don't forget these eat tires and they are not cheap.

 

You have a lot of good advice here, but let me try to sumarize.

The S is a step up from the base, but you will pay more for it. Both a great cars so don't be afraid of either. What you are paying for with the S is a slightly bigger engine with a few more horsepower, bigger brakes and a few additional options.

The 2005 year is associated with some pretty bad failures that happen at a very low rate of occurence. Basically the IMS bearing can fail leading to dead enging. This can be anywhere from no big cost (under warrantry) to moderate cost (if your local PCNA rep and dealer are supporting you) or a nightmare (porsche gives you the shaft). You can improve the IMS by installing an aftermarket IMS bearing, but best to do this when you drop your tranny for a clutch job.

CPO is great, but getting a car from a private party can be less expensive. When going through a private party (or any time there is no CPO) you need to make sure you have a very thorough inspection as you need to catch any issues before they are yours. This board can help you find a good PPI shop in your area (or at least within reasonable distance from your area). You will spend some money on the PPI, but it is money well spent if a good shop does it for you.

Good luck. From a personal perspective, I am on my third 911. These cars are very well made. If you have issues, typically, you can find the source and fix it. What remains is a great car that will be reliable for you for years. Don't hesitate to buy one, but make sure you check the car out properly as there are some expesive repairs out there...

 

Muerdeme- great advice. I was looking one from the dealer so I thought they would have done a PPI. Also might have more history on the car, like if the IMS bearing has been replaced, or the rear main seal has been updated.

 

Izzy...if the dealer is willing to CPO, you know they checked it out thoroughly. If no CPO, you have to question if they checked it out and didn't like results or is they didn't check it out.

If from a dealer and no CPO...go with a reputable PPI before you buy...

 

Can the dealer CPO any car? I am familiar with the BMW CPO and they can only CPO the car if it had the factory warranty at the time it was traded in. Then resell it with CPO. So if some one traded the 911 with out the 4 year 50k warranty, can Porsche just CPO it anyway?

 

Think the 07 in Phoenix is worth looking into?
Here is the linkhttp://www.cars.com/go/search/detail...nal&listType=1

 

I can check it out tomorrow for you. I will have some time.

 

Pretty much yes, but it must meet certain requirements eg tires and brakes in good shape, not more than 2 consecutive panels painted, etc. Basically they go through a big check list. But yes a car can have accident history and still be CPO'd so be aware.

 

Looked at the car. There is a ding on the roof near the rear window and the tires look like they have about 30% life left. Also, the original asking price was 62k . Looks like it may have bounced around from one Penske dealership to another.

 

Keep looking. You'll find one. A set of four tires can cost $900 - $2000. I got a flat on one of my rears and drove on the flat tire a few hundred yards and ruined it. So I just bought two new Bridgestone RE11s for $850. If that scares you, purchase the tire warranty like you would a CPO. Except in this case, a tire warranty would have been only good for one tire. Your out of pocket for the other tire. Or you could go Hankooks and get a set of four tires for the same amount. Some here would only put N rated tires on their Porsche. Others are good with a reputable brand and an XL rating. Still, some go used

 

Personally i would prefer a car from a private owner with book service and PPI.
The best price/quality ratio.

 

Hi Izzy,

I sent you a PM on one you might like.

Mark

 

I agree.

You do have to do slightly more due diligence than you would otherwise but you will save significant amount of money this way.

Spend a few hundred on a PPI from a reputable shop and go with it.


A CPO car that a P-car dealer has listed for $52-54K was probably traded in for $39-41K. Granted they may have to spend some money on it to get it up to spec, but if it needed a lot of work they wouldn't bother CPOing it. That same car private party will be $44K or less.

CPO is just insurance. It is nice to have, but you have to make the decision if it is worth the extra cost.

My Cayman S was a CPO car, it did give me some piece of mind knowing that it would be covered if something catastrophic happened. It also covered a fixing very annoying squeaky quarter window glass. The car cost me probably about $5K more than a non CPO car would have. Was it worth it?

My 911 is out of warranty and has no CPO. I don't worry about it. With the exception of the engine just crapping the bed I can easily cover any needed repair or maintenance. If it becomes a problem child and starts to nickle and dime me into the poor house I'll go sell it to Carmax. I paid about $6-8K less than what a CPO car would have cost, so for now with a great running car with no problems I'm very happy.

 

This is exactly what I did. I bought an 'exploding' 05 C2S. And I also know what Carmax will give me, because I checked a few months ago. Selling a car private party is a hassle and I'd rather sell it outright to Carmax and be done with it when the time comes. I have no dellusions of grandeur - there is no free lunch.

 

Sharkys
how much would Carmax give you as compared with KBB trade in, can you tell us?