OHall

Hi everyone!

I'm interested in a 991.1 C4S (NA engine ftw) and most of the ones I found that were listed for sale were not CPO (Certified Pre-Owned). There's not many CPO 991.1 but I was even considering 991.2 in which case, there are more CPOs available.

My previous used cars such as Range Rover, Macan, BMW 5 series, Mercedes E class etc have all been CPO and hence, I'm used to purchasing a used vehicle that is CPO - it gives me a sense of reassurance that if something were to go wrong, I'm covered for the most part. However, I do realize that the 911 is a totally different beast and a different kind of clientele go for these cars who may in theory, take better care of their vehicles.

My question is, if a 911 has a good service history and no red flags on Carfax, is CPO really necessary? Assume that if it's not a CPO, a PPi will be performed prior to purchase.

Thank you for reading and I hope to hear from you guys!

LexVan

Buy smart.

Hedge with a Fidelity warranty if that makes you feel better.

OHall

That's a great idea, thank you very much for your response!

Jack F

Do a bit more homework. You are looking at .1 and .2. Tells me you don’t know what you want. That’s ok. Drive both generations and you should know.

LexVan

U r very welcome. Search Michael Jourdan (spelling?) with Fidelity here on Rennlist for info, pricing, and contact details.

spiderv6

The 991 generation of the 911 is pretty much bullet proof. There are a few minor niggles - COVs or coolant tanks - but not really much else.

As stated above, buy smart, a well maintained car with documentation is unlikely to give you any headaches.

If your risk tolerance is low buy a Fidelity warranty. If buying at a dealer they should be able to add CPO for a few grand.

My car lost it’s factory warranty a year ago and I debated adding a warranty but ultimately decided to save the several thousand. My car is perfectly maintained and hasn’t given me any issues.

Good luck!

mjposner

I agree, if the car has a ppi and service history, it should be okay. A Fidelity Warranty is gambling, you are betting $XX that your car will need more than $XX during the term of the warranty. Since warranty companies know that on average cars need less than $XX, the odds of winning by not buying are higher than 50% on average. That said, the warranty adds comfort. Could you easily afford a $10,000 pdk repair? If not get the warranty. Also, since only dealers cpo. you are probably paying 10% above market rates for the 911 plus another $5k for the cpo. You could bank the savings and use that to cover repairs.

Levy

+1 and i agree
if you need a warranty for peace of mind, then it's a must FOR YOU.

i/like some others passed on one because my car (991.1 C2S) was perfectly maintained/zero accidents/one previous owner and had no red flags to make me worry/be concerned. if the unit you find/buy has any cause for concern, i could understand wanting a warranty (CPO or Fidelity).

so my answer to "is cpo a must?" is it depends on the specific car and how you feel about it. we are all different regarding risk tolerance. it really is a personal decision.

BTW....in 1.5 years of ownership, i've paid $300 total for repairs (blower motor resister and install)

desmotesta

Due to Federal Stop Sale order, no Porsche dealer is allowed to sell a 991.1 equipped with sport Chrono and PDK (affects majority of inventory). My small time local dealer is sitting on 4 991.1 S/4S cars (since march 2020 that I know of) . Hence why the number of CPO cars has dried up over last 12+ months

Best advice is buy from private party/off-brand dealer , a car with service history, a thorough PPI (not one of those $99 dollar jobs) and buy a fidelity warranty to cover your unforeseen failure. Good luck

jimmiejam

A little over a year ago I purchased a 2012 991.1 PDK S cab GQ. It had 13K on it and was traded on a expensive Benz. After looking the car over, top/underneath and driving the car I felt very comfortable purchasing it without a PPI. There were service records and I spoke to the seller who owned the car for six years (he purchased it as a CPO when his friend traded it for a new 911) It really depends on your comfort level. I purchased a Fidelity Platinum 3/36 $0 ded for less than $3,000 this January as I will not put 36K on it in three years but am covered just in case. As mj above stated...I did not pay a P dealer premium or the extra 3-5K for CPO status. It's different for everyone.......

WJGreer

An option would be to set up a new savings account at your bank, deposit the cost of the warranty into it, and throw a few hundred bucks at it here and there. You'd be setting up an escrow savings for the purpose of car repairs - it would be there if you needed it but if you ever decide to part with the car and did not need it, the money is still yours. Self-insurance essentially.

CSK 911 C4S

You answered your own question. This thinking has worked out well for you in the past so don't change a thing.

colnagoG60

FWIW, I bought my CPO 981 GT4 w/30k miles (not a 911 but same engine et al), and it has been to the shop 14+ times (some for preventative checks when new sound(s) was heard...stopped counting) for various issues. The dealer would not release the car to me when I signed the paper work because they found a vacuum leak in one of the mufflers. The one muffler alone was $4k, with the other muffler to follow suit? "For me", the coverage already paid for itself. As always, YMMV.

B Russ

Im on P car #3 all have been CPO. I love the fact I just show up to the dealer and they fix what ever is bothering me and give me a loaner. Only major things I needed were control arms and front air shocks on my 2014 970 and water pump on my 991.2 but I have not paid for anything other than oil changes. Im not one to buy something without the resources to fix it out of pocket but knowing I just bring it in and its taken care of is great.

OHall

Thanks for the info!