Like many, you likely had a poster of a Porsche on your bedroom wall. Well, ownership may no longer be just a fantasy. Here’s everything you need to know about buying a pre-owned Porsche.
So, you want to buy a used Porsche. Well, you have landed in the right spot for information. Porsche is legendary for its unwavering dedication to performance and impeccable quality. This passion for perfection shines through in the company’s cars and helps continue the mythos that there is, in fact, no substitute for a Porsche. This article covers everything you need to know about navigating the used Porsche market and how to get the best car for your money.
What Can I Expect to Pay for a 10-year-old Porsche?
A good budget for a 10-year-old Porsche is around $30,000. This amount gives you the opportunity to consider almost all the models Porsche produced at the time. Cayennes, Panameras, Boxsters, and Caymans can easily be found in this price range. However, the 911 is a different story.
If you’re interested in the more performance-oriented models, like the Turbo and GTS variants, they cost more coin. This is where the price starts to fluctuate with the model due to consumer demand and lower production numbers.
For a 10-year-old Cayenne, the price difference between the S model and Turbo is only a few thousand dollars. But for a Panamera, it is easily an extra $10,000.
The Porsche Boxster and Cayman do not have this price jump because the S model is as high as the trim level goes, unlike the rest of the Porsche range that offers a top-tier Turbo variant.
Now on to the big one, the Porsche 911. For those not in the know, the used-911 market is extremely volatile. If I were writing this just a few years ago, I would tell you that you can buy a 997-generation 911 for $30,000 and it would be one of the best cars you have ever owned. While the latter is still true, unfortunately, the price is not.
The prices of the Porsche 911 (997) from 10 years ago have almost doubled in just a few years. Today, it is hard to find a 997 of any trim level for less than $45,000. This is where the price jump is most noticeable. Highly sought-after Turbo models can range in price from $80,000 to well over $100,000.
What Do I Need to Know Before Buying a Porsche?
In your search for your new-to-you Porsche, there are a few things to look out for. The first thing you want to do is ask the seller for the service records. This paperwork is vital in ensuring that you do not end up with a Porsche-branded paperweight. Don’t get me wrong, Porsches are incredibly reliable vehicles, but they’re not all treated equally by their owners.
Porsche maintenance costs are expensive and some frugal owners may skip out on routine maintenance like brake fluid flushes; engine and cabin filters; or even oil changes. Neglect of this nature can wreak havoc on the internals of your engine, resulting in a lack of performance and fuel economy.
A good way to spot a car that has not been well taken care of is to check out the state of its interior. Porsche builds its vehicles to an extremely high standard. So, if it looks like there has been a knife fight in the back seat, chances are the owner didn’t care about the vehicle very much.
Another thing you should look out for is the price. If the Porsche you’re looking to purchase is significantly lower in price than similar models in your area, this isn’t a great sign. Porsche enthusiasts tend to be very particular about their cars and know what they are worth. This is especially true of sports car owners and even more so if they own a 911.
Are Used Porsches Reliable?
Porsche is known around the world for its impeccable reliability, but…all machines have faults. The Porsche Cayenne and the Panamera share an engine, so they tend to have similar issues. Common components that fail are in the cooling system, things such as the water pump seal, coolant reservoir, and most of all, the coolant distribution pipe under the intake manifold. I spent many years as a Porsche technician and I saw these issues on a weekly basis.
Another common issue that comes up on Porsche’s family cars is misfiring. Spark plugs and ignition coils are maintenance items that should be changed at regular intervals. A lot of the time, they get overlooked by cost-conscious owners because they think shops are just trying to get more money out of them. This is yet another reason to get the service history, because the service intervals for the S models and Turbos are half of what they are for standard cars.
When it comes to sports cars, the Porsche 911 is one of the most reliable sports cars that you can buy. Very few things actually fail on them. However, keeping up with the maintenance is key to ensuring the car and you live a long, happy life together.
The Porsche Boxster and Cayman borrow their engine from the 911, but in a less powerful configuration. A recurring issue I came across in my time as a Porsche technician was oil separator failure. The oil separator is a black plastic box that sits on top of the engine and is a part of the vacuum system. This box is supposed to catch excess engine oil that is circulating in the system but, over time, wears out.
When the separator is going bad, you will see excessive gray smoke from the exhaust upon startup, or constantly if the problem is more severe. A little smoke on startup is normal because of the engine’s design, but if it continues after the car warms up, you have a problem. This should not be confused with white smoke. White smoke is a sign the engine is burning coolant, and that is a problem you should just walk away from where a used-Porsche is concerned.
Are Used Porsches Expensive to Maintain?
An easy mistake that first-time buyers often make is not factoring in the added cost of keeping your new pre-owned Porsche up to scuff. A low entry price tag is appealing but usually means the car has had many owners. And more than likely, the vehicle has not been equally loved by all of them. This is true of most luxury manufacturers, including BMW and the titan of German reliability, Mercedes-Benz.
Porsche maintenance costs are notoriously higher than other luxury brands due to their exclusive engineering and legendary build quality. In enthusiast circles, this added cost is known as the “Porsche Tax.”
Depending on where you live and whether the shop is a dealership, independent, or a chain, the average per-hour labor rate for automotive work can vary wildly. For this example, let’s say it is around $80 per hour. This price is what your local neighborhood mechanic shop charges per hour to work on whatever comes through the door. I would not recommend taking your Porsche to these kinds of shops for service. Not that they’re not good mechanics, but because they likely do not have a Porsche or even a German car specialist on hand.
The Porsche dealership is easily going to be double that amount per hour, but it has many different advantages that come with the added cost. Mainly for major repairs, the dealership can provide a loaner vehicle, and if anything goes wrong, they have a direct line to Porsche for solutions.
For the most personal experience, consider an independent Porsche specialty shop. These businesses are generally privately owned by veteran technicians with years of experience. Shops like this often offer more opportunities for you to interact with the actual people working on your vehicle. A good independent shop can give you the feeling of dealing with actual people, not just a corporation trying to squeeze you for every dollar they can get.
5 Things to Know Before Buying a 10-year-old (or Older) Porsche
In conclusion, Porsche is a legendary automotive brand for a reason. Every model that the iconic automaker produces is built to a higher standard, and once you catch the Porsche bug, most people never look back. With all that being said, here are five things you need to remember when buying a used Porsche.
- Always ask for service records. If the current owner does not have them, there are other ways you can get at least some information. A ton of records can be obtained by just getting the VIN number and calling Porsche. Also, tools like CarFax are helpful because most reputable shops use software that reports to them when services are performed.
- Even if you have service records, always get the vehicle inspected by a Porsche specialist you trust before you buy. This is a good practice regardless of the manufacturer but especially for Porsche because of its exclusive nature. Seasoned Porsche technicians know what to look for and can save you thousands of dollars on repairs.
- If the price of a Porsche you see for sale seems too good to be true, it most likely is. Porsche owners are a rare breed and tend to know what they have and what it is worth. So, remember, if the price is significantly lower than similar cars, proceed with caution.
- If the car checks out with your mechanic and the price is reasonable, don’t let higher mileage automatically disqualify your interest. Porsche sports cars are known around the world for their impeccable reliability. A testimonial to this is the fact that over 70% of 911s ever built are still on the road today.
- The “Porsche Tax” is real. The average cost of a Porsche oil change is over $200 purely due to the volume and type of engine oil they need. Porsche is a luxury brand, so don’t expect any breaks on maintenance costs. The more performance-oriented they are, the more often they will need in-depth service.
Photos: Porsche
