I've been lurking in this site for a while doing a lot of research and enjoying all the discussions. Now that I'm actually looking at one car wanted to get your opinion.

It's an 05 Carrera (not the S) with Chrono and Xenons, black standard leather seats, two owners, CPO from Porsche dealer with 38K miles. Its been recently "marked down" to 42.5K. I'm interested in this car because of the mileage, its CPO and has options I would want, and I could potentially afford it depending on trade and how much I'm willing to put down obviously. Is this a decent price? Looking at other listings it seems like it is.

The same dealer has serviced the car since 06, I don't have the full service records yet but according to carfax in addition to oil changes they have:

2006: Windshield replaced, Battery replaced, left airbag assembly replaced
2008: Exterior trim repaired, Anti-theft/keyless remote replaced
2009: Trim repaired
2011: Battery replaced, Fuel filler door actuator replaced

At 38K they did a full service prior to listing it:
Fluid levels checked
Air filter replaced
Sunroof drain hoses repaired
Cooling system serviced
Brakes checked
Oil and filter changed chassis lubricated
Pre-delivery inspection completed
Key(s)/remote(s) reprogrammed
Cabin air filter checked
Front wiper blades/refills replaced
Spark plug(s) replaced
Brake fluid flushed/changed
Brake booster replaced

Looks like a lot of parts needed replacing, are these normal items? The fact that they have been fixed at least shows the car has been maintained well. Will need to ask about those "exterior trim" repairs. Would this be a car worth pursuing?

They said that's the lowest no hassle price and want me to come see it. In pics it looks in good shape, not sure how much life the brakes/tires have left so need to factor that in. Will also ask for a DME report once I go see it or should I ask now? How can I find out if it has had IMS or RMS issues or potentially will have this? The CPO warranty is probably only for 2 years since its an 05.

Appreciate any guidance on this, been delaying the inevitable for a long time and may just do it now as I'm getting tired of lusting after a 911 after all these years

Thanks.

 

Real money on that car is around $37k.

 

I think that is a fair price for an '05 with those miles.

 

Spend a little more money and get a 2006 C2S IMO. No IMS/RMS worries and all the benefits of the S which since you've done your research you are already familiar with.

Once you get to 50K miles on the odometer, the value of the Porsche seems to drop significantly if you are ever thinking of reselling the car. If you're going to drive it into the ground then no worries. My C2S has been very reliable.

 

Very good points.

 

Thanks for all the replies. Yes I keep going back and forth about S and non S and always think I would be perfectly happy without the extras in the S so why pay the premium? So its pretty much confirmed the 3.8 has zero IMS issues?

Asking the dealer for DME report, with those miles and CPO if I can get them to lower it will be very tempting!

 

I think 42 is too high. Why two battery replacements?

I agree with Surfah on getting the "S" if you can.

Actually it is MY06 and later that don't have the IMS issues.

 

maybe good points...but not correct.

there are IMS issues with all 997.1 model years. Less so with the 06's on...but can still be an issue.

I received a new engine for the IMS issue, I have an 05.

In the Porsche dealer getting a new engine at the same time was another 977.1...a 2006 "S".

 

if you want zero IMS issues get an DFI engine...09 or later.

I wouldn't mind an 05 as long as you get the warranty.

And I would worry about 50K miles on the car. 50K might have been a big depreciation point in the past but owners are keeping cars longer.

If you buy an 05 its almost 7 years old. The car should have some miles. You can do worse with a garage queen that hasn't been driven.

I bought an 05 base with no options, got a new engine when the IMS went. I now track it hard and often and have a blast. I don't worry about resale or milage. I only think about the smile on my face.

 

Two years ago, I bought a CPO'd '05 Carrera that was showroom inside and out, but with 50K miles and a solid service record. Doing this placed it in a price range that I was comfortable with. It now has 71K, still looks very nearly perfect inside and out, and has been incredibly reliable for me. I daily drove it for two solid years, an hour each day, and took frequent business trips with it, driving up to six hours in one instance.

So, I would suggest that the range of experiences will vary. I will do the IMS upgrade when I finally have to get the clutch replaced, but I'm not worrying about it until then.

I agree with those that say get the newest S model that you can afford. But if getting a non-S, with slightly higher miles gets you into a wonderful car that you might otherwise miss out on, do your due diligence and go for it.

 

I thought they stuck an intermediate shaft bearing in that was huge beginning in 2007 and never had any issues since. Do you know at what point in the production they changed the bearing size? Was it early 2007?

 

Late 2005 they changed.

 

yes......better results but can still be an issue

 

14 mos ago I bought the 'do not buy' 2005 Launch Edition C2S with PCCBs. Service history was good and fully documented. The car past PPI at a Porsche Indy recommended by this forum. Approx 8K miles later, the car has been great with no issues. I did however replace the water pump a few mos ago because there was a dried water spot trail on the pump, but no signs of active leaks anywhere. I'm not going to bother upgrading the IMS and I'm not going to purchase an extended warranty - car was out of warranty when I bought it. Basically, I'm self insured on this car and the odometer will reach 50K shortly I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with it because I have a real passion for a '71-'73 911. One thing is for sure - I'm loving every minute I drive it. If you like to sleep at night, get a CPO and don't take my route. I do expect issues and if the engine goes, well, it goes.

 

A lot of good advice on this thread .

I decided to look on autotrader listings with a small price range (bottom price of40K and a top of 43K ) .. all Porsches .. all distances .. 2006 to present . I omitted 05 .

This is my opinion based on the 193 cars listed in that range.
I feel that one can buy a great Porsche in this range but will struggle to find a 997 that can offer the same value and reliability of the other models in this price point .

I saw many beautiful Boxster/Cayman and Cayman S cars . I saw many Cayennes .
But not even one 911 that was with a CPO and respectable miles .

The service listed on the car in the first post seems typical . Some of the red flags were already addressed on this thread . I'd like to add one more .. if one buys the car out of warranty with 50K miles in sight of reguar driving if the IMS goes or any type of major repair surfaces .. the buyer placed himself in a jam . He now faces making payments on a car that he can't sell as it is .. and to fix it can become very expensive . The dream car comes with the risk of a sour note .

My view is to consider all aspects .. and weigh the choices .

Good luck.