2Nd Gear Synchro Going At 32K Miles?

[billvs]

I am looking at buying a 2001 996 C2 cab 6speed with 32K miles on it.

It is a good-looking car, with most of the options that I want. During a test drive, we noticed a balky 2nd gear, and I suspected a synchro problem. When I got a PPI, sure enough - the 2nd gear synchro is bad. I asked the dealer doing the PPI to check the over-rev counter, and hopefully they will do that. I am concerned that the synchro went at only 32K miles, and suspect that it may have been abused. Anything else I should be looking at?

The current owner has agreed to repair the tranny (about a $4.5K hit). The sales price is $29.5K. Options are supple leather, 18 inch wheels, PCM, comfort package, technic package, heated seats, 3 spoke wheel, brake/shifter in carbon, colored crests, no hardtop.

Advice?????? Do I buy it? DO I walk away? Do I check something else for wear?

bvs

Edited June 11, 2010 by billvs

[demosan]

I am looking at buying a 2001 996 C2 cab 6speed with 32K miles on it.

It is a good-looking car, with most of the options that I want. During a test drive, we noticed a balky 2nd gear, and I suspected a synchro problem. When I got a PPI, sure enough - the 2nd gear synchro is bad. I asked the dealer doing the PPI to check the over-rev counter, and hopefully they will do that. I am concerned that the synchro went at only 32K miles, and suspect that it may have been abused. Anything else I should be looking at?

The current owner has agreed to repair the tranny (about a $4.5K hit). The sales price is $29.5K. Options are supple leather, 18 inch wheels, PCM, comfort package, technic package, heated seats, 3 spoke wheel, brake/shifter in carbon, colored crests, no hardtop.

Advice?????? Do I buy it? DO I walk away? Do I check something else for wear?

bvs

bvs,

Given you have had some interaction from the current owner, ask for a service history of the car from the service location/dealer where the work was performed. That should give you an idea as to what preventative service/repairs have been performed and when on the car. That should give you a good idea as to how diligent the owner has been in PM. WIth a bad synchro, that should have been uncovered in the last service?? Does the current owner currently track the car at all??

Good Luck!! If the owner has no real reacord of service events performed on the car I would walk away. There are lots of good P-cars out there with decent pricing.

Demosan :cheers:

[bmohr]

thats a high price for a 2001 996. Keep looking i'd say.

[phillipj]

thats a high price for a 2001 996. Keep looking i'd say.

Agreed... Lots of cars out there.....

[billvs]

So, the owner decided to fix the synchro. While the tranny was out and we were doing a PPI, I had the dealer pull the clutch for inspection. It needs replacement (not a big surprise, but not good news in itself). This also turned up a problem with the flywheel. At ~30K miles a problem with the flywheel is another red flag. In my mind, my search moves. There are a lot of cars out there right now..... I will be out the cost of the PPI, but it was money well spent.

So - does anybody have a line on a well-maintained, well optioned cab in the $30K range. I could go up a bit for the right car, and I could go down for a bargain. Heated seats are the only required option, but PCM, power seats and a nice trim package would be nice also. I could even go for a tip if the car/price is right (and a tip would even help in the spousal approval department).

Thanks for the advice

bvs

[Dharn55]

Don't let heated seats be a deciding factor. They can be added easily. I did this on my car.