A couple of questions. Would you guys stay away from a car with minimal service records that has had 3 or 4 previous owners even if it passes a PPI at a Porsche dealership or Indy shop? Also, I have test drove a couple of earlier year 996 TT and the interior seemed a bit "lose" with many squeaks and rattles. Is that normal for a 2001 or 2002 TT? Will it be possible to find one with a more "tight" feeling interior? Just wanted to get some insight from some current owners.

 

I bought a 4 owner car with about 80% documentation and a mediocre PPI. It has been totally reliable after I fixed the issues in the PPI (clutch slave, tranny mount, front wheel bearings). It has no interior rattles or other unexpected NVH, it's rock solid.

 

Complete service records, a clear PPI, and a single prior owner are very reassuring. Of course, having minimal service records may not mean minimal service - just incomplete records. A PPI may identify current issues that need to be addressed to make the car "right" - so that you can take that into consideration in negotiating price and setting your budget - but you still should budget for wear and tear items and other things that may just happen to go wrong in your period of ownership.

If you find the car you like - right color, options, etc - and you're comfortable addressing any issues identified during the PPI, I wouldn't let multiple prior owners turn you away. There are threads on common rattles and squeaks in this and other forums. Some cars seem to have many, and some don't have any. Some are relatively easy to fix, and some just aren't

Good luck on your purchase!