is this concerning?

long time resident about to pull the trigger on a '00 C2 Cabrio; When I was looking at the car two things got my attention and was looking for feedback : - when i open the oil fill cap (not dipstick), the engine RPMs get rough and spike up about 500 rpms eventually (2-5 secs later) settling at a higher rate than normal idle - is that a sign? usually suspicious but not sure - front latch needs to be slammed really hard to close (dealer says that it needs a bit of "lube") - is that normal on the MKIs? - looks like oil "seepage" around a small black, square looking part right behind passenger side exhaust (not RMS area but first thing you see off to the right of the engine underneath) - does anyone know what it is? Car is about 60k, and the Porsche Dealer just completed a Used Car check list and didn't find anything else (number 3 above wasn't listed either). appreciate everyone's feedback and hoping to finally join the family (only 944s and Cayenne previously)

Don't slam the bonnet! Lower bonnet until it catches the latch. Use your palm firmly push the area under the Porsche emblem to lock bonnet

The hood thing is something and nothing. It should be lowered then pressed with hand over the Porche badge on the hood. Oil seepage anywhere is not good. You say Porche Dealer just completed a used car check. QUOTE:-Car is about 60k, and the Porsche Dealer just completed a Used Car check list and didn't find anything else (number 3 above wasn't listed either). Any seller can miss out telling you anything they may have found. In other words. They didnt mention the seepage because it would effect the selling of the car. They need to address that discovery. Anything the seller says about the car is not worth diddly squat. You need to get an independant inspection from someone who is not selling the car. Proof that the 60 thousand full service has been done on the car. With regards to the removing of the oil cap. I just tried it on my 99 C2 cab and there is a slight change of revs but hardly noticable. No engine chunking or anything unusual in the smooth tick over. Not faster. If anything slightly slower in tick over with the cap removed. So before you 'pull any triggers' get a thorough full inpection from someone who knows everything there is too know about the 996 car.

Thanks for the feedback... I should have been more specific, the car is for sale at a Mitsubishi Dealer, and the "car check" was that at the Porsche Dealer down the street. The front hood would not latch with the hand over badge press (checked multiple times), it needs a bit of velocity (i.e. slammin') The change is RPMs from the oil fill cap is very noticeable, on the first try it almost chocked until it recovered under higher RPSs. Anyone know a good indy in the Atlanta area?

Change in idle is normal when fill cap is removed. If no change it indicates an AOS or other related issue. As to closing frunk - front trunk - NEVER press on badge to close! It will dent hood and bend badge. You would never press a body panel to close - only area with support below.

Close the hood any way you like. You will quickly learn what is right and what is wrong. We have argued this out ad nauseum here on many threads. Like oil and tires. The reason it needs to be slammed is because it needs adjustment. SOMETHING is no longer aligned correctly. Did your prospective purchase get a front-ender at some point in the past? Was the trunk closed improperly at some point (like with too much stuff in it?). The mechanism itself is adjustable for not only operation but vertical location. The lower latch mechanism "teeth" may be bent to the side, or the mechanism loose. Slamming is NEVER the right answer. Yes, the leak needs to be looked at and correctly identified. Might be nothing. Then again...

The Mitsubishi dealer is not selling a used Chevy Malibu nor are you looking to purchase one. If he got it checked out by the Porsche dealer down the street then there should be a PPI report with a detailed checklist and measurements. He should understand that you want a car like that to be checked out and not hesitate to oblige. I dont know other's experiences with the dealer but mine have been excellent. When I purchased my used 99 996 (3 years ago....48,000 miles) from a high end dealer I had Champion Porsche do the PPI....cost about $250. I bought the car partially based on that report and felt good about it. Now that I do most of my own work I realize they were pretty much dead on and were correct about the things they counciled me on. I havent looked back. In my case, the selling (used/off lease) dealer specialized in porsches, mercedes, etc., and pretty much told me what the Porsche dealer did, he even showed me how to properly close the frunk.....not gonna get that at the Mitsubishi Auto Mall. Good luck! Oh, and don't slam the hood.

Have you watched the 996 video with Hurley Haywood showing you how to close the front trunk? He does it by pushing on the emblem. However, a recent article in Excellence recommended to not push on the emblem, but put a hand on either side of the emblem, then push.

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But then you get fingerprints on the hood. I lower the hood then GENTLY press down on the emblem. Seriously...we have way too much sh&t to worry about!

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+1

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+1 great response.....

LOL - I recall being at the dealer with my car in the shop. Talking to the service writer as I am closing the frunk. I lower it to a few inches, let it drop, put my hand on the emblem and the guy hollered at me while nudging me away. He loudly says, NEVER let the hood drop and NEVER push on the emblem. Wow he was intense. His method is you lower the hood until it strikes the latch, then two hands, one on each side of the emblem and GENTLY press to close. I realize this doesn't help the OP as there is obviously a problem he needs to have solved, but thought I'd share the story.

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No one taught me how to close the frunk but this ^ is how I do it which just seemed to be the natural way, just don't let it slam. To the OP can you take a picture of the area thats seeping?

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This is how I do it too, I see no ill effect from it over the last year.

You should not be opening any fill tubes on the motor while the car is running, you're introducing unmetered air into the circulation.

thanks all for the feedback... turns out this was a very informative tread on how to close the trunk i walked away from this one and picked up an 02 C4 Cab from a Porsche Dealer in Alabama. now off to driving...

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Well, the info is wrong, at least part of it. The part that is right is to properly close the front trunk you of course do not slam the thing but allow the trunk lid to come down gently. The wrong part is even if you lower the trunk lid gently and once it is on its latch you do not press on the badge/emblem or on either side of it. The proper place to press is directly above the latch area of the front trunk. IOWs, you press down where there is resistance from the latch spring the trunk's latch ring is being forced into. Pressing down any other place can have the front trunk lid looking like some large painted potato chip over time. Also, my info is if it requires more force than is reasonable the latch either needs to be lubed or replaced. My 02 Boxster's front trunk lid is getting harder to latch and the tech told me that over time -- and my Boxster has plenty of that -- and over many openings and closings - and my Boxster's front trunk has been opened and closed many many times over these last 10+ years -- the latch dries out or even wears out (the drying out can lead to wearing out) and in some cases a relube with an adjustment can have this working like new. In other cases though, the cure is to replace the latch hardware. Sincerely, Macster.

I'm on my 2nd p-car and have used an Indy in Norcross that used to be called performance imports. They have divested from the mechanical and racing side but still use the performance imports name on their business card.