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Most opinions I've read say it's more miles (50-60k) vs time ( OEM parts)
Looking at purchasing a 86.5 60k original owner (all service receipts), 16 years and 20k miles since last timing belt and waterpump change, owner hasn't started it for 1-1.5 years because he's concerned with the belt age.
I'm getting quoted $3.5k for a complete belt/water pump change, high or low?
Start it? Change the belt?
Sure would like to know I'm not buying a car with engine issues.
Don't know where you are located, but my suggestion would be not to start it. Take the covers off and see the condition of the belt and then take it from there,
HTH
Do you have paperwork to verify the belt & water pump job from '06? More than likely, the water pump is fitted with a metal impeller. This would put the job to the top of the list for me. Apart from that, remove the timing belt covers and inspect the parts. Get a Kempf tool and check the tension. Inspect the gears, pivot arm and bushings, balancer, etc. Check the water pump for signs of leaking. Turn it over by hand and observe the tracking of the belt and all moving parts.
If those things pass your sniff test, I'd try to start it if the existing owner is comfortable with that. No way I would consider buying it without hearing it breath. At least not as an assumed runner anyway. That's just me.
If the original owner is concerned enough to not want to start the engine.....you should pay close attention!
Tow to shop for new belt. If the water pump is a factory pump and doesn't leak, you might be able to leave it....although sitting for 1.5 years in unknown coolant can be very scary....especially if the coolant was already 15+ years old.
Once the cooling system is taken apart, there will be multiple clues about how bad the coolant deteriorated.
We're doing a GTS, right now, which had not had the coolant changed for several years.
The clues told us to just keep going and take the heads off. Extremely good decision....two places where the head gaskets had erosion almost completely under the fire ring....would not have run for many miles.
The price is about right, if they use factory water pump and the timing gears are still good. (At 60K they should be.)
Oil pump gear needs to be changed to updated steel gear.
Use a factory or "regular" Gates belt.
And for God's sake...rebuild and use the factory tensioner!
Semi-retired, as of Feb 1, 2023.
The days of free technical advice are over.
Free consultations will no longer be available.
Will still be in the shop, isolated and exclusively working on project cars, developmental work and products, engines and transmissions.
Have fun with your 928's people!
Lot of variables here, including price, trust, and backstory. I dont bother even turning them over by hand if I can see more value in parts. But the compromise to keep price on low side might be to use socket and turn a few rotations. If price is higher than that, I'd want to know it runs and shifts and tracks well. Low speed, gentle, owner could drive it. If premium price, then I'd expect it to be driveable.
Replacing fuel lines and high pressure power steering hose would be high on my service list.
Btw, who would do the mechanical work? If not a current 928 specialist, and you dont intend to DIY, maybe just save yourself and punt.
I would negotiate with the seller to split the cost of the timing belt and water pump service. In the event you don't proceed with the purchase you've given him $1,500 to make the car easier to sell down the road and helped him prevent catastrophic engine damage. In the event you do buy it, he's sold the car for a $1,500 discount.
I've done similar things to this with car purchases in the past. Was looking at a 944 S2 just this month - paid the seller to have the missing balance shaft belt installed and a power steering leak checked. Car had rust and wasn't as represented - got half the money for those services back and now the car is easier for him to sell. Would I have preferred the other issues with the car had been disclosed - sure - but avoiding a bad purchase for a few hundred dollars was worth it, and had I bought it, that stuff I would have had to pay all of was already done at half price.
I would negotiate with the seller to split the cost of the timing belt and water pump service. In the event you don't proceed with the purchase you've given him $1,500 to make the car easier to sell down the road and helped him prevent catastrophic engine damage. In the event you do buy it, he's sold the car for a $1,500 discount.
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Whoa! I would not do that. I wouldn't give anyone $1500. If I don't own the car yet, I tell the owner I want to see it started, running and stopping, and I want to drive it too, to make sure clutch works, etc. If owner is worried about timing belt and doesn't want to do that, then I tell him to call me when he gets it replaced. I would never buy a non-running 928, that I haven't driven, except for a parts car price. The risk is all on the seller if the belt jumps, not you, at least until you buy it.
Whoa! I would not do that. I wouldn't give anyone $1500. If I don't own the car yet, I tell the owner I want to see it started, running and stopping, and I want to drive it too, to make sure clutch works, etc. If owner is worried about timing belt and doesn't want to do that, then I tell him to call me when he gets it replaced. I would never buy a non-running 928, that I haven't driven, except for a parts car price. The risk is all on the seller if the belt jumps, not you, at least until you buy it.
There are lots of good 928's out there.
Agreed. And with little more than a 10 & 27mm socket and Kempf tool..
If lower miles, orig owner, decent past service history, som record of maintenance, garaged, I'd find a way to make a deal.
I bought 2 at 70K. I can tell you that a lot of refresh needs surface at 70k if not preemptively done prior, ie, brakes, inners, outers, uppers, lowers, motor mounts, pan gasket, ac service, etc. Can also be ignored prior. Makes the whole hunt entertaining though, for a diy guy esp.
I've received some pictures of the car and it looks to be in excellent condition in and out. Obviously I would would like to start and drive the car but I have a feeling the owner is not going to let that happen so it may come down to me making the 5 hour drive to inspect the 928, look over all paperwork history ( by the way it's a AT, color of the exterior and interior is the same as a 84 Carrera I had 30 years ago so I love that) and decide how much I'm willing to put into the car to purchase and bring up to mechanical standards.
I know it's a tough call, would any of you hazard to give me a unseen high low value ( basically gambling that the engine is fine and I'm willing to put a additional $6-8k into it)
I've received some pictures of the car and it looks to be in excellent condition in and out. Obviously I would would like to start and drive the car but I have a feeling the owner is not going to let that happen so it may come down to me making the 5 hour drive to inspect the 928, look over all paperwork history ( by the way it's a AT, color of the exterior and interior is the same as a 84 Carrera I had 30 years ago so I love that) and decide how much I'm willing to put into the car to purchase and bring up to mechanical standards.
I know it's a tough call, would any of you hazard to give me a unseen high low value ( basically gambling that the engine is fine and I'm willing to put a additional $6-8k into it)
Thank you
Even if the excellent condition, etc etc is a given (quite a lot of trust for someone you don't know) at the very least the cost of the timing belt job needs to be taken off the price. You can't expect to sell a car and not lose some money on not doing that maintenance before selling it. Now, maybe it's already priced that way, I don't know.
I'm saying be cautious but I bought mine from the other end of the country sight unseen so...
Again, outsider/ interloper here. But a lot of experience buying used cars, houses, and used motion picture equipment. Very familiar with the buyer/ seller dynamic and expectations on both sides of the trade.
If the current owner won't allow it to be started in the absence of a $3500 service, I would make darn sure that the price I was paying for that particular car is at least $3500 less than market value of a car that can be started and evaluated. At least. What that price is, I leave to the experts here. But it seems to me there are about 432 other things that might be subpar about a Porsche 928 engine that cannot be evaluated if you cannot run the engine. What if you "split the cost", do the TB/WP service, and then discover you need to replace 5 sensors and also maybe there is white smoke, or worse?
Greg, Mr. Merlin, etc., how easy is it to evaluate the 432 potential issues if you can't run the engine during a PPI?
OP, is the owner flexible on price?
Cheers
Update all,viewed and started the 86.5 today, battery needed a little help after sitting for 1.5 years, you could hear the lifters for the 1st 15 min then quited down to nothing but a nice engine purr, single family owned west coast car. (Aptos Ca. to be exact)
Body has a couple of small spots that need looking after but after being garaged its life its in overall excellent condition. Interior is also in excellent condition. Started the car several times and ran it for 15 minutes, all electrical works did not drive it but reved it to 2-3k, drove up on the car carrier and had it taken to a local shop who will go over the car and give a update as to what is needed aside from the timing belt/water pump and all other parts.
I look forward to driving the car before winter hits here and can't wait to be part of the community.
10-12-2022, 01:43 PM
Timing belt change
