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No tip, no problem?


Langers

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Evening

Okay so this post is an old question but sort of in reverse.

I owned a 986 tiptronic for 25 years and loved the car and the box. My daily is a manual 2002 Audi TT.

My dream car is a 986 S 550 Anniversary. I cannot locate a tiptronic but seem to have found a decent manual. New clutch, IMS done, RMS done  2 owner car, good history nice condition.

I’ve never driven a manual 986 before, having loved tiptronic’s smooth manual button shifts?

Will I regret this decision if I buy manual?

What will I do with my thumbs?

Throw into the mix that I have a progressive illness but driving to date is totally unaffected.

Will be a Sunday morning car.

Would appreciate any thoughts.

Many thanks!

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Thanks both. Yes have considered 987 & 998 but my heart lies with 986. I grew up with a 915 box so don’t mind a bit of baulk, it’s more whether I would enjoy the manual as much as I did the tiptronic?

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How long have you been looking? Would have thought they’d be a few around. Personally, I’d probably stick with the Tip as you’ve got used to it and you might find the manual a bit tiresome. I bought a tip as the rest of the car was great, but I’ve really got to love the way it works and don’t miss stirring a manual box.

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Thanks both, great advice and much appreciated. Only looking since September so inevitably not much around over winter. Hopefully a bit more stock will materialise when clocks go forward.

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11 hours ago, Langers said:

Will I regret this decision if I buy manual?

As your daily is a manual, probably not. Just watch for the notchy second gear. 

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Thanks to everyone, great advice and much appreciated. Only been looking since September so inevitably not much around over winter. Hopefully a bit more stock will materialise when clocks go forward.

As for that link, many thanks yes seen that one - car looks just right, as far as I can see,  although not many pics to go on. Only reason I didn’t pursue it is it’s some distance away from me. For various reasons that would be a bit of a struggle. I’ve done Ireland to view a car before, but sadly those days are behind me now. 

 

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23 minutes ago, Langers said:

Thanks to everyone, great advice and much appreciated. Only been looking since September so inevitably not much around over winter. Hopefully a bit more stock will materialise when clocks go forward.

As for that link, many thanks yes seen that one - car looks just right, as far as I can see,  although not many pics to go on. Only reason I didn’t pursue it is it’s some distance away from me. For various reasons that would be a bit of a struggle. I’ve done Ireland to view a car before, but sadly those days are behind me now. 

 

Whereabouts are you based? How far would you travel?

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Good sellers would do a FaceTime walk around, if that helps. And you can pay ?£200 for pre purchase inspection. 
I’m thinking what you want is specific and rare, so looking for ways to make it work. 

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Personally manual for me but if your progressive illness is going to rob you of muscle strength then I can understand having a tip. The clutches on these cars can be heavy.

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Thanks M, that’s a great suggestion. Might well be an option to consider. Boxob - I’m not sure whether a clutch will be a problem down the line, but you are right. I’m perhaps foolishly living in the moment, plus a bit impatient too I guess. I’ll explore all the options mentioned here though. Went out for a Sunday “test drive” in my TT and I do really love the feeling of dropping down to second then accelerating back up to third. I imagine that’s a load of fun with the factory short shift in the S 550.

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Right I've taken a good look and tried (in vain) to contact seller through the website, in case a lastminiutedotcom visit is possible.

The good: looks overall lovely but clearly not mint.

The bad: service record is patchy, seller has clearly left a number of advisory items to be dealt with by the buyer (suspension, break pipes). No sign of IMS or RMS replacement. Looks like small dent on front bumper. Bit off scuffing on driver's seat. Hood looks okay but cannot tell if two small scuffs on top are anything to worry about. Gaffer tape on windsreen washer line is not a great indicator of a car cherished by its owner, either.

Going to run a carcheck now.

Any thoughts/advice welcome. Current bidding around £7,600. I've seen pervect ones at auction top out at £10k unsold and average ones sell for £16k so I guess it is down to luck on the given day.

I also had to laugh at the seller's name: Will Gamble. I'm more of a Willy Worry myself.

10 hours and counting. I have registered with my bank card - just in case...

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As you say, it’s clearly not been cherished, but equally it seems in decent shape with no major faults. These cars are 20 years old now, so you should expect to do a bit of work on them when buying. You may have an advantage buying at auction for a tip as there is generally less demand for them so you might get lucky and secure for a decent price.

Prices are only going to creep up from here as spring approaches and sellers are less likely to accept offers, so in your shoes I’d be minded to go for this one. You’re not buying a collectors item, it’s a car to drive, so there’s little point getting too precious about it or worrying about resale value. If you want to be driving one soon, this seems like a good option.

I doubt many Tips have had the IMS changed as this is generally done ‘while you’re in there’ changing a clutch and dropping the tip box off is about a 10 hour job from memory £££. Anecdotally, tips are less prone to IMS.

How far away is it located? Probably best to factor in getting it delivered into the price.

Happy bidding👍

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2 hours ago, Langers said:

seller has clearly left a number of advisory items to be dealt with by the buyer (suspension, break pipes)

Very normal for a 986 these days. 

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Thanks both. Location is not too far off ideal. I'm very tempted to go for this, other than for the big factor that I won't actually have seen it, let along get a PPI done. Am I being utterly foolish? My view is prices will only go one way from here, and if I could snap up a good price I'd have budget for new tyres shocks etc. I've canvassed a couple of friends and family who think it's a terrible idea, and that I must be a moron, and obviously I can see how in many ways it is/I am. I mean, I cannot even spell brakes.

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