Buying my first Porsche!
02-03-2017, 11:57 PM
#17
Track Day
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There is really nothing like a new car. However, you might get more options on a low mileage 981. I don't know where you're located, but you need to consider the heated seat option. The best $530 you'll spend. Be careful though. The Porsche configurator can be a slippery slope! 
DAMN THAT CONFIGURATOR!!!!! Yes it is, I need the wife to review it and cut me off. I keep adding more things and next thing you know I'm looking at the 718S and then a used 991.1 hahahaha.
Thankfully I'll be moving to sunny Florida (living in not so warm New York right now) and won't be needing a heated seat option any more!!!!
02-04-2017, 10:52 AM
#18
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Some used car buyers have bought a used car without test driving it even without having a PPI done and reported they felt they did ok. Matter of luck I guess along with a load of trust with possibly a dose of having a pretty accurate gut feeling about a seller/car.
(Actually now that I think about this buying with no test drive, no PPI, a family member a couple of months back bought a used Lexus (from a Lexus dealer) located in another state without the benefit of a test drive or a PPI. She appears to have done ok with the purchase and from what I've seen of the vehicle believe she got a nice vehicle, albeit a used vehicle which of course she knew as she negotiated for the car by phone.)
Anyhow, I would have to see that " 7 days " thing in writing. Generally you drive the car off the lot you own it unless -- and I'm sure this doesn't apply to you but I have heard of it happening -- fraud is involved and the car gets repossessed when the fraud is uncovered.
Barring some kind of trail purchase agreement my advice is you should be sure you want the car, that the car is worth owning, before you sign the papers and leave the lot.
(Actually now that I think about this buying with no test drive, no PPI, a family member a couple of months back bought a used Lexus (from a Lexus dealer) located in another state without the benefit of a test drive or a PPI. She appears to have done ok with the purchase and from what I've seen of the vehicle believe she got a nice vehicle, albeit a used vehicle which of course she knew as she negotiated for the car by phone.)
Anyhow, I would have to see that " 7 days " thing in writing. Generally you drive the car off the lot you own it unless -- and I'm sure this doesn't apply to you but I have heard of it happening -- fraud is involved and the car gets repossessed when the fraud is uncovered.
Barring some kind of trail purchase agreement my advice is you should be sure you want the car, that the car is worth owning, before you sign the papers and leave the lot.
02-04-2017, 03:50 PM
#19
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General rule is buy the best example you can find and afford.
Buying a new car has some pluses: First and obviously the car is new. You most likely get it just like you want it or get it close enough the difference is not an issue. With new there's a new car warranty which is nice.
'course, with a new car you get to experience the depreciation. The biggest cost of owning a car is its depreciation and buying new means you get the full force of this.
And it is avoiding the heaviest/harshest depreciation that makes buying used so attractive. (In 2009, I bought a used 2003 Turbo with just 10K miles. In 2003 the car sold for over $119K, yet just 6 years and 10K miles later I paid less than half that for the car. I figured the original buyer/owner paid around $6/mile -- in depreciation -- for every mile he drove the car.)
If you buy used the general rule is to have set aside 10% of the used car's purchase price for just in case. Just in case a tire picks up a nail and you have to replace a pair or even all 4. Or a water pump leaks. Or a radiator leaks. The clutch gives up the ghost. The brake warning light comes on and new brakes are needed. And so on. (Don't dismiss this as just me fear mongering: Many of the above -- and more -- have been reported by used car buyers. Even that (pristine) low miles 2003 Turbo needed some things (shifter, clutch accumulator, slave cylinder, idler roller bearings, radiator fan motor, new transmission) taken care of as I added the miles but fortunately it came with a 2 year, 100K mile CPO warranty and these early problems/issues were covered by the warranty.)
Buying a new car has some pluses: First and obviously the car is new. You most likely get it just like you want it or get it close enough the difference is not an issue. With new there's a new car warranty which is nice.
'course, with a new car you get to experience the depreciation. The biggest cost of owning a car is its depreciation and buying new means you get the full force of this.
And it is avoiding the heaviest/harshest depreciation that makes buying used so attractive. (In 2009, I bought a used 2003 Turbo with just 10K miles. In 2003 the car sold for over $119K, yet just 6 years and 10K miles later I paid less than half that for the car. I figured the original buyer/owner paid around $6/mile -- in depreciation -- for every mile he drove the car.)
If you buy used the general rule is to have set aside 10% of the used car's purchase price for just in case. Just in case a tire picks up a nail and you have to replace a pair or even all 4. Or a water pump leaks. Or a radiator leaks. The clutch gives up the ghost. The brake warning light comes on and new brakes are needed. And so on. (Don't dismiss this as just me fear mongering: Many of the above -- and more -- have been reported by used car buyers. Even that (pristine) low miles 2003 Turbo needed some things (shifter, clutch accumulator, slave cylinder, idler roller bearings, radiator fan motor, new transmission) taken care of as I added the miles but fortunately it came with a 2 year, 100K mile CPO warranty and these early problems/issues were covered by the warranty.)
02-04-2017, 03:51 PM
#20
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To OP... My 2 cents.. and I have only been a porsche owner for 72 hours. I have owned an s2000 and 08 sti for around 8 years. I think you should try an Naturally Aspirate (NA) car before jumping into turbo - 718. The way its going, NA and manuals (driver involvement) may be extinct in 10 years. The base boxster and base cayman are pretty quick and their engines rev pretty fast (PDK was awesome) If you don't like NA, then you can trade it in for a gently used or new 718. Look on the forums for recommended shops if you buy used. I was able to find one here in Illinois. The NA with sports plus.. in the 2016 cayman GTS seems to have a unique and awesome howl. I only have 330 miles on the gts, and feel after break in, this thing is gonna be a wolf. lol... Anyway, ride right and safe...
I've been eyeing the GTS and it's a mean looking and sounding car. You must be having a blast. That's a great point that the Boxster/Cayman may never be a 6 cylinder, NA vehicle ever again!
02-04-2017, 03:54 PM
#21
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To the OP: Good advice here, it would be nice to know (a) where you live; and (b) how comfortable you are with possibly inheriting someone else's problem.
You can ameliorate (b) by buying new, or CPO. If you're quite handy and don't mind working on cars, a non-CPO used car will save you even more.
I was in your same boat for the last couple of months, before I decided to buy a new 718. For me:
- I hate having car problems, so trying to minimize them
- The NA vs turbo issue isn't a problem for me, once I drove both
- I'm particular with options and colors, could not find a 981 that I really liked
As to your possible 718 build: Think hard about the beige interior, you'll likely get glare on the windscreen. Also I wouldn't (and didn't) bother getting SC with a MT. I did go for PASM + PTV, for what it's worth.
Have fun!
You can ameliorate (b) by buying new, or CPO. If you're quite handy and don't mind working on cars, a non-CPO used car will save you even more.
I was in your same boat for the last couple of months, before I decided to buy a new 718. For me:
- I hate having car problems, so trying to minimize them
- The NA vs turbo issue isn't a problem for me, once I drove both
- I'm particular with options and colors, could not find a 981 that I really liked
As to your possible 718 build: Think hard about the beige interior, you'll likely get glare on the windscreen. Also I wouldn't (and didn't) bother getting SC with a MT. I did go for PASM + PTV, for what it's worth.
Have fun!
I'm currently living in arctic New York, but will be moving down to south Florida in a few months (hence the drop top!).
Yeah I'm a bit particular re: the color scheme so I think that may be the deal breaker unless I'm lucky. I'll have to drive some Porsche's with a beige interior to figure out if that will be bothersome, thanks for the tip!
02-04-2017, 03:56 PM
#22
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I would suggest a 981S with PSE and heated/cooled seats. Nav and phone integration. X73 if you want a sportier ride.
You could get that for well under your budget. I wouldn't hesitate to buy used. Just know where you are on the consumables such as tires and brakes. Let someone else take the initial value hit.
Pay for a good PPI if you are worried about paint work or other issues. These 981 cars are solid!
Loving mine even at 50k miles....wouldn't spend the difference to get into a new 718.
You could get that for well under your budget. I wouldn't hesitate to buy used. Just know where you are on the consumables such as tires and brakes. Let someone else take the initial value hit.
Pay for a good PPI if you are worried about paint work or other issues. These 981 cars are solid!
Loving mine even at 50k miles....wouldn't spend the difference to get into a new 718.
02-04-2017, 03:58 PM
#23
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it seems you are just starting your career in medicine
my vote is for a used 981 S ,
you can find a low mileage example with cpo with even better warranty than a brand new car
even do some leg work and you might find a left over one that is still brand new at a huge discount as the 718 is a redesign and dealers want to get rid of whatever left on the lot
even if you can afford a 60 k car at your stage
a used one will depreciate less than a new one
as far as used cars , do the following
start your search within 100 miles so you can drive and see them
buy only from porsche dealers, you will pay a little more, but you will have better protection
don't buy from a used car dealer
if you find a car that is very far from you, the community here can check it out for you, if you post location etc
good luck
my vote is for a used 981 S ,
you can find a low mileage example with cpo with even better warranty than a brand new car
even do some leg work and you might find a left over one that is still brand new at a huge discount as the 718 is a redesign and dealers want to get rid of whatever left on the lot
even if you can afford a 60 k car at your stage
a used one will depreciate less than a new one
as far as used cars , do the following
start your search within 100 miles so you can drive and see them
buy only from porsche dealers, you will pay a little more, but you will have better protection
don't buy from a used car dealer
if you find a car that is very far from you, the community here can check it out for you, if you post location etc
good luck
Haha, you nailed that one right on the head! I guess my UN gave it away.
Thanks for the advice, it sounds like getting a car CPO will be worth the extra $$$ so that they'll take care of any issues that a used car may develop.
02-04-2017, 03:59 PM
#24
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My approach and decision was similar to Curt Wohlgemuth's post. The only other thing that impacted me is the length of time I keep my cars. My current car is 10.5 years old and by the time my 718 arrives in May, it will be almost 11 years old. I rather start with a brand new car that has the exact look and features I want.
I'm moving and starting my new job July 1st so if I were to get a new vehicle I was thinking about ordering it sometime in the next 30 days so that it could be ready for me at the dealership when I move down.
02-06-2017, 04:25 PM
#27
Three Wheelin'
You can get a CPO 981S for waaay less than any 718. You could get the 981, drive it for a few years, then get a CPO 718 and still be ahead financially. Unless money is no object, or you intend to keep it forevorish, this seems pretty clear-cut to me. Let someone else figure out the bugs in the 718...
Reconsider PASM. It is designed primarily for street use. It makes for a smoother ride and improved motion control over the standard and sport suspension on all roads. The only trade-off is cost/complexity.
Reconsider PASM. It is designed primarily for street use. It makes for a smoother ride and improved motion control over the standard and sport suspension on all roads. The only trade-off is cost/complexity.
02-06-2017, 09:26 PM
#28
There're more than that man
. X73 handles much better (and flatter). Plus car looks much nicer with X73, due to no discernible wheel gap. That extra half an inch with PASM makes a big difference visually. Depends what you want out of the car. Some of us opted for X73 even though our GTSs came with PASM standard, actually losing money, since Porsche made it a no-cost option, rather than refunding us the difference. Almost everything has pros and cons; just have to choose what's best for you overall
.
. X73 handles much better (and flatter). Plus car looks much nicer with X73, due to no discernible wheel gap. That extra half an inch with PASM makes a big difference visually. Depends what you want out of the car. Some of us opted for X73 even though our GTSs came with PASM standard, actually losing money, since Porsche made it a no-cost option, rather than refunding us the difference. Almost everything has pros and cons; just have to choose what's best for you overall.
02-06-2017, 09:43 PM
#29
Three Wheelin'
Well. While I don't disagree with you, it's important to define what "better" means in this context. The X73 is stiffer than the base option, sure, which translates to superior motion control (better than PASM in Sport mode—I'll take your word for it), but the tradeoff is a significantly harsher ride.
I could be wrong on this point, but I believe the X73 can be retrofitted to any model, whereas it is onerous to try and install a PASM system in a car that has never been equipped with it. This is an important consideration when buying a used example and was why PASM was one of my deal-breaker options on the car I was looking for.
"Looks nicer" is also quite subjective. The wheel gap looks best to me when it's concentric with the diameter of the wheel. Lowered cars look squashed and awkward. That said, none of the factory suspensions are lowered to the point of looking ungainly.
I could be wrong on this point, but I believe the X73 can be retrofitted to any model, whereas it is onerous to try and install a PASM system in a car that has never been equipped with it. This is an important consideration when buying a used example and was why PASM was one of my deal-breaker options on the car I was looking for.
"Looks nicer" is also quite subjective. The wheel gap looks best to me when it's concentric with the diameter of the wheel. Lowered cars look squashed and awkward. That said, none of the factory suspensions are lowered to the point of looking ungainly.
02-06-2017, 09:50 PM
#30
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Hello. Ask a simple question, get a hundred different answers....I'm in a similar position to you, just getting my 1st porsche. I went with a 718, and got it about a month ago (manual, not PDK). I live in the snowy northlands, so I have not used it much yet (only about 300 miles) but my 1st impressions....Love it! Tons of fun, comfortable, and it "feels" just right. I'm not into racing, I just want a fun ride when I hit the mountain roads in my home state of Vermont. I've never been a car guy, but it seemed like the time was right for a 2 seater. I know some of the old school folk complain about the new engine, but I have nothing but positives to say. Good luck.