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Porsche 997: Why a Pre-Purchase Inspection is Paramount to Porsche Ownership

So you've decided to buy a 997, but hold on a minute. Don't let the salesperson's smooth words convince you into buying before you've had time to get it inspected. We'll explain why not getting a pre-purchase inspection is a big mistake

By Jared Hammond - April 6, 2015
Contributors: SFZ GT3, Macster

This article applies to the Porsche 997 (2005-2012).

Congratulations on your decision to buy a Porsche 997, but don't fork over your money to the dealership just yet. A Porsche is an expensive car and you want to know that you're getting your money's worth. That's why you should get a pre-purchase inspection. What it involves is getting a second party to look the car over before you finalize the deal. A pre-purchase inspection will involve everything from checking the engine and transmission to checking the paint to see if it's been repainted. A good pre-purchase inspection will inform you about any potential problems the car may have that the seller conveniently "forgot".

Figure 1. Don't buy a Porsche sight unseen or you'll likely regret it.

What to look for during a pre-purchase inspection?

For the pre-purchase inspection you want to be as thorough as possible. It's easy to overlook some things so here's what you ask for during the inspection.

  • Get the paint checked to determine the paint quality and condition. Repainted surfaces could indicate past repair work so have them look into any repainted panels.
  • Check the tires for evenness in the wear of the treads. Uneven treads means you're due for a realignment. Nothing too serious, but try to get the dealership to lower the price a little before you buy.
  • Check the condition of the wheels, calipers, rotors, and brakes.
  • Look for damage in the lower body area especially on the rocker panels and the under tray. These cars are low, and people can be careless in parking lots.
  • Check the alignment of panels and make sure all gaps are closed.
  • Test the lighting and electrics such as the controls, warning lights, turning signals, AC, stereo, locks, etc.
  • Look over maintenance records and call dealers and shops that have done previous work on the car to learn what it was serviced for.
  • Get an overrev report from the car's computer which will give the mechanics an idea of what condition the engine is in.
  • Get the mechanic to test drive it for you to get an opinion on how well it drives.

How much does it cost and where can I get one?

A pre-purchase inspection is a steal compared to the price of a used Porsche. Typically an inspection runs the same as the cost of two hours labor for independent shops. Expect it to cost you about $200 to $300. Now where you take the car to get inspected is a different matter. Try to find an independent shop that's trustworthy and reliable. Find a shop that gets good reviews. Ask customers about their experience with shop. Make sure they specialize in 997s and not just Porsche's in general.

Certified Pre-Owned and Pre-Purchase Inspections

There have been a lot of questions about whether you should get a pre-purchase inspection for a car that's Porsche certified pre-owned. Some will tell you yes and some will say no. Any used Porsche under 10,000 miles is probably a pretty safe bet, but there have been plenty of cases where people have found issues with certified pre-owned. The problem is when the dealership does the inspection for certification they are just running through a check-list. The same certification will clear brakes with only a few thousand miles left on them just as easily as it would for fresh brakes. The certification won't tell you things that a pre-purchase inspection will.

This doesn't mean that certified pre-owned isn't worth it. It's definitely worth it if it comes with a two year 100,000 mile warranty, and there are plenty of people who have bought certified pre-owned and have been happy and without problems. It really depends on the dealership. So if you're looking into a certified pre-owned 997 you have to decide if it's really worth the risk not to get a pre-purchase inspection.

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