Carrera 4S PPI Number 4 - Bore score!

I swear I'm cursed. The fourth car I've had inspected has failed a PPI. I've been saving money to get a 911 for over 6 years now and I've had no luck. Over more than 18 months I've had three other 911s inspected – one 997 and two 996s. All of them failed their PPIs too and were very clear 'do not buys' from the inspecting garages and the specialists who help me. I began to think it was me and that I was being too cheap and being unrealistic about the state a 996 or 997 should be in. So I kept scrimping and saving money where I could to keep adding to the budget until I found yet another C4S in a colour combination I love and with a whole heap of preventive (and other maintenance) done. New clutch, brake lines all round, new exhaust, tyres, discs, pads, etc. etc. Good mileage and good history. And a good private seller too. It matters. I was like that meme: shut up and take my money! But, being prudent, I still opted for a PPI. I initially didn't think it necessary for a scope inspection, but it wasn't a significant additional outlay and I also thought it would be good for the history file too. And now it looks (quite clearly, as opposed to that other thread about the 997) like it has a (significantly) scored bore. So would it make sense to make an offer less the cost of a rebuild (at say 8-10 grand) and rebuild as I like the colour and spec? Or hold out what could be another several months?

I PPI'd 3 C4S back in 2013 and they all had borescore so I added the rebuild cost to my original budget and bought a Turbo. For a while after that the price differential began to widen which made this unviable but the gap seems of closed again.

IMHO you have two viable options: 1. buy a 3.4 996. 2. Buy a full 6-pack Hartech rebuild.

If you can find one which you otherwise like, and where the seller will take £8-10k less due to the scoring then I'd snap their hand off and get the car done when it starts showing signs. I somehow doubt it will be that easy though. If the car is at a dealer and not showing any signs of scoring outwardly, they are likely to just hold onto it until someone falls in love and buys it without the PPI.

And of course apparently only a very small percentage have scored bores (allegedly) and not all will suffer (allegedly) Defo on the lower offer, as said doubt anyone would take it though, more likely to be passed to a less vigilant punter :nooo:

Similar story with me, 2 out of 3 cars I looked at had scored bores, against the advice from most on this forum I bought one of them (the "good" car was overpriced) thinking I would rebuild it if the engine went, it spoilt my ownership worrying about it so I sold it and saved up for a turbo.

i would just add .. i've been helping Jack for a good year or so and have even ppi checked one of these cars .. he is indeed cursed ! I've never seen someone so unlucky and i'm afraid to say i've advised a couple of people in this time that have gone on to buy sensible cars . If ANYONE sees a car .. pref 996 C4S or 996 Targa that they think is worth a punt then please post it .. I would consider it a huge favour to be honest as there's only so long i can keep looking at the links to cars he sends me I do tend to repay Favours as well !

:worship: :floor:

I can recommend my late 2002 C4S, 67,000 miles, currently with Portiacraft for £21,995. It is Silver with Boxter extended leather interior, body coloured seat backs and central tunnel, and arctic instrument It had a full history, I have had it for 4 years, and it has been a joy. I am travelling 30,000 miles a year now, so needed a hybrid car. It has PSE, sports seats, and is in good original condition. I have recently replaced the rear boxes with Top Gear switchable ones, new rear tyres, and a £3,000 suspension refresh - new arms mounts etc. It drives fantastically, and if I were not driving so much at the moment I would not be selling.

Thanks deMort - you're a legend. Although I'm sure I don't need to say that on here as the forum will agree cheers as well paulstevens64 for pointing out your car. I couldn't handle red leather myself though. Why did Porsche make the whole interior red? If the dash (and more) was black, it'd be more for me.

I think I remember a post from Baz at Hartech saying all of them will eventually score their bores. I didn't want to believe it when I read it, but my experience now is starting to back that up to an extent. And it's really interesting that others have had the same experiences. There's definitely truth to what others write off as 'forum paranoia'. And it really sucks too I have to say. Back to the car in question. I'm tempted to commission a build if the car came in at the right price. But I seriously doubt that price is something the seller can stomach. Does anyone know what the final word on short engines from Porsche is? I remember reading about that here and the prices didn't seem too bad.

Toyota engines don't score, D-chunk or having failing IMS/RMS. They also sound great and make about the same power. It's partly why I left the 996 world for a Lotus Evora, which is by the way a far better car for having fun. Only had a few minor electrical niggles with it. It's a shame, because the 996 is perfect in so many ways; I'm just recommending an alternative that's more than worth a look: https://www.evo.co.uk/lotus/evora/14270/lotus-evora See what it beat: the 997 GT3, the Gallardo Balboni and Noble M600!

The Evora is not a 911 though, is it? I'm sure it's a great car and I reckon it looks pretty cool. But it wasn't on my bedroom wall as a kid. It's kind of that simple. When I was a boy, my parents took me to a car show and I stopped dead in my tracks in front of a 930 Turbo. The stern looking man standing next to it asked if I wanted to have a look. I nodded. He opened the door, asked me to sit inside and even started up the engine for me. He told me to prod the gas and there I was, a little kid revving the nuts off of a 911 turbo grinning from ear to ear. I was infected from then onwards. (My mother then told me she asked the serious, German man at the stand why he was so nice to me. He simply told her he was a salesman and he had just made a client for life.)

:yeah: I can bring 3 of my 5 kids to school in my 911...even my 5 year old daughter can spot any Porsche from 100 feet... They play a game called Porky Pig/ Slug bug when we are driving. They shout Slug bug when they see a beetle, and porky pig when they see a Porsche! Aside from the mini They don't seem to be able to identify other cars as easily. I like all cars and wouldn't say no to a Lotus but it wouldnt make sense with a family. There is something unique about a Porsche.

Have you considered a 996 Turbo high-miler car instead of a C4S? Don't know prices currently, but possibly low £30's might be do-able? I'd still recommend a PPI on a Turbo though - they have their own catch-you-out points on purchase. You've already spent the better part of £1k on PPI"s, so another £300 or so on a full inspection on a £30k Turbo is small investment to discover what you're really buying. You'll sleep a lot better at night in any case when you remember that according to Baz at Hartech, its about when not if as far as borescoring goes. So you could stumble upon a C4S with no borescoring - today. But under your ownership it could develop or you might pass it on to someone else who gets the big bill?