ppi whats involved

[Jimbo409]

Thinking of buying a 2001 s whats does the independent shop do on a ppi inspection.what should I ask him about to check

[jdraupp]

If the independent doesn't know what's on a ppi, then you probably don't want him/her doing it.

[rexcramer]

You need an indy shop/mechanic who is intimately familiar with Boxsters. Tell the forum where you are (geographically) and maybe somebody can point you in the right direction. Use the search function also, to gain more answers. There are too many items to list. You can always use a dealer. They will give you an itemized list with detailed parts and labor that you will find very sobering.

Spend the money and join the PCA. You can then get connected with your local chapter. They will be a huge resource that you can plug into. PCA members usually get a 10% discount on dealer parts.

Look and drive as many cars as you can. Good luck.

[RandallNeighbour]

One thing that's not included in any PPI I've asked about is a four wheel alignment.

I shall not buy another Porsche without having this done prior to purchase. Had I done it on my 1997 I would have found out quickly that the car had been wrecked by a previous owner and not repaired properly because it could not be brought into the sweet spot of the alignment specs.

It doesn't take much to mess up the suspension parts and sub frame on a Boxster. Slam a wheel into a curb when the rear end (or front end for that matter) cuts loose on wet pavement and bada-bing, you have serious expensive work to be done to correct it... and you just can't assume the PO didn't quietly get an alignment and keep driving the car or trade it at a dealership for a different automobile.

[Perfectlap]

Compression and leak down test. All of the money you will be spending to buy that car is for the engine. Without a running engine these cars are worth $40 and a pack of gum. Would you buy a house without checking the foundation? Of course not. You must determine the health of the engine before making an offer. Healthy engine with 40K miles is not the same as a 40K mile engine with red flags of trouble to come.

If you are absolutely serious about buying the car (post-PPI), I would make a deposit pending an examination of the oil. In other words you will be changing the oil before taking delivery. Inspect the pan, the filter is probably of no use because it may have been changed recently. Of course the pan may have been cleaned out as well but I would guess that to be atypical of the average seller. If you spot glittery things that can be picked up with a magnet in the oil...consult your mechanic on the source/cause to see if this an early warning of a $,$$$ repair.

[thstone]

Originally Posted by jdraupp

If the independent doesn't know what's on a ppi, then you probably don't want him/her doing it.

I agree. If they don't know what to do, go somewhere else.

Also, be aware that many owners won't allow anyone to do anything invasive during a PPI (where any part of the car has to be removed in order to perform the inspection). The logic behind this is that they don't want to get stuck with a big mess if something happens and the car is damaged during the PPI and its impossible to know what was pre-existing and what was caused by a careless technician during the PPI.

For example, were the spark plug threads in the head stripped before the PPI or did the PPI technician cause it? Good luck in sorting out a problem like this. This usually means an owner ban on removing wheels/tires, spark plugs, oil filter, oil pan, etc. and thus, most standard PPI's do not include compression test, leak down test, and/or oil filter/pan inspection.

If these tests are important to you, then be sure to discuss them with the owner to get prior approval and be sure to do the same with the shop to ensure that they are done properly.

[mikefocke]

The mechanic should have a standard form and a standard price for a PPI. Perhaps with several options.

Mine was three pages long and I saw a sample of one completed before I agreed to buy the car or paid for the PPI because I choose my mechanic before the car. I'd say it took 2-3 hours to do and at least an hour to go over the results with the owner and the buyer. I got the results in writing to.

I did have a leakdown as part of mine. My PPI found about $1,200 worth of things that should be done mostly things that were standard based-on-miles-driven items plus brakes all around. We did them (actually I added all the items on the 90k service recommendation since it was the most comprehensive and I was intent on establishing a baseline) and added tires and an alignment and I drove a trouble free car for 5 years that was more reliable than my Honda. I had owned a previous Boxster and expected those expenses.

There are enough cars around that if you want a PPI, you can go look for another car.