Looking at a 2014 Cayman S at a dealership a couple hours away. Looking at the pictures they posted, looks like both door panels have unglued. Also the tires look pretty worn down, but waiting on some better photos of them. The car isn't at a Porsche dealership and when I was going over some issues I saw in the photos I could tell the dealership had no idea about the car. I know I can get the panels repaired in Florida at Pedro's Garage for under $1000 and 2 new panels would about cost $3-4k. I mentioned to the salesman how much the panels cost to replace, hoping I could get that money off the purchase price. Not sure how hard I should push for that. Also the tires, if they are pretty worn, would they usually take some money off the price? Haven't bought a used car in person for a long time. Don't expect them to put new tires on but don't want to purchase it and in 3-4000 miles have to spend another $2000 on new tires.

 

I just got quoted $4,500 "per side" for my GT4 .

As far as tires, its not just about the tread depth, but the age. (should get swapped at 6yrs. If original, long overdue). If they are below "Porsche recommended specs", you could always use their parameters regarding "required maintenance". I'd also look at the maintenance schedule, given costs ($2,500 for 4 year, $800 for annual, drive belt @ 6yr/60k, etc) and use those to determine price. I got caught with the 4yr. a few months after buying mine from a dealer as "CPO".

 

If it's a couple hours away you should be looking in person. Go take a drive, and then if you're still interested, find an indie shop and pay for a proper PPI. That's your negotiating tool. Use all the findings from the PPI to bring down the used value you can look up online. I'd go with retail value and discount labor and material for everything the PPI turns up.

 

Also, be aware, some dealers won't bother negotiating at all. It's a seller's market right now, so some feel they don't need to move on price because someone less informed will come along and buy it anyway. I had such a dealer in my area, and that's why I ended up passing on the car they were offering. Good thing I did, because I found a better one on Carvana instead, and while they didn't haggle on price, they did cover a ton of repairs under their warranty. In that sense, a seller with a warranty (CarMax does this, too, I think) might be a better option.

That said, give it a shot. Worst they can say is no. If the tires and door cards are already a problem, then chances are there may be other issues they never saw as well. A PPI will uncover that, of course... that's why it's highly recommended (I recommend it too).

 

I plan on going to take a look in person. They sent pics of the tires, looks like plenty of tread left. My plan is to make a ballpark offer on Monday, or at least tell them what range I'm willing to pay. If they are amenable then I'll go take a look and we can negotiate. If they are firm on the price, I'll pass. I just found another one online, although farther away, with the same options, about 20k more miles 63k vs 42K, but about $5000 less.

 

What is the car's maintenance history? There is more to one of these cars than door panels and tires.

Good luck.

 

PDK or manual? At minimum need DME to check for over revs if a manual. Should have two intermediate maintenances based on age alone including spark plugs. Labor for spark plugs is expensive based on the mid-engine access. Tires older than six years need replaced. Same with battery. Find a independent that does Porsche PPIs.

 

How do I go about a PPI? Do I contact a Porsche dealership or Indy and set up appt, then tell the dealership I want to bring the car in for the PPI. Or would I negotiate a price on the car but it's contingent on what the PPI reveals? The car is 3 hrs away so I could work something out with the dealership, then drive out, bring the car for the PPI then return.
Also, how would I go about the PPI on a car that's very far away. Saw a comparable car but it's a flight away. Would I find a local Porsche specialist then pay the dealership to deliver and pick up the car for the PPI?

 

The harsh truth is that many (Most?) dealerships will not allow a car to be taken off their lot for a mechanic in another shop to lay hands on. I've never known a Porsche dealership to release a car to another shop for a PPI and suspect that most other dealerships have the same attitude. That said, the first step is to check with the selling dealer to see if they will even allow a PPI. If they refuse, then you have a decision to make right there about how bad you want the car.

If they do allow a PPI, then it's going to be on you to (1) Locate a Porsche shop/dealership that will do the inspection quickly, (2) Arrange for the car to be transported to the PPI location and back, and (3) Pay for the whole process. Then, you still have to see if you can negotiate a better price based on the findings of the PPI. Don't expect a seller of any type to agree to repair every thing that is found on a PPI...It is a used car after all.

Keep in mind that, dependent upon how extensive a PPI is, you can easily sink $350-500 per car into the process and that doesn't include transporting the car back and forth. So, it only makes sense to narrow the field of desirable cars to one or two that you really like before you start paying for PPI's.

I will say that despite the kneejerk negative reactions to Porsche dealerships and the myriad conspiracy theories about dealerships in general found on almost every automotive discussion board on the Internet, most Porsche dealerships are reasonably thorough about not putting "trash" cars on their lots. I have a few friends that work/worked in Porsche dealerships and for PCNA and they indicate that for the most part, Porsche dealerships don't want the trouble that comes with selling "used up" cars. If they take one in on a trade that they feel isn't in reasonable shape, they usually auction it off as quickly as possible (And that's how they end up on used car lots).

All in all, buying a nine-year-old car of any make is a gamble, PPI or not. All you can do is try to eliminate as many of the "bad apples" as possible and buy the best car you can afford.

I hope you find a great car...

 

An Indy who works on Porsches with a PIWIS can do a PPI. See if there is one near the dealer. If there is a local PCA club check their website for locations that do their DE tech inspections. You do NOT need to bore scope a 981. You never indicated if the car was a manual or PDK. Over revs can be an issue with a manual so you need a DME read out. Does the car have a CARFAX which shows any maintenance history? As already mentioned, new tires, battery, spark plugs, rotors, brake pads, serpentine belt, brake fluid flush, engine air filters (2), cabin filter are all possible maintenance items the car may need now or in the near future.

 

Couple things, I've found in my experience most dealers were willing to allow me to get a PPI by 3rd party and were willing to drive the car there if it's close enough. I bought my car in Las Vegas and I'm in Connecticut so would never have purchased without an independent inspection. If the dealer feels you are serious about the purchase they are usually more open to helping the transaction. You also need to note if say a PPI turned up $3k in repairs a dealer will not simply take $3k off the price because most likely they could make the repairs cheaper by saving labor costs and using aftermarket parts. So then you need to choose if you would rather make the repairs yourself after purchasing so you know it's done to your expectations. You also need to consider how they have the car priced, if it's already below market for similar cars they're less likely to move a lot and in my experience negotiating in person is always more effective.

So I say call the dealer and ask if they will allow a PPI at XXX location and bring the car there for you. For this you already need to know where you want to take it and be ready to move forward with the PPI. After the inspection, if you believe it's worth making the 3hr drive then call the dealer and tell them you're coming to drive/see the car in person. At that point you'll know if you want the car or not, then use your drive, visual inspection, and PPI results to negotiate a price you're comfortable paying, be ready to make the transaction happen that day and be reasonable! if you go in right away and ask for $10k off the price it hurts your credibility, make a reasonable offer with some room to move up when they come back and be prepared to walk away if you're just not feeling the deal on the table.

Good Luck!

 

I have twice bought used cars several states away (one an Audi and one a Porsche). Both times I called the local dealership and asked about PPI and both times they were too busy to do it in the time frame that I needed, but both times I asked the service manager for recommendations on local Indy shops and both times they gave me several options.