Hello there! my name is Ali and it's a pleasure to meet you all!

As you can tell I am newly registered member, so I might break some rules! (sorry)
Anyhow, let's get back to the subject, shall we?

So I've been thinking of buying a Porsche for a while and I have found one. it's a 2012 Black 991S with red interior and at perfect condition inside and outside, plus full option (PDK,PCM, 18 ways electric seats, xenon and more). but what draw me back was the mileage. It has around 69k kilos and many of my colleagues believe that it would be a bad idea due to its mileage. However, I did inspect the car (twice) and the only problem that I hinted was the wheels. one of the fours rims had a small scratch. Also, when I first time got inside the car, I was only allowed to power the car to "ACC" stage (probably because the car inside the dealer shop and he didn't want me to miss the floor). So when I was in ACC mode. I hit the paddle shift + to try it, something strange happened to the cockpit screen( the one that displays info, gps...) It kept changing (probably checking the system). In my second visit, I got to turn the car on and hear the roar of v6 400hp ( I had an eargasm.. a little ) and I tried to paddle shift again in Parking gear. But this time, nothing happened to the screen. Everything works fine. The car is still under warranty and with new tires. And to be honest I REALLY REALLY want that car! but the mileage bugs me. Aside from that, I will not drive that car for daily uses. as my daily car, I have a 2007 Toyota Camry and I like it a lot.
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Now that's my story, and do suggest that I should get that car?

 

A properly serviced Porsche that is not abused or mistreated should deliver way more then 69,000 kilometers (42879 miles) of relatively trouble free service.

For example my 2002 Boxster has over 300K miles and my 2003 Turbo has over 145K miles and both run just fine. 'course, as the miles add up things wear out. Both cars have had new water pumps. The Boxster a new fuel pump. There have been other items that wore out or just failed -- like radiators in the Turbo at 130K miles -- but so far nothing major.

And my luck with my cars and the miles is not isolated. There is a 996 Turbo with over 400K miles and there are other Porsche models with similar big miles.

In the case of this specific car all I can advise is you give the car a thorough road test to ensure the car runs, steers, brakes, shifts, etc. properly.

It is best to visit the car cold and with the A/C off -- you test this later -- turn the key to the 1st position and make sure all warning lights -- including the all important CEL -- come on then go off as the engine starts and begins to run.

Let the engine idle and listen to it. You do not want to hear any distinct ticking, knocking, or other noises.

Continue to let the engine idle while you look the outside of the car over for any signs of body damage/repair/paint work, etc. Check the body panel fits.

After some minutes of idle time have the seller take you on a 15 mile test ride. The route should be selected to give the driver the opporuntity to demo the car as you intend to use it. Stop and go driving. Surface street driving. Hard acceleration onto a highway or freeway.

Your job is to pay close attention to how the car behaves, how it feels, and the various subsystems behave. Have the driver execute a k-turn which will have him switching between forward and reverse gears a couple of times thus giving the PDK a chance to show behaves properly.

After your test ride then change seats and take the car out on a test drive over the same route and driving the car the same way.

After your test drive then give the car a thorough used car checkout. Assume nothing works until you confirm it does. From headlights to tailights, from spoiler to horn. Everything.

After the above if you still like the car and believe you can buy it for a reasonable sum of money arrange for a PPI.

Among other things this gets the car in the air so a thorough check can be made from underneath for any leak sign. This is part of the reason for the dual 15 mile test ride/drive: To get some run time on the engine (and drivetrain) and to give any leaks a chance to show themselves.

A couple of things: One is one should have set aside at least 10% of a used car's purchase price to have just in case. And I dare say with a Porsche 10% is on the low side. I'd up this to 15% even 20%.

The reason to have this money set aside is even if your check out of the car finds no problems that doesn't mean a few weeks later the water pump won't develop a leak or something else acts up or a tire picks up a nail, etc.

It has been my experience with my cars that things are fine until suddenly they aren't. The water pump in my Boxster was just fine for 172K miles until one day I heard a noise and found the water pump making it. Same with the fuel pump: Approx 200K miles of trouble free service then upon a cold start it just quit. No warning.

Second if find something about the car you don't like there is nothing wrong with walking away from the car. The time to fall in love with a car is *after* you buy it, not before. You want to view the used car in the cold harsh light of reality not through the rose colored light of love...

Keep in mind there is always another car. If you find this one has issues that make you have to reject the car you'll find another car.

Happy shopping.