so the indie report comes in on a 2002 C4, with 120,000kms.
- there is a small dime sized oil spot on the rms.
- he recommends the ims replacement with LN engineering bearing upgrade complete kit, but doesnt say anything about the condition of the ims. should i get clarification on this ? ie its needed now...or its a precaution.
- 7mm on both front and back brakes
- rear shocks are done

thats pretty much it except for some cosmetic stuff.

anything in there to sweat about? price on this baby is 27,000. looks very nice.

the dealer is also offering a 6 month warranty (Global Warranties - Powertrain Preferred: 6 month / unlimited km)

thanks!

 

Oil leaks around the RMS are not uncommon on these cars, and not a major issue in of itself.

The IMS bearing *is* a major issue if it goes (catastrophic would be the better term). There does appear to be a high incidence of IMS failure due to a design flaw. Porsche acknowledges none of this, so we don't really know how big or how small a problem it really is. The general consensus around here is that it's *relatively* unlikely - however, due to the potential impact of a failure (i.e. replace your engine) many have opted to do something - either in the way of proactively replacing the IMS bearing, or installing an IMS guardian to warn you of an impending failure.

There is no way of knowing the level of wear on an IMS bearing without removing it (which involves removing the tranny).

In your position I *might* opt for the IMS replacement *if* the clutch also needs to be done in the near future. If not I would probably install an IMS guardian.

Brakes are wearable items, as such I wouldn't sweat it too much.

27K sounds *reasonable* for a C4. Are you buying this car in Canada or bringing it up from the U.S.? (27K sounds *stellar* for Canada. If you're buying it in the U.S. you need to factor in the 3% import duty on foreign built vehicles)

 

You won't know the condition of the bearing without removing it. If you're replacing the RMS go ahead and get the LN bearing done while they're there, I did and don't regret doing so. $27 sound good, and the warranty is a plus. At 120k i would highly reccomend the RMS and Bearing. FWIW

 

thanks
the car is in the range of 911's here on the coast, but it was an import a couple years back.
ill contact the indie that did the inspection and ask about the ims thing and if he saw something (metal in the oil) or if he just "recommends" the LN approach with every 996 he reports on.

 

Use the oil spot as a negotiation point.

If I were in your shoes I would definitely address the issue per mechanic's advice. You don't want this to come back and possibly bite you in the wallet down the line.

There are countless IMS/RMS topics on here and there is absolutely no reason not to do the preventative maintenance.

 

I would say $27K for a 2002 C4 is a great deal for a car in Vancouver, particularly if you are getting a reputable warranty. I just sold my 2001 C2 that had 49K on the clock for more than that and I would not have entertained offers that low.

As the car is an import, I would recommend doing a Carproof search on it's history. You want to find out where the car has been in addition to any liens or insurance claims.

Good luck!