PPI if buying from dealer?

[BeenThere]

Sorry if my first post is in the wrong place or old subject. I did search some on PPI but didn't see what I was looking for.

What do you do about a PPI when buying from a Porsche dealer? They would have already completed a pre sale inspection and it seems they would have corrected or noted any obvious problems at that time. Do you still tell them you want a PPI, maybe specifying what you want them to inspect? Do you take it somewhere else for a PPI?

Currently looking at a couple of 2003 S models at a couple of different Porsche dealers.

Thanks,
Norm

[Ghostrider 310]

IMO, if you are purchasing from the dealer, what they will cover that you might find would be far more important than a PPI.

[thstone]

If the car is a CPO or comes with a warranty, then I'd go through the warranty details with a fine tooth comb to know exactly what is covered and what isn't and under what circumstances. With a decent warranty, there is probably no need for a PPI.

If the car does not have any warranty, I'd get a PPI done by another dealer or shop. I'm not saying that the selling dealer isn't trustworthy, I'm just saying that it is in your own best interest to know exactly what you are buying and the seller, any seller, might not be the best place to get that information.

If suggesting that you want to get an independent PPI to the selling dealer makes them mad, then walk away. The last thing you need is having to fight with a dealer about fixing a car with problems that you didn't know about and that they don't want to fix.

[nicecar]

ppi plus service history I bought from brumos porsche you know, ......#59......4800.00 within 60 days, clutch, cv, berrings, rms, trailing arms, then aos, waterpump,maf, battery, thats just some ,driver window regulator, frunk actuator, spinlocks for humps, visor mirror lids ,windscreen lever , roll bar windscreen, sear hinge cover, mechanical and cosmetic in a year and a half 8000 oh rear tires, 2 oil changes AND SO ON that said great car, love it. You might want a p car person to test drive for at least an our IMO

[fatmike]

huh?





/

[thstone]

Originally Posted by fatmike

huh?

I think he's saying that he bought a used Boxster from Brumos Porsche, the sponsor of the #59 Porsche race car, and that he spent $4,800 on a long list of repairs in the first 6 months and $8K within a year and a half so he would suggest a PPI.

Google translator works great.

[Stephan Silverman]

Better an independent PPI than worry later.

[nicecar]

sorry for not being clear but that is what happened at brumos (dealearship)

[BeenThere]

Thanks for the responses. Sounds like the major opinion is that I should get a PPI in any case. I might have a problem finding someone I trust to do a PPI though. I only know one person that owns a Porsche, (a new Cayman), and he's a fairly new owner so I don't think he would be much help in checking out a used one. This isn't a large city where there are various independent Porsche experts around and my friend with a Cayman doesn't know of any.

There are businesses that specialize in PPIs in the area, but I suspect you might get one that does nothing more than make sure all the features like heater and airconditioner function properly.

I was hoping for more positive response about buying from a good dealer. Maybe I should just buy a new Miata.

Norm

[Ghostrider 310]

BeenThere, If you don't trust the dealer you are buying the car from, why are you buying the car? You said it was a Porsche dealer, either they will stand behind the car or they will not. Miles after a PPI something could break. Once the car is yours you will find whatever small items have been missed, how they address them is crucial, no PPI will be flawless, they are akin to "home inspections" all over the map in quality. Any factory standard applied to the PPI is only as good as the handshake accord, there is no overseeing factory guidance.

PS You can try dealorrrator.com and look at what other customers have said about that dealer

[Homeboy981]

Hey Norm,

Lighten up on the Miata comments….that hurt! And a Miata could hurt you too. Everytime you sit at a light or pull in behind one of us and watch us….vanish you will regret that decision! You've come so far, you are almost there. Don't give up on the dream, man! You found us! You CAN FIND a REPUTABLE INDY in your area!

I got a PPI done on the west coast. And I'm from Texas! So surely you can find a reputable shop that does MORE THAN CHECK THE A/C! I got a bad PPi done and still got a good car! So take heart!

I would be present when it is done. Ensure they are finding everything by using the CPO worksheet to ask ALL YOUR QUESTIONS! They will not like it BUT DO IT!

If you want peace of mind, that may take a little effort on your part BUT most everyone on here would agree IT IS WORTH IT! Get the right car, and you'll go far!

[nicecar]

the ppi can only help so much. any service history? when all is said and done, buy it, drive it, 99% sure you'll love it

[BeenThere]

Ghostrider, it's not that I don't trust the dealer, it's that I don't know whether to trust them or not. BTW, there are no reviews on them on that link you gave me. The dealer pre-sale inspection on other cars I've bought from other dealers seemed to be pretty thorough including how much brake pad was left and all that type of stuff. I've never felt the need for a PPI on any other cars, but it does seem more essential on a Porsche based upon what I've been reading the the forums.

I realize things can still fail shortly after the purchase that weren't caught on either a PPI or a PSI. I just don't want to drive off the lot with a bad AirOil Separator or something similar.

I haven't yet actually looked at what documentation they have on the cars I'm interested in. I was just trying to get a feeling here whether or not to bring in an outside source even it everything looked good.

They have a 2003S and a 2009S, either of which I might be interested in. I test drove a 2005 Base they had and liked it, but it had high mileage and the carfax indicated previous damage from an accident. I passed on the car, but someone has since bought it.

[doragman]

Trust, but verify !!

[Adrian_M]

Do a thorough research first. You can also visit CarDealExpert.com, just like what I did. The website is pretty amazing because it has all the most recent data on recalls and anything you have to learn about the car you want. You can also get a car loan that works for you and determine which car is best for you.

[BeenThere]

Well, guess I need to resign from this forum as I ended up buying a '07 Cayman Base. Bought it from a dealer that only had it a few days but I had talked with the previous owner. I didn't get a PPI BTW. Car runs great and I'm very happy with it so far. 48,000 miles and came with all maintenance records, including the 40,000 miles service at 42,000 miles.

Thanks to all for the response to my question.

Norm

[WhipE350]

Darn I just wasted 5 minutes reading this thread and you go and buy a Cayman without a PPI! Whad that cost you...about 22k?

Hey you are still welcome here...post pictures!

[Jager]

Originally Posted by BeenThere

Well, guess I need to resign from this forum as I ended up buying a '07 Cayman Base. Bought it from a dealer that only had it a few days but I had talked with the previous owner. I didn't get a PPI BTW. Car runs great and I'm very happy with it so far. 48,000 miles and came with all maintenance records, including the 40,000 miles service at 42,000 miles.

Thanks to all for the response to my question.

Norm

No need to resign… The Cayman is nothing more than a Boxster with a hardtop (we won’t pick on you too much). The origin of your car is the 986 and as you can see this forum is where it all happens.

[jb92563]

The PPI is also a price negotiation tool and you should always be able to get a price reduction that at least recovers what you paid for the PPI based on the findings.

Planet-9.com is the best place for Cayman forum chatter.

They have some great racing/technical info in there so its worth a visit now and then from Boxster owners too.

You should especially get a PPI for a dealer bought used car since from what I have seen is that many abused cars end up as trade-ins since they are not worth selling on the private market due to the issues.

All 5 of the used Boxsters I checked out at dealers had issues, starting with oil leaks, dented trunks, thrashed interriors etc. They did their best to hide those things, but it was lipstick on a pig and with a bit closer look you could see potential issues.

A 60 day warranty is not going to help much when you are not familiar with how the car SHOULD sound and behave except for the most obvious things.

I ended up paying a bit more privately and got a fantastic car with good service history records. (Dealers always seem to lose those records)

I did the PPI myself, took 2 hrs but you could tell the car had been well cared for and it gave me the confidence to make the deal with out further inspection. I did however miss the wiper spray disconnect that needed a hose clamp, and the vanity mirror covers that were broken on the plastic hinges.

I got a $500 discount because the car needed new rear tires.

[BeenThere]

Thanks for the invitation to stay on this forum. I have enjoyed reading the posts here but doubt I'll have much to add myself since I'm new to Porsche ownership and wouldn't know when things didn't apply to the 986.

Whip, 30k.

Not sure on loading photos, but I'll try. It is Seal Gray BTW. I thought briefly about buying one of the new Subaru BRZ coupes, but thought one would expect to see someone about 25 years old to get out of one of those, whereas it would be more normal to see a distinquished old gray haired dude getting out of a Cayman.