php

Greetings everyone,

After almost a year of waiting, I believe I'm getting close to making a move to purchase a carrera. I've been on this forum for a while now reading almost everyday, but never felt I should post anything unless I actually owned a 911.

A quick intro of myself. I have never had a 911 before, although I'm not completely new to Porsche either. I probably read almost every single article/post that there is for the 996/997 online for the past 2 yrs so although I don't have a 911 I like to think I do know a bit about the potential issues, pros, cons, etc. I had a 987.1 Cayman S for about 2 years, I sold it last year in June (ironically on my birthday ) in order to save up a bit as I was thinking about buying a house (20% down). Now that I finally settled on a closing date (in April) and have been saving for close to a year, I feel I am ready for another porsche. At first I thought about the 987.2 cayman, but I really wanted to try out the carrera. Models that interest me are: 996 4S, 996 turbo, and the obviously the 997. As for the 997, I would love to get a 997.2 but to be honest I don't feel that comfortable throwing $50k+ on a car right after buying the house. So, I have set my current budget to be at $45k max. Since this is the 997 forum, I won't bother asking about which model should I get, but however please throw in your opinions if you would like to. I have a few questions that any advice would be greatly appreciated:
1. With my current budget of $45k max, would I be able to find a decent/well cared for 997.1? It does not have to be the S model and I don't care too much about sport chrono, full leather, the bells and whistles. However, I do want a manual and I prefer for the car to be under 50k miles. Is this realistic?
2. I would love to have CPO, but most CPOed 997.1 cars are still above $50k. My 2nd question is: although I know most if not all of you would recommend CPO, is this an absolute must? I will get an extended warranty for a peice of mind as long as it doesn't cost me an arm or leg (<$4k)
3. I live in Atlanta and based on what I see online I will most likely have to buy remotely. I have no experience doing so. How would you guys approach this? I can certainly call up the dealerships and start the conversation, but just wondering if any of you have any advice on how to purchase a car out of state, how to negotiate on price remotely, arrange PPI to be done correctly, and avoid any kind of fraud or miscommunication?
4. I know earlier 05 cars can have the IMS upgraded and this is appealing to me. Unfortunately I do not know exactly what cars can be claimed as "early" enough. I know some said you can read the code on the engine and get the info from there but there are also some different opinions on this. Also even if it's an early 05, if it had the engine replaced already it's most likely going to have the bigger bearing, yes?

So to sum it up I'm more likely going to seek out 06-08 cars (if I get the 997). What do you guys think/recommend? for a max of $45k I could a bit on the lower end, so do you guys think I should wait? I don't want to get in a average/poorly maintained carrera just for the sake of owning one. Sorry for the long post and many thanks in advance.

ksozay

Hey PHP,

Others will have FAR greater knowledge on the subject than I but speaking from experience, I was in virtually the same space as you are now. There are a few things I would recommend:

Don't test drive a car outside of your price range unless you are willing to extend your current budget. I say this because I made the "mistake" of test driving a 997.2 car before purchasing a 997.1 car and there were things about the .2 car that I couldn't ignore and thus spent a fair bit of time wishing I had just extended my budget and upgraded to the .2 car. That being said, what I loved about the .2 car was all personal and based on what features I would enjoy most in my daily life. For you, it may be different.

The 45k price range should allow for a number of good cars in the 05-07 range, with the criteria you've set. You may trade options for a CPO or opt to just budget a bit higher for an extended warranty/cpo. Will really depend on the car you find and how closely it aligns with what you want.

I won't bother commenting on the IMS issue as I've never experienced it. That said, it's good to budget for it and the right warranty can provide a measure of comfort should it happen.

As always, test drive all configurations of the 997.1 and decide for yourself what options truly matter to you, once you've experienced them. I LOVE full leather, great Porsche smell. I also loved the extra grunt with the S and some of the added options that come with it. My .1 was a tiptronic and while it was completely fine, I did notice it lacked a real sporty feel as it typically shifted into 5th to conserve fuel. I have a manual now and it's a pretty noticeable difference in feel (positive).

Whatever car you decide on, get an inspection, get a DME report for over revs, and have someone go through the car to check for accident damage. I don't mind Carfax but it's not full proof.

Great, great car. I can't say enough good things about the 997.

Best of luck!

KS

Luckymba

1. Yes. I think you could find a great one for $45K with a little work.
2. I didn't get CPO and don't have an aftermarket warranty. They are great for piece of mind I get that but if you do a thorough PPI and set aside the same amount of money you should be fine. That's what I did.
3. I actually got my car from Atl and had it shipped to Central FL. Pretty stressful, not going to lie but it all worked out in the end. Find the car, get the PPI and based on that you can negotiate from there. I wouldn't really negotiate until you know the details and condition of the car.
4. I have an 05 and bought the car and immediately replaced the clutch and the IMS (knew I was going to when I bought it). If the engine has been replaced it will have the new bearing unless someone did a random swap themselves. IMO this has been blown way out of proportion on the internet. If you get an 05 and the bearing hasn't been updated just pay to have it updated. I actually like the fact that I can replace mine with relatively little expense and plan to do so every 50k. Good luck

Jasper1

I don't know how the pricing is these days, but I picked up a CPO '06 C2 Cab with 40K miles with 6 sp, leather, power sport seats, Bose for $48K back in Sept 2011. I don't know if you can still find '06 models that qualify for CPO (well worth it). I've seen some '07's that are CPO but not sure of the price range. The best recommendation is for you to doa pre owned search finder at the Porsche US site and you can see all the cars for sale across the US.

Jasper1

I just went on the Porsche site and found 17 CPO 911's below $50K. Good hunting. I recommend CPO. In my car, it paid for itself already.

windboat

Have you talked to either Jim Ellis or Hennessy Porsche in ATL? They are both excellent dealers and can be very helpful in assisting you to find the right 911. I was in a similar situation several years ago before I purchased my first 911. I visited both dealers and both spent a lot of time with me in finding the right fit for my budget. I bought my first 911 from Hennessy and my second one from Ellis. They both stand behind their cars and have excellent service departments.

Also, the PCA group in ATL is a great resource and the members can be really helpful to you.

Little Green

PHP,
I went through some of the exact issues you are going through. I have wanted one since I was about 6 years old. I also have a wife and a budget that was not to exceed $50k.
Here are things it had to have:
CPO(Just made me feel better as I had some issues with a Cayenne S)
997 model as I did not love the 996 headlights or body
Different colored than most exterior in this order: Atlas Grey, Meteor Grey, just about any PTS color and white
Black leather seats

That was it. That set me in 05-06 non S cars with low miles or S cars with higher miles.
I test drove S cars with 40ish miles great cars, nice power, full leather, great interiors.
I then drove a couple of base cars with low miles and not a ton of options. Leather power seats, Nav etc and that was it
For some reason for me those cars felt more of what I wanted in a sports car. Felt more utilitarian of that is a word that can be used. I must have driven 6 or 7 different cars from $42-$50K
Then my dealer called me about a customer trade in on a new ordered 991. Atlas grey, Black leather seats, 6 speed and 16K miles.
I came in to look at the car on Saturday and it had just been detailed. Smelled like new. Drove awesome, felt great and connected to the car. Had the car taken to an indy for a PPI monday. Everything checked out perfect. The tires were original so the dealer put 4 new ones on and changed the front pads. CPO'd the car for 2 years 50K miles.
I drove it home on Tuesday. I paid $47.5 last summer.

It seems like a high price to pay for a 7 year old car with not a lot of options but here is where my head was at:
Smelled new
Looked like it had never been driven
First color choice
New tires and brake pads
CPO
Trusted dealer that is fantastic with my service (Pcar loaners etc)

I love my car and appreciate everyday I can get in it.
This is a great team of people on here. If you find a car you like post something and maybe someone close by can at least put some eyeballs on it for you and go from there.

Good luck with your search.

php

wow, I wasn't expecting this many replies already, thanks everyone.

I have always been a guy that have purchased a car that I liked, but not THE one I wanted. One problem was not patient enough and the other obviously...financial restrictions. As a result I would like to really spend time to seek out a car that I'm really satified with (and within budget) this time around. I still have a good 5-7 weeks before I can make a move (can't do anything before closing), so please be patient with me if I'm not grabbing one right away. I'll be willing to wait for the right car, and if I don't find one for 4-5 months, my budget could go up to $50k and then I'll have more choices . I'm leaning towards CPO, but if I can find a really decent one without, it's still a possibility I'll grab it and then purchase a good extended warranty.

Currently, I see a 2007 at Rockville Porsche Audi for $41,991. Seems to be low mileage and one owner. Link: http://www.rockville-porsche.com/use...d1d3d515c8.htm
Any thoughts on it? If that car is still available by the time I'm done with closing, I am interested in checking it out.

I have not talked to Hennessy or Jim Ellis yet. Will try to do so maybe sometime this weekend or next.

Thanks again!

CamsPorsche

php take a look on autotrader at the 2006 Black on Black Carrera for sale in CT for $43,900 with 29k miles...its a 2-owner car with clean carfax but get it inspected. Link won't copy here for some reason...

Looks like a nice car...

ga993

PHP, pm sent.

MJBird993

Absolutely not! CPO is great, but it's expensive. If you have a nice car with low miles, it may not be worth it. On the other hand, if the car has engine issues, it will be well worth it. For me personally, I never buy extended warranties of any kind. If I feel that I can't afford to maintain the car, or that it will be troublesome enough to justify a warranty, then that's not the car for me. I've bought 4 used 911s and have had very few problems out of any of them (although I've only had my 997 for a few months).
CPO is great, but most other extended warranties are all profit for the dealer and many have a lot of exclusions, some companies go out of business, and most have deductibles. Be careful.
Surely in a market as big as Atlanta, you can find what you want/need. That said, sometimes the best car for you isn't local. I've bought 3 cars remotely. You negotiate the same, but any deal is pending a PPI. If it's close enough to fly up and see it/drive it, then do so. PPI is not optional. Even on a local car, you must still do a PPI. If you do not do a PPI and you buy the car anyway, we will all ridicule you and taunt you endlessly.

When buying remotely, use all resources available to you. Ask for help on Internet forums. I've done this for people and I've have people do it for me. It's not the same as a real mechanic's PPI, but it's a great start if for nothing more than cosmetic look-over and general impressions. A friend checked out a car for me in Houston last year and sent me 20 honest pictures of the car, gave me his impression of the seller, etc. It gave me a better comfort level on the deal.

To avoid fraud or mis-communication, put everything in writing once any funds (deposit, etc.) change hands.

Buy the best car that you can afford. Oh, and I know I'll get blasted for this, but don't worry about the "S" model. It's a lot more money for marginal increase in performance. The base car is plenty powerful and you'll never need those "big brakes".

cvtbenhogan

Welcome to RL

1. Yes. $45K is doable and for a 06. Try a private party. Waiting pays off.
2. No. If you get a lower mile car, you could buy a good aftermarket warranty. I have no warranty.
3. Need to test drive a few cars. Understand the car. That said, you'll likely need to travel to get the right car. Get the paperwork, and losts of pics. PPI should be easy to arrange. Many p-cars are just pampered and are in great condition. But you want a DME scan for abused cars. (get this with the PPI)
4. My advice. Just get a 06+ car and save the headaches of replacing, worrying, and talking about IMS. If your a gear head and get your hands dirty, then go for a lower priced 05. It wouldn't scare me but my risk tolerance is high when it comes to cars. Have three 7+ year old german cars out of warranty, and one good tool box.

ClaylG

For what it's worth, I bought an '06 C2S almost 2 years ago locally. It was meticulously taken care of by its previous owner and didn't come with a warranty. So far all I've had to do is a couple of oil changes and replace the original battery. And even though it isn't under warranty that hasn't phased me a bit. These cars are extremely reliable.

php

what do you guys think about a 997 that has relatively high mileage? for example 60k miles. Would that be a conern at all? Obviously before I buy it's going to go through the whole process, rev report from dealer, PPI from independent porsche shop, and I will probably get an extended warranty on top of that. Just wondering if the mileage would cause any concern? or should I keep looking for ones with a lower mileage?

CamsPorsche

php,

I've just bought my 06 Carrera 4 for less than $43k, PPI checked out to be fine, qualified for CPO, and it has less than 30k miles, manual trans, BOSE, leather, colored crests, and heated seats.

So there are deals out there...you just need to be patient (took me 3 months to find this car and passed on two prior Carrera's that didn't pass PPI).

Cam