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Mark Grunnell

New member
Hi guys,

Just visiting from the Boxster Forum! Good friend of mine is talking to an independent called Mark Pearce of Stirlings based in Exeter about the potential purchase of a 993 (clearly he's got more sense than me!). I understand MP is a 993 specialist.

MP is not known to either of us but I wondered whether anyone has any experiences please?

This will be my friend's first foray into the world of Porsche (he is determined to go for the air-cooled "real" Porsche experience [8|]) and whilst we all have our eyes open that this will be a 10/11 year old car, it would be good to give him as much info available to allow him to make up his mind.

Grateful for any comments.

Cheers,


Mark
 
Hi Mark
I live near Exeter but have not heard of MP or Stirlings so I cannot comment. I use Crispin Manners at Oaktree Garage (advertised in PCGB) to service my car and so you might want to speak to him as he will probably know (01395) 568498.
Hope that helps.
Tim
 
Hi Mark,

I am not familiar with the dealer you mentioned but I am a bit familiar with the 993 model. I feel it is paramount that your friend gathers as much information on the 993 as possible, this by either reading the buyers guide in 911 and porsche world (september issue IIRC) or by reading up on the model by "the original 911" book of Peter Morgan and "the 911 story" by Paul Frere.

Secondly, I am sure someone here on the forum will be able to chip in with practicalities regarding the model. Irrespective of the reputation of the dealer, I would nonetheless go through the car with a fine comb by using a PPI through a specialist. Crispin Manners does come to mind indeed but the downside is that he is rather busy. In my experience even OPC these days might miss essentials as this is becoming a specialist vehicle within the range and the current staff is training on all the water cooled cars. A PPI costs between £150 and £250 but anything flagged up puts you in a negociating position with the seller to have issues rectified. At that stage a reputable dealer will want to preserve his name so you can easy earn that PPI outlay back.

Good luck: a good 993 will provide years of pleasure as they are very very well build. The old adage of "condition is more important than colour, interior, wheels or specification speaks for itself."

Take care,


Bert
 
He is well known over on www.911uk.com/forum/ and there are lots of positive things said about him. He sells at the low mileage, higher value end of the market. If the cars are 10 years or less they all come with OPC warranty.

I have only used him to provide me with a valuation of a low mileage 993 for insurance purposes (as he specialises in lower mileage cars) so I can't give an opinion either way about the cars he sells. Pretty sure there are people on 911uk board who have bought from him so you could ask there for personal experiences.

Ian.
 
Gents,

Thanks to you all for your helpful comments, all of which will be followed up.

My friend has researched the model in detail including getting a copy of the Peter Morgan book mentioned by Bert. The car has also had an 111 point check, I understand, from the OPC in Exeter (so we will be able to check the car out in some detail).

We will also follow up on the 911uk.com forum.

Thanks again.


Mark

 
I can help you here.
I bought my Mk. 1 GT3 from Mark Pearce last January.
He is unlike any other car dealer I have ever come across insofar as he is as sraight as an arrow, and a thoroughly decent bloke to boot. His cars are by no means the cheapest but are generally sold having undergone the 111 point check at Exeter OPC, and come with 12 months official Porsche warranty.
I have no hesitation in recommending him to you and can refer you to other customers of Mark should you wish to corroborate my comments above.
 
I'd confirm Tony's comments. I purchased my 993 from Mark Pearce after spending 18 months searching for a low mileage car in good condition. He gets all his cars through the 111 point check at Exeter OPC and he specifically put me in touch with the OPC's 993 mechanic who did the check so I could talk to him about the "off-111-point-check" condition of the car. He talk me through the car, but also could not talk more highly of Mark's attitude when they find things wrong and how much he spends on cars to bring them up to his standard.

Yes, you do pay more than you would pay at some other dealers - but the other dealers' cars I looked at were completely different in condition/approach. If you have time to spend travelling to private sales and waiting until you find something that is just right, you are clearly going to get a much cheaper deal...but I'm working too much for that!

The only downside for me was that Exeter is outside Peter Morgan's area for doing PPIs, and I could not find anyone down there who I thought would give me any more info than I'd got already....so I went ahead anyway. I've been very very happy with the car (and with Mark's post-purchase approach with the only thing I found wrong with it). So I recommend him.
 
Brilliant - thanks guys.

Needless to say, decision made and everything you say about this guy has been replicated in my friend's dealings with him, including the 111 point check and providing details of the service personnel at OPC Exeter to chat through their views on the car. He has personally spent a lot of his own money bringing the car up to his own standards (which sound extremely high) and has sent all of the car's documentation over for perusal.

As you say, not the cheapest, but for someone looking for a car to enjoy a 993 for some years to come, it seems that you are giving yourself the best possible chance of landing an excellent example that will serve you well.

There will be a new member joining the 993 ranks shortly!!

Thanks again for your comments.

Mark
 
Maurice, See my comment " unlike any other dealer I have ever come across---"
Just about sums up Mark Pearce. Honest, open and straightforward.
You could not do yourself a bigger favour in approaching him if you ever decide to upgrade/change etc..
 
Have never used him, he didn't have the right car, but he was always on my radar - Seemed like 'a nice bloke'

And I assume he gets a discount from Exeter OPC and Zymol.....

DO IT! And enjoy owning a 993..
 
With a few minutes to spare I went to the Stirlings web site.

A couple of things I find very odd - Apologies Mark, this is general and not directed at you, but:

  • An 02 996 C2 with 17,300 miles - Needed a new clutch!
  • A 96 993 C4 with 38,000 miles - Needed a gearbox re-build!
Blimey!

Discuss...
 
By the way - MP is not particularly a 993 specialist, while I was paying attention to the cars on his web site he mostly was selling 996s. I'm not sure when he started selling Porsches, but he used to specialize in BMW. He is a second hand car dealer, not a Porsche 993 expert!

ORIGINAL: turboww
A couple of things I find very odd - Apologies Mark, this is general and not directed at you, but:
  • An 02 996 C2 with 17,300 miles - Needed a new clutch!
  • A 96 993 C4 with 38,000 miles - Needed a gearbox re-build!

Blimey!

Discuss...
Click to expand...

In my chat with the OPC mechanic I mentioned above (and separately with the service manager) they did talk about how MP seems to just pay for anything they say needs doing to bring the car up to scratch. (Which could be what the above two quotes are examples of).

That said, he does clearly make a judgement to save his bank balance!. He did not do (but told me upfront he was not doing) three things:

1) My brakes and disks because the OPC said they passed their inspection and were OK for another year, but Mark made a point of warning me they would need doing at or before the next annual service (a year away so this gave me no concern)

2) Windscreen creak because it would cost him 1000 and only cost me my windscreen insurance excess, although I now realise I will need to be very careful it gets done well when I find an excuse to get it done.

3) The OPC commented that the clutch pedal was quite heavy, with the obvious implications. This concerned me a lot at the time but eventually I got convinced by this second hand car dealer that he and the OPC had tested it and it was definiately not slipping. In the end this was a judgement by me to walk away from yet another car, or go with the comments I read on 911uk and risk having a clutch cost a few days/weeks down the road. In the end the pedal has lightened up and I suspect it's behaviour at the time was down to lack of use (previous owner had done 250 miles in previous 12 months).

He does come across as straight, but any second hand car dealer (selling to people like us) needs to! Does not mean you need to believe everything he says.

Just like any of them he worked hard on me to put me off the idea of a PPI, including making comments about what Peter Morgan had said about previous inspections of his cars... but I checked these out with Peter Morgan and they did not quite square up.

So he's a second hand car dealer - you need to accept that point, but he does prepare cars in a way other second hand car dealers don't, and if that's what you are looking for then he is worth considering.
 
Hi Gents and thanks again for your comments.

My friend, who is called Simon Hammond by the way, has now done the deed and is the proud owner of a 1996 993 C4 with varioram engine and 38,000 on the clock - it is the car that has had the gearbox rebuild mentioned by turboww. This would normally ring massive alarm bells but for:-

  1. The detailed knowledge of MP of the model (I have this second hand but Simon has been researching and looking for the right 993 for 18 months, so knows what to look for)
  2. MP has been completely up front with what has been done to the car, including the gearbox work (which I believe is also mentioned on his web site)
  3. He has provided a full documentation pack up front detailing all servicing and bills for work done (including above) from new
  4. All work undertaken on cars passing through his business is undertaken at OPC Exeter (comments noted above on whether OPC is perhaps still the most appropriate service provider for the 993?) with works undertaken being covered for 24 months under OPC guarantee
  5. He has spent £5K+ (OPC bills confirm) to bring car up to the standard he would want to sell it at
  6. He has provided OPC referees to both check out himself and the car, which Simon has taken advantage of
  7. A survey on 911uk forum produced all positive feedback
  8. Responses from the guys on this forum who have dealt with MP speak for themselves
  9. Our own Bob Lovelace (I understand) bought his current car from MP!!
The car ticks all the boxes for what Simon was looking for in a low mileage, well looked after example with varioram engine in black/black that he intends to own for some years to come. Feedback from Simon exactly echos the comments of Tony Cocks with this being a nice bloke who is as straight as they come. The extensive due diligence we have done certainly seems to confirm this which is important when spending the best part of £35K on an 11 year old car. I wish I could see the same percentage residual on my two year old 987s with 5K on the clock !! [:(]

Simon picks up the car in a few weeks when back from hols and I'm sure he will provide a follow up when in ownership and having joined the club..........that is, when he has stopped grinning from ear to ear!!

As Maurice suggests, a candidate for inclusion on your recommended suppliers list?

Cheers,


Mark
 
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