Always get a PPI kids

"Beefchips" (beefchips) 10/14/2020 at 11:48 • Filed to: None

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After $250 and a rather boring 3 hour wait I found out that the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! was (drumroll please) ....... sketchy! Lots and lots of seals leaking. More worryingly a couple body panels had been re-painted but not listed in carfax and one of the headlight cow ls on the inside of the hood was missing. (I’m chalking that up to the same inci dent that created the need for a re-spray. ) Also weirdly the relays for timing the turn signals were different on the two different sides, one was very fast and the other slow. Someone did some cut- rate repair work on the thing.

Hard pass.

I t was an amazing car to drive though so now I’m trawling autotrader for other examples. Other sites to look for rare-ish cars? I think only something like 3k of these were sent to the US.

Tripper > Beefchips 10/14/2020 at 12:02

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Went $300 on a PPI for a 997....It needed an ENGINE! They actually stopped work after they took an oil sample and only charged me $100, creating a new client while I worked through the disappointment.

Keep looking. High mileage, few owners is the way to go. Keep an eye on auction sites too. Now is prime time for cars to go cheap, particularly those without a reserve. No PPI obviously there though...

E90M3 > Beefchips 10/14/2020 at 12:02

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I keep hearing get a PPI, and I've bought three cars, all without getting a PPI. My strategy has been to buy single owner low mileage BMWs. 

functionoverfashion > E90M3 10/14/2020 at 12:04

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That also can work. I’ve never done PPI but I’ve also bought most of my cars from the same place that I know and trust. Sadly, the owner retired and they’re gone, luckily we’ve got some life in our last purchases from them.

Just Jeepin' > Beefchips 10/14/2020 at 12:05

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By next year, I’ll probably have spent enough on PPIs for Jeeps I didn’t buy to have bought one.

E90M3 > functionoverfashion 10/14/2020 at 12:07

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Always nice when something works out, I do realize I might have been playing with fire on the 3, but so far it’s worked out. I’ve actually put 15k more miles on it then the PO: 55k to their 40k.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Beefchips 10/14/2020 at 12:07

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Good call.

Best of luck on your hunt!

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > E90M3 10/14/2020 at 12:07

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If still under factory warranty, it’s less of a concern, but never a bad idea.

Beefchips > E90M3 10/14/2020 at 12:08

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Yeah, for low mileage I’m with you. Especially if you’re getting something that may have some warranty left. Or if it’s a low price! For me no need to a PPI on a $5-10 k car.

Beefchips > Tripper 10/14/2020 at 12:08

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Whoa! they saved your bacon.

WilliamsSW > Beefchips 10/14/2020 at 12:09

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I think we all need the name and number of the shop that did your PPI.  Sounds to me like they did a great, thorough job.

E90M3 > Beefchips 10/14/2020 at 12:10

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I got both my M3 and my 128i with some factory warranty remaining, so I wasn’t concerned . The 3 was a single owner car with only 40k on it.

Tripper > E90M3 10/14/2020 at 12:11

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I wont PPI a 3er at this point. I’ve been in and around so many that I’m either comfortable at a glance/looking at it in person or I’ll turn up my nose based on #of owners, condition, and mods.

Any cars I don’t know I will PPI unless they’re CPO with plenty of time left

E90M3 > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 10/14/2020 at 12:11

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Yeah, that’s what I figured with the M3, if something was wrong, it’d break under warranty. 

Beefchips > WilliamsSW 10/14/2020 at 12:11

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Boyd Motor Werks in Portland :)

Beefchips > Just Jeepin' 10/14/2020 at 12:12

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LOL you should ask for a bulk discount

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > Beefchips 10/14/2020 at 12:12

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Glad you got the PPI! Try searching on FB marketplace, sometimes you can get a good deal there...

Tripper > Beefchips 10/14/2020 at 12:13

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They were super cool about it too. Had a laugh at their write up that just said “NOPE” at the top. The tech that did it was like “yo, call the seller (dealer) and see if they’ll sell it under 5k. We can get you a new 3.8L installed for 23k.” They didn’t want to sell it that cheap haha.

Beefchips > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability 10/14/2020 at 12:16

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Oof, me too! G ood call on FB marketplace . D o I have to have a facebook? I guess I can make a fake one.

Just Jeepin' > Beefchips 10/14/2020 at 12:22

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They’ re all over the country. 

Textured Soy Protein > Beefchips 10/14/2020 at 12:24

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Look at this as an opportunity to find one in the proper spec. Namely, blue or red, carbon look leather dash trim, no nav. 

DasWauto > Beefchips 10/14/2020 at 12:33

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I’ve never used it but Matt Farah often mentions/plugs Autotempest in his videos - it aggregates results from all sorts of listing platforms in one search. Maybe give that go.

Beefchips > Textured Soy Protein 10/14/2020 at 12:49

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Yep looking on the bright side :) I would love a red one! Blue over tan is always a great look too .

Beefchips > DasWauto 10/14/2020 at 12:49

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Cool, I’ll check it out, thanks!

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > Beefchips 10/14/2020 at 12:54

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I think you dont have to have an FB account to browse the listings, but you do need it if you want to contact the seller since it’ll send them a DM via Messenger.

I had a fake one as well but contacting the seller is where it get tricky. They probably wont respond to 'shitman420' lol 

flatisflat > Just Jeepin' 10/14/2020 at 12:56

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Are there specific things on a PPI that you’re looking out for? Or is it more a ‘what’s the general condition and are they asking too much for it’ sort of thing?

WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI > Beefchips 10/14/2020 at 13:00

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Best $250 you’ll ever spend.

Just Jeepin' > flatisflat 10/14/2020 at 13:00

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More of a general checkup, although each time I usually have some specific question I’m interested in, like “how much is it going to cost to fix  the river of oil leaking from this engine?”

rctothefuture > Beefchips 10/14/2020 at 13:01

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See now, I would have used that to my advantage. Talk down the price, replace some seals over the weekend and buy a cowling.

But I’m an oddball who enjoys that shit.

Chariotoflove > Beefchips 10/14/2020 at 13:21

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A PPI saved me from a Jag with control arm problems and other sketchy, not obvious things. From the reaction of the dealer, I honestly believe he was surprised by them, too.

Beefchips > rctothefuture 10/14/2020 at 13:22

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Yeah, it would be a slog but probably worth it . Dealer will just have to get the right buyer. R ear diff, main seal, and trans output to driv e shaft were all needed as well as the seal between the vanos unit and the head. Shop was guesstimating 3500 for all the mechanical things that were needed. But to be really honest the thing that scared me off was the low standard of work that someone had put in in the past.

Beefchips > Chariotoflove 10/14/2020 at 13:26

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The dealer in this case was kind of adversarial, like “Pfff, is a paint gauge all that shop can come up with ??” I just told em “ Thanks for your time, I really appreciate it” and left.

Chariotoflove > Beefchips 10/14/2020 at 13:30

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Miffed that he lost a sale. I get that. No point in arguing with him.

rctothefuture > Beefchips 10/14/2020 at 13:44

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Oh I totally get it man, this is an expensive purchase and the last thing you want is to spend good money on a potential time bomb.

Carbon Fiber Sasquatch > Beefchips 10/14/2020 at 13:59

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I did this about a year ago on a Golf TDI. The shop found it had been in an accident and the front drivers side essentially rebuilt (cheap parts, mediocre work according to the tech) but no record of any of that on the Carfax. I lowballed the dealer and of course they didn’t take it lol. Oh well, not paying a premium for a wreck

RacinBob > E90M3 10/14/2020 at 14:03

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I agree as long as you are looking the owner in the eye and he put the miles on the car you are fine. Here is where the PPI is so important,. they are in the business of making money  on the sale. You need to know what the car is, boy it is pretty though,

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Beefchips 10/14/2020 at 15:42

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Almost every single week  I get a car in that someone just bought, but now they have a problem. Which turns into $5k or more in needed work. Normal cars, AMG stuff, old, new, everything. It even happens on low mileage one owner stuff. New cars get wrecked all the time, and subsequently rebuilt by people who shouldn't be anywhere near tools or paint.

Beefchips > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 10/14/2020 at 15:55

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Ha, I’d count myself as at least partly in the latter category... I like to learn by doing, so the first time is always a bit rough. 

Captain of the Enterprise > Beefchips 10/14/2020 at 16:21

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How would I get one done? I’ve never understood the process. I’m assuming you have to negotiate doing that with the seller and try to set up an appointment or something.

Beefchips > Captain of the Enterprise 10/14/2020 at 17:00

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Exactly! J ust get the seller to agree, make an appointment at the shop an d arrange transpor t. Either the seller can drive it there, you can drive it there, you can tow / haul it . If there are any particular things you want looked at you can ask the shop, like the oil in Tripper’s 997