Looking to buy a Porsche 911, but I'm debating between: 1. Going with a 991.1 generation (2012-2016) from the local Porsche dealership, which would probably be 80-90k out the door but it would be certified preowned, granting more confidence in the quality of the vehicle and an extended 2 year warranty. 2. Going private for a the 997 generation (2004-2012), but then I lose out on the inspection and extended warranty offered by CPO, but it would be a good chunk of change cheaper. I've actually never bought a car not through the dealership. If I go private, any suggestions for things to avoid? I.e., avoid carvana, etc. and only buy in-person private? I know there are also online auction sides like Cars & Bids. Advice on this? Or should I just stick with dealership? TC: 580k
997.2 (2009 to 2012) is the only 997 generation you should be looking at. 9A1 motor shared with the 991.1 and is extremely reliable. They do not suffer from bore scoring, but are also harder to find because they were made during the recession era when demand was low and are highly sought after. The downside to the 991.1 is that it has Porsches' first ever electric power steering, and it is...not good. It downright ruined my experience because of how numb it felt.
Yeah the steering is not great but eh you get used to it. My least favorite thing by far is the 7 speed transmission. It makes the gate crowded and clumsy to use. A six speed would have been much better
What’s this groups take on a new 911 Carrera 4S (aka 992)? How’s the reliability? Any specific features to avoid?
997.2 for the best steering and same engine as the 991. Who cares about interior on a 10yo car? Both are dated in their own way at this point, you buy a car like this for driving experience and not luxury.
I’d try http://bringatrailer.com. I’d also consider a GT4 RS.
I’ve owned both. You can and should get a pre purchase inspection before buying a car, dealer or not. 911s are pretty reliable all around though with common issues on each. The real question is which car do you like better. 997s will be smaller and better driver cars, but older. 991s are still super fun, but have some more modern conveniences. Determine what you want and then determine where to buy. No need to limit yourself to only Porsche Dealer for 991
Dealership. IMO 991.1 looks much nicer and you get warranty, also pretty sure you can purchase the maintenance plan, which will save you a lot of money.
I would choose a 997 over a 991 or even a 992 non gt car as it is a much better driver’s car. 991.1’s especially had shitty steering racks since that was the first time porsche did an electronic steering. There is a reason why 997.2 prices never really came down. 997.2 s/4s/gts are amazing drivers cars with hydraulic steering, smaller body and they even fixed the engine issues which were present in the 997.1. If you want a true drivers car go with the 997.2. But it will not come with some of the modern amenities. If you want a bit more convenience and sacrifice driving pleasure, then go with the 991.
What about 992?
992 is great but its even more wider than the 997. Cannot go wrong with either of these cars tbh but I prefer a small, nimble sports car and the 992 is a bit too wide for me. All the engines are also turbocharged now so you lose a lot of the sweet naturally aspirated flat 6 sound that you get in the 997 and even the 991.1. Turbocharged engines have their own advantages of-course with more low torque and will perform way better than NA engines in the mountains. 992s also make for great daily drivers. Having said that, the 992 gt3 is the best gt3 ever made IMO. That gt3 engine is something else. Thats the only 992 I would personally buy.
To try hard to impress people that don’t care about you in the first place All to prop up your ego on a piece of junk that will fall apart 5x faster than a $26k Toyota Camry
Porsche CPO is worth a couple thousand only. It’s an extended warranty with a pre-purchase inspection. Nothing stopping you from getting that private party. I bought private party with a PPI and have had no problems. I didn’t get an extended warranty because Porsches are reliable and I can anyways afford any repair (self insured).
They drive and feel pretty different so I'd drive both before deciding. 997s can suffer from bore scoring which can be a painful problem to deal with. The 991.1 is generally considered quite reliable. Porsche's cpo warranty is only two years but you can buy an additional one if you want. I'd go with the 991 myself. The 997 is great but the interior is much better in the 991 and it's easy to add carplay
Thanks for the insights! Really useful regarding being able to buy an additional year! Also leaning 991...