ksh937

Hey all, long time reader, first time poster. Love the forums, they've been a great source of info! And, most importantly, they've convinced me to get a Porsche! I've been a lifelong BMW lease-er so 1) Porsche and 2) buying used are both first-time experiences for me. Sorry in advance for any noob questions!

I'm close to buying a used 2012 Panamera Turbo from a non-Porsche dealership. It has about 20k miles and is no longer under warranty. I will use it as my daily driver and will put about 60 miles on it M-F (plus whatever else over the weekend). I live in Utah so lots of snow here. I had a few questions...

1. Extended Warranty. Should I get an extended warranty? I got a quote for $5k for a Fidelity Platinum policy for 4 years of 60,000 miles. If it covers oil changes (need to check if it does, but I assume so), I think it might be worth it since I heard those can be $1000 per oil change for Panameras. Thoughts?

2. PPI and Other Pre-Purchase To Do's. I'm getting a PPI tomorrow at a Porsche dealership. They are going to do a paint meter reading too. I was quoted $375 which seems fair from what I've read on the forums. I've also asked for all the service records, but the dealer is saying they can't release those. Any way around this? I don't want the previous owner's personal information, just to see the service done and any issues. The CarFax and AutoCheck are both clean, by the way.

3. Winter. The Panamera comes with two sets of rims so I plan to put summers on one set and winters on the second set. Anything else I should know about winter care? I'll get all season floor mats of course and am considering a clear bra (just to be safe, driving through the canyons = lots of rocks). Can I use a regular garden hose to rinse off the salt each day or should I do more than that?

4. General Care. From what I've read on the forums, I should hand wash weekly and detail before and after the winter. I should also expect to change the oil annually. Anything else I should be aware of?

Thanks so much!

XR4Tim

Oil changes should be $175-$300 depending on your local dealer rates. Fidelity is a good warranty company, but I don't think they'll cover oil changes. $5k for a 4-year/60k warranty isn't outrageous and if anything major breaks it will be worth it, however the 2012 Panamera Turbo is a pretty reliable vehicle (make sure it's got the steel cam adjuster bolts though).

$375 is a good rate for a PPI with paint meter reading. If the dealer has the service records, you would just need to talk someone into letting you see them. Some dealers will, some won't.

A pressure washer is ideal, but if you've got good water pressure and a good nozzle, that helps. Be sure to spray the wheel wells/suspension components if you can.

Find out what the most recent service performed was. Ideally, the 4-year service has been done with new spark plugs.

ksh937

XR4Tim, thanks so much!

So the biggest issue from the PPI is that it looks like service stopped after year 2. The car has 19k miles on it, but at year 2 (April 2014), it was brought in for annual service and the odometer was at 15k miles. It seems like the car basically hasn't been driven much since. What're your thoughts on getting service at this point? Fidelity said they won't honor any warranty claims if the car isn't brought up to current maintenance requirements beforehand.

XR4Tim

I would see about getting the 4-year service done as a contingency to the sale.

ksh937

The dealer (basically) laughed at me...

ksh937

Can you recommend a good pressure washer?