I've got an '83 Targa I've owned for 19 years and owned an '07 997 Carrera S w/Aerokit that I sold about 2 years ago. I'm back in the market for a 997(.2 preferably) and looking for Guards red. I happened to do a search the other night and this local '07 Turbo popped up. I just got back from a trip to take a look at it as I'm only 30 minutes away:



https://www.automaxatlanta.com/detai...37s785084.html

VIN WP0AD29937S785084
$59,988
'07 997 Turbo Coupe - Tip, Guards Red/Black, 42k miles. Overall nice shape for age/mileage. I'd give paint a solid 9 - some road rash on the hood which has been touched up and one small dimple near passenger rear fender were the only blemishes I found. It appeared it's been well taken care of.

Main issues I found dealt with the dealership ad. They claimed 1 owner, non-smoker, no accidents, with owner's manual and service records, with all regular scheduled maintenance performed. Well, the Carfax they provide on their site lists 2 owners, front end accident w/airbag deployed and they have no manual or service records. I was interested to a point - but they assured me the price was "firm" - and I wasn't willing to purchase with so many unknowns with regards to maintenance history.

I'm interested in thoughts/comments - should I reconsider? I'd probably purchase a warranty of 3 years or so - minimum of powertrain coverage. I did find out today that Fidelity won't cover it due to it being 13 years of age.

 

Coming from a guy who’s studying the market very closely, pass on a car that doesn’t feel right. There are others out there.

 

Miles, color, and price are very attractive but that accident must be real and it has a Tip (not that there's anything wrong with that!). Edmunds says it's been listed since May 18th so it's not jumping off the lot. Did they have an explanation for the discrepancy between the ad copy and the Carfax? Also, did they have service records like the ad copy said?

Getting a comparable miles Guards Red turbo with MT with a clean carfax from a reputable seller is going to be close to mid-$70's I'd say. All depends on what you are willing to accept to get that cost down.

 

^ listen to him!
he is an astute buyer that knows what he wants, does his homework & buys the good stuff!

 

Honestly, I got the sense that this dealership didn't really care the ad was misleading and inaccurate. They probably list the same information on every car on their lot. The fact that the Carfax plainly shows 2 owners and an accident, which they did not disclose on their ad is evidence. They even stated the "owner" was a non-smoker. How do they determine that -the interior doesn't smell like smoke? I guess that's a safe assumption, but they stated it as fact. Add to it, the lack of any records or even the owner's manual indicates to me that they want to pull possible buyers in to take a look and hope they get emotional with the car and purchase it. One salesman stated the auction cars are cleaned out - so there would be no manual or records.
And the salesman texted me earlier today - asking if I was still interested in the car. I walked away from it last night without even a test drive. I texted back "Not at that price with no records." His response and I quote exactly his text: "Remember sir it's a used vehicle... and most of the used vehicles doesn't come with record...Carfax is the only genuine record." So he thinks a Carfax replicates what owner records would reflect.

 

Agree with Needsdecaf now that you've provided the backstory. Not a good look with either the deceptive advertising or the haranguing text message. Checked out their inventory and out of 275 cars on the lot the turbo was the 5th highest priced, highest one being $72k. They have a pair of 14 year old Hondas for $6k each. Not a high-end operation used to dealing with discriminating buyers I take it.

 

Was it an outward dent on the rear quarter panel? If so, inspect closer. Outward dents on the rear quarter is caused by window seal rivets falling down in between the double walled quarter and causing that outward dent. I have seen it happen mostly on repainted cars, my first Carrera S had the issue. The paint will have been cracked and to fix you need to remove the rivet and then repaint the panel. Simple PDR will not fully fix the issue once the paint is cracked.

 

The dent was very small/minor and was likely a door ding.It was recessed, not outward.

 

I just did the same search you are doing. Guards Red TT 997.1 MT. Fortunate to find three nearby in Phoenix, two red and one black - all low miles and clean as can be. Very hard to find in Red believe it or not. Mine had 15k miles and I paid up for it but I am beyond happy with the purchase. Awesome car. They still have a Black/Tan MT with 23k miles. swvintage.com

 

follow your 1st impression IMO

 

About service records: Many dealers will say a car has full service history if servicing appears on the Carfax.

 

OP, can you share pics of your 83 Targa? Would love to see that!

 

I would definitely pass. Without knowing how extensive the damage was and who did the repair it is a big gamble. When I purchased my 09 997.1 Turbo I learned very quickly that you can’t really go for lowest priced vehicle. You get what you pay for. Ryan Friedman motor cars in New York is where I purchased mine. He is great to deal with and has beautiful cars. Most of his inventory is Porsche 911’s
good luck.

 

Dude, call Merit if you want a 997TT... they may have some in trades... but yes, in the 70s for sure.

43k miles $$60k for a Tip seems very high. I saw a tip for $45k at Global Imports a year ago with similar miles a year ago.

Hell... I may even be tempted to sell mine.. but it would be higher than that... looking at GT3s lately.

 

I would pass. Buy the dealer... just not this dealer.