PPI recommendation for a 996 TT in DFW | FerrariChat

PPI recommendation for a 996 TT in DFW

Discussion in 'Texas' started by jmurez, Jul 7, 2011.

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  1. jmurez

    jmurez Rookie

    Sep 21, 2010
    12
    I would like to get a PPI recommendation for a 996 TT in DFW. Do you usually take the car to a location for the inspection or do most inspectors travel to the car? What is the average cost of a PPI?

    Any advice on a 996 TT? I have seen and driven the car. Looks 9.5/10 and unmodified.
     
  2. bbs911

    bbs911 Formula Junior

    May 31, 2007
    590
    Dallas
    I've never heard of a mobile ppi. To do properly, they need their tools, a lift, etc. I'd suggest RAC Performance in Dallas. Very close to Addison Airport.
     
  3. jimpo1

    jimpo1 Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Jul 30, 2001
    24,905
    Dallas, TX
    Full Name:
    Jim E
    +1. The only place I'd go for Porsche. But I'm not a Porsche guy. :)
     
  4. jmurez

    jmurez Rookie

    Sep 21, 2010
    12
    Thanks. That is helpful.
     
  5. LightGuy

    LightGuy Four Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Oct 4, 2004
    45,670
    Texas
    Full Name:
    David
    There is Zims in Euless and Mayo in Bedford if the car is closer to Fort Worth.
    Both exceptional.
     
  6. jmurez

    jmurez Rookie

    Sep 21, 2010
    12
    Car is in Addison, so RAC was a good choice. We had the inspection perfromed yesterday and here are the details. Very happy with the expertise of RAC.

    2003 996TT Artic Silver with 50k. Price ~$45k. Car looked very clean with no major mods. 997T wheels which are a personal favorite.

    PPI -
    Minor Bank 2 chain housing seep.
    Minor Front lower rad. air guide damage
    Minor bottom front bumper tear
    Spoiler Drive leaking
    Serp Belt needs to be rpelace
    Belt roller needs replacement
    Two high tone horns (versus 1 high, 1 low)
    rear window seal needs glue or replacement
    Right rear tire wear on inside
    brakes 75%
    Range 1 = 31026
    Range 2 = 1560 (RAC said this indicates over rev ignitions and is average for the mileage, but shows spirited driving. It was interesting that they estimate ~260 over rev occasions.)

    Rear bumper painted
    Both front fenders painted

    Buy, walk, or run?

    We chose to walk. The price seemed in line for a clean car with no paint work. We were willing to work around the other issues. Most concerning were the spoiler drive and the belt/roller needed immediate attention. The rest is understanible for an 8 year old 50k car. Even rear bumper paint could be to touch up, because nothing was noted as far as damage, but both front fenders beng painted was troublesome. They can't measure the front bumper paint becuase its plastic, but I can't help but suspect at least a font end collision. This may explain the two high tone horns. I am not very well versed in Porsches yet, but any opinions on the decision?
     
  7. James_Woods

    James_Woods F1 World Champ

    May 17, 2006
    12,755
    Dallas, Tx.
    Full Name:
    James K. Woods
    Did you ask them if an early 997 Turbo might be a better car?
     
  8. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Eight Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 28, 2003
    85,600
    Texas!
    I have had several Porsche mechicans tell me these cars are pretty much bullet proof.


    Just because they are painted, doesn't mean the car was wrecked. Any high performance car driven around the metromess is going to get rock chips. If RAC said they couldn't find any evidence of damage, I'd take them at their word. Generally, if you put the car on a lift and look, you'll see evidence of repairs if they exist.

    Does the car have any records showing past work? Was it ever a lease car? Basically, you want to know whether it has been loved or not.

    That said, there are a lot of these cars out there so take your time.

    Dale
     
  9. DIGMAN52

    DIGMAN52 F1 Rookie
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jan 30, 2004
    4,094
    Dallas Texas
    Full Name:
    Philip C
    I bought a 996tt from RAC and then they sold it for me 8 months later. It had great push you back in the seat performance, but the engine/exhaust sounds just don't do it for me.
    After trying 2 P-bugs, I am convinced they are not my thing. That sale allowed me to move in to my favorite car ever, '05 Ford GT. No regrets 4 years later.

    Going off-track, backwards, at 70 with dryhole driving, at MSR was my most vivid memory of that car.
     
  10. TRScotty

    TRScotty F1 Rookie
    Owner

    Oct 12, 2006
    2,505
    Tyler, Texas
    Full Name:
    Scotty
    Was that not the first mistake? :)
     
  11. B.Ratcliff

    B.Ratcliff Formula 3
    Owner

    Sep 23, 2004
    1,023
    Dallas, TX
    Full Name:
    B. Ratcliff
    #11 B.Ratcliff, Jul 15, 2011
    Last edited: Jul 15, 2011
    Good move walking away, I would say Run instead!

    That car has been run ragged. The over revs tell me either the owner didnt know how to drive the car or it was beat on consistently, obviously both are bad.

    I have owned 4 of these cars. I Currently have an 04 996 TT X50 cab. The 911 has a reputation of being dependable if maintained. I have had a good experience with the cars I owned.

    I have never experienced the sort of repairs that car needs. I say it has been abused.

    There are alot of these cars out there, be patient untill you find the right car.
     
  12. jmurez

    jmurez Rookie

    Sep 21, 2010
    12
    Sure a 997TT would be a better car, but out of the price range. I agree that painted fenders doesn't always mean front end damage, but the price was firm and not worth potential problems or further investigation. RAC said a true body shop would need to assess for prior damage. The search goes on....
     
  13. Meh

    Meh Rookie

    Jul 3, 2011
    12
    If the car has had the ECU changed/flashed the overrevs should not be too much of an issue. Range two really isn't that big of a deal. Bumpers painted? EVERY used car has had the bumpers painted.

    Minor Bank 2 chain housing seep. Normal.
    Minor Front lower rad. air guide damage. Normal.
    Minor bottom front bumper tear. Low car. Normal.
    Spoiler Drive leaking. It will fail as they all do. $1200 (?) to fix.
    Serp Belt needs to be rpelace. Normal maint.
    Belt roller needs replacement. Normal.
    Two high tone horns (versus 1 high, 1 low). Lol. Soprano horn.
    rear window seal needs glue or replacement. Yep.
    Right rear tire wear on inside. RR tire is the drive wheel.
    brakes 75%
    Range 1 = 31026. Meh.
    Range 2 = 1560 (RAC said this indicates over rev ignitions and is average for the mileage, but shows spirited driving. It was interesting that they estimate ~260 over rev occasions.). No big deal at all. That's what, 1000 over redline? I've seen a lot worse from cars that have been tracked and have been on the road for years...

    Rear bumper painted
    Both front fenders painted
    Both nothing to worry about.


    I'm no longer an expert on Porsche pricing (been out of the loop for close to a year) but it sounds like a typical higher mile 996TT.
     
  14. LightGuy

    LightGuy Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Oct 4, 2004
    45,670
    Texas
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    David
    Type 2 over-rev is the REVOLUTIONS the engine has had over red-line. 1560 is not too bad really. Could be only a couple of missed shifts. I'm assuming stick shift. Dont know how an auto would have type 2's.
    These engines are beyond stout.
    Front bumper replaced and especially the horn replacement was a good catch/clue.
    I'm thinking Mike L did the inspection (?).
    996TT are a screaming deal right now and that does not sound like too bad of a car all said and done.
     
  15. Meh

    Meh Rookie

    Jul 3, 2011
    12
    I trying to say is that range two is 1000 RPM over revline (IIRC. Maybe range two is 500 and range one is hitting the limiter). Since it measures each cylinder overreving, take that 1560 and devide by six. That's how many revolutions it was in that range.

    Keep in mind that many "tunes" will raise the redline up a few hundred RPM. This is recorded by the ECU as an overrev.

    Mike is back at LoD. Saw him there Thursday.
     
  16. SAFE4NOW

    SAFE4NOW F1 Veteran
    Sponsor Owner

    Aug 25, 2004
    5,833
    Dallas Texas
    Full Name:
    If you know you know
    That car is an excellent value , but know that it's had a front end replaced after a hard off at the track. It was fixed " right " but has some needs as well.

    As for the engines being bullit proof, I've replaced 3 in the past 18 months... so be sure to get your PPI completed before pulling the trigger on whichever car you chose!

    S
     
  17. mdoan300

    mdoan300 Karting

    Nov 14, 2003
    231
    North Texas
    Full Name:
    Michael
    Actually, there are 3 ignitions per crankshaft revolution with the M96 engine so divide by 3, not 6.

    FWIW, my Turbo has a few recent range 2 ignitions and I know I am not misshifting.

    Michael.
     
  18. Meh

    Meh Rookie

    Jul 3, 2011
    12
    Thanks for the correction. I thought it was six.
     
  19. jakermc

    jakermc Formula 3
    Owner

    Jan 17, 2004
    1,804
    Palm Beach, FL
    Full Name:
    Rob
    Range 2 readings are fairly meaningless. Bumping up on the rev limiter is going to create a range 2, but who cares? The engine is more than capable of operating there. In my 996 race car I sometimes have to hold the car at those rpms because I am out of gear and coming into a braking zone where it makes no point to shift up. All Range 2 means is that you are using all the rpms the engineers at Porsche gave you. You paid for them, might as well use them.

    Over revving on a downshift is a completely different issue. They call that a money shift for a reason ...
     
  20. Kds

    Kds F1 World Champ

    #21 Kds, Jul 18, 2011
    Last edited: Jul 18, 2011
    The hydraulics for the rear spoiler are a common failure on these cars, nothing to worry about there........and the belt and rollers are just maintenance items.

    I am not too concerned about the number of times he'***** the rev limiter, it's easy to do.

    The painted fenders require investigation, but if it was for purely cosmetic reasons, it is also a non-issue.

    It's not like you can call the "used car factory" and order something to your specs, you've got to accept that these are volume production used high performance cars and they will all have some sort of expenditure that will be required, or minor repairs that had previously been done, which will be of little consequence to the educated buyer. If the paintwork was for cosmetic reasons (key scratch, chips, etc), rather than an accident repair, it sounds like you passed on a good car.
     
  21. Meh

    Meh Rookie

    Jul 3, 2011
    12
    I'd say that 90% of bumpers on an eight year old Porsche have been painted. They are named "bumpers" for a reason.
     
  22. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Eight Time F1 World Champ
    BANNED Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 28, 2003
    85,600
    Texas!
    How hard is it to see frame damage? I have done my own inspections of various cars, including a 330 GTC, where I put them up on a rack and never found any real damage. But I would think if you look carefully enough, even a novice could figure out if a car has had any repairs.

    That said, I'm thinking panel gaps and door swings are a waste of time. They are easy enough to adjust by any bodyman.

    Your thoughts?

    Dale
     

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