Powelly999
New member
- Joined
- 25 Jan 2020
- Messages
- 33
Hi all
Second post ever on here, but had to say something about going to see a 997 as a first time Porsche buyer today. I've not got a great budget, but a car local (ish) to me in Cardiff seemed to have most of the spec I want. Arranged to view this morning and arrived to find the unit full of most desirable vehicles, Bentleys, Ferrari's, Porches etc. The owner introduced himself and showed me the car, at the back with three cars in front and parked between two other 997's, an C4S, and a C2S cabriolet. He promptly handed me a file of history with OPC and specialist servicing receipts, mot printouts to read through especially the list of engine parts on a bill from Reading Porsche if I remember correctly, with a number of other receipts making up the cars full history folder. After 10 mins or so of studying these, mostly looking at the engine work by Reading to check the repair of a bore scoring issue, I noticed that it was referring to a car with a private plate and different to the one on the car itself. I also noticed that one of the advisories on one MOT mentioned that the VIN number on the windscreen was obscured and unreadable. At this point I wandered over to the car, to look for myself but no offer to move the car out for a proper look was offered. It was parked so close to the other two it was impossible to even open the doors and I almost felt a nuisance asking if it could be done! While I was looking at what I could in situ, running my hand over the paintwork, I felt imperfections like dust had settled on new paintwork after painting but not sure how good standard Porsche finishing was although it's surely better than I was feeling?
Anyway I won't bore you anymore but I walked away, slightly disappointed I'd wasted a morning as it seemed the paperwork file could have been from a different car, it had all the hallmarks of a complete respray, a new windscreen which the mastic used covered the VIN, and I also noticed that one headlight seemed newer than the other due to the lense being crazed and slightly discoloured.
So in a nutshell, without even putting a key in the ignition even if I could have opened a door, it felt wrong!
This was my first step in looking for a 997 and to be honest a bit worrying as to if this is what my Porsche quest will be like, surely not?!
Regards, and a little wiser.
Andrew (without a 997)
Second post ever on here, but had to say something about going to see a 997 as a first time Porsche buyer today. I've not got a great budget, but a car local (ish) to me in Cardiff seemed to have most of the spec I want. Arranged to view this morning and arrived to find the unit full of most desirable vehicles, Bentleys, Ferrari's, Porches etc. The owner introduced himself and showed me the car, at the back with three cars in front and parked between two other 997's, an C4S, and a C2S cabriolet. He promptly handed me a file of history with OPC and specialist servicing receipts, mot printouts to read through especially the list of engine parts on a bill from Reading Porsche if I remember correctly, with a number of other receipts making up the cars full history folder. After 10 mins or so of studying these, mostly looking at the engine work by Reading to check the repair of a bore scoring issue, I noticed that it was referring to a car with a private plate and different to the one on the car itself. I also noticed that one of the advisories on one MOT mentioned that the VIN number on the windscreen was obscured and unreadable. At this point I wandered over to the car, to look for myself but no offer to move the car out for a proper look was offered. It was parked so close to the other two it was impossible to even open the doors and I almost felt a nuisance asking if it could be done! While I was looking at what I could in situ, running my hand over the paintwork, I felt imperfections like dust had settled on new paintwork after painting but not sure how good standard Porsche finishing was although it's surely better than I was feeling?
Anyway I won't bore you anymore but I walked away, slightly disappointed I'd wasted a morning as it seemed the paperwork file could have been from a different car, it had all the hallmarks of a complete respray, a new windscreen which the mastic used covered the VIN, and I also noticed that one headlight seemed newer than the other due to the lense being crazed and slightly discoloured.
So in a nutshell, without even putting a key in the ignition even if I could have opened a door, it felt wrong!
This was my first step in looking for a 997 and to be honest a bit worrying as to if this is what my Porsche quest will be like, surely not?!
Regards, and a little wiser.
Andrew (without a 997)
