ebay buy??!!

AfterShock · Nov 23, 2009

Continuing from my last posts! sorry!

This either intrigues me or scares me ... not sure which!

Have to admit to being an impulse purchaser .. sadly and dangerously!

So would you buy it???

How much would you risk????

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150390640235&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Also why bid now??

Surely your bid should be just as an auction closes????

rav · Nov 23, 2009

Personally no - its an automatic which is not my personal preference.

If you want it, then risk what you can bear to loose. If you are not too far away, go and have a look at the car. Ebay allows you to go and view an item prior to bidding on it.
My own technique is to bid last minute, although you can use ebay sniping tools to bid up to a limit that you have set in your absence? This is especially useful if the auction closes at a difficult time (i.e. office hours or late at night etc).

Good luck.

P.S. Take someone who knows 944s with you when you go to look.

DavidL · Nov 23, 2009

You seem determined to have a punt on something!!
You may get lucky, you may not. There are no pics of the common rust spots which is either deliberate or naive on the part of the seller. Ask for some to be sent.
I know you need the auto - fair enough.
I don't think you'll find many (any?) posts from new owners who have found a car better than they believed it to be or who "got lucky" when they bought it. Most found rather the opposite sadly.
I imagine there is a lesson here.

I use www.goofbay.com as a free sniping tool. It works fine and I have won a few bits at a good price from using it.

AfterShock · Nov 23, 2009

I use goofbay .. excellant sniping tool!

ok .. I NEED AN AUTO ..wheelchair user and drive on handcontrols.

Love a Red 944 ... haven't seen a GUARDS red one in ages.

Sadly live miles away so not really a possibility to look over. Yes I know I might live to regret it!!!

As p;er previous thread someone suggested an inspection and I might give Andy a call to see prices. Under £200. a possibility.

Autos are not to common in this spec hence my interest!

Sadly no auto/tiptronic S2's Had to wait till the 968.............

Soooooooooo a dilema!

I know I should be sensible .. but who said owning a 944 was sensible! lol well actually it can be Iknow!

Thanks all by the way!

944 man · Nov 23, 2009

If you need an Auto then the series two is a far better car than the series one (which rules out the 924S too, unfortunately). That said: if youd consider an early-type car then the 924S makes a FAR better proposition. Theres a reasonable Guards Red 924S automatic for sale currently, too...

AfterShock · Nov 24, 2009

ORIGINAL: 944 man

If you need an Auto then the series two is a far better car than the series one (which rules out the 924S too, unfortunately). That said: if youd consider an early-type car then the 924S makes a FAR better proposition. Theres a reasonable Guards Red 924S automatic for sale currently, too...

ummm ok i'm lostlol

series 1 series 2???

pauljmcnulty · Nov 24, 2009

ummm ok i'm lostlol

series 1 series 2???

It does confuse, especially as the S2 is nothing to do with series 1 or 2. [&o]

Series 2 is the later car with the oval dash, late 1985 cars onwards. Series one is the old square dash, common with the 924. Hence the more easy to understand, but less technical, oval- or square-dash description you see more often.

graham.webb · Nov 24, 2009

At the price it looks like a good buy....consider this: a £300 inspection is pocket money compared to the cost of rectifying an unseen or undeclared fault (see below). You can't buy this sort of thing unseen...too risky.

I got Peter Morgan to do a pre purchase inspection on both of mine...well worth it to have someone cast an expert eye over it.

But...remember the good advice often given here: you might need to budget £1000 or so each year early on to fix all the little problems that inevitably crop up on a 20 year old car. Example...just had my leaking steering rack rebuilt (no exchange units available that week!), so £400 + service + MoT and a few odd jobs = £800 bill, but worth every penny of course! And cheaper than a Porsche rack at over £800.

As planned expenditure this is fine...less than depreciation on something boring.

Good luck

Eiger · Nov 24, 2009

Considering the car has a new MOT this month how bad can it be? I'd risk it for sure - if the price was right - and a seller with that much feedback isn't going to be risking his neck on a dud 944.

If you win it don't leave feedback until you have the car at home. Don't pay anything more than the deposit via paypal - cos if somethings wrong with the car you can raise a dispute. Remember if the item is not as described you can walk away and leave negative feedback for the seller.

There can't be anything majorly wrong or else it would have failed MOT. Ask the seller if there were any advisories - that will give you an idea of what work needs doing over the coming year.

As it's in Exeter call the Porsche guys there and ask them if they know the car - if everything on it has come from Porsche as the seller states then a Porsche specialist in Exeter is likely to know the car I reckon.

my 2p

AfterShock · Nov 24, 2009

ORIGINAL: sc0tty

This is not what I would I would put in my oil tank;

"The engine is 2,479cc and has been run on Mobil 1 Motorsport 15/50 fully synthetic engine oil "

So hmmm does this measn he has knackered the engine or like most people not "in the know" mistyped it??

Why not?? too?

AfterShock · Nov 24, 2009

Well the latest response to a few questions I asked are ..........

Hi David,
Thank you for your message & I am sorry for the slow reply but the original ad did not result in a sale and I have been away for a few days. It is now readvertised as an auction as you might have seen.
In response to your questions the belts were done about 2 1/2 years ago but please bear in mind that the car has only had occasional use ( weekends etc)
The bodywork is generally in extremely good condition but I wanted to make sure that everyone was aware of any flaws. There is a very small area between the upper windscreen and sunroof which is about 1" in size another area on the front nearside valance again small and the door is I would say about a 90% match. I would be happy to send you close up pictures if you send me an email address but these areas are so small that they are difficult to photogragh well.
I appreciate your thoughts and sincerity regarding an offer and in truth I have put a reserve of £2200 on the car now and genuinely feel that the car is worth at least that so obviously I would like to get that as a minimum. I would much rather that the car goes to someone who appreciates it and feel that you would so I hope that we can come to some agreement.
Please do not hesitate to ask if you have anymore thoughts or questions
Kind regards, Alan

He seems a very genuine guy ... but .. well I don't want to be cynical .. guess I have too...

Further verdicts please??

I am warming to the car and to Alan.

I think getting a local inspection is the way to go I guess with the recomendation from here.

Peter Morgan charges £300 as I recall which is a big ask! As HOW DOES HE CHECK THE REALLY OILY BITS???? UNDERSIDE...BRAKES,ETC,ETC THATS WHAT i DON'T GET??

ALTHOUGH I HAVE HEARD GREAT THINGS ABOUT HIM!

Fred Hindle · Nov 24, 2009

His reserve price is somewhat optimistic!!

Cheers,

cococola · Nov 24, 2009

It looks a nice car,its just the automatic bit that doesnt appeal to me.

pauljmcnulty · Nov 24, 2009

I'm almost at the point where I feel it's be easiest to drive down to Exeter and look at it for you! [

][

]

What's the reason you can't go and view it? You'll have to go and collect it, so why not go and have a look, take a bag of used fivers with you and, if it's a good car just buy it there and then? Assuming you are up to speed on the general areas to look at on any 944, it's a no-brainer to me. You can't follow the usual advice and try loads before you buy as there aren't loads of autos for sale.

I genuinely think that if you have one specific thing you need in a car you have to be prepared to buy one on the basis that you'll pay the extra to bring it up to scratch. I've seen plenty of people here who only want a bridge-spoiler model, for instance, or mileage under 100K. Often people will buy a car with huge bills looming, just because it's the right colour for them.

You can't just change the gearbox for an auto the way you would put a leather interior into a car if you really felt it was worth it. If the car is sound, and the seller is genuine, you've got to make the effort to go and take a look IMO.

944 man · Nov 24, 2009

ORIGINAL: sc0tty

This is not what I would I would put in my oil tank;

"The engine is 2,479cc and has been run on Mobil 1 Motorsport 15/50 fully synthetic engine oil "

Of all of the synthetic options 15w-50 is probably the only one that Id suggest. Differents car exhibit different problems with synthetic oil: some because its synthetc, but most because the oil is simply too thin.

944Turbo · Nov 24, 2009

15W50 is fine as discussed to death on other threads, I dont recall the exact details but with the autos there is a problem with I think the drive coupling perishing. There have been a few cases on here over the years of people looking for a good one, apparently they are big money new (or possibly unobtainable). Might be worth a bit more investigation anyway. there are more autos in the states so a search on rennlist might be usefull.
Tony

944 man · Nov 24, 2009

The cush drive fails on autos and it costs a fortune. It used to be that it principally affected series one cars and 924Ss, but Id be surprised if the later cars were immune to the failure now. Whether it is a similar part I cant say: the transmission is different certainly though (its an AUDI 200 three speed auto on series ones and 924Ss).

Simon

graham.webb · Nov 25, 2009

My point about an independent inspection was precisely that £300 is not a lot if it makes you aware of an expensive problem.

Following on from Paul's point about going to see the car, if that's tricky for you then even more reason to pay someone else to check it over?

Alpine · Nov 25, 2009

£300 seems a lot, but you are probably paying a premium for having the inspection done at the seller's home. Would be cheaper (if you like it of course) to find a local indie and arrange with the seller for him to take it there, and you meet him there. That is what I did when I bought mine; the inspection cost £120 or thereabouts.

Suffolk944 · Nov 25, 2009

Yes as per the othe thread, I would give Andy Moss a ring and get him to look at the car if you can't view it yourself, a few hundred quid for a bit of peace of mind and the avoidance of any hidden horrors can only be a good thing. I would say that the sellers £2200 reserve price is still on the optimistic side but if its a good car and as its an auto that you need, then it might be worth that to you.