WHAT TO LOOK FOR
BELTS ARE CRUCIAL
Watch for warning lights indicating engine management problems, and it’s crucial that cam/balancer shaft belts and tensioners are changed at 48k miles/four years. 16-valve units need particular care as they have a belt drive for the exhaust camshaft that drives the inlet cam via a short chain. Sprockets that have been damaged by a worn chain means replacing the camshafts (not cheap) and the tensioner can also break up; budget around £950 for a Porsche specialist to replace the belt/chain.
WHINES & RUMBLES
Manual gearboxes are pretty much bullet-proof, so just check for worn synchromesh or a baggy gearchange; refurbishing the linkages should sort the latter. Ensure that auto shifts aren’t jerky or delayed and listen for whines from the transaxle – which point to worn pinion or differential bearings – because a re-build will set you back thousands. A Porsche specialist will charge around £1200 to replace a worn clutch, and you’ll want to be certain that the master cylinder and transaxle aren’t leaking, too.
FLUID LEAKS
Look for proof of regular servicing. Cam cover and balancer shaft seals leak oil, and ensure that an ailing cylinder head gasket or oil cooler seals haven’t allowed oil and water to mix. Turbos can suffer from a cracked exhaust manifold and all models are prone to failed hydraulic engine mounts; the one nearest the exhaust manifold often goes first. It’s worth doing a compression and leak down test, too, because worn cylinder bores usually mean that an engine is pretty much finished.
CHECK TRIM & ELECTRICS
Refreshing a tired interior doesn’t come cheap, so be wary of damaged trim and dashboard sections (post1985 oval dashboards are more robust) while electric windows, central locking and the remote tailgate release can get flaky with age. Later cars had the radio aerial incorporated into the windscreen, so a dead radio could mean a new screen. Don’t forget heating and air-con systems (vacuumoperated controls in early cars are tricky to sort), and a smell of petrol in an early car could indicate a corroded fuel tank. Replacement is expensive because the rear suspension and transaxle have to be dropped. Tanks in later cars are plastic.
CHECK FOR ROT
Galvanised protection doesn’t last forever and major corrosion repairs can easily spiral. The bottom and trailing edge of the front wings and the rear of the sills could be bubbling, and check that windscreen and sunroof surrounds are rot-free. Scruffy paintwork could be an issue, although don’t be surprised if the nosecone has been re-painted – it often gets stonechipped. Look for wonky shut-lines and misalignment around the bonnet, front wings and headlights, which point to previous impacts.
OTHER BODYWORK WOES
Check for accident damage, concentrating on the inner wings, front chassis legs, front strut towers and boot floor for ripples and distortion. Does the inside of the rear panel sport the original factory sticker or has it disappeared during a repair? Otherwise, watch for a delaminating windscreen, damaged bumpers and dead pop-up headlamps. And check that tailgate and sunroof for leaks; S2s can suffer from blocked sunroof drains, causing the battery compartment to fill with water.
HEALTHY RUNNING GEAR?
Pay close attention to the suspension, looking for corroded rear torsion bar mounts, cracks in the front lower arms and wear in ball-joints and bushes. Clonks or wayward handling will need thorough investigation. Power steering was standard from 1984 and improves the driving experience, but check for leaks from the rack, pump and pipework. And check that brakes haven’t been neglected as a thorough overhaul gets pricey. The aluminium calipers on S2 models can suffer from corrosion of a steel insert that causes the pads to stick, and refurbishment isn’t always possible. Check for corroded brake pipes over the rear axle and ensure that the ABS warning light illuminates and extinguishes correctly. Alloy wheels could have succumbed to cracks or corrosion.