snow on the ground, best time to buy) so she was happy to deliver the car. Nothing serious came out in my PPI beyond needing a brake job and an alignment and tires but it could have. I had everything from compression figures to alignment specs.

My mechanic is no longer in business so I didn't mind sharing his form with Pedro when he was developing his.

The PPI depends on the experience of the mechanic. A good one will point out all the little stuff and, because he knows these cars so well, is so much better than the new owner just driving the car. Perfect, no. And no two mechanic's PPIs are exactly alike or cost the same. From memory, mine cost around $250-300.

Are they perfect? No. Catch everything? Not likely.

[ppbon]

Originally Posted by Surfncpa

The current mechanic said you wouldn't see the damage unless you had some reason be checking things on the top side of the engine or actually pulled the engine. I guess that makes sense. I presume an independent PPI would have likely caught such an issue?

I don't agree with what the mechanic said.
One of the items you must check is the condition of the air filter.
In order to do that you have to access the engine from the top.
Another place that must be inspected is the front of the engine because that's where the secondary systems such as A/C compressor, alternator, water pump, belt, belt idlers & tensioner are located.
By removing the top and front engine covers the inspector can look at almost every nook and cranny in the engine.
An Boxster inspector also needs to use an endoscopy-type viewer to be able lo look at the air/oil separator's bellows which is not visible otherwise.
Also, as I said in a previous post, the inspector needs to use his/her nose as well as eyes and fingers.
So, a properly done inspection would have caught the rodent infestation.
Happy Boxstering,
Pedro

[Mike_Yi]

It is critical that the inspector is looking out for your interests rather than the interests of the seller. In other words, you don't want to have the owner's normal shop do the PPI. If they "help" the seller sell the car, the seller will likely continue bringing their business to that shop. If the shop reports something major, the seller may never use that shop again. Always choose a shop that has no relationship with the seller.

If you do it long distance, most shops will discuss their process with you in depth. If they don't, find another shop.

Use the findings of the PPI to negotiate price. For example, if the car needs brakes, Genuine Porsche parts (pads and rotors) will cost just under $1000, and that doesn't include labor.

IMO, if you can avoid it, do not have a dealer do the PPI. They hope to sell you some parts and service. So they may tell you stuff is bad that is not. When I bought my car, it had 45k miles on it. The dealer who did the PPI told me it needed a clutch. It's got 65k on it now, and the clutch is still good.

[cbbepop]

If you don't have your own trusted mechanic, easiest will be to call and arrange an appt at a porsche dealership. I think they charge an hour for the PPI about $125. But careful PPI are not always accurate.

[RandallNeighbour]

Just to throw in my two cents' worth here....

Buy the youngest S you can find, and don't compromise on anything you really want in your Porsche. Colors, features, mileage, repair and maintenance records, and so forth.

If you can only afford a base model, wait and save more money. No one gripes about the extra HP but we all gripe when forced to live with less, especially in the 986's. The newer 987 base models have as much HP as the late 986 S's, which is great, but if you drive both you'll see for yourself.

I so wish I had been far pickier. I'd be driving a 2003 S right now. Drive a lot of boxsters before you decide on one in particular. Then get that PPI.

Happy Boxster hunting! This is a great time of year and in the middle of a deep recession to be looking for a pre-owned boxster. You should find a lot of excellent examples for a lot less than normal in January when there's snow on the ground and our Congress has slapped us all with higher taxes.