I'm I being too picky???

I took a look at 2 cars today. First was a 2000 with 76k miles and the other an 03 with 80k. Surprised to find the 00 drove better. The 03 seemed harsh and not as tight as the 00. A few rattles and the car seems to wander. The asking price on the 03 was $4,600 more too. Neither car's interior was pristine but the 03 had a stuck open cup holder, hand brake piece missing, a window delete button missing. Also I could be wrong but it looked like he car had flood damage or at least been left out in the rain with the windows down. The pics show mold on the mats, spare tire cover and the sticker looked to have been soaked at one point. Would that indicate the car sat in 18" of water...? There were a few idle stumbles present, and the hood and drunk struts wouldn't keep the panels up. I don't know if I'm being too picky but I expected more for $22k. The 03 was a dealer, the 00 private party. The 00 had a bad front bumper paint job done at some point but did have records. Am I being too picky??

Mold=RUN! But seriously, a good PPI can look in areas to confirm flood damage. There are so many cars for sale, I'd keep looking unless there is something really special about this one.

I would not touch a moldy car. Why take a chance? How many have you looked at? There are plenty to choose from, don't feel you have to buy right away. What are you looking for?

If they neglected that stuff, imagine what else they neglected. Mold = problems. I would take a badly painted bumper any day over the neglect the other car has suffered.

It is your money and you should find the car for which you can hand over a bunch of money with no pangs of regret or any real doubts. You are doing the right thing, looking, really looking, hard at a car. You are spotting issues that have you rightly questioning the desirability of the car. You are as a used car buyer doing that you should be doing. So, I don't think you are being too picky.

Thanks Macster. Vitamin C, I'm looking for a clean, well maintained car in the 75k mile range. I had thought I would prefer a 996.2 but after driving both, there's not much difference between the 3.4 and 3.6 motors. I like the gen 2 headlights better but you can't see them while driving so really why should I care about them? Being the 996.1s can be had for $3-$5k less that's a plus. I've looked at 8 or 9 cars and driven 4. Will keep looking till I find the right one and get a PPI. This will be a weekend car so I'm in no rush.

I doubt it was in 18" of standing water. Were the mats in the frunk or were they in the car? If they were in the frunk it could be that the frunk was left partially/fully open and got wet. Maybe they detailed it and didn't let it dry properly before closing it back up. If it's just in the frunk, it's not the end of the world. Pull the carpet and mats out and replace them after giving the tub and everything in it a good scrubbing. Pulling up the interior carpet as part of the PPI is an absolute must though. If there is any hint of mold inside, Bill is right. Firebomb that thing and run!

With all the recent flooding in the midwest and NE, I imagine there are a lot of flood/salvage cars out there...

carfax

see below Bash...

here you go BASH HAT....

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Thanks B3!

No you are not being too picky. I was the same way when I was shopping for a car. I passed up a low mileage 50K MK2 for low 20s because the front bumper had some scrapes, and general wear and tear didn't align with a low mileage car. I was looking for that one car that didn't look worn. I think part of the problem is that 996s has been cheap for some time, when most people buy them--then neglect them because everything costs above average to keep them running and serviced. I see a ton of these cars. A well kept 996 is hard to find, but when you do find one. They are absolutely worth the extra coin. You can get so much driving pleasure and performance for such a low cost.

1. Not everything shows up on carfax. We had some fairly significant body damage on a Jaguar repaired and the shop never reported it. Some shops will do so if asked. Carfax will also not honor their guarantee in that case. If you had a moldy car and just traded it in for whatever reason it would not show up as an issue. 2. My car's ashtray also stays open. The trick is to pop the whole thing out (it just lifts out if you pull up on it) and then close it and then pop it back in while only holding the edges. I don't use the ashtray so no biggie, but whenever someone else gets in the car they invariably seem to push the button and it opens... 3. You aren't being picky. That '03 in its present condition screams "walk away". My car is not pristine but I could not imagine selling it with that kind of damage being visible and not disclosed before you came over to look at it.

Agreed. It's a one owner car which I initially liked. The seller (small Indy shop/dealer) said it had a new clutch which is not listed on the Carfax. It also went to auction. I'm wondering if the original owner traded it in and the dealer dumped it at an auction due to the clutch being dead (among other things).

Don't worry, you can be more picky! Look for a great car, they are out there! Volkert

Ok guys... here's another angle on this car. What is the likely hood that the current owner forgot to close the sunroof properly, got rained on and soaked the interior. Instead of doing the right thing and getting the interior completely dried out, instead he carelessly let moisture build up to the point where mold started to develop on the floor mats. Instead of killing the mold on the floor mats, he then threw them in the frunk where the mold spread onto the spare tire cover and elsewhere. It's possible. Another possibility is that the owner put the floor mats in the frunk while not driving it and parked it in a high moisture area, and then neglected to close the frunk tightly. (maybe he kept it partially opened to allow for a battery trickle charger?) possible? Anyway... I wouldn't rule out this car; instead, I'd use the mold/mildew issue as a bargaining point. But if you're like me and have bad allergies, I wouldn't get in that car until all of the mold and mildew are completely eliminated. It can be a seriously health risk.

I bought the first 996 I looked at and drove in '06 and still own it. I was happy with the ownership history and records. Most important was the condition inside and out. Look for the 996 that doesn't exhibit obvious issues(like mold), or owner neglect. Stick to your guns and keep hunting for the right 911 for you.GL

That's a possibility but I'm going to keep looking. Wasn't just the mold that turned me off. The way the car drove, not feeling tight and the stumbling idle combined with the broken interior bits doesn't have me running to the bank to pull out $22k.

I say, (about mold) if the car meets all your criteria, have a PPI done and take it from there. But if there is any mold in the car it can reek havoc on the lungs ...

No. And be as picky as you can afford [the time spent]. I'm very picky and would be an annoying buyer to almost any seller (and I apologize for that up front to them). It takes me a long time - maybe 4-6 months to find the car that I really want. I have the time because it's a hobby of mine. The 996.1s are cheaper for lots of reasons, but to me, they are just as good a driving machine as the 996.2s as long as we're talking about the basics.

I looked for 18 months before I bought my '99 C4 Aero. Then looked for 6 months before buying my current car. The hunt is half the fun. That being said, prices are going to go up about 10% starting in a month or so due to the tax refund/spring fever buying season. Inventory will not stay on the market long. Labor Day to just after New Year's Day is the the best time of the year for a buyer. March, April & May the best time to sell a car.

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And you still settled on Guards Red???

you will always find something wrong with a Porsche. You will never find one that checks all the boxes.

agree with that. small things like a missing button or malfunctioning cupholder.....yea I think you're being too picky. For a 75k mile car in your price range it's not going to be absolutely perfect. Big things like mold or stumbling idle; yea I'd pass unless you really like the car and negotiate the price down

Sounds like you drove a piece of sheet 996.2 go find one that someone actually took care of. If you are willing to spend 22k - 26k then there is no reason to settle for a car with a long list of issues. There are so many 996s for sale you have choices. As a buyer in the 996 market, YOU are in the position to pick an choose.

I think I am more leary of a dealer that would not prep a car well enough to remove the mold more than the car itself. Like others have said, 996.2 in the mid 20's will buy you a clean well sorted car. Cars bought and sold at auction do not really scare me, you just need to make sure you are putting your eyes on the car. Getting a PPI can really vary by the shop and what you are willing to pay. If you cannot get a comprehensive ppi or do not want to spend the money then make yourself a checklist of items to check and plan on at least a 30 minute test drive. If it's a dealership schedule yourself a time early morning to look at the car, then show up a half hour earlier than anyone will be there. That way you are there for the first start of the day. That will also give you a few minutes to walk around and really look at the exterior of the car to find flaws and potentioanl body work. Check production date on tires, get a visual on pad wear, look on ground and engine block for oil and coolant leaks. During test drive make sure to check every single button and switch works. If the dealership has a lift ask to put on the lift and get a good visual under the car, bring a flashlights. Stick your head under the seats, pull back carpet in the trunk. I drove 5 hours to pick my car up, was assured it was "perfect" got there and predictably it was not. Passenger door latch needed replaced as the window was not dropping, and turn signal was not turning itself off. Both common 996 issues with lots of DIY write ups. I played dumb to that, told them I was going to leave if we could not get it repaired that day or price adjusted, and I meant it. The dealership conceded, I got retail price and labor rate off the car for those repairs and I drove the car home. The thing I noticed during my shopping for 996 is the difference between a super clean 996 and a very nice 996 is about 4-5k, and difference between a nice 996 and rough 996 is about 6-8k. Decide how you are going to use the car and budget you have. My 996 is an extra car in the house, but I drive it 5-7k miles a year. I also have a 4 year old that likes me to drive her to school and soccer practice in the car. I did not want a perfect car, I wanted a really nice drivers car. My car is not cosmetically perfect enough for me to flip out when my daughter walks past brushing against the car, or crawls in unassisted into her car seat. You are on the right path looking at multiple cars, keep your eyes open, set search alerts for new listings on Autotrader and eBay. Nice cars come and go quickly, overpriced and rough cars languish in listings.

Thanks DB. A lot of great advice there. I reached out to a guy in NC with a black 99 w/aero. If I can find a local rennlister to go take a look at the car that would be a huge help. If I could arrange a PPI and a flight out there that would be the next step. I'll be using the car in a very similar fashion to you. I have a 4 yr old daughter too and the 911 will be used for weekend canyon and coast runs with the wife and kid.

Here's a link to the car. http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/a...oupe-sale.html

Looks like one worth pursuing... Good luck!

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Nice looking car, but here is something to note: He shows the paint cracking on one of the winglets/spats. That's not nearly as bad as ours, but it's also not a simple fix. Those winglets are just a dense foam once the foam has been exposed (as shown in the pic), just painting it won't work as the paint is just going to fail and crack/peal again. Basically at this point you have to replace the winglet and have the new one painted to match to have the longest lasting success. Not the end of the world $$$ wise, but worth knowing before wasting money on a paint job that you'll only likely get a year or two out of. Some people like the winglets, others don't. Adding them if they aren't there is easy. Removing them requires replacing the bumper skin. It's the same bumper skin as the non-winglet version, there is just a template for you to drill the appropriate holes to mount the winglets. I suppose you could bondo the holes and paint it, but... Finally, the winglets do not like being exposed to sunlight consistently. Ours lives it's life outside and while both have seen the flaking/cracking problem I mentioned above, the one exposed to significantly more sun fails much faster and without any physical damage. Basically the heat of the sun is doing bad things to the structure of the foam inside. I don't know if the paint color will impact that, but our's is black like this one.

Thanks Gnat. Woulda figured those winglets would have been fiberglass. Didn't know they were foam. Probably easier to replace them that try to repaint. Not a big deal. Rest of the car looks pretty good. I'll have to see if there are any local RL members that would be willing to give it a look.

for that $, i'll sell you mine! I have no Aero kit, but I have the cleanest '01 you've ever seen!

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If you want someone to check it out for you, you might want to start a new thread with that as the title.

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Good looking Porsche with relatively low miles and quite a few improvements.

Why would a car have mold? I would keep looking.

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Answer - moisture

99 model with GT3 aero kit. Asking $17,000 and only 79K miles http://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/5909185407.html

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Nice looking car but it's a Tip. And the trans needs work according to the seller.

^^^guess my eyes got blurred trying to read the ALL CAPS. ha!