924Board.org

[CoreySmith]

Newbie here,

I got the bug and have been looking for some time. Yesterday I drove what was billed as an automatic 88' 924 S with 61K. Asking $2,995. The car has clearly been (poorly) painted or at least new parts have been sprayed to try to match. I think it was black, but is now red. Chips, door frames etc. reveal black.

Car started and ran pretty well, body was structurally in great shape. Loose bumper and cracked weather trim, but considering age and price, pretty good shape. No dents. Problems were the intermittent setting on the wipers didn't work, the windshield washer fluid reservoir cap was broken off, the A/C didn't work, some minor interior parts were broken or missing, antenna didn't raise with radio power. The engine looked really pretty dry and clean. Some belt/pump noise when steering was turned to any large degree. Bigger issues were the tail pipe was really pretty rusted, and then capped with a false end. Biggest, the rear differential was obviously spray painted silver and there were fluid drops along it and along the drive shaft housing in front. Nothing too horrendous but some things might be indicative of problems.

CarFax is below, lists lots of auction sales. Not Actual Mileage. No mileage shows up between '93 and '00. Could have sat in a barn, could have been rolled back. Rolled back 130 miles in August ’11. Small number, could be a simple reporting/clerical mistake.

My goal is to have a fun driver that can get worked on along the way. I don't want to spend much, right around asking, and clearly understand I need to compromise. I understand that this is the price of entry and the real cost will be in getting this thing fixed up to where I want it, with time. But at the same time, the CarFax and other listed issues scare me. The car is a pretty far drive away from me and it is in the middle of the country-side. So getting a compression test would be really tough and I think just an inspection would be difficult. It runs and drives okay. It is so cheap I am trying to decide whether to just take a chance. But other tell me with this CarFax, I should not buy it, especially without a compression test.

Opinions very much welcome.

_________CarFax_________

Mileage:

Source:

Comments:



5/22/92
42,930 mi.

Pennsylvania
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Erie, PA
Title #45112746

Title or registration issued
Loan or lien reported



4/21/93
49,073 mi.

Ohio
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Alliance, OH
Title #7600018014

Title issued or updated



3/29/00
49,074 mi.

Ohio
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Canfield, OH
Title #5001035997

NOT ACTUAL MILEAGE TITLE ISSUED
CARFAX Advisor™
A NAM title is issued when the owner discloses to a DMV mileage fraud, a broken odometer or that the actual mileage of this vehicle is unknown.

Mileage reported after this reading is potentially unreliable.



5/1/00

Ohio
Motor Vehicle Dept.
East Liverpool, OH
Title #1500428233

NOT ACTUAL MILEAGE TITLE ISSUED
Registered as lease vehicle



6/11/01

Dealer Inventory
East Liverpool, OH

Vehicle offered for sale



10/19/01

Dealer Inventory
East Liverpool, OH

Vehicle offered for sale



3/1/03
52,700 mi.

Ohio
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Canton, OH
Title #7601929324

New owner reported
NOT ACTUAL MILEAGE TITLE ISSUED



12/14/04
60,653 mi.

Ohio
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Akron, OH

Vehicle purchase reported



10/22/08

Ohio
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Canton, OH
Title #7601929324

Registration issued or renewed



10/23/09

Ohio
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Canton, OH
Title #7601929324

Registration issued or renewed



10/22/10

Ohio
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Canton, OH
Title #7601929324

Registration issued or renewed



2/17/11

Ohio
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Akron, OH
Title #7603482869

New owner reported
NOT ACTUAL MILEAGE TITLE ISSUED



3/3/11

Ohio
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Canton, OH
Title #7603490012

Vehicle purchase reported
New owner reported
NOT ACTUAL MILEAGE TITLE ISSUED



7/6/11

Ohio
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Canton, OH
Title #7603490012

Registration issued or renewed



7/21/11
61,597 mi.

Bill Doraty Auto Sales
Medina, OH

Vehicle offered for sale



7/21/11

Ohio
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Canton, OH
Title #7603564979

Duplicate title issued
NOT ACTUAL MILEAGE TITLE ISSUED



8/1/11
61,756 mi.

Auto Auction
Ohio

ODOMETER PROBLEM REPORTED
True mileage unknown disclosed by seller
Vehicle offered for sale



8/2/11
61,756 mi.

Auto Auction
Ohio

ODOMETER PROBLEM REPORTED
True mileage unknown disclosed by seller
Sold at auction



8/9/11

Ohio
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Medina, OH

Vehicle purchase reported



8/11/11
61,626 mi.

Ohio
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Lorain, OH

Vehicle purchase reported



8/11/11

Ohio
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Medina, OH
Title #5201969808

Dealer took title of this vehicle
while it was in inventory
NOT ACTUAL MILEAGE TITLE ISSUED



8/24/11

Ohio
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Lorain, OH
Title #7705155782

Dealer took title of this vehicle
while it was in inventory
NOT ACTUAL MILEAGE TITLE ISSUED
Loan or lien reported



8/25/11

Ohio
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Ravenna, OH

Vehicle purchase reported



8/29/11

Ohio
Motor Vehicle Dept.
Ravenna, OH
Title #7705159671

Dealer took title of this vehicle
while it was in inventory
NOT ACTUAL MILEAGE TITLE ISSUED
Loan or lien reported

[Rasta Monsta]

Don't walk, run. You can do substantially better for $3k.
_________________
Toofah King Bad

• WeiBe (1987 924S 2.5t) - 931 S3

[CoreySmith]

Elegant in it simplicity.

Thanks for the reply. I guess I knew that, but hoping I found my 924.

[Rasta Monsta]

Hang in, there are craploads of good S models out there.
_________________
Toofah King Bad

• WeiBe (1987 924S 2.5t) - 931 S3