PPI let down

What problems / issues were overlooked by the PPI?

 

That could be a lawsuit waiting to happen if you got hurt in the car and they deemed the car as road worthy. PPI are something that should be taken seriously because the man who is inspecting the car has a lot riding on his shoulders.

 

I think if you're relying on some guy and it's a one shot deal you take your chances. Combine that with not looking at the car yourself to verify and you wind up with what happened. These PPI's seem to really be a hit or miss thing. Bottom line if you aren't there to look at the car yourself you leave things open for surprises and you'll just have to deal with what's been overlooked or not relayed. Hopefully it all works out and there isn't anything really serious.

 

Did you ask to see previous PPIs he'd done? It is tough on a 40 year old car, it can be easy to dismiss stuff cause it is an old car. What you want is a concours judge who is an excellent mechanic. What you get might be less than that. But missing that a door won't open...

I know that a few well respected Ferrari specialists here won't do a PPI. It is all downside for them for the upside of a couple of hundred bucks. Not worth it. So what do you do when shopping for a car an everyone here says that you can't buy without a PPI?

 

This is why, when one is serious, you get your rear on a plane and go LOOK at the car with your own eyes.

A mechanic may give a completely honest PPI, but miss something vital to the buyer because of different expectations.

A PPI is nice, and should supplement a buyer's knowledge (especially on the mechanical side), but ultimately it's the buyer's responsibility to understand what he's buying. In this case, you're buying a 37-year-old handbuilt Italian car. Good luck with that . . .

 

Check your Private Messages... I've heard stories like this before...

 

Reliable PPIs are becoming a thing of the past, mostly due to the liability in my opinion. If you are buying a used car you better look at it yourself prior to purchase if you don't want a surprise. Even if you do that, on any old Ferrari if you want to be able to drive it reliably you should assume extensive deferred maintenance and plan and budget for substantial mechanical refreshing before you start getting to really use it. For example, the next 308 I buy (after being burned once already) I will assume it immediately needs new: tires, water and fuel hoses, clutch, fluids, pads and rotors, belts and tensioners, etc. and plan accordingly.

 

You just learned your first thing about a Ferrari purchase: NEVER ASSUME.

Actually, most of the time they are worried about major things like the condition of the engine, gearbox, suspension, tires, body condition, major accessories working, lights working, paperwork, improper repairs, visible leaks, and road worthiness.

But, I've seen people complain about PPI's because the guy didn't find it was missing the flashlight in the glovebox.

This one is borderline but look at the bright side -- you're happy with the purchase. I haven't seen a car yet were the new owner didn't have to do something once they got it.

 

Don't see where the problem lies here then? If you flew out to look and purchase the car and either the owner or the lame @ss tech didn't advise you on some things then you grind the price to reflect extra non-disclosed items. If the owner won't budge you make the choice to walk away. I fail to see where any of this is an issue especially now that you claim you're happy with the car? If the owner and the tech guy are buddies and the tech took your money and didn't do a proper job I can see where that would be frustrating. The whole key here is you physically looked at the car and that makes the difference.

 

I would be more sympathetic if you didn't go see the car first, but if you drove down there to see the car before you bought it and didn't do as much as open the door, then thats on you. If you did open the door and didn't notice that the hinges were so bent the door couldn't close properly then the problem must have been more insignificant than you are describing--which would likely explain how it could have accidentally been overlooked.

Either way, its water under the bridge. Those GT4s are killer cars, enjoy her and consider it a lesson learned.

 

I will throw this out there...is it possible your expectations are unrealistic?

The car you bought (which I have not seen) was owned by a regular here, and has been described by others (who have seen it), as being in great shape.

You also purchased the car for a low entry level amount...likely commesurate with its value.

You bought a 40 year old, entry level ferrari for a low price...I hope you didn't expect perfection. Many on here buy cars costing 100k+ that need work...

With a ferrari, you need to prepare your self for ongonig $$$ maintenance needs, and realize that much ALWAYS needs to be done... Accept that, and you will be happy.

To make you feel better, I am fixing up a 930 right now...and I did a thorough inspection myself prior to purchase...

Since then I have found:

1) Rear axle castle nut held on by roofing nail...
2) Right front wheel nut loose...no cotter pin
3) All left door wiring cut...just dangling there
4) rigth rear shock bent to hell

Well...you get the idea... It is what it is...Now, on to fixing it

 

That is precisely what I did, despite the recent major service records (that were just under $10,000).

 

so the previous owner never mentioned, "hey the guy never came out to do the PPI?"

 

Is it possible that the hinges were bent during shipment?

I sat in, and drove, that car last October. The hinges were not bent then.

 

i had an extremely well known long island ferrari 'expert' do a ppi on a 348 in 2001. i watched him do it at a ferrari dealer. dont remember the cost but maybe $350. we test drove the car for 5 minutes. that was ok. he did a walk around for about 10 minutes, never put it on a lift, forget about compression test, and best of all, did not know how to lower the convertible top. he said the car was good to buy. i passed on the car.

recently had one done on a xke jag and we spent over an hour, inspected every nook, had it on lift, did compression test, etc. since he's going to be my mechanic on the car he didnt even charge for it!

ppi is only as good as the person doing it.

 

How much massive? More than 20%?

Do you have any documentation of the previous PPI to compare your observations to (for example, a compression test)?

Why did you do the leakdown test? Was the engine missing or down on power?

 

Dr Kananga,

This thread is just rotten.

ANYONE who is following it is smelling fish.

Either name, NAMES or "Pipe the frack DOWN" and FIX a 30 YEAR OLD car.


Seems like we got a few theads headed toward the "Stupid Zone" going on right now. "COT" thread is another one.


Does this **** come in "3's?" Hope so.....

 

What??? No DUCT TAPE repairs?

LOL

 

Yes but did you get anything in writing on the previous PPI to compare to? Do you have any documentation of just someone telling you it was "ok"?