Wanted: 35i or 35IS

Smartbear · Post by **Smartbear** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 1:41 pm

tomscott wrote:Unfortunately returned the car this weekend. Developed a problem and the dealer couldn't solve so money back and the search starts again.

That sounds frustrating! What happened to it?
Rob

ronk · Post by **ronk** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 2:05 pm

Better now than a few weeks down the line!

john-e89 · Post by **john-e89** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 2:07 pm

tomscott wrote:Unfortunately returned the car this weekend. Developed a problem and the dealer couldn't solve so money back and the search starts again.

Bad luck Tom..

Still going Porsche?

ronk · Post by **ronk** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 2:30 pm

Z4M-2006 wrote:Suprised by the Boxster move i have to say.....

Even more so by an early one with the wonky engines,there lives a man that likes life on the edge...

Good luck with it,they are a superb drivers car...

Pics asap..

Was the return anything to do with these issues?

tomscott · Post by **tomscott** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 3:43 pm

Not really been looking forward to writing this post. But...

The car started to clang after I did a 300 mile trip at the weekend. Been anxious all week and not really been much fun, sounded like sticky lifters trying not to panic but reading online never makes anything better especially when it comes to Porsche. Had the car inspected and the car is only a 2 owner, has done 2k in the last 18 odd months which I did 1000 in the 10 days I had it.

It's hard to comprehend the length you must go to, to get the right car.. it's rare to find a car of that age with low owners especially a roadster. You just never know how it's been treated regardless of owners. You will never know either unless the engine is stripped which makes no economical sense.

Took it to the specialist, Strasse (leeds who are excellent) we have used for years and he did the 117 point inspection and put a camera down all of the left banks and couldn't find any bore scoring but the sound he thought was most certainly piston slap. The car also started to vibrate over 3000rpm which was very disconcerting. Essentially it was almost certainly the onset of bore scoring. But it could have been a sticky lifter but the hydraulic tappets never go wrong. An oil service could have sorted it but probably not. No point spending the money doing it.

The RMS had a very slight leak which he put down to the car sitting for 18 months then doing 1000 miles in so little time, otherwise they tend to leak quite a bit and you would see the patch which it wasn't previously. RMS isn't the nightmare like the 911, the 911s is contained so no signs and then it penetrates and starts creating havoc. The boxster advice is to leave it until it needs a new clutch.

The clutch also started juddering which he thought was down to the oil penetrating onto the clutch but at 77k it probably needed a new clutch anyway. The rear discs were gone too, problem with having the engine right next to them is they tend to rust because of our climate and the heat coming from them, same with the exhaust bolts which is not a surprise or difficult job and I would have done on any car this age. The drivers side condenser also had a slight leak which could only be seen right in the far end, so hard to see. You get a very small damp circle where it is leaking but with the weather very hard to spot. Also leaves and dirt tend to build up in the front of the car and the condenser tends to rot good idea to replace as a pair as replace one the other will go too.

So really the main maintenance I was thinking needed done was the rear discs, some bolts and some cosmetics. The inspection showed the car was pretty much a financial write off. The bore scoring would cost 5500-6500 when not if, the RMS might as well do the IMS at the same time and the clutch and flywheel so another £3k minimum rear discs and pads £600 and the condensers pick a number £1000 plus labour probs. He said give it 3 months and if not treated catastrophic engine failure is the most likely outcome.

Just shows, the car had 0 symptoms which is why I bought it, no noises pulled well no leaks and within a week of some motorway driving the car developed all of these symptoms. TBH the engine could have been numerous things may not have been bore scoring as the camera showed no ware to the liners at all but the pistons you cant check without stripping the engine which makes no financial sense. So probably wouldn't have been £6k but the fact is its a possibility on a car I had owned for 10 days.

I think I was very unlucky the specialist said that the 3.2 is the most reliable engine out of them all as its the base block before they bored them to 3.4, 3.6 and 3.8 and said in the time he's had the garage there has been one or two but both with double the mileage and very unlucky for a 2 owner car.

All in all the car probably needed 10-12k spent on it with labour and more would have probably been found along the way. So more than I paid for it. The dealer knew of the my issues before I sent it to the specialist and offered me a no quibble money back guarantee if the inspection came back like it did. I took the car back and got my money back thankfully which I think was very lucky also... How many dealers would be ok taking a car back with no financial penalty as its not really their fault either... at the end of the day its an 11 year old car most is ware and tear and probably not enough care taken early on in its life warming up etc.

Just shows you cannot be sure at all. You need to get it up on the ramp and see whats going on before the purchase.

I don't seem to have much luck, brand new Mini Cooper S 2 engines 2 gearboxes in 12k miles now my weekender has gone the same way.
Im sure I probably should have taken my own advice that buying a 2 owner car that's 11 years old and not expect many issues. But pretty much everything major that could go was going.

Gutted is an understatement and has made me very worried about future purchases. I would say I'm well versed in the issues been Porsche obsessed for so long and dads car being one of the 911s with the possibility of all of the above issues, keeping an eye out for the 5 years he had it.

So Saturday I went from manc to Leeds Leeds to Birmingham and then the train home car-less.

Absolutely gutted. Obviously was a terrible idea. It's put me off thinking about what next and its obviously embarrassing posting this and eating my words.

Only caveat is nobody was hurt and it's just a bit of metal and silver lining that I got the money back.

Cheers Tom

Marlon · Post by **Marlon** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 3:54 pm

Thanks for the open and honest feedback Tom. What a nightmare - but ended well with the garage taking it back and refunding you

As you say it just highlights that buying second hand older sports cars can be a gamble even when they apparently tick all the boxes.
Btw no need to be embarrassed - you've given lots of invaluable advice to others. You'll probably have to give it some time to recover from this disappointment and then you can continue the search for your perfect car

john-e89 · Post by **john-e89** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 4:20 pm

Shame but money back wth a bit of messing is a good outcome from a potentially long drawn out load of hassle. Bullet dodged Tom. Onwards and upwards.

ronk · Post by **ronk** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 6:02 pm

You're not the first nor unfortunately will you be the last man to buy a wrong car.
My 'wrong car' was bought privately and I had a real old struggle to get my cash back.

Don't give up - the right car isn't far away

tomscott · Post by **tomscott** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 6:09 pm

Cheers guys!

Not sure what to get next there isn't anything in my budget that I fancy, pretty much the 35i/is which would have been great if we were going with a one car solution but I would prefer something more focused now the new job isn't a big commute. Other option is the Z4M C/R but had one and don't really fancy buying another one although it seems more likely atm. In dream world I would like a 981 Cayman/Boxster S but their too expensive at £33+ so the last option is a Gen 2 Cayman/Boxster but again good ones are top end of 26-30k and if I was spending that I would prefer a 981. I would prefer to stay below £23k even better mid to high teens so I can go skiing wiht the gf early on next year

mr wilks · Post by **mr wilks** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 6:40 pm

Feel no embarrassment whatsoever Tom , its clear you are one to study & do your homework so only confirms that watercooled Porsche ownwership is a far bigger gamble than Z4M ownership plus you don't even get decent residuals either

so perhaps a nice position to have enjoyed the 1000 miles then money back ?
Good luck your replacement search & count yourself lucky you got out with wallet still intact

Z4M-2006 · Post by **Z4M-2006** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 7:10 pm

Ooooooshh..

Bullet dodged...

Whats next then ?

Highlander · Post by **Highlander** » Tue Dec 06, 2016 12:18 am

Onward and upward........and look out for a Porsche with a Hartech engine rebuild.
There's a garage/dealer in London who also offers an engine warranty as they inspect the bores of all the flat 6's they take in for retail......can't remember the bame exactly but something like Portia.
Quick google search and they're called Portiacraft........was on the hunt for a 911 a few years ago myself.

ronk · Post by **ronk** » Tue Dec 06, 2016 12:42 am

tomscott wrote:Cheers guys!

Not sure what to get next there isn't anything in my budget that I fancy, pretty much the 35i/is which would have been great if we were going with a one car solution but I would prefer something more focused now the new job isn't a big commute. Other option is the Z4M C/R but had one and don't really fancy buying another one although it seems more likely atm. In dream world I would like a 981 Cayman/Boxster S but their too expensive at £33+ so the last option is a Gen 2 Cayman/Boxster but again good ones are top end of 26-30k and if I was spending that I would prefer a 981. I would prefer to stay below £23k even better mid to high teens so I can go skiing wiht the gf early on next year

Have you considered the Porsche owners club for your search?
I think their members will be equally fanatical as ours!

MrPT · Post by **MrPT** » Tue Dec 06, 2016 12:54 am

Mate, that is sh!tty luck but both you and the dealer can be proud of the way it panned out!

So... liking the top-down but also the composure of the Pork. Z4MR with some change left for trick suspension and new rubber?! #justsaying

tomscott · Post by **tomscott** » Tue Dec 06, 2016 12:12 pm

MrPT wrote:Mate, that is sh!tty luck but both you and the dealer can be proud of the way it panned out!

So... liking the top-down but also the composure of the Pork. Z4MR with some change left for trick suspension and new rubber?! #justsaying

It would make sense, just not sure I fancy another Z. But its probably the most reliable had 0 problems with mine when I had it.

Plus I have some CSLs lying around

Id would want a good one, there's not much on the market atm.

Silver Grey Mc with red leather on the other hand

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