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See MCE's latest project RSR feature in November's Classic Porsche magazine, issue 90
Tel: 07796-372-239 or 01295-710-374
Tel: 07796-372-239 or 01295-710-374
Independent Porsche 911 Pre-Purchase Inspections
At MCE Porsche we offer full vehicle technical inspections for prospective purchasers which include:
- Vehicle exterior and body examination
- Chassis and suspension assessment
- Engine and transmission assessment
- Full underbody structural examination
- Interior condition and function check
- Diagnostics & over-rev data (if applicable)
- VIN and engine number analysis
- Service history assessment
- Comprehensive drive test
- A full written report with photographs and engineer assessment
Considering buying a used Porsche 911 or 912?
If so, we strongly recommend it is professionally inspected first
We see a lot of recently purchased cars come into the workshop complete with 'surprises' for the new owner. This can all be avoided with a professional inspection prior to the point of sale.
All our inspections are full engineering assessments undertaken personally by Mike Champion, and cover a complete technical overview of all key components of the car. We also also check authenticity, period-correct equipment (where relevant), the quality of the build and of previous maintenance. Note, we are not a generic 'all makes' vehicle inspection service, we ONLY inspect and advise on 911 and 912 models, drawing on over 30 years of experience with these particular models to give the best informed judgement possible on a used car.
Potential purchasers find these material facts invaluable and often essential when considering ownership of these specialist vehicles, and the professional opinion of an independent experienced engineer very familiar with these cars should be considered an essential part of any purchase decision.
Inspections can be conducted at the vendors location or preferably at the MCE Porsche workshop, where full access to all equipment is available for further investigations into any particular area if the initial inspection warrants it. If necessary, we can perform most of the initial tasks at the vendor's location, including the chassis and underbody inspection and full analysis of all diagnostic fault codes and engine over-rev data (for the 996 and 997 generation cars), and we have previously travelled the length and breadth of the country with portable equipment to access cars and engines in remote locations. Access to a 2-post lift in clean, dry, well lit conditions is always helpful, however.
Following the inspection we will call you immediately after the assessment has been made in order to give you prompt initial feedback. Usually there are findings that require some discussion and we are happy to provide time to go through these with the prospective purchaser so they are clear as to the potential issues and their relative merits.
Recently we have extended our post-inspection discussions to include the option of 1:1 video conferencing as part of the service, which has proved very valuable for overseas or long-distance customers looking to purchase a car remotely. It provides the prospective purchaser with a live window into the workshop and video discussion on the findings with the inspector, in an instant, anywhere in the world. Essential data for anyone who want's to know what they might be buying well before they pick it up at the dockside!
At MCE Porsche we have first-hand experience of the complete dismantling and rebuilding of all Porsche 911 and 912 models to concourse standard, supported by our own knowledge and access to independent databases to help confirm the build specification of a particular model-year. This information can be invaluable not only for confirming the basic mechanical integrity of a car, but also when determining the provenance and authenticity of rare and hard-to-find models, especially during the era of limited hand-built production. This knowledge is often drawn upon during the inspection process and any issues or inconsistencies can be highlighted for review if required.
A standard inspection is normally 'non-intrusive', i.e. components would not be removed or taken apart unless they would normally be expected to be disturbed as part of normal customer use. Lifting of carpets and engine covers and the use of non-intrusive equipment such as paint depth gauges and engine stethoscopes is normally considered acceptable by the vendor, but dismantling areas to access chassis or engine internals is often considered to be beyond scope. If the inspection identifies that futher intrusive investigation into a particular area would be beneficial to confirm a particular issue, then this can be discussed and possibly actioned if the customer wishes and the facilities and the vendor permits.
Supporting activities such as borescoping the engine or body cavities, oil sampling and compression and leak-down tests can all be accommodated, however the customer should be aware that these actvities should be considered carefully due to their intrusive nature and the additional tools and inspection time required. If in doubt as to whether these areas should be provisioned for the vehicle in question, please get in touch with us first to discuss.
Paint depth measurement is done as standard on all inspections. It has proved itself to be a very useful non-intrusive technique for assessing the quality of the bodywork beneath the final paint coats, and can reveal any evidence of previous repair or refinishing history that would otherwise be unseen by the naked eye.
Chassis, suspension, engine, transmission and underbody are also all assessed in detail as part of the standard process, and in nearly all cases sufficient information can be drawn from the many non-intrusive techniques available that we can build-up a highly comprehensive summary of the car and it's history without any further action necessary.
After the inspection and initial conversations, the data is collated and presented to the customer in the form of a full written report including pictures and diagnostics output data, often 20-40 pages in length and emailed in pdf format. This usually follows a few days after the inspection date and gives the customer and the inspector time to consider the results. We always recommend no decisions are made until the final written report is received and the customer can assess the findings and the opinion of the inspector and draw suitable conclusions. There is often no substitute for seeing the detailed hard facts on the printed page.