Prairiedawg

I'm looking for member experiences with Want To Buy posts on RL. I have been looking for 6 plus months for "the right one" and have become a little frustrated searching the listings (Car Guru's, Cars.com, etc). There are lot's of listings out there, many questionable, or overpriced or whatever. I realize that I am a very discriminating buyer and have high expectations, but not unrealistic ones. there have been a couple that either the seller decided he didn't want to sell it (I don't blame him, it was a nice car) or another where a deposit was put on it while I was speaking to the salesman on the phone. Snooze you lose I guess. All the rest were just meh!

I am tempted to put a Want To Buy ad on here but don't want to be inundated with scams, or folks trying to dump their cars on me. I'm looking for a clean, low mileage, documented and maintained with specific options. Kind of what everyone should be looking for with the mileage exception. Just looking for experiences or things to look out for if I decide to go that route. I understand you open yourself up to More sellers that have been thinking of selling theirs but not listing, but also trolls with ill intentions.

kellen

Did a WTB here and PCA. Definitely get sent some scams and cars that are clearly not what I was looking for but easy to recognize. I wouldn't buy a car without seeing it and getting it inspected so at most just a waste of time.

if you are willing to travel to look for a car its a good way to find one.

Prairiedawg

How were things using the PCA site? I would never buy a car without seeing it first. Did that before, my idea and sellers about condition are two different things. I would definitely travel but it needs to be the right car that I want, just need to see it in person. Then a PPI etc.

I live close to a major airport so airfare for a large portion of the country is relatively inexpensive. Worth $200 to make sure its "the one".

kellen

Good experience. But still some scams. I’d recommend it.

jll1011

Not sure it is worth it to deal with the unproductive calls and scams with a WTB. Keep looking. Finding the right car is part of the experience of owning a 911.

rw229

Your assumptions are correct. You will get a ton of crap and scams. However, it only takes one good one. Years ago I posted a WTB on another forum. While dealing with all the garbage, I was contacted by a long time Porsche owner who didn't want to deal with selling. Not only did I find a great car that wasn't advertised, I bought it for a great price. That was in 2011. The market and level of BS seems to have increased 100x since then.

Petza914

Bought my wife's car here on Rennlist using a WTB ad in 2013. Listed the specifics we were looking for and the price range. Worked out great. Had a PPI done in Detroit and drove it home, then disassembled it for the pink pearl paint job and body mods.

Prairiedawg

Yeah, I'll probably do it. I'm just finding access to quality cars is limited. I joined the PCA test drive to get access to their classified because I believe as a whole I'm more likely to find more, better cared for cars there than the average national listing company. Problem is it's a small universe and the listings are limited. I started out wanting a Porsche, then a 997. Then a 997.2. Now I want a Well cared for low mileage one that I plan on keeping long term. my criteria has changed as I became a more well informed buyer. I understand there will be a premium for this, and I find the most sound advice I have seen on these pages is "you buy the owner" not the car.

Turns out there's lots of 997's for sale but as you narrow down the criteria the supply becomes smaller and smaller. Just because its at a Porsche dealer doesn't mean it isn't without issues as seen here.

https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/invent...ting=232590956

https://rennlist.com/forums/997-foru...r-history.html

As someone has said, "you buy the owner".

Bxstr

When I was looking I considered it many times, but instead would PM people that had cars I was interested in. If someone took a pic of their car and it looked ideal, I would simply send a PM letting them know if they ever considered selling I would be interested. I didn't get anyone actually interested, but it was easier for me.

I ultimately ended up buying from a dealer though. Too many logistical nightmares that seemed to be occurring with sellers. For example, one of the cars I was very interested in, the guy could not find the title to. I understand that this may be legitimate, and I am guessing it was, but I keep that sort of stuff in a place that I always know where it is at. Dealers may not have as nice of a car, but I would rather give $50-60k to someone that will not physically steal my money, with dealers you have some protection.

Many have luck with private sales and those people tend to get nicer cars at better prices.