Issy

I found a potential 15 Macan S with 22k miles but without warranty in LA. The Macan S has been maintained at local Porsche dealership in LA, 1 owner, and with clean title. Is there anything I should be aware of? I was told about transfer case but wondering if there is anything else that is watch out look for? This is my first Porsche and thank you in advance.

swingwing

Dealer or Private Party? Low mileage car is a plus. Buy the Carfax report if seller doesn't have it. Get a PPI. Maintenance schedule says spark plugs at 30k miles or 3 years, PDK service at 40k miles or 4 years. Both services are expensive at a Porsche dealership. Car might need front brakes.

pissedpuppy

just looked at and drove a '15 Macan S yesterday myself (for my wife) - found a lot of info about thetiming chain cover oil leak

send me your email addy and I can forward some things to you, or search here and on MacanForum dot com. expensive fix that could have been prevented for pennies @ mfg process

pissedpuppy

swingman has been helping too - making Rennlist a great resource

LILBENZ230

Recommend a warranty. Our CPO 2015 S drives like a brand new car. It is amazing how well put together it still feels after 6 years in service (in service June 2014). Service records show it never had a transfer case issue or leaks. Luckily, we have 2 years of CPO. At that point we'll reevaluate. Hoping the common issues surface on ours by July 2022. If not, maybe it never has them. It has 40,300 miles now.

Issy

hey guys thank you very much for your insights. The car is from a private seller and the owner told me that the brakes were done as well as oil change. Although, I do like the car, bit concerned about the likelihood of transfer case issue and the high cost due no warranty. Should I look for CPO Macan? Thank you.

LILBENZ230

I would say yes on CPO.

However, if you really love this one then you should at least have a pre-purchase inspection performed. Also ask for physical service records and not just take the owner's word for it.

Issy

definitely planning for PPI but after reading about the high cost of transfer case replacement, I just want to make a sound decision and try to avoid a money pit situation.

LILBENZ230

Not all Macans have transfer case issues or oil leak issues.. but some do. The transfer case replacement is a lot less expensive/scary than the timing chain cover oil leak IMO. Forums will always amplify issues as many people who get stuck with large repair bills come to the internet to search for help and also vent. While there are people (including this forum from what I've seen during my limited time here) who come here just to share what an awesome experience they've had. Someone here has a 2016 Macan S he bought new with 140,000 miles now and, IIRC, no issues with the transfer case or leaks.

I standby my recommendation for a CPO, but if a PPI gives a clean bill of health and the owner has service records for the car, it's not automatically a time bomb.

swingwing

Watch out for Paralysis By Analysis. A big plus here is a low mileage one owner car offered Private Party. Your concern about transfer case issue is similar to the IMS bearing issue guys fret about on 996 and 997.1 911, Boxster and Cayman. Some have gone bad, most not but potential buyers can worry themselves out of getting a gem. I'd say the car you're looking at is worth investing in a PPI. You'll want to know if spark plugs were changed at 3 years and a PDK service at 4 years according to Porsche's maintenance schedule. If they haven't been done I'd say it's $1500 in your favor for purchase. Good luck with your hunt.

CarGuyNVA

Also look to see if brake fluid flushes were done every other year (and of course regular oil changes). And note that these services are required not only by mileage, but time also (for example, PDK service is specified at 40k miles or 4 years, whichever occurs first).

BIG smoke

That millage is certainly appealing, almost siren-ly.
But what is the price.
2015 Macan S's here seem to be $35-40k.
CPO cars seem to be 2017 and newer. For $40-50k.+

Buy the car for the right amount. In another year this will be just another 7 y/o used car, in a sea of used cars. .

Issy

hey guys, thank you once again for with your assistance. At the time, I have decided to look for CPO Macan to avoid the headaches and maybe heartaches thus, search goes on. Thank you once again and please stay safe!

tk-porsche

I think a CPO makes a lot of sense. You save on skipping the rapid initial depreciation of a new vehicle and with the right timing, can can 4or even 5+ years on a CPO. I got mine as a dealership loaner model as a one-year-old 2019, but because of the way it was licensed, the start time on the CPU warranty was delayed by 6 months. It had just had the 10k service at around 9700 miles. Hence, I got 3.5 years or 40k more miles plus 2 years of unlimited miles beyond that, hence up to 5.5 years of warranty and save a bundle by not buying it new. You save, as well, on insurance and registration fees. You also get a lot of peace of mind should anything major take place. When things go very bad, they cost very much. Unless you have fists full of dollars to burn, knowing your expenses will be under control as long as your CPO warranty is valid is to me worth plenty.
A few last words of wisdom. I have been buying and selling cars for nearly 40 years and it has not changed that much in principle (aside from buying directly over the internet and having vehicles shipped from just about anywhere to your doorstep!). it took me about 6 months to find what I knew I would be happy with, so don't be tempted to jump on the first one that catches your eye. Being overly eager won't save you anything in the end - salespeople can spot an eager customer a mile away. Come prepared by knowing what a fair price is and if you have a trade-in, what it's worth. Don't say you'll come back later after thinking about it; be ready to close the deal fast or be ready to leave. The end of the month is a good time, as many dealerships have quotas to fill. That said, high-end vehicles are always in demand, so this may be less important if you're buying a Porsche. Remember the four variables: Total price, trade-in price, down payment, and monthly payments. These are interconnected and dealers will use them all to their advantage. Be prepared to walk off the lot if you fail to get a reasonable price, even if they run after you. Walk in with a good idea of what a vehicle and all its options are worth in the market; kbb.com is pretty accurate in that regard, though 9 times out of 10 a dealer will offer you less fr a trade-in than what KBB lists. Note also that if it comes to it, you save especially if you can get a higher trade-in since you don't pay tax on that portion of the trade-in. However, a good salesperson will be upfront and fair. I had two good gentlemen to work with in sales, one of which was the sales manager, and it took less than 30 minutes to work out a final price I was happy with.

riotrhythm

My family and I have purchased Mercedes and Porsche vehicles through CarMax and have used all of their aftermarket warranty services. They covered a head gasket replacement on my C43 *rolls eyes* and 2 transfer cases on my parent's 958 S. All we paid were our $150 warranty deductibles. I'm planning on buying a Macan Turbo from CarMax in the next few months. Just my experience