Zeus993

Rennlist is good, Excellence and Panorma magazine classifieds both good too. And don't forget to check your local non-Porsche high end car dealerships. They often will bring in a P-car on a trade and not know what to do with it. That's how I got my cab. Beautiful car, needed a couple scratches repaired on the painted seat backs and that was about it. Excellent close to wholesale price. Good luck with your hunt!

tgavem

I bought my 997.1 2 yrs ago with 22k miles. Even then, buttons were melted, door sill scratched and the door handle and leather panel scratched. The previous owner must have been a NFL player or she was married to one - as these scratches must have come from a giant diamond ring. Mine is black so swirls were expected.
When I bought it, I was focused on mechanicals more than surface imperfections.
I have already replaced all the buttons, easy and inexpensive, next is driver side door panel, door handle and door sill, and a re-spray of the bumpers, and hood ($2500 at collision plus II).
for 50k, the car wont be perfect, a little more and you will have a better chance - so you can buy perfect now while paying more, or for less, enjoy it, take it to the track once or twice (I did), and then clean up later to preserve as a garage queen.
With the streets and traffic being what it is in Houston, it wont be long before you will have rock chips or somebody un-insured crashing into you. :-)

Be careful of engine - many here will recommend the S with 3.8L, vs the 3.6 and avoid the early 2005 3.6 as it may have the older M96 engine and not recommended.
How are you buying it - cash or loan. Private purchase with loan is harder and you need to find the bank or credit union that will help you before you find the car.

Good luck in your search. Patience will reward you.

uzj100

PM sent. I have an '06 with 33K miles for sale

Gino230

I got mine at a Mercedes dealer. '07 C2S, 16K miles. Dealer serviced. It was absolutely perfect....not even a rock chip. Interior was spotless, not one scratch or marred finish. And I checked closely.

Keep looking, you'll find your gem.

$52.5K is what i paid btw.

utkinpol

true, newer 2006+ engines are still preferable even with a non-serviceable IMS bearing there are other mods to those motors that make them better.
as of 3.8 vs 3.6 - 3.8 is more likely to suffer damage from overheat than 3.6, power wise they are nearly same, so, look at the overall car condition first and options you get.

Edgy01

I highly endorse the car cited in post 33. Joe is **** excessive, the car is Paint To Sample Black (inside joke) and he has about 3 buffers which he uses to keep the car PERFECT. You can use the car to shave with. He always babied the car (except that one time going up Route 1 he let me drive it for about 30 miles...but that's another story).

If I were you I would grab it.

sebis

Thanks guys but I have bad news, the CFO has vetoed the expenditure. I am told the closest I will get to a 911 is by the means of the P!G. Truth be told, the mid-life crises aside, she is right given the new baby and such. I shall see you back in couple of years ... On second thoughts I am moving to the Cayenne forum and will be back trolling this forum as well.

Now, a 2009 Cayenne GTS 6 speed sounds temping

Para82

I would get a divorce.

SnP

You can fit two kids in the back.

I have this in the back of my black on black 2010 C4S.

sebis

Drove today the Cayenne 6 speed in question, what a disappointment... I told myself numerous times that the only way to get a truck is in Diesel and today I reinforced this thought. Back in January almost ordered a new 2013 Cayenne Diesel when our ML was having "issues", the manager didn't want o give an extra 1% discount and I walked, I should pick up one used in couple of years.

Back to the subject of a 911, made some progress, need to get the pool build first then the 911 is next in line, I guess that means sometimes in 2014, this gives me some time to research...

Thank you for suggestions, some helpful and some not ...

jumper5836

Seems there are a lot of people out there getting in these cars and not taking care of them. If they don't even take care of the interior I'd hate to know how they kept care of the engine.
Even sadder is the thought that they moved on to a newer Porsche and treating it just as badly as their old one.