I have been trying to decide all day whether to post a message about what happened to me today. I am so mad and frustrated, I decided I would.
I have been looking for a 2001 or 2002 911 Turbo for several months. About three weeks ago I found an interesting listing for a 2002 Lapis Turbo being sold by Don Rosen Imports, a Porsche dealer in Pennsylvania. I emailed the dealer and was contacted by Tim Hoffman, a salesman. I interrogated him about the car. He told me that the car was perfect, never repainted and never in an accident. I had several detailed conversations about the condition of the car. I asked whether he used a paint meter and his response was that they meter every used car, including this one, and there was no repaint. This was important because if we were able to make a deal, I would be buying it site unseen. I would only do this because it was a Porsche dealer and the car would be CPO. It had already been certified when I first spoke to him.
I had many more conversations and he assured me that the car was perfect. During one telephone call, he even put me on hold and did a detailed walk around the car just to make sure it was perfect, which he said it was. We negotiated a deal including a trade in for my 2000 911 C2. I gave him a $500 deposit and made arrangements to pick up the car. That included, which he knew, me driving 100 miles in the opposite direction to pick up my car at my summer house, and then driving 200 miles to PA to his dealership.
I arrived at the dealership and the Turbo was parked outside. I had no reason to believe it would be anything other than perfect. When I walked up to the driver’s side, I noticed an unusual orange peel on the door. I immediately knew the door was repainted. I had him bring it inside as it was raining to inspect the rest of the car. When I told him the door was repainted, he said I was absolutely wrong since the car was metered. The repaint was obvious. I then noticed unusual paint on the driver’s side fender, which was obviously repainted. Then, I looked at the hood. I cannot even explain what it looked like. It looked like it was painted by a 5 year old. The front bumper was also repainted. It was clear that the bumper and hood were replaced. I believe the fender and door were also replaced. I was in complete shock that I had just driven several hundred miles for what was one of the worst Turbos, or cars for that matter, that I had ever seen. By this time, the salesman went to get the manager. He looked at the car and immediately confirmed what I had found. He then opened the hood and pulled the rubber seal from the metal, which looks like it was bent and straightened with a vise-grip. This car had clearly been in an accident and so poorly repaired it is almost indescribable.
The manager, of course, kept saying that he understood and was apologetic. He could not believe that his used car salesman took the car in on trade and made it available for sale. Everyone was playing ignorant. If you saw the car, there is no way it could have slipped by them.
I would not be surprised if this happened at a used car dealership, but this is a Porsche dealer. Finally, the manager offered me $250 for my time. That was an insult. When he asked me what they could do, I told him to give me an incredible deal on the 2003 Turbo that I knew they also had. That, of course, didn’t happen.
Right or wrong, it was such a bad experience, I felt like I had to post this message. I will be following this up with a letter to Porsche of North America.

 

That is a shame. It's too bad that you had to go thru it. Please report this to PCNA ASAP. Good dealers should be commended and bad dealers should be reported without exception.

 

they play innocent or not u would be surprised how lack of knowledge dealers & sales people are nowadays. that's why it's important to find a true car enthusiast to buy car from. it's a shame for the dealer but will be interesting to see how PCNA's reaction about this. keep us updated.

 

Hey Thomas i think i'll do pretty good if i ever consider to work for Porsche. hummm parts or car sales?

 

Wow. That would be great...I'll get the Arling discount on all my P-Cars!

 

What a terrible experience, I couldn't believe they tried to pay you off with $250 I hope it was cash in your hand and not off the purchase of the car. I'm sure one of the guys on the forum would have gone for a look before you went out. It doesn't hurt to ask.

 

For the car to be CPO, it clearly states that the car could not have had any prior collision work done to it... this is a check point on the CPO qualifier checklist...

So, suppose you bought the car and then discovered that you had been lied to down the road... What legal recourse would you have???

 

Cab2u,
What happened to you really stinks, thanks for posting it. Write your letter to Porsche if for anything to take it out on them so to speak but dont expect them to do anything about it. I would contact the Better Buisiness Bureau instead and see if they can help with anything. You did get your deposit back I hope.
Bajo

 

a lawsuit....but the CPO check is a joke.....the rarely check everything on the list....