Help --quick inspection of 986

[kras]

I'm looking to buy a Boxster. What can I do to quickly inspect the car. How would I check the RMS. I will not be allowed to drive it, but I could possibly turn it on to check AC etc...

[racer_d]

RMS can be quickly checked by looking for a puddle of oil under the car. You won't get under the car without a jack or lift. Even then, there is no easy way, except as noted, to check the RMS.

How can you buy a car that someone won't let you drive? Seems shady to me.

Since you can't drive it, you are limited to the "visual" part of the inspection. Look at the paint and panel gaps, check for tears in leather or carpets. Looks for general and excessive wear throughout the car. Check the top for damage. Run your finger on the brake discs, near the outside edge, to feel how worn rotors are. Bring a flashlight and check brake pad thickness.. look under the car.. look for leaks. Look for missing undertrays..

[porschedude]

You should not buy the car if you can't test drive...that's so ridiculous.

[IowaS]

Originally Posted by kras

I'm looking to buy a Boxster. What can I do to quickly inspect the car. How would I check the RMS. I will not be allowed to drive it, but I could possibly turn it on to check AC etc...

This makes abosolutely zero sense to me....help explain the situation that would prompt a person to sell a car and demand that nobody can drive it?

[Frodo]

Look the guy square in the eye and educate him to the fact that NOBODY's going to be fool enough to invest in a used car, especially one as relatively pricey as a Porsche, without first driving the damn thing. That's ridiculous. As my kid would say, that even rises to the level of redunculous. You GOTTA drive it.

[kras]

Originally Posted by racer_d

How can you buy a car that someone won't let you drive? Seems shady to me.

The car is being auctioned off by the government. --and it will sell.

The only thing you should do quickly, IMHO, is run away from the deal. No drive, no buy. No PPI, no buy.

Auctioned by the government huh... Buy it then sell the 2 Kilos hidden in the car and youve made money, lol.

[Perfectlap]

you could make allot of money or you could lose all your money.
Drivetrain could be shot, car might have been in the Katrina flood, a whole bunch of things could be a problem. Pay only what you are ok with losing at the casino table. Do you even have a VIN number?

[Topless]

A car auction is a great way to unload your worst nightmare quickly if it still looks pretty good and the pool of oil underneath is hard to see in the dirt lot. Not a great way to buy a car unless you can get it super cheap, you like projects, and you can turn it over super quick.

A little background: My family leased some commercial property to a car auction for 5 years. You would not believe what went on in the back lot there.

[Franco]

Hi, if they don't let you test drive the car and it's not selling for at least half the market value walk away.
Boxsters can get very expensive to fix when falling apart.

Just MHO

[Brucelee]

Don't buy the car. As a former auto dealer, I am familiar with government auctioned vehicles.

A word to the wise.

[IowaS]

Originally Posted by IowaS

This makes abosolutely zero sense to me....help explain the situation that would prompt a person to sell a car and demand that nobody can drive it?

Ahhh the government........now it makes (no)sense.....