Like the OP, I find myself perusing AutoTrader regularly just to keep on top of pricing. I too get really frustrated at the poor quality of some ads. They are trying to sell a $80k car, and can't be bothered to tell you what options it has or to provide decent quality photos. My pet peeve is the used car dealers who describe a car as having full leather interior, when they don't know what full leather means. I always have to look at photos (if properly provided) to check for signs of real full leather. On the other hand, some naive dealers list as a Carrera 2, then you see in photos that it is an S or even a 4S.

Great thread.

 

Hey guys,

I'm starting to look around too - would like to find a great 2005 997 C2S next year. I'm searching the forums looking for a thread about how to FIND a Porsche and found this thread.

I'm curious - where have people had the most luck finding a good car? I want to find a clean, well-optioned car without crazy performance mods, meticulously cared-for, preferably not tracked, driven by someone who knows how to drive and who knows Porsches. Have people had luck with e-bay? Local ads only? Auto trader?

Incidentally, some text like the above would work great in an ad The one thing I consistently see are ads that list all the "features and options" of the car. I don't need to know about the power sliding moonroof and ABS brakes. I want to know about PORSCHE options like sport chrono, sport seats, carbon-ceramic brakes, etc.!

-Mike

 

Big 2nd on listing all the standard features and leaving out the options.

 

I think many used car dealers are unaware that most Porsche buyers know what all the standard features are. They must think that Joe Blow will be impressed with all these features and therefore will be enticed to buy the car. I really prefer a photo of the window sticker, so I don't have to worry about someone thinking the car has full leather when in fact it doesn't. Plus, sometimes they miss important options because they don't recognize them (like PSE, *** etc.). Funnily some advertise a car as a C2 when in fact the photos show a C2S or even C4S. Just give me lots of quality photos so I can identify most important options for myself.
I saw an ad last week where they were highlighting the 19" wheels on a C2S cab, claiming that many of these cars have the 18" wheels. There is a lot of ignorance out there, so I view the descriptions in most ads very skeptically.

PS: I like AutoTrader the most because of the easy search and save features, and many dealers advertise there too. I find Cars.com a little cumbersome, but it is another source. I seldom look on eBay for some reason.

 

I have found both my 997's on Ebay, contacted the sellers, and worked out an agreeable price, subject to an inspection.

Both times they have been dealers selling them and have come out clean.

 

I am what I would call a "skittish" buyer, especially since I'm just getting started learning what's available. When I see any of the negative things that have been mentioned in earlier posts (incorrect model listing, wrong/missing options listed, standard features listed as options), I am finished reading that ad. However, I don't agree with just posting detailed pictures in the ad. I want to read a detailed description that says the right things, also mentioned earlier (adult driven, meticulous service records, clean, description of options, maybe even reason for selling).

In my mind, I want to buy a Porsche from someone who knows the car well, and cares about his car. I'm sure there are great cars available at some of the dealers who advertise on ebay, but their cut and paste form ads are probably filled in by some kid who works in a back office, and they don't entice me to want to buy.

Also, I saw a car recently that looked perfect - then I saw the reply-to address was something like "track-racer" and I moved on! I'm not afraid to buy a 911 that's been on the track, and I intend to track mine when I have it. But "track-racer" sends the wrong message.

To me, a used 911 is a scary purchase and I want to do everything I can to be sure I find a well cared-for car.

-Mike

 

Good to hear! By "inspection" do you mean PPI, or inspection by you in person?

 

I would by a car that has seen the track before a garage queen. These cars are meant to be driven and the ones that sit typically are more problematic. I track my car a lot, and drive it hard when it is there, and have yet to make a warranty claim on it, yet my first car was a bit of a garage queen, and it had a number of problems that needed to be taken care of.

There are many Porsche dealers that advertise on Ebay, they use it as a way of connecting to customers that they may never have access to otherwise. I am in Vancouver, and my first 997 came from Tampa, and the second from Chicago.

If you are unsure about options, post something on this forum, there are a number of people that will tell you what it has and doesn't have for options.

You could also try finding a car on this forum's classifieds.

 

I had a third party company do a "lease return" inspection. I also went by dealer info and car fax info.

The lease return inspector will look for any kinds of repair work due to damage, wheel scrubs, interior abuse, etc. The cars that are under warranty can be fixed quite easily if something goes wrong.

 

I have a semi garage queen and thus far no problems . No leaking seals or issues whatsover . When I went to the recent car show I saw Porsches which were 15 -30 years old and every one of them started up when it was time to leave . None called a tow truck .

Low miles is as close to new as possible . I feel the key to a low mile car is to drive it with some type of routine . I do not feel that racing around a track and having high miles is any type of benefit . I also don't feel that letting a car sit for months or even years undriven is positive either.

 

I would tell the potential buyer what was honestly done to the car. Maintenance, parts, driving style, etc. I would definitely avoid phrases in CAPS and any hyped garbage.

 

+1
In fact, if they start listing all the features (power brakes, power windows, etc.), it tells me they don't know Porsches (or even cars) and likely weren't on top of things. Just my opinion...

 

Oh you mean like saying it has a 'rare 6spd'?

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/ctd/1517045271.html

 

Must definately agree on the options list. I am amazed at the number of dealer sites that show used Porsches and do not give a list of the options. Probably more than any brand it is critical with Porsche.

 

FOR SURE!
I sent an email to a used car dealer on AutoTrader yesterday and told them they were misrepresenting a Porsche as having the full leather interior when of course the photos showed that it didn't. I gave them the list of identifiable cues that tell you when a Porsche has "full leather". They thanked me for the education.