https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto...017177533.html Maybe this may interest you OP

 

I feel like the miles are way to higher for that price, huge depreciation hits at the 100k mark. Think it’s worth high 30’s, but besides that it has been tracked. That is a no go for me.

 

Think about this. If you get a 991 with 70k miles and you put 30k miles on it...you might end up trying to sell a Porsche with 100k miles...that's not easy to do. A lot of people won't even look at a Porsche with 100k miles. BUT. If you buy a 997.2 with 50k miles on it and you put on 30k, then you'll be selling a car with 80k. Much easier!! Just something to consider

 

I would recommend considering these other option:

1. 997.2 non-S. If you are driving it on the weekends and not tracking it, you will not really see that much of a difference between the 2. Plus you'll save a bit of money to find more cars in your range and/or get lower mileage. Then you'll be able to drive and enjoy the car as well as have money set aside for maintenance or anything that pops up.
2. 996 Turbo. This'll be faster than any other 911 in this price range. Not significantly different from the 997.1 Turbo mechanically... just the headlights and the interior refresh. Similar comments to above in that the money saved will be put to use on maintenance or something else that pops up while you'll actually enjoy the car.

 

Conversely to the more commonly discussed perspective, I had no issues buying a 90k mile Porsche nor did I have any problems selling a 90k mile one. In fact I sold the car for more than I paid for it, after a year. I will strongly disagree that its a problem finding buyers or that you won't get your money back out of it.

There are definitely early 997.2 Carrera S PDK for sale for the price range, I just took a look. That would be my choice out of them. Of course the 991.1 is a different animal altogether. Figuring out if you want 991.1 or 997.2 would be the obvious first step to me. Throwing out cars that were tracked, or cars that you think were tracked will narrow the pool, but its also nonsense. For one.. OP.. you may well buy a car that was tracked with no evidence of that. You may be able to find a single owner car that you buy from the individual that will verbally tell you the car has not been tracked, but you couldn't actually determine it. No reason to think a car that has indeed been tracked is any worse for the wear, considering, ya know.. that this is a 911 and they are designed to include that usage. There are creampuffs out there. but likely not in OP budget.

 

Here you go, I personally know the seller. He is a straight shooter and you can believe what he says.

https://dorkiphus.net/porsche/showthread.php?t=39955

GLWYS

 

Driving everyday 1 mile to gym can't be too good for a car. Never heats up enough.....

 

OK we're getting somewhere here. SF and further south in LA and SD should yield plenty of candidates, minor DIY skills, hard choice on 911, no track usage, price cap.

My Rx: Look for a 997.2 Carrera PDK with not too many options. I bought my '09 (though 6MT) with 35k miles then two years ago for $42k ($50k all-in was my price cap). I'm third owner. Min options on this one - upgraded wheels and Universal Audio Interface. At 345hp this car has plenty of performance, and is the perfect first Porsche for me. When I go to PCA chapter meetups sure it's nice to look at the cars that cost 2-3 times what I paid, but know what? There's plenty of those owners who compliment mine.

Don't get hung up on depreciation for resell downstream - these cars are solid and if cared for will hold fair value. Good luck with the hunt.

 

A $50k 911 includes a huge range of very different vehicles, from a well used 996 turbo at one end to a higher mileage base 991 at the other. In the middle are various 997's including mint low mileage 997.1S, typical mileage 997.2S, and a lower mileage 997.2 base. Despite all being 911's, there are big differences. I recently moved from a 997.1 to a 997.2 and just that change is significant; more reliable engine, much better PASM, hugely improved PCM, and availability of PDK instead of a Tip. The 997.1 PCM really is junk, and just having a decent head unit makes a big difference on casual drives.

I would suggest the OP do the research and compile a list of "must haves" and "like to haves" and start whittling things down. How important is mileage? Do you have the tools and space to do your own repairs as things wear out and break (as they will more often with higher mileage)? Can you live with having it on jack stands in your garage for a month when something goes wrong or will you need to throw several grand (or more) at it to get it fixed ASAP? What about S vs base? With an S you get PASM and can add dynamic stability control for $1k, not the case with a base. Are you looking for the classic 911 feel? The 991 is a great car but it's bigger and feels different to drive.

As someone pointed out above, driving it on one mile trips each day is not all that good for the engine, particularly in the 997.1 (increased chance of bore scoring). Is that risk acceptable or will it cause you to worry and not enjoy the car? If it's the latter then be prepared to spend several thousand on an aftermarket warranty. Also, not my business but are you just getting the AT due to your girlfriend? If so I would highly recommend you stick with PDK rather than a Tip. It's a great transmission but more importantly, it feels sporty rather than sloppy and will make the car much more enjoyable for you.

Good luck with the search and try not to rush into it (hard I know from experience). On the other hand if you find one that checks the boxes, go for it.

 

At $50K I would choose a different path and get really nicely sorted 996 turbo (manual) or a base 997.2.

You won't get a nice example of the other cars (and just going by "I saw a sale at x price" means nothing). Plenty of garbage out there.

 

I know that dealers can and do discriminate based on appearance, but they need to sell cars. I've never had a problem going into a dealer and taking a test drive of anything I could afford to take home, including the Porsche dealer at which I test drove several cars before settling on mine. I'm certainly not going into the dealership in a suit, but dressed reasonably. I know that some folks don't have a choice of dealer, but there is absolutely no way I'm buying a car without driving it. I wouldn't divulge to the dealer that I'm only looking at private party purchases, but if you can afford the vehicle I see no reason you wouldn't be able to test drive all but the 997.1 Turbo auto, and just because they're not as common.

I'm sure the OP can find a vehicle that meets his budget. While I'm sure you can find a 997.1 turbo in your price range with higher miles on it, I would look carefully at it's maintenance history before buying. It will be the most expensive (and time consuming) of the three to maintain and pinning or welding the coolant pipes is a big job if not already done. I would absolutely want this done on a 997.1 Turbo because I have some doubts about the integrity of the epoxy on the fittings as they age, though they are otherwise known to be very reliable.

As for the 997.2 S PDK vs 991.1 base PDK I think you should drive one of each, even if the 991.1 is an S to get a sense of the cars.

 

I just bot a 997.2 S PDK for $55 with 21,000 miles on it. There are a very few out there. I'm very much a newbie on this but from the research I've done if you want an auto you want PDK..

 

Jog or ride your bike!