The Hunt

[Kalashnikov]

Nice JI, good luck on test drive. It looks like the car has a few mods. Wheels looks like Victor Innsbruck, tail lights are aftermarket, not 100% sure about front bumper.

[gnat]

Nice JI, good luck on test drive. It looks like the car has a few mods. Wheels looks like Victor Innsbruck, tail lights are aftermarket, not 100% sure about front bumper.

Front bumper is after market. Headlight washer covers aren't Porsche parts. I'm not positive, but I think the rocker covers are aftermarket too, though they could be real and just look funny without the proper AeroKit front bumper to tie them in properly.

[FRUNKenstein]

I do like the turbo look front bumper.

[JohnIreland]

The owner has had it for just over 8 years...which I consider a plus. If he made the mods, he's lived with them for a while. I'll more info when I see the owner and the car in person.

Normally I'm not a fan of the turbo front end and side pieces...but in black it is less obvious...and any 21 year old car will carry some compromises with it.

[B3DAWG]

Nice JI, good luck on test drive. It looks like the car has a few mods. Wheels looks like Victor Innsbruck, tail lights are aftermarket, not 100% sure about front bumper.

Front bumper is after market. Headlight washer covers aren't Porsche parts. I'm not positive, but I think the rocker covers are aftermarket too, though they could be real and just look funny without the proper AeroKit front bumper to tie them in properly.

JI, you seem like a guy that appreciates things of genuine design. Porsche never made a factory turbo bumper for the mk1 lights; therefore, Gnat is right, it is definitely an aftermarket "turbo like" front bumper as well as the side skirts and tail lights. I think the factory aero kit like what Gnat and Schnelly have on their cars are the ones to get. IMHO, the factory got it right. I haven't seen an aftermarket front bumper for these cars that look right. Crap, I'm starting to sound like a purist!

[32wildbilly]

John: I am really impressed with your ability to maintain interest in seeking and driving potential candidates for a car. It is astounding to me!

My search went: wife shows me a local car she sees on Craigslist, go see the car, drive the car, ask for a PPI, do the PPI, buy the car. This with absolutely zero knowledge about Porsches and having never been in one before. Did I make some mistakes? Sure. Has it worked out? Yes!

Carry on!

[gnat]

This with absolutely zero knowledge about Porsches and having never been in one before.

One could make the argument that this is the best way to buy a 996 these days. It saved you from all the obsessive worrying and second guessing and allowed you to take home what turned out to be YOUR car.

Not everyone can afford to send their car off to Jake if things go bad, but that you still view the purchase as having worked out speaks volumes about the impact of having the right car.

[32wildbilly]

This with absolutely zero knowledge about Porsches and having never been in one before.

One could make the argument that this is the best way to buy a 996 these days. It saved you from all the obsessive worrying and second guessing and allowed you to take home what turned out to be YOUR car.

Not everyone can afford to send their car off to Jake if things go bad, but that you still view the purchase as having worked out speaks volumes about the impact of having the right car.

You are absolutely correct.

I'm one of those "Oh that looks good..." car buyers and waste no time when the pre-purchase drive makes me smile...big. This car checked off both of those items immediately. When I returned from the pre-purchase drive the wife later told me "I knew it was a done deal when I saw the smile on your face as you stepped out of the car."

I am indeed more fortunate than I deserve to be.

[JohnIreland]

Didn't buy the black car. Didn't like the fit of the aero kit bumper. Suspension had clunks and rattles. No brake fluid flush in years. Rotors had ridges. Car sits too long and is not driven enough. Hasn't had the serpentine belt changed in 11 years. Manual seat height adjustment didn't work on either seat. Enough said.

[JohnIreland]

Moving on. Saw black 99 on BaT go for just under 24k...I was tempted when it was at 17k...but with shipping and BaT fees that would add another $2300.

When I got home last night from the no deal black car, what should I find just being listed on the internet but a 99 (early 98 build date) basic C2 in white, manual, same owner for last 15 years, 155k miles...for $12,000. Daily driver for the first 11 of those 15 years with lots of Porsche dealer service per Carfax, then it became a second car four years ago...and that service history gets sketchy. The seller didn't keep many receipts because he said he never had intended to sell it. That doesn't feel right, but people can be strange. In the pictures, the white paint looks tired and the front bumper looks a little scraped or rubbed. The tires and brakes will easily get me back to LA from the Bay area plus a few months driving around and sorting out time. The oil and filter was changed a week ago...original interior in good shape, and the nice thing is that at $12,000 that leaves a lot of money in my pocket to do lots of work as/if needed. I could throw money into the suspension, water pump, AOS, even and IMS retrofit, and still have some cash left over. If the engine blew up, I could probably see the remains for near the $12k the whole car is costing me.

And I wouldn't need the Porsche as a daily driver right now because the lease on the Giulia isn't up until January, so I have lots of time to sort it out and get it ready.

Been emailing the seller back and forth...lets see what happens.