Thinking of buying a 968

[Guest]

A friend of mine is selling a 1993 968 with 120k miles on the clock. He bought it new and it has a full service history. Belts were changed in Dec 2004. It has a number of options including aircon and 17" wheels. I am a bit concerned about the mileage with respect to reliabiltiy and resale. I only intend to do around 5k per annum using it mainly at weekends. I

 

[968CSReading]

Hi

Mileage really isnt an issue with the 968 as long as it has been maintained correctly. Cars with a lower mileage can be worth more but this means nothing if it has not been looked after. My car has 125K now and I know of other cars on the 968 forum that have much more and are faster and fitter than cars with half the mileage.

It is good that the belts have been done. I would suggest getting it checked by a specialists or someone with some knowledge of the car. Just because he is a friend it is not worth taking a risk and presuming he has sorted any issues out. The main things to check for are plate lift (where the calipers have corroded and force the pads to bind on the discs). This is a common problem on all 968 (mine need doing) and can be upto 2 hours labour per caliper. The cams can also be a problem but to check this the head would need be removed. If the clutch has not been replaced it may need doing soon, depending on its use. This can cost between £500-£700 (they all judder if you get stuck in traffic for a while).

Apart from all the usual checks when buying a car just ensure that the service history is full and with plenty of receipts for any work that has been carried out. There are lots of 968 on the market at the moment so why dont you have a look around and drive a couple before you commit to your friends car.

Finally, have a look on the Porsche 968 webiste and forum, it is a must for anyone who wants to find out about the 968.

www.porsche968uk.co.uk

 

[paulf968]

Small but important points about the cams.

1) The cam cover needs to come off to inspect the cams (the head does not actually have to be removed), then it is possible to inspect the cam sprockets which must have all teeth present and show no signs of obvious wear. This also gives an opportunity to view the wear pads on the Variocam. If these are not both checked, then buyer beware - 2 new cams, other bits, labour & VAT could mean a bill up to £2000

2) How you negotiate with the seller to do this check is another matter. It does not actually take too long but without getting this done you are carrying the risk.

Paul F

(there is a good procedure for doing this check visit the DIY section of Eric Sandovals site http://www.968s.com/DIY.htm written by a UK owner called Derek H)

 

[Guest]

BTW, these cars are rare in rhd with aircon, but check it has a 'snowflake' button. Regular non-a/c cars have a temperature control, but no cooling facility.

Charles