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Mileage - Would you buy ?

M

mike220

Member
Evening all, quick question as I'm looking for advice. Been offered a 964 C4 '91 car with 111k on it. Never had a rebuild, but has had all oil lines etc. replaced and has decent history.

How likely is it to need a rebuild ? Would it not having had one put you off buying ?

Thoughts please, and quick - as I've just been offered this (what I was originally after) just before I was about to do a deal on a Chimaera tonight as I thought I was never gonna find a good one for the right money

aahhhh [:mad:]

Mike
 
Like most of these things it depends on price!
You hear of top end rebuilds happening at 70k and you hear of them lasting a lot longer than 111k. So you need to budget for some risk, but at right price it's probably worth going for a car that is otherwise right (documented history etc)

(I know this does not really help you so don't know why I'm writing it...)
 
No, it does help Mark (as you're kinda confirming what I'm thinking anyway I guess), so thanks for taking the time to respond.

Think a deal can be done for between 12.5k - 13k

It's got cup wheels, teardrop mirrors etc. and like I say has had loads of work done on replacing oil lines and such aswell as the usual service history.

Mike
 
Hi Mike,
Concur with what Mark says regarding the rebuild and milage.
Hence it's always difficult giving advice. I can only advise from my experience.
Briefly, i first went for condition, bodywork, paint finish (any rework, dents, rust etc), then interior (signs of wear, that uncared for look!), then if all these things ticked the right boxes, look at the service history, (was it complete, where was the work carried out), receipts from other work done, MOT certs, old tax discs even! all these help to give an impression of the cars former life and then whether the car 'rings your bell', from what you say about the one you have seen, you're well excited!, most important Have an Independant Inspection. I was advised if anyone refuses to having a car inspected, leave well alone. An inspection cost me £75, better that, than wasting £k's. Hope this helps

Best of luck, i'm sure you'll make the right choice![;)]
 
If it is well looked after, I would expect a small loss on the heads - the valve guides get worn - those are big/heavy valves - but if it does not smoke on start up or acceleration then probably not an issue unless you want to track it. I would get a check on it if you can - full inspection and also a compression test. I would check the 4wd/abs also make sure no lights/alarms etc go on - and to see if there is a history file. Things do need to get replaced, and if they have not - after16 years..... But I would still expect it to be more robust than a tvr (of whatever age).
 
What would scare you more - a TVR or a high-ish mileage Porsche? Personally, the TVR would ensure sleepless nights (even though the engine note is simply glorious). My last 964 had over 175K on the clock and was a strong as an ox. A decent service history is a must, though.
 
I don't think mileage is of any concern at all. Condition is the beginning, middle and end. I queried my Porsche Specialist on high mileage cars and he said it is not the milage that matters, it is the type of mileage. The engine in a 200k miles motorway cruiser will be tight as a drum whereas an engine with 60k miles worth of short journeys under it's belt could be in dire need of a rebuild. If the heads are in need of a rebuild there will be signs - burning oil, smoke on start up etc. so it's never the case that you will need a rebuild at x miles. If in doubt seek agreement from the seller to take the car round to your specialist who should be able to give the car a thorough assessment. If he wont agree to that then assume he's got something to hide and walk away.

Another problem with low mileage cars is that they've been sat around for most of their life which can mean you may be facing all sorts of problems when you do come to use it. These cars want and need to be driven and if left alone for long periods of time they will complain by hitting your wallet. So low mileage cars in my veiw are no guarantee of a good trouble free car.

In fact targetting a good high milage car is the thinking mans strategy as you can get a good car for good money - the trick, as always, is spotting a good car.
 
ORIGINAL: sbloxxy
My last 964 had over 175K on the clock and was a strong as an ox
Click to expand...

now at 185k and still going strong [;)]
needs timing cover gaskets replacing but otherwise no smoke, no rattles, pulls hard, and looks $1,000,000!..

I agree with above comments; good history is a must, and a car thats been looked after will be reasonably obvious although an inspection is a good idea.. The interior on mine is near immaculate, the exterior is pretty good (few stone chips here and there) and the gear change/pedals/steering all feel nice and tight which is remarkable for a car of this age, regardless of make/origin/mileage.

I personally think mileage is less of an issue; I would guess you're unlikely to find one under 75k, and so possibly a higher mileage car thats had money spent on it and been well looked after is a better buy than a low mileage car that never gets used..

I went to a boxster club meeting years ago and there was a TVR meeting at the same pub. There was lots of p!$$ taking about porsches from the "hairy chested TVR owners" until it came time to leave, and only about 30% of the TVR's started... every single boxster started and drove home faultlessly!..

I have a friend with a TVR chimera. He walks to work and its used as a weekend/sunny day car and its ALWAYS in the garage being repaired.. Electrics are a nightmare on that car, and the cost or repairing is v.scary.. Personally I would go with the german option everytime (although I am a bit of a porsche-a-holic [:)] )

Ben
 
As long as the car as a whole is in good condition, at that price you could have an engine re-build in the future and add value to it.
 
Thanks for all the advice guys. Just got out of hospital today, so hopefully going to look at it next week.

You've pretty much reinforced what I was thinking - ignore the mileage and buy on condition.

Cheers all,

Mike
 
I saw a number of cars, some which had had rebuilds and some without. When you have seen an invoive for £7,000 it focuses the mind.

Personally, I could not contemplate such a large bill in one go. That is why I purchased a car that had already had a rebuild.
 
Unless you know the car needs a rebuild and get it for £7k less to account for the rebuild cost, assuming you can wait a few months before getting it on the road. At least then you know you'll have a fresh engine that should be good for another few times round the world.
 
Still looking Paul. Hoping to go see a slate grey 964 descibed above late this week. The guy's supposed to be getting it in mid week, so fingers crossed it's the right one. Hospital nothing too serious - 2nd operation on my wrist which I hope has done the job. Can't drive right now, but I'll be Ok soon enough all being well.

I'll keep you guys posted how I fare during the week.

Mike
 
Your worried about a rebuild yet your considering a Chimera?, not the most reliable of cars.
 
lots of talk on start up above.

Don't worry if it smokes a bit from cold on start up as long as it quickly goes away....they all do this.

Mileage not a worry but get properly inspected. Car's that have already had fortunes spent on rebuilds at 70k often end up with rebuilds again at 120k! So just make sure its ok when you buy....its all you can do.

91+ year was slightly more reliable anyway than the 89/90
 
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