Viewing a 911 Carrera 4S
Discussion
Hi folks, hope you are having a good Christmas.
I’m going to view this 911 C4S this week and I’ve done the usual research and read plenty of posts here. If I attach the picture right you should seen the options included. I have a little one so whilst rare, it will be useful to have a spare seat in the back and I instead to use it as a daily driver though that’s about 5 miles a day.
What ‘must do’s’ should I go through when there?
One thing to consider is that it’s been with this garage for several months which I do find odd, but we are on an island and buyers will be lower. Any concerns there though as it’s been sitting around? Battery etc or more?
My first Porsche so excited but happy to hold out for the right one.
Jan 2007
42k miles
£33k
Cheers all. T
I’m going to view this 911 C4S this week and I’ve done the usual research and read plenty of posts here. If I attach the picture right you should seen the options included. I have a little one so whilst rare, it will be useful to have a spare seat in the back and I instead to use it as a daily driver though that’s about 5 miles a day.
What ‘must do’s’ should I go through when there?
One thing to consider is that it’s been with this garage for several months which I do find odd, but we are on an island and buyers will be lower. Any concerns there though as it’s been sitting around? Battery etc or more?
My first Porsche so excited but happy to hold out for the right one.
Jan 2007
42k miles
£33k
Cheers all. T
Edited by Raggyiom on Wednesday 27th December 13:27
Get yourself a buyers guide for the 997 over the web. I'd recommend you turn up early to inspect the car and make sure you're there when the dealer starts it from cold (the buyers guide will help you).
Main points that any of the decent guides will pick up include ticking from the engine, front rads leaking (check the AC works properly & take a torch to shine in the bottom of the front bumper), check the brake discs aren't corroded on the inner faces, listen for suspension clonks on the move, check the tyres are all matching brand with plenty of tread depth & beforehand check the MOT history online (you'll need the registration number for this) etc etc to see how well it's been maintained and whether there were any advisories last time it was tested?
FWIW, I'm not sure a 5 mile each way commute daily is good for such a car, so you'd need to give it a good run out once a week of some 10 plus miles at decent road speeds and keep the revs low until the engine is fully up to working temperature.
If in doubt, get a specialist pre-purchase inspection done before you agree to buy it and given the time of year, negotiate hard as they're aren't lots of buyers looking for 911s & there's other to choose from (that's what you'd say anyway!). You also want to up know what the level of warranty cover is that the dealer is offering as a £5k limit wouldn't be enough if you unfortunately had a major engine problem.
Main points that any of the decent guides will pick up include ticking from the engine, front rads leaking (check the AC works properly & take a torch to shine in the bottom of the front bumper), check the brake discs aren't corroded on the inner faces, listen for suspension clonks on the move, check the tyres are all matching brand with plenty of tread depth & beforehand check the MOT history online (you'll need the registration number for this) etc etc to see how well it's been maintained and whether there were any advisories last time it was tested?
FWIW, I'm not sure a 5 mile each way commute daily is good for such a car, so you'd need to give it a good run out once a week of some 10 plus miles at decent road speeds and keep the revs low until the engine is fully up to working temperature.
If in doubt, get a specialist pre-purchase inspection done before you agree to buy it and given the time of year, negotiate hard as they're aren't lots of buyers looking for 911s & there's other to choose from (that's what you'd say anyway!). You also want to up know what the level of warranty cover is that the dealer is offering as a £5k limit wouldn't be enough if you unfortunately had a major engine problem.
A quick search on Autotrader shows the car is priced about right if the general condition is good - if it shows signs of neglect I'd walk away as there will be loads that have been garaged and only used on fine days - buy one of them even if it costs more. I'm no expert but have been around Porsche forums long enough to know how important it is that everything works as repairs can be costly. Also ensure servicing is up to date - and if you know it's been with the garage for a while tell them so and ask them is anything at all wrong with it. Battery could be an issue, but you won't be able to tell as they'll have charged it if you are expected - better to arrive unannounced and ask to test it that day!
Good advice to get it checked by a decent garage - they can at least get it on a lift and check for slight leaks and brake discs etc.
I wouldn't use it as a daily for 5 mile runs - it will do it no good at all as the oil doesn't get up to temp until after about 10 miles.
Good luck - and don't be afraid to buy off Island (if this one doesn't tempt you) as you can get it checked by a proper Porsche Specialist before buying.
Good advice to get it checked by a decent garage - they can at least get it on a lift and check for slight leaks and brake discs etc.
I wouldn't use it as a daily for 5 mile runs - it will do it no good at all as the oil doesn't get up to temp until after about 10 miles.
Good luck - and don't be afraid to buy off Island (if this one doesn't tempt you) as you can get it checked by a proper Porsche Specialist before buying.
Gorsh said:
...... there will be loads that have been garaged and only used on fine days - buy one of them even if it costs more.
I agree with the rest of your post, however this point is not entirely applicable when it comes to 996 and 997.1s. While wear and tear is going to affect the obvious chassis related items, cars which are used sparingly have, according to most online records that I've searched, faired worst when it comes to the known engine issues.A high mileage 986/7.1, 996/7.1 which is used regularly, given time to come up to temperature and serviced well shouldn't be much cause for concern, where as a low mileage car which only sees sporadic use and sticks to the extended service intervals can easily throw up some serious issues.
Corrosion of the inner surface of the brake discs is also an issue that affects garage queens, as the cars are often washed before being put to bed. Water gathers in the vent holes then seeps out, corroding the surface. If the car is driven regularly this corrosion is rubbed off when braking and doesn't get a chance to build up.
FWIW - as others have said, five miles isn't really enough to get the engine warm and allow sufficient lubrication. If you do use it for short journeys, make sure you don't work it hard!
Oh, and that looks like a decent car
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