MrNurse

Hey everyone!

I'm in the market for a 997.1 GT3 or Turbo and I noticed some of the ones I have interest in have a record of a minor accident like "Minor damage reports, Moderate Right Rear Damage reported, Airbag not deployed".
I was wondering if it's something I should stay away from?
Does it really bring down the value or a Turbo/GT3?

Thank you for your input.

FLT6SPD

If your OCD like me run don't walk. If condition plays a small part then it's worth considering I guess. All depends on what you can live with.

Macster

Unless you have pics of the damage and have some ability to classify the damage as truly light or minor the problem is you really don't know the extent of the damage.

Sheet metal -- not chassis/tub sheet metal though -- damage and plastic damage are most of the time not serious though the car still must be repaired properly, to Porsche's standards. Paint and finish and panel gaps and door and lid closings all want to be just as they were prior to the accident.

One has to be at the top of his car evaluating game to inspect a car with body/paint damage and repair to satisfy himself the car is still a good car, the repairs were done to the proper standards.

For most of us it is just better to give a car with accident damage a miss.

While there are a few cars out there with accident damage there are far more without so it is not like one is really cutting down on the number of cars he has to choose from.

C.J. Ichiban

generally if a car is really well cared for it is because the guy intends to keep it for a long time and therefore the really AWESOME examples are generally pampered in the first owner's hands for a very long time. you are more likely to find 10 year old mint cars for sale than 3 year old mint cars for sale in a lot of ways...

NAM VET

I am the prototype of what C.J. above is talking about. I have never bought any vehicle without the intention of keeping it "forever." Must have gotten the DNA to be like that from my dad. He bought a new car about every ten years. I have always immediately done what was appropriate for the time I bought the car. Long ago, that meant a fast Ziebart for antirust, several oil changes in the first thousand miles, careful attention to the protection of the paint. 3 decades ago, when I would take the kids to the beach, I would bring gallon jugs of water to rinse the sand off their feet before they got into the car. I have always been extraordinarily attentive to what oils and filters I run in my engines. Even now, I run an $80 Canton Mecca oil filter in my older Jaguar. Park away from dripping tree sap, always use sun shades in my windshields. Careful parking. Attention to tire pressures and wear patterns. Repair the little things before they mount up or become more serious. Premium finish protectants.

So I am extremely attentive to my car's health and happiness. But occasionally, circumstances have made it necessary to let a car go. But I have always kept my cars in the best condition and shape I am capable of.

all the best.....

Spyerx

bumper and hood paint if just paint and not due to accident doesn't bother me. these cars if driven get tatted up in these areas if not clear bra.

accidents especially ones documented on car fax will affect value for some time. in 30 years, maybe less, but you need to go into it with full understanding of the issue.

KOTYKB

I'm going to get my front bumper repainted prior to getting a clear bra on the front end. My hood/fenders have some minor chips from not having a bra for 17k miles but it's doesn't make sense repainting the sheet metal.

I'm really not happy about the .1 GT3 having lower painted side sills which are extremely prone to rock chips, they really should have put that anti-chip material on this region.

alpha motoring

Accidents and paintwork happen. Although we all try to buy a car without paintwork sometimes it isn't all for a terrible reason. For every car I buy I always run a paint meter over the car myself. Not all accidents are bad, I wouldn't necessarily run away from a car that has been repaired right at a reputable shop. I would definitely run from a car that has been repaired improperly.

Things like bumpers get repainted all day long, as long as it was done right, it's fine. Make sure the bumper wasn't repainted due to accident though. If so investigate a little more.

Just because it was repaired at a 'Porsche Certified' shop doesn't mean the repair was done right. Sometimes the repaint may have just been for a small scuff on the fender or bumper, sometimes it was for something larger. Just because the AutoCheck and Carfax is clean doesn't mean it doesn't have paintwork. Just because the paint meter is consistent doesn't mean it hasn't had paintwork. If you throw a new fender on and blend the adjacent areas sometimes your PPI won't even raise a red flag.

I've seen work some body shops have done and it's nearly undetectable. No witness marks, finishes match, color is spot on and the meter reads within factory specs. Obviously this isn't the case with most repairs.

At the end of the day if you find a car that has all the specs, color, mileage you want and it has a reported accident I'd do some homework. If the price is right, the repairs were done right and the car isn't a bucket of bondo I'd consider it. Example, would you rather live with a scratched hood or a perfectly repainted hood?

Cars are meant to be driven, take care of them and have fun, don't stress out about it too much.

KDAWG97M3

I am considering the same thing. My GT3.1 has no stories I love it, but I am in the market to possibly add a GT3 RS and I found one, but it has a story....it has been hard to pull the trigger..I think I found another one with no stories, but the cost is higher.......I am just trying to understand resell, and issues...

Ur20v

as long as you don't think you can buy cheap and sell high so only you enjoy the car at a discount due to the history all should be good- market will be smaller from all the unicorn hunters but just allow more time and you will find a buyer if you are being fair. Its a car and if repaired well and drives/checks out well- buy.