Long Distance Purchases

[thstone]

I have bought a few cars remotely. Contact the seller and get as many photos as you can. Look at them carefully and with discernment - looking at the reality of the condition, not with that wishful glance of an overexcited buyer.

Then hire a local mobile mechanic to perform a PPI and test drive the car for you. They will send you a detailed report along with the driving impression. This is easier in larger cities than in rural areas.

If everything checks out, send payment and hire a transporter to get it home! Easy as cake.

[dbear61]

I purchased my 01 S almost two years ago on e-Bay from a private seller in Chico, CA. No PPI because I wasn't expecting to win the auction. But my winning bid was low enough to make it worthwhile - $4,000 less than Edmunds private party retail.

I flew out to CA to pick it up and drove home. But e-Bay does have shipping arrangements with three companies.

There have been some significant maintenance costs, but nothing that I think a PPI would have uncovered, and overall I have been very happy with the purchase.

DBear

[TeamOxford]

If I can't drive it................I'm not buying it.

Just sayin'..............

TO

[recycledsixtie]

Originally Posted by TeamOxford

If I can't drive it................I'm not buying it.

Just sayin'..............

TO

+1

I think part of the buying experience is driving it home after. If you fly out, check it out and it passes the PPI then the chances of breakdown on the way home is minimized. It is not like it is a 993 which has become super valuable. These cars are for driving but to be driven they have to work properly in the first place. Caveat emptor etc etc.

[steved0x]

I test drove several locally in NC, and then I found one that had the right colors and options I wanted that was in PA. I was fortunate to have Kevin at the Porsche Specialist in Broomhall PA to do the PPI and he also did the IMS retrofit before I came to pick up the car to drive back to NC. I didn't book my flight until the last second and I got lucky and got a super cheap flight on Delta,

The things that made me comfortable with doing it long distance:
I was familiar with the Boxster enough to know it was the car I wanted.
I was super comfortable with the shop that did the PPI, and the results were very good. The previous owner did not skimp on maintenance and practically everything had already been replaced (AOS, Coolant Tank, Clutch, MAF, Ignition Switch, Front engine mount, etc...). The PO elected not to do the IMS bearing as it was dual row and was in good condition when the clutch was done, but I wanted that done so I went ahead and did it.

The bad: I got stiffed by the seller for $650 - I had already made the bank check and when I won the auction I paid a $500 deposit. We negotiated $150 off the purchase price for some wheel damage that was not disclosed in the auction. i was lazy and didn't want to go through the trouble to make a new bank check. The seller shook my hand and was going to put a check in the mail to me to refund the $150 + the $500 PP deposit, but it has never happened. He keeps saying it will, but it never does. I am not even sure how I could sue for $650 from FL to PA, but I have the paperwork to back it up, but it would probably cost me more than $650 to do it. Lesson learned

[linderpat]

Originally Posted by thstone

I have bought a few cars remotely. Contact the seller and get as many photos as you can. Look at them carefully and with discernment - looking at the reality of the condition, not with that wishful glance of an overexcited buyer.

Then hire a local mobile mechanic to perform a PPI and test drive the car for you. They will send you a detailed report along with the driving impression. This is easier in larger cities than in rural areas.

If everything checks out, send payment and hire a transporter to get it home! Easy as cake.

This^^^

I bought my Box from a guy on the other side of the country, sight unseen, but with an independant ppi. Perfectly happy with it. I get a good sense of the seller by talking to him = I place more trust in car guys - people who know the car and know what they are talking about. I bought my current 928 this way too. I shipped the boxster (enclosed, with a reputable line), but I flew out and drove the 928 cross country - 2000 wonderful miles. An earlier 928 that I bought from a long distance sight unseen looked great in the pictures. It was a dealer sale, though, and the car was a peice of ******************** when I got it. It was shipped (had I gone to see it in person, I would have walked away from the deal). Anyway, I completely refurbished it - spent gobs of money and time on it, and it was near perfect when I sold it to a friend.