I need to have a 911. I have waited for over 15 years. I have studied them all. I know the issues with each model. Is the RMS deal really as bad as they say? Where is a reputbale place to buy a 996. I don't mind paying a little extra money to purchase from a well reputed dealer. I am in NC for 5 months and south FL for the other 7 months.

Thanks for your imput.

 

Hi!
nothing against dealers but I'd rather buy it from a long time owner (original best or 2nd) with all maintenance history documented.

Dealers typically buy the car at auction and have no history of the vehicle.

my 2 cents!

PS: and the RMS issue is not *bad*, it could just happen and it's ~$2K for the proper fix... If it's not a big one, you can also decide to keep driving with it...

 

Don't rule out a dealer, some will have cars that are CPO'd and come with a warranty. Private party sales are also a good place to look too. Just make sure the service history is available and have a PPI done. In this market there are some deals to be found. Take your time and shop around.

 

There are plenty of 996's in South Florida. Take your time, cash is king!

 

Like you, I wavered for a long time before taking the plunge. Last year, I bought my 03 996 C2 Cab from a dealer. It was a car they originally sold and I am the second owner. They provided the CarFax and PIP printout.

To embellish on a previous comment about buying from a Porsche enthusiast, look into the Prosche Club Quest program, it gives you access to the list of cars for sale by members.
http://pca.org/AboutPCA/PCAQuest.aspx

 

I bought mine from a dealer. It was traded in by the first owner w/ 9,800 mi for a new 997. My 996 was known to the dealer. Had been serviced by the dealer. It also came with the Porsche CPO that is still in effect.

If I could find a good car that had a history with a dealer, came with a CPO, for a reasonable price -- that would be my first choice.

Lacking that, a car with a documented service history.

My biggest concern is that a lot of guys who claim knowledge/enthusiasm are still hard on their clutch & synchros. I always have an owner take me for a ride and watch how they drive the car including how aggressive they before it warms up. For me, buying a used car is like hiring a person to break in a car for you....what kind of job did they do?

 

If you go to a dealer you're going to pay a premium. If you're smart and know what you're looking for, I would vote for a private party sale. Look for something with low mileage and a good service history and you really can't go wrong. cars.com and autotrader.com are two places where I would start looking. Look for local listings and start looking at and driving some cars so that you know a good one when it comes along.

In May I got my '03 C4S from a consignment dealer. So I didn't pay the premium I would at a Porsche dealer and I had contact with the PO and shop that did all of the work on the car. I was pretty happy with the deal seeing that the local Porsche dealer wanted more money for a bone stock car. I paid less and got a car with HRE wheels, every TechArt exterior piece you could buy, TechArt coilovers, and more. The same car would have been 25% more from a Porsche dealer!!!

Be smart and you can get the most bang for your buck and that beautiful 911 that you always wanted!

Kirk