tmoore10

Hi all,

I have wanted to own a Porsche 911 since I was a little boy and I'm finally making it happen. So stoked! I'm in the market for a slightly used (1-3 years) 911 cabriolet. I am open to any cabriolet model except for the turbo. I've never owned a Porsche and, to be completely honest, know very little about the car (besides the fact that I LOVE the look and drive). Any help with any of the following topics would be GREATLY appreciated:

Where should I shop to find the best deal? CL? Autotrader? Ebay Motors? I'm based in S. California.

Are there any services out there that can help me with the purchase? I'd love to hire a Porsche expert who I can pay to find me what I'm looking for at a fair price. As I said, I know next to nothing about Porsches and dont want to get ripped off.

Any advantages/disadvantages to buying from a Porsche dealer vs an individual owner?

I'm looking at '10, '11, or '12. Any major differences between these years that I should take into consideration? Either cosmetic or, perhaps, maintenance issues related to a particular year/model?

Thanks again!

chris.hanle

Well you have come to the right place. There are many people here who know a lot about these cars. I am a novice myself. But I do know that the 10 and 11 are 997.2 cars and the 12 is 991. There are numerous differences in the way the drive and slight(IMO) differences in the way they look. It is a complete redesign and first year of production. Some people are gun shy of first year runs. If you want a more quintessential 911 drive and feel many say the 997 is the way to go. Dealer for sure because of the CPO and inspection. You might find one elsewhere but the CPO is wort about 2500-3000. So calculate that in the comparison. A recent post discusses how much the cpo is worth to them. Come on in the club and enjoy.

tmoore10

Thanks for the tips!

raspritz

Yes, I would agree that for a "slightly used" 911, a 997.2 is the way to go. Definitely, you would be best served purchasing from a dealer and getting a CPO car, so as to have a real warranty. Have fun!

tmoore10

Thanks! Which years were the 997.2?

pcdrj

I just bought my first Porsche, an '09 C2s. My first suggestion is to take your time and really learn about the various models. Next consider how you plan on using the car. Will you drive it in the snow, track, etc? Will anyone else drive it? You say you like the "drive". What 911 models have you driven? Have you had other cars you really liked and can compare to such as M3 or Corvette? This car has more variations than anything else I've ever shopped and the differences are substantial. Try to qualify people's opinions based on their use. Someone who tracks cars on weekends will have a different view than the SUV driver looking for a sunny day toy. Do you plan on doing your own maintenance? If so, you'll definitely want to read up on the 991.

Bottom line, take your time, search, and read up. The more educated you are the better your experience will be.

windboat

This is spot on. I would also suggest visiting as many PCAR dealers as you can and drive everything they have on the lot. Your timing is right as many 2011/2012 997.2's are coming off 24/36 leases. Many used PCAR's have quite low mileage on them. My 2011 CAB was 11 months old with 2200 miles on it, since I purchased it from dealer it also included CPO warranty of 100K miles/5years from original delivery date.

tmoore10

Thanks. What is PCAR?

tmoore10

Great advice. Thank you so much. This will be my daily driver. I will not be taking it on the track. It may be in the snow for the occasional snowboarding trip but other than that, it'll be in good weather (California). I definitely want something maintenance free so the idea of getting something certified from the dealership appeals to me. Although I'd imagine that certification is transferable if I buy from an independent party who had purchased it certified used from a dealership?

windboat

PCAR = Porsche Car:

tmoore10

Thanks. This proves how much of a rookie I am!

morsini

Join the club, go to a few events and talk to guys that own the car that you're interested in. If you've got the money and want something newer get a CPO'ed car. If you're smart you'll get an older car that won't loose 50% of it's value in the next 3-5 years. My $0.02.

cvtbenhogan

Good luck. .2s are best of the bred. Model 10 and on should have warranty left. You can decide whether to get a CPO from the dealer as part of the negotiations or get extended warranty down the road. I'd chose the latter.

Drive as many cars as you can. Recommend checking out the PDK. Do some forum searches on DME engine reports and PPI. Perhaps others can chime in.

The thrill of the first Pcar cannot be overrated IMHO.

pcdrj

If you're going to see snow then a 4 or 4s might be the best candidates since they are 4wd. Typically the driving purist will opt for a 2 since they're RWD and quite a bit lighter. The 4 has a wider stance and wider rear.

Here's a quick comparison on cars.com. Keep in mind, the driving impression may be different than you expect.

http://www.cars.com/go/compare/trimC...,USB90PRC013A0

utkinpol

best bang per buck now is to find GTS car or any 2009+ 997.2 car.
as of what options to get - if u decide to get a car wioth PDK tranny then make sure it has sport chrono or you can retrofit 'sport' button/program later from suncoast to activte additional PDK programs.

i do not like centerlock wheels but if you not going to track it then it is not such big of the deal. overall 997.2 cars are very reliable and engine is way better than in 997.1 (pre 2009) cars. try to get CPO on car you get, it is well worth it.