I've heard of 2. and if it happens, I guess the car could always use a new clutch after that many miles, so I won't cry about it. Issue 3 I might tackle on my own just for the hell of it.

The camshaft though, yikes! That, I would be pretty pissed about. But maybe it falls under the "it hasn't been a problem for 85k miles, it should be good." Wishful thinking, perhaps.

 

I see Red Flags!
You just Want it, because you want it.
Too many cars out there to settle for this one.

 

I would agree 1,000,000%

Too many red flags here. I would find another car. What did the DME report say if it was at the dealership?

 

What are ALL the red flags?

It passed a dealer PPI with flying colors except for this small oil leak and cosmetically it looks great. It's optioned the way I would want it, in a color I like (in & out), it was owned for the last 3 years and 45k miles (almost all hwy) by a co-worker/friend at work who took it to the dealer for the slightest issue. I was with him when he got it and saw it in the parking lot for the last 3 years. And I am getting it for dealer trade-in (well under $50K).

Help me understand what is so objectionable if this leak proves to be minor?

 

I never downplay an oil leak, mostly in a expensive to fix car. I would insist on it being fixed prior to purchase, plain and simple.

 

What year is that?
2007 maybe, and your getting it for $50k?
Sounds too good to be true!

 

2007, yes. Under $50k, but 85K miles. I cannot find a Turbo in the entire country from 2002 on with more than 6Xk miles. As a result, the dealer is killing him on trade in and it needs new tires. He wants nothing to do with selling privately other than to me because he knows me, knows I like it and will take care of it, and knows I can just write him a check for it.

 

He is giving me a hell of a deal, so unless it's major, I will take care of it. I don't downplay a leak either, which is the whole reason for this thread and trying to identify the source.

 

IMHO I don't see any red flags.

 

Got the car back today. Car seems to run well. The dealership recently pinned someone's cam but since this was warranty they didn't do it. Just replaced it.

 

If you got a PPI then what did the DME report say?
We are just here to help. We don't want someone to buy a car that might have issues. I believe a new 997tt engine is 30K.
There are to many other cars out there that don't have issues. Maybe not as cheap but sometimes you get what you pay for.
I wish you the best of luck.

 

I will get the DME report today when they go look at the leak this afternoon. I walked by the car this morning and took a picture. 4 days and a couple of hundred miles later, it looks bone dry at simple galnce. We'll see what can be found up on a lift.

 

if you consider these red flags and walked away you would never own one!

 

Make sure u buy an am warranty and u should be fine. Less then 50k? What are u waiting for???

 

I'm just sayin, get it fixed before you buy. When a seller knows about a problem and does not fix it and says it's no problem to get fixed. I ask myself, why didn't he get it fixed himself if it's no big deal?...I'm just sayin.....