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A friend of mine is looking at a 2020 911S cab, 16k miles, $108k (1 year warranty) with a branded title. Supposedly there was no damage, but the dealer (specializing in branded/salvage titles) said it was a dealer buyback because of electrical issues with the convertible top, since repaired.

Does it sound right that a repair on a faulty cab top would lead to a branded title? Could the overall electrical issues run deeper?

Friend would keep it as a driver.

Falcon01

It could be a lemon title. That said, I would pass on it for $108k. IMO, I wouldn't touch a branded title unless it was 30% cheaper or $30k cheaper. This is not.

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I told him to offer $98k.

Then I said I'd post here first to get opinions on how a convertible top repair would lead to a branded title, or if the problem had to run deeper to earn a branded title.

ClickClickBoom

I also looked at a brand title car, 2020 4s. It was a buyback because parts were not available during covid to fix the ignition switch. Pretty much was meaningless to me, but I passed. I didn't want to deal with a "storied" car in the future.

Highline-Autos.com

Double, even triple check with Porsche that the vehicle's factory warranty is still intact... such branded title would make the vehicle ineligible for extended warranty coverage from any reputable company.

Trenton O. Gibson
tgibson@highline-autos.com
Highline Autos
Direct: 602.909.9216
Office: 480.348.0777

ipse dixit

Patrick Pigulski

they bought back my 22 4s for engine mount issues
the car wound up in Atlanta perimeter certified;2 k more than I paid and a clean title
do not trust these thieves!
RUN don walk.

ipse dixit

Can one even insure a car with a branded title? I know you can't in CA.

detansinn

At a minimum, a branded title car can be very difficult to sell when you’re done with it. If you do manage to sell it, you can expect a substantially (30%+) lower price than the equivalent clean title car.

They also can be challenging to finance, insure, and warranty. Impossible to do so? Nothing is impossible per Se and there are people who have done it. That being said, you should be prepared for unpleasant surprises. For example, you might be able to insure your branded title car, but if you get into an accident, expect some grief with your claim.

I am sure that someone will post how much they love their branded title treasure and that we’re all being unfair. While they may be fully sincere in their love of their branded car, that doesn’t change the market reality of these cars.

DrKarlB

.... muttering under his breath " caused by the flood" :-)

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Yeah, I was wondering about that when he said it was the electronics. I can't see how repairing the wiring/controls on the top would lead to a branded title if that's all it was. Something isn't passing the smell test.

I'll tell him to take a hard pass on this one.

He doesn't want a turbo, wants a cab, and wants to stay under $100k.

Fullyield

nyca…..here you go!

nyca

I appreciate the ping, but I don't think my issue is serious to the point of trying to complain enough to get the car bought back - plus they would want to first attempt fixes to it and I would have to work through those and whatever ripple effects there might be from such a significant repair. For now I am just going to wait it out, maybe they will get a mount or spacer developed that will actually solve the problem. I have zero other initial quality problems after 5 weeks of ownership - car is very solid, no rattles otherwise, etc.

apw

If the repairs took long enough and/or were attempted enough times the owner can push it to lemon law. If it's a lemon branded title the dealer that specializes in branded titles *should* have the paperwork from the dealer attempts/final attempt to fix the issue. Required warranties on the resolution vary by state, I believe.

Mine was a replacement engine buyback and I have the original workorders from the local dealer on the replacement and PCNA warranty work. No issues 22k miles (and 2000 track miles) later. Per PCNA, total car warranty still intact.

I would judge branded titltes by what the issue was and how easy it is/was to resolve it. Electrical gremlins may seem a lot harder to declare "fixed" than "my engine bricked because the an oil distribution fitting fell into the cylinder cavity." Same can be said for flood or otherwise salvaged titles if there's not extensive documentation.

omaralt

yall can be very extra. a lemon title is not necessarily a RUN scenario. during the crazy covid times i've seen cars get lemoned simply because it took too long to get parts in from germany. So those cars are perfectly fine. HOWEVER i would expect a substantial discount to make up for the beating you will take at resell.