How to tell if IMS bearing replaced?

[JayG]

Sure, no problem
Drop the transmission
Easy

I would be wary with that sales history. Get a PPI done including checking the oil filter. If the oil was just changed, there could be something being hidden.

[husker boxster]

Originally Posted by JayG

I would be wary with that sales history. Get a PPI done including checking the oil filter. If the oil was just changed, there could be something being hidden.

I buy / sell cars for a hobby and I generally change the oil before I sell them. I don't want a prospective customer pulling the dip stick to see coal tar. That says to me the owner doesn't care.

2 sides to every coin.

The answer to the OP's question is no, there is no easy way to know. Not sure if Jake keeps a registry of VINs or not, but I doubt it as that would get complicated. Your best bet is to bargain the price down assuming it needs replacement.

[pony13ca]

If you haven't done it, check inside the door for the LN sticker. That is where my sticker is. And I know a few other members have their sticker there also.

[Giller]

A 15 year old car, well taken care of by the original owner....and now someone has come along to 'flip' this car? That doesn't make sense to me - especially that part about no service records?
Logic tells me that most people who want to flip and make some money buy a car in less than stellar condition, fix it up and then sell it at a profit. Tough to do on a depreciating asset, but can be done.
I question how well taken care of it was originally for someone to come in, scoop it up at a low enough cost to be able to turn it around and sell it.
My worry would be the second owner bought it and discovered something very bad and is now trying to get out from under.
Get a PPI!

[JayG]

Originally Posted by Giller

A 15 year old car, well taken care of by the original owner....and now someone has come along to 'flip' this car? That doesn't make sense to me - especially that part about no service records?
Logic tells me that most people who want to flip and make some money buy a car in less than stellar condition, fix it up and then sell it at a profit. Tough to do on a depreciating asset, but can be done.
I question how well taken care of it was originally for someone to come in, scoop it up at a low enough cost to be able to turn it around and sell it.
My worry would be the second owner bought it and discovered something very bad and is now trying to get out from under.
Get a PPI!

That was the point I was trying to make in post #2
You elaborated nicely
Another question is why it has a stage 3 clutch, if it even actually does. That is not normal for a non track car.

As far as the IMS, my concern is that the flipper found metal in the oil filter, a sign of IMS failure and is getting rid of it fast.

What is the asking price? other details on the car?

Strange that the Carfax shows lots of service but there are no paper records. Where was the service done? You may want to check with whoever was servicing the car about the car.

When I bought mine, the CarFax was 3 pages of service from a local Porsche dealer. i spoke with them about the car and found out they saw no problems with it and had serviced the car about a month before I bought it. Same with teh 996 Targa I bought, called the indy (which is one of the top indy's in So Cal) that had been working on the car for the last 3.5 years. They knew the car and told me it was one of teh best 996's they had ever seen