I've never driven one before and when I started out, I thought it was pretty bumpy (granted, it wasn't a great street). But once I drove it a little, it was great! So is this one to avoid or would it be ok as a starter Porsche?

2005 Carrera (in-service Oct 2004, no warranty); 46,800 miles; Tip; Full Leather; Heated Seats; 19s; Bose; Bi-Xenon.

Visually, I noticed the Carrera lettering on the rear deck had the last letter "a" cracked off (owner said he was drying the car & the towel caught it). Right side yellow indicator light is cracked but glued together & it's scraped under the front fachia on the right side. Have no idea how expensive these parts are to replace.

What do I need to do before buying? Any recommendations of an honest Porsche tech who can check out the necessary elements prior to purchase (Orange County, Calif)? Also, can an extended warranty be added at this time? If so, recommendations and approximate cost?

Finally, what's kind of a fair price for something like this. Really hard for me to tell. Thanks so much for your help. Wow! These are great cars

 

I recommend that, before you buy, you dig around the forum a bit to familiarize yourself with the collective wisdom regarding the various 911 models (C2/C2S/C4/C4S/coupe/cab), body styles (996/997/etc) and model years so you go into any purchase with your eyes wide open. Lots of good info (and strong opinions) on these boards covering all the above topics.

Market pricing can vary significantly by region and even by season (especially for cabs), and should therefore be researched accordingly. Start with the Porsche USA website, which hosts a nationwide database of dealer pre-owned inventory, sortable using multiple criteria (including geography). E-Bay and similar auction websites can also be helpful supplements.

Good luck with your search, don't hesitate to reach out to the group with specific questions (that you haven't found answers to after searching the forum).

 

Get a PPI for sure! Worth the $$$$ As far as the cosmetics go with the script and side marker, those can easily be replaced. Suncoast is a good source.

 

Thanks for the advice. I'm not really in the market for a car (well actually, I'm always looking ) but this one happened to come up from someone I know. He's offering it to me for $34K. I thought it sounded like a good deal... something that I could drive around for awhile to familiarize myself with Porsche before moving on to my next one! I'm already finding myself scouring ads at newer ones, but this just sounds like it might be a good way to introduce myself to Porsche cars. What I don't want to happen, is I buy this for $34K and take a bath selling it in a year. (Did that last time around with my SL55 ).

 

I wouldn't want a tiptronic, but everything else sounds good. Good price.

J

 

I would say 34K is a good price as long as the car checks out. I would get a PPI at a reputable shop and pull a car fax. As long as everything checks out...sounds like a decent way to go. I would recommend you drive one with a manual just to understand the difference vs. a Tip (no desire to start up that argument)...people have different preferences and since it just fell into your lap...you may not know what you like.

 

Manual is the way to go unless you're really set on tiptronic. Pay attention to little, but major things like this, or you'll regret the purchase.

 

I ran the Kelley on a 2005 Carrera, 45,000 miles, tip, full leather, in 'fair' condition. $33,625 is the estimated trade-in value. So it sounds like the price is reasonable, always given that you don't buy cars like this without a pre-purchase inspection by a professional. It is possible to have a very expensive problem hiding somewhere only a professional will spot. Even your friend might not know about it.

Assuming that PPI comes back good, the price is a good one on a good year, but you do want to learn a little more first because Porsche is one of those cars designed for buyers to spec their dream car. Two cars in the same year can have completely different personalities simply because the original buyers had completely different purposes in mind. What you want is either a middle-of-the-road spec sheet built by marketing for general interest buyers, or you want to read for a day or two and spot the options that sound like the features you want on your special Porsche.

With that said, I doubt you'll take a bath at that price if the PPI is good. You could indeed buy it, drive it and play around at Driver Education days for a couple of years and then go looking for your perfect car.

Either way, if it is in good health, I think you'll love the car and the price sounds quite reasonable to me. It's about what your friend could expect at best if he traded in at a dealer, so it won't cost him anything to sell at that price and you will get the car for less than you would if you bought it from a dealer.

As for the PPI, many dealers have a mechanic accustomed to doing them and in Orange County you want have trouble finding one of those or an independent. Next to Ferrari and Mercedes, Porsche was almost the National Automobile of Newport Beach when I was growing up. Last time I visited, it was even more so.

It's been years since we've been 'home' but I'll bet one of the people here will know a good mechanic or a dealer to do it for you.

Gary

 

If that car has a clear title and passes a basic inspection from a dealership then 34K is a very attractive price .

So the question is -
Is the 34K a financial stretch or can you afford a future repair ? (and only you can determine that ) ?
Is this a daily driver ? 46K miles can turn into 75K if you drive a lot .

Regarding mileage -- 50K miles is a BIG resale depreciation number so if you do buy the car you must make sure that if you do sell it (due to problems) --that it's before it crosses 50K.

Lastly -
Even though I personally am not a fan of high mildeage Tiptronic Porsches and feel that 34K can buy a lot of other cars which are fun .. they won't be a Porsche 997 and it's you who has to love the car .
Take your time to think and be sure.

Good luck .

 

Price is good. Does it need tires? If so, this could be another immediate $1000 to $2000 expense, not including potential deferred maintenance. I wouldn't be afraid however. Take the car to Hergesheimer Motorsports in Lake Forest for a PPI - ask for Laura, she'll take car of you. Good Luck.

 

To the OP: a PPI is essential. Check RMS and have an experienced mechanic listen to the engine for signs of IMS problems.

 

plus one on that..... Suncoast has some great prices..

 

No. Get a 6MT rather than tip. You thought it was a rough ride but you learned how to enjoy this aspect after a few miles because it's a sports car! Now add a 6 speed tranny with clutch to the equation and you gain a whole new level of love. Remember, Porsche is KNOWN for their manual transmissions.

Complete the sports car effect!!! Find a 6MT out there. Tiptronic Porsche is like buying an automatic Jeep CJ7.

 

Take a deep breath, take your time doing a lot of research, and definately drive several models to understand each one's nuances. Also, I second the manual trans over the automatic just for the connection that you'll get to this amazing car's mechanicals.

Good luck with your hunt!

 

If you are set on a tip, that seems a good price. Get the PPI and might as well respectfully offer a bit lower and see what happens. For reference there is a CPO with 4 months left on cars.com for listed for 38k.

http://tinyurl.com/2cjm3n2

It's got some issues though, had bit of paint work, a little dent and needs rear tires. But nice looking car, manual with some CPO left.

Edit: and one other thing... time is on your side, so don't rush it unless you want to. Sometimes impulse buys have been my most rewarding (on electronics for example) but this is a little bigger and in this case the longer you wait the cheaper these cars get.