F355 PPI results

Hi Guys,

Well I had the results from the PPI on the 355B I was looking at - can you guys give your thoughts as to whether it might be a go-er, or walk / run away..

The car is a '95 UK spec right hand drive F355B with 25k miles on the clock, and full main dealer servvice history. Cam belt service due now.

A few cosmetic bits and pieces, such as window quadrents (the black metal triangle bit on the window by the edge of the door) corroding,
butress corrosion,
both windows rattling (needs something tightening up?),
couple of wheel centres cracked,
front luggage compartment carpet a bit shabby.

Minor mechanical bits:

Alternator needs a modified earth (?),
has the early steering power fluid reservoir which leaks, needs to be updated, rear suspension bushes partially perished, will need replacing
parking lights don't work

The serious bits:

Both cam covers / poss. seals leaking (would be done during cam belt service??),
possible oil leak from gearbox, although hard to tell, might have just been overfilled with oil,
clutch 40% worn, possible bad release bearing (although the release bearing was already replaced in Jan this year),
new brake pads and discs needed all round,
corrosion to the rear lower quarter panel (not huge amount).

Compression tests came back:

(1) 140 (2) 138 (3) 142 (4) 140 (5) 139 (6) 141 (7) 140 (8) 142

The mechanic said in his view this was average (normal) condition for the age of car, he liked the way it drove, and said he liked it mechanically, but it needs some money spent on it to bring up to spec. Including the cambelt service, maybe £4.5k or slightly more.

As he said, there really is not a lot out there at the moment in terms or right hand drive cars, and I don't really want a left hand drive, so do I wait, or does this sound like it might be a possibilty?

Had agreed a purchase price of £44k

opinions please!

Many thanks
Eric

 

Based on what you now know is that price good? If it's not and even if it is it may make sense to get the guy down a bit more. Some of the more technical people on here will be able to tell you more but on the surface it sounds like the price may be high.

 

I think it sounds like a lot of money although I do not know what kind of premium UK specific cars command

 

To give an idea, he said as a trader, if he were to buy the car for his stock, he would look at paying roughly £38k for the car.

As a comparison of the kind of premium for a right hand drive, you could buy a 1998 left hand drive car for roughly £44k.

Thanks
Eric

 

Eric,
I think the rust is fairly common on GTB, there are quite a few references in the archives about it. The minor stuff sounds fairly cosmetic and shouldn't be too expensive. The major stuff is a different matter. Is the car being sold privately? If so, there sounds a lot of room to move on price, ie £4k. If it's a trader, get him to get the work done and bid him £41 ish k .
Would you buy the car for asking price if it was perfect?

 

ERIC

THE PPI ON THE COMPRESSION LOOKS LOW

SHOULD BE ABOUT 160 PSI OR SO ACROSS THE BOARD!!!!!!

WAS THERE A LEAK DOWN TEST PERFORMED???

BRUCE

 

Tony, it is a private sale - the asking price was originally £47k, but I agreed £44k in lieu of the fact it needed a cambelt service. If the car was perfect, and needed nothing doing to it, I guess I would go to the asking price - but at this rate its a £48 - 49k car. With no warranty.

Problem is there isn't a lot out there if you want a right hand drive car.

I don't think the seller will shift anymore on the price.

Cheers
Eric

 

Bruce, would you expect 160 psi on a car this old, or would those be the sort of figures on a newish engine??

There was no leak down test, I probably sound quite ignorant here - but what is a leak down test?!?!?

Thanks
Eric

 

ERIC, 95 OLD?? NOT A CHANCE..

I BOUGHT MY 88 TR 2 YEARS AGO AND REGISTERED 160 TO 168 ACROSS THE BOARD.PSI IN THE COMPRESSION TEST.

IF THE ENGINE IS NOT SOUND, OR NOT UP TO PAR.....WALK AWAY...

GOOD LUCK,

BRUCE

 

http://rds.yahoo.com/S=2766679/K=LEAK+DOWN+TEST/v=2/TID=DFX0_32/SID=e/l=WS1/R=1/H=0/*-http://www.geocities.com/dsmgrrrl/FAQs/leakdown.htm

HERES A GOOD DEFINATION OF A LEAK DOWN TEST

BRUCE

 

Those compression numbers look VERY low. I had my '98 355 tested at FoA before taking delivery and 7 of the 8 cylinders were between 180 and 200. The remaining cylinder came in at 160 or so and the diagnosis was new valve guides. Run away .....

 

I AGREE WITH ROB, DONT WALK, RUN

YOU WILL HAVE ENGINE PROBLEMS LATER, YOU DONT WANT THAT

CONTINUE YOUR SEARCH.......

BRUCE

 

I find it a little strange that all the cylinders would be so far down on the compression test but so near equal (like a gauge calibration issue? or maybe a test methodology error -- e.g., intake not fully open?).

I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that all is OK (and buying a used 355 has to be one of the biggest cr*pshoots on the planet ), but I don't like any test when the result don't match the expected ballpark...

 

OK, I just spoke to the mechanic who carried out the test - he said the tests they carry out are at idle - and this figure is very good - you would get a much higher figure if the test is carried out at high rpms.

Eric

 

Just read the link that Bruce posted me re leak down tests / compression tests and now I am confused - compression tests are carried out without the engine running right? So why did the garage tell me they were carried out at idle... hmmmm. They are closed now so I can't ring them until tomorrow to find out whats going in. Maybe I mis-understood what they were saying to me.

Eric

 

Eric -

To save time, a leak down will tell you if the car has valve guide issues.

Sounds like the car has not been taken care of very well and the small items will add up to a lot of money.

I would walk away from it - but it depends on how "correct" you want to make the car, how much money you are willing to spend to make it correct and how much time you have.

 

Eric

Talacrest have a later car in stock for not much more money in reality (£52k) and all belts etc have been done, might be worth a look and a haggle.

I'd agree with FL 355 it doesn't seem a very cared for car, btw when they did my cam seals/ belts they found a load of other stuff like pipes worn etc in hte end hte bill was £7.5k for reference my compression figures were all 160 plus when tested

 

Eric

if you don't mind answering, who did the PPI?

 

Verdi Ferrari (one of the sponsors of this site). I know they know what they are doing, so it must be me getting the wrong end of the stick here!

Eric

 

Let us know what the outcome is - would be v interesting to hear how Verdi performed the test differently..
Ade

 

Eric,
The numbers as such don't mean anything as long as they are within factory specs and within 7-10% of each other.There are several factors that can affect the final outcome and to name few,if the battery is new,the compression #'s be higher,if it's done cold the numbers be lower,if plugs are old the numbers be lower again and the list goes on and on.
Just ask the tech if the test was done warm or cold,inquire about the plugs,battery and stuff like that and also if they are within factory specs or not.
later, Yasir

 

How can the plugs make a difference? I'm no expert on this stuff, but there's information going around here that's way off base, and some poor guy is relying on it to determine whether or not to buy a car! Apart from anything else, gauges vary significantly, and compression tests are done without the plugs in.