That dealer (link from OP) seems to carry a lot of more questionable cars based on a quick click through on their site. Aside from the accident report for that turbo, the first 997.2 carrera I clicked on also had an accident on its carfax.

Maybe just a coincidence.

For a Porsche I would want to have some sort of documentation on what the accident was (before, after pics, or at least some communication trail / repair bill). Is any of that available?

 

I hear ya, but I have seen this dealer over the years (easy to spot photo angles) and have always felt like they price their cars appropriately.

Us Porsche guys can get way too **** and picky when it comes to accidents. Porsches are not magically reduced to undriveable garbage simply because they were involved in an accident. Porsches, like most other cars, are fully capable of be retuned to normal after even horrible impacts and most of the more recent wrecks you will see on Carfax for 911s this age are not horrible or even serious impacts. Otherwise, we would see salvage on Carfax because even light appearing impacts can result in a total loss to an older 911 as it can be so costly to repair even whatt appears as light or minor damage.

I personally do not think the value hit we see on 911s with damage history is warranted in the least.

I candidly find it cool that a Porsche dealership, like Barrington,is listing cars with damage history and pricing them appropriately. I certainly do not see that as any reason to question the dealership.

I think a good PPI and a quick blast down the highway is good enough. Before and after pictures is a little nutty professor like for a $56k used car that has been appropriately priced.

 

Funny, because I think it is nutty that someone wouldn't have an accident damage photo in this day and age (last 10 years at least) of phone cameras.

Or, more likely, the accident is bad enough and the damage great enough that they conveniently don't have that handy. If the dealer doesn't have that info, you can be sure that they are both a) pricing accordingly and b) paid even more accordingly. It is a business so I don't think they are selling accident cars as a charity.

$56K for a car that does sub 3.5 secs and may be pushed ... all the more reason to understand what happened and what may have been repaired.

$56K cash for a car is also more than 98% of the population can afford, which is why most of this stuff gets financed, so I also don't think price point is overly relevant.

All that said, I agree that there may be value here. I just found it interesting that my first clicked on car also had something like 4 or 5 prior owners for a 2010 Carrera and had accident damage too.

 

Nevermind, my third randomly clicked on car on their site, a 2011 Carrera S, also has accident damage. Based on their asking price for that car (PDK, 2S), my manual 4S is probably around $70K market, lol.

They appear to be a bottom feeder dealer. No disclosures in their vehicle descriptions either so for an uneducated buyer that doesn't check the vehicle history, they could end up making a real killing on their cars.

Or maybe they really are fairly pricing these cars and not a bottom feeder... just interesting that I am now 3/3 for their cars having "interesting" histories. Nope... just clicked a 2014 Carrera that also has accident damage... now 4/4...

 

Doubt owner 3 would have damage photos of an accident occurring when owner 1 owned the car. When you trade your car in, do you leave photos of the accident in the glove box?

 

That's a harsh indictment for a dealer you know nothing about.

I went down the 911 list (can be done in a minute or less) and clicked on every Carfax. 30 clean and 8 with damage. They actually have some very nice and desirable used 911s.

A bottom feeder would be picking up auction cars, not reselling their trade-ins. Were any of those 911s with accidents or damaged noted picked up at auction by Porsche Barrington? If not and the vast majority of their cars are clean and high end, I don't see how you can call them a bottom feeder.

Bottom feeders pick up their crappy cars at auction and usually post up an Autocheck or nothing at all. I would hope the typical Porsche buyer is smart enough to click on the Carfax link provided and see the word "Damage" or "Accident."

Edit: Lol, looks like some of their damaged cars are auction cars . . . Carry on.

 

On pricing comment . . . I know I have personally traded or sold privately probably more than 40 911s. I have never once had photos of damage on either side of the transaction. This does, however, seem to sometimes occur with Ferraris and Lamborghinis I have purchased/sold and certainly is the case in high dollar transactions I have been involved as a buyer's or seller's agent.

Thinking back, it seems like I really only had photos of cars I totaled and several of those were 911s that I took pictures of because I blown away by how such a minor appearring or small amount of damage could total the car. It does not take much, if hit in the right area, to total a $30k to $40k Porsche 911.

RE: Damage

I generally look to see how much time and miles since the damage or accident and the car being offered for sale in my transaction. Get a solid PPI. Anyone knowing what they are doing can tell you the story if there is one needing to be told and drive that sucker at high speed. I personally have seen some cars really torn up and they were still gems to drive after properly repaired. I would not purchase damage if a garage queen, but would certainly consider purchasing damaged if planning on putting miles on it.

 

I'm not sure exactly what newer models you're looking at but in addition to the differences in performance you should also consider the differences between the 997 and 991 platform, turbo vs normally aspirated, and AWD vs RWD.

 

And the Mezger engine versus a 9A1 which still does not have a proven track record like the Mezger. I think long term, the 997.1 Turbo is a much better place to park $56k right now than any 991.1 you can find close to that price at this time.

 

There aren't a lot of things more fun than a 997.1 turbo with upgraded exhaust and coilovers.

 

Thanks for acknowledging that several are auction cars :-) Respect that.

All said, most autotrader or cars.com private sale cars even WITH autochecks or carfaxes available, include in their description whether the car has been in an accident. Would be more upstanding if the dealer did the same. PPIs can go a long way but that expense (or investment) is on the buyer and I would not want to waste time or money if the seller can otherwise close that info gap with some simple pictures.

As for keeping historical records, when I buy from a private seller I absolutely get their binder. I have binders of everything for my car and would pass it along, of course. If a dealer doesn't have that info, then it is an information gap that gets closed either by pricing (lower!) or I will move on. There is absolutely a market for damage history cars, and not all accidents are the same, but as a buyer I want to get what I am paying for. You better believe the dealers aren't doing any of this out of charity and the damage history keeps their own purchase / trade costs very low (relatively).

 

I went to the dealer and drove it. Also tried a 2014 s. The dealership was pretty forthcoming and showed me what they suspect was damaged (some of the bolts on the rear had been worked on). Only thing is some minor signs of previous rear damage but looks like a great repair job and drives nice.

They wouldn't tell me, but I'm someone here has access to what the dealership bought it from auction for... They were forthcoming with that info but would not give me the dollar amount.

If anyone has auction hx access what was it sold for? Dealership did put some minor work into it a(new clutch)o has to keep the lights on... I wanted to know if the coolant pipes were welded but they didn't have the info -- can one tell by looking at it?

Also curious if someone is looking that up what my old POS 911 sold for at auction (needs a lot of work). I traded it in for a Tesla thinking I would be content with just 1 car (WP0CA29935S650072). Boy was I wrong.

I also tried a 991 newer, and it's too big for my taste, I like the 997 better. It's a tough call... I really don't need this and I work from home.... But boy do I have a hard on for another Porsche, and my ex wife gets no say

 

Nah it's not the 1k... I love a deal more than price... My last 911 I bought it from a **** dealer and beat it up all fall spring and summer and traded it in at a loss of only 1k... And only put 500 in for maintenance doing it myself as an excuse to learn more and get off my *** (desk job).

 

Jesus that's a lot. I'd be very wary of them just from those stats. It's not like they bought damaged cars by accident at an auction. They purposely sought them out and IT WORKS FOR THEM. Yuck.

There's a buyer though if it makes sense at the right price. Remember that thread a month or so ago about a flood car that "only came up to the lug nuts" ??

 

Here's a cheap one w/ a clean carfax...so they say. $48k w/ 75k miles https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...Type=spotlight