Hello All,

I am new to the site and would like to ask for some help. I am finally at a point in my life where I can afford a nice sports car. I have always wanted a 911. I have found a 2005 Carerra S, 66k miles. Obviously I have fell in love with this car. Any idea what I should pay for it?

Thanks. I appreciate any feedback you can give. Anything I should look for?

Hopefully, I will get one soon and be a fixture to the forums.

 

In my opinion there is too much risk . Here are the reasons :

1) 2005 cars have been prone to a few issues . RMS and IMS come to mind . Not all of them faced these obstacles but search the forum on those concerns with that specific model year.

2) Once any car crosses 50K miles .. it has hit the majic number of depreciation . It automatically takes a huge hit even if the car is running perfectly . A high end car (like Porsche) face this hurdle much differently than basic cars (like Honda , etc) . The reasoning is that the person buying the car may not be able to afford a major repair PLUS a car payment . Lenders know this so what happens is the person is stuck making payments on a giant paperweight.If he paid cash then he is stuck trying to sell it and the next guy may not qualify .

This happens very often .. where the person has a "dream car" but they never imagine the flip side where the nightmare of owning a car whose repairs exceed expectations turn a 35K car purchase into a 60K money pit .

 

I agree with some of Larry's sentiment, but we can't all afford new or CPO Porsches. The 997.1 is for the most part a well made, reliable car, but do understand what you are getting yourself into. It's a $100k car and the repairs bills are the same now as they were when the car was new. Can you afford $2k for tires, or a $5k repair, or perhaps even the very low probability new engine at ~$20k? If you are not a DIYer you need to find a good indy to help keep costs down.

Take your time there are plenty of cars out there. There is no need to rush into this. Do not let emotion control your purchase. If you have more details on the specific car post them and we can comment. Lastly, I've posted my generic 997 buying advice before, but here it is again below:

If you're looking to get in on the cheap pay close attention to little things like gaps on the door jams and check the paint closely, make sure you are not getting a car with a sordid past. Also these cheaper cars can be a little ratty. Make sure you go over it with a fine tooth comb and learn all the little things you're going to have to live with.

As for the model year, early 06 was the switch over for the updated IMS but LN has an oil lubed solution to the older IMS bearing, so I wouldn't rule the 05 out. The PCM was updated in the 06 model and can play mp3 on the cd player, but all models have horribly out dated nav options.

My generic super neurotic check list: (in no particular order):

- tires matching (brand as well as N number) & tread left
- hard starts when warm (TSB on alternator cable and perhaps needs changed?)
- oil consumption? (these cars can burn oil, but it's good to know what you're getting)
- sooty left exhaust pipe? (normal, but could also mean AOS is going or scored cylinder in right bank)
- paint meter, signs of accidents
- DME scan, 1,2,3 ok... 4,5,6 consult your risk adversion. Also check for error codes
- shifts smoothly
- service history
- coil packs? they can go at around 40k+
- coolant cap has the newest rev, old ones leaked
- battery in service date (these cars kill batteries, generally last 3-5 years)
- spoiler squeak? (pretty normal, little silicone can fix)
- check the alignment on a test drive, make sure wheel is straight and it doesn't pull
- bolster wear on driver seat as well as scuffs on door jam (tell how careful previous owner was getting in and out)
- hood or bumper too clean? These cars are rock chip magnets, depending a bit on mileage a super clean bumper could mean a respray which could mean a fender bender.
- smooth idle
- squeaks and rattles? (it's a sports car, so it's bound to have them. Drive with the windows up and listen for them. Use it as a negotiating tool if you can)
- ac buttons peel
- curb rash
- learn the options... full leather, bose, PSE. Learn what the must haves are for you and what is just gravy.

 

Thanks guys. Mattyf, your list of things to look for will cone in rather handy.

The 997.1 I am looking at has 66k, 6-speed, Bose, upgraded sport seats (?), 19" sport rims, PSE (the adjustable suspension?), recent 60k tune-up, tires are about half-life, new brakes. It is the wine-red exterior with black interior. It does have a mark on the rear bumper like some one bumped it. Tho mark is about .5" x 3", a grocery cart or something. He states he didn't want to fix that spot because Porsche enthusiast would question if hit with a paint meter.

I am not sure what else to say. The dealer owner has been driving for a few months. The steering is tight, acceleration seems good. Next step would be to take it to a mechanic for a good look. He is asking $38,500.

I really appreciate your time. I am not in a hurry, but do not want to pass up a good deal if it is there.

Thank you again.

 

That is a great list and pretty much includes everything I did.

I bought a car recently so I know how confusing this process can be.

I know that you are asking questions about a specific vehicle, but I think that having a rational process in place is a better approach. A few things:

1. for the PPI, go to the closest Porsche dealer.
2. If you end up buying from a Porsche dealer, see if there is another Porsche dealer within a decent driving distance. Otherwise ask the forum for a reputable indy in the relevant area. Never get a PPI from the dealer you are buying it from.
3. For the PPI, ask to check the oil filter (I paid extra for this) to see if they are signs of metal or other impurities. Those can be (not so) early signs of IMS bearing failure.
4. Check the value on the Kelley Blue Book website. Other websites like truecar.com, can also give you a good idea about what a decent/great price.
5. Be prepared to find slightly higher prices getting into the summer season.
6. Be prepared to spend more that what you budgeted for, as you move forward with your search.
7. If you buy a 2005 or an early 2006, you should budget for a IMS bearing replacement (around $2000 installed but ask an indy in your area first - find list of approved installers on ln engineering website). If you buy 2006 model, it may be difficult to determine if you already have the upgraded IMS or not). Anything with an IMS (pre-2009) still has a risk of catastrophic failure, although it is reduced in later models (2008).
8. Re dents: if they are small, check a paintless repair specialist in your area. If it is in a plastic area, I am not sure if paintless repair is an option, but may be easier to find substitute parts.
9. If any recent service was performed on the car, ask the name of the mechanic who did the work and call him to talk about the car. He may know the car better than any person doing a PPI. I did not read this anywhere, but I was able to do so with my car.
10. Test as many cars as possible to get a sense of what you are buying.

I ended up buying a car with more miles than I wanted (~45K v. 35K of my original search). I also ended up paying more, because I bought a 2008 model. The car seemed to be in much better condition than any other car I had tested.

I am loving my car so far, but I also get feeling that the process is not perfect, and something better may have been out there in my price range. This feeling is probably to be expected when buying a used vehicle.

 

Thanks Italdream, all great advice. I am wrestling with the car versus the hunt for the car. My wife will ensure I do not go over budget! But I am looking about $10k cheaper right now to allow for initial expenses (tires, tune up, etc) if needed.

I just won't to know in my heart that I researched and came away with something I wanted. I know I can't cover everything.

 

your enemy will be the desire to possess one of these machines as soon as you can. The search can become nerve wrecking if you, like many of us, has wanted one for many years and got so close. If you can control your emotions, then you'll make a more rational choice.

I am saying this because I could have given myself more time and/or test more cars. I selected a few from many, tested five, chose one. I was no longer able to wait one second longer. I know that it will happen to most buyers.

Good luck.

 

Sage advise - just starting the process to buy a 911 2007 or 2008 and patience is not easy!

 

Maybe I should be more trusting but is this thread for real? It's just such an open ended question by someone who will drop ~$40K without doing any independent research so they can ask specific questions. It wouldn't be the first time that someone doing a research project has tapped into the goodwill and enthusiasm of posters here to data mine.

 

No research project other than my own. The post is for real. I am researching constantly, but feel the advice of those who have been there is way better than websites that get paid for their comments. I am trying to learn from mistakes of others as I don't have time to make them all myself.

 

My advice is spend 10k more and get a cpo warranty 2007 c2 ....I just looked on ebay and there are plenty with 20's and 30'sk miles.....and if you not in love with the color, silvers, white , black are far more attractive to the resale market than ruby reds and blues

 

There is nothing wrong with an 06 or 05 for that matter. Personally I would get a 06+. Don't buy into all the hype of issues with pre 06 models, the number who have issues is minimal. And I think 38k if the car is in excellent cond and checks out well is a good deal.

 

So then . . . Focus on the three or four issues that early 997.1's have had. I suppose that, among other things, the RMS/IMS problems. I wonder if it might not be a good idea to stay away from a 2005 that was included it the RMS class action suit (which I think was determined by VIN Number). So, once you've worked that out and you find a car have a PPI done and ask the tech as many questions as you can think of. In fact, Excellence Magazine did a two part write up on all the potential issues that you should be aware of when doing a pre-purchase inspection. As I recall, it was encyclopedic and I think if you read those articles it might help you figure out what questions to ask. The bad news is that I don't recall which issues of Excellence the articles appeared in - certainly within the last six months of that I'm sure. If you find your want to look at the articles you could certainly call the magazine (they have a website which I'm sure has a phone number and EMAIL Addesses) and ask them whether appeared; then you'd either have to find a library, buy the back issues ($10 a pop I think) or see if someone here or on Rennlist keeps back issues and if they are willing to send you a PDF. (It's possible the article is non their website, you never know what particular content they decide to make free and what they think you ought to pay for.

Good Luck.

 

Buy the car yet? Some great advice on this forum. I too would spend a little more and get a later model 06 just so you can sleep better at night.