[gregdacat]

I guess I represent the dark side, because I did everything "wrong" and it worked out just fine. I bought my 2002 Base 986 based upon 4 photos on Cars.com. It was for sale at a "Mom and Pop" used car lot over 600 miles away that specialized in exotic cars. I called the owner and negotiated a price over the phone. I then had my Credit Union cut a check. My wife drove me from our Home in Newport, KY to the dealership in Chattanooga TN. That was the first time I saw the car in person. No PPI. No Test drive. I gave the owner the check. He gave me the keys and 30 day tag.

I drove it back to Newport the same day and have never had a regret. I been super happy with the car and have come nowhere close to the $2000 per year others have quoted for annual repairs. Mine experience has been more like $500-750 per year. And most of that is for routine maintenance like oil changes, spark plugs, and brakes that I would have spent on any car or truck I owned.

Maybe I just got lucky, but given the chance for a do-over I would not have done anything different.