Would you bypass a PPI if...
 

...the 2001 Boxster has 13k and looks and runs like brand new? The owner seems honest and has records? (it's a local car)

I would never pass up a PPI even if it was a friends car but that's just me. Small price to pay if you are serious in your purchase.

The guy almost seemed upset that I want one... He seems straight up and on the level... I don't know if he just doesn't feel like letting me take his car to get one. The car has been babied all of its life. I think that's the issue more than anything else.
Why can't I just have a seamless purchase? I keep running into road blocks with these guys.

Set up an appointment on a time he will be able to drop off the car the night before or whenever is best for him if he doesn't trust you taking the car. If he is uneasy about getting it checked out I know it would make me nervous. Just let him know it's not a trust thing, you just want to be confident in your purchase.

Even vigilent mainenance won't protect against an RMS leak.

Nope, PPI is ALWAYS worth it!
If the seller has an issue, maybe there is a problem?
In all the cars I have sold I never had an issue with someone doing a PPI.
The seller should not be insulted.

That he seems almost upset is a sign of alarm.

I used to sell used Boxsters.

Get the PPI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You have been warned.

I would be a hypocrite if I told you to do it because I didn't do one myself.
My car was spotless showroom condition (literally sitting in the showroom), a trade in at a local Acura dealer I spotted on Ebay Motors. Only 10K miles and EXACLTY what I wanted: very low miles, 3.2 engine, silver and red.
When I arrived at the dealer the young salesman and I had no idea what we were doing in trying to "inspect" the thing.
The car was up for auction and I was convinced it would sell so I didn't fuss with arranging for a PPI. BIG RISK.
The funny thing is the car didn't meet the reserve by barely a hundred dollars. I wasted no time (having dodged a bullet) and negotiated a price within a few days.

If you have the luxury of time and being the only guy interested then by all means get it inspected by your local Porsche dealer. Its a small price to pay for piece of mind. And if they find something that needs fixing you can negotiate that repair into a lower purchase price. So the inspection could save you money.
There is a glut of low mileage Boxsters on the market, get it out of your head that this THE ONLY mint condition Boxster. It simply isn't.

yea i didnt get a ppi, but before i even went to take a look at the car i aske the dealer that was selling it to check diff areas, i sent hi a checklist and when i went to look at the car i checked it all again, well not as good as the dealer, but the main things that i could see

also, when you want to sell a car to carmax, they do a very nice chekup on a car, for no charge, and they give you a price, so you can do that and then just say no thank you ;)
-my friend does this all the time

?
 

What is a PPI?

Pre
Purchase
Inspection

In a similar thread a couple of years ago, I said never buy a used Porsche without getting a Pre-Purchase Inspection (PPI), then subsequently admitted I bought mine without one. I was instantly branded a hypocrite, and deservedly so.
The thing about used cars is, you are buying a vehicle somebody no longer wants.
I have never gotten rid of one of my daily drivers without having a reason that related to suspicions about future reliability and expensive repairs.
With my hobby cars it's a different story. Most of them I have sold because I got tired of them and wanted to try something else.
That said, making a purchasing mistake with a Porsche will be expensive. Maybe you will be fortunate and get a good car without a PPI, and/or maybe you will run into issues even with the PPI. The PPI is a good idea, especially if you are unfamiliar with the marque.

A PPI is simply the best risk management tool you have in your used car buying bag. It is not the ONLY one and it is NOT fool proof.

You play the game, you take your chances.

A six year old car with verified 13k miles?? That is a definitive garage queen. Annual oil changes at say every 2k miles whether it needs it or not?? 100% dealer service with a clean car fax? No wrecks, No fluid leaks? No weird noises when starting, idling, driving? I would buy it, put all fresh fluids in it ( that haven't been changed recently) and drive the snot out of it.

I didn't do a PPI either when I bought my Boxster. I bought mine from a local BMW dealer I had done business with in the past. It was in his "premium pre-owned showroom", and supposedly went thru a thorough inspection by them. Anyway, two years later and not a single issue with the car. Come to think of it, I didn't do a PPI on the 911 I used to own either. I bought that from a Porsche dealer though. I usually would do a PPI on that type of car from an individual or independent dealer. I guess I've just been lucky.

J. Tucker
'99 Arctic Silver
'98 BMW 318ti

"I guess I've just been lucky."

Indeed!

How necessary is a PPI for a vehicle still under the factory warranty?

I totally agree with BruceLee that a PPI is essential. I also agree that they are not flawless. I bought my Boxster from a dealer and they did not inform or observe the following and claimed the car was PPI'd: slight RMS leak, original convertible top cables (prone to failure), and 9 year old tires. Happily the car has been great, but let the buyer beware!

It's still a good idea as a PPI may be able to point out issues that may not be serious at the time of inspection but may be an issue after the warranty expires. For example, if the cam cover has a little bit of oil leaking from the gasket and you only have 6 months left on the warranty you may not notice the problem until after the warranty expires.

I did not get a PPI done and haven't regretted it but I will definitely consider it for future purchases.

I bypassed a PPI on my Boxster... and my 911.. and my 914. Why? because I now a little bit about cars, what to look for, where the problems are and roughly what they cost to repair. If you lack this confidence, you might want a PPI. If the seller won't commit to one it could be:

1) He's offended
2) Never thought of the need for one on such a "new car"
3) Hiding something
4) Never heard of a PPI before

I've sold some cars with a PPI and some without. Bought some with and some without.

Life's a gamble. No one says something won't/can't be missed on a PPI that could still end up costing you money.

Nowadays, Porsche buyers search the web, research a car, and expect a seller to allow a PPI because of all the horror stories the web provides.

Do what makes you feel better. If that means a PPI and the seller is not agreeable, walk away.

I'm almost leaning towards buying a higher mile, slightly more expensive Boxster from a Porsche dealer... it just seems a little more safe you might say...
I'm not sure what to do... I didn't realize how complicated this process was. i've always bought new cars.

I guess I can see if he's really honest why he might be offended....but....he should get over it. It's not personal, it's business.

My ppi revealed a slight slit in one of the CV Boots. I highly doubt any owner would know that no matter how well they treat their Boxster.

No biggy or deal breaker, nothing that needed an immediate fix, but that could have been a expensive repair down the road if it had not been found during the ppi.

Show him a $2000 earnest money check and I bet he quickly becomes cooperative.

say that 2 times!!! i'd do that w/ my friends & relatives in a heartbeat. you really can't be too careful.....unless you've just got the bucks to burn.

i don't know much about cars. that's why i read/talked for a few years while i worked up the $$$. i found the 986, talked w/ the salesman and negotiated the price minus whatever the ppi lists. when i got thru my ppi, the salesman went and took the ppi list to his mechanic and replaced the front tires. the other things listed on the ppi were 'nit-picky'. so i bought it. after that, i bought a warranty just to cover myself.

I've always done some sort of PPI on every vehicle I've bought... except one. And that one was the one that ended up being a total money pit. After that I even get PPIs on $1500 motorcycles. To me it's just always worth it. If the seller balks, I move on. No vehicle is unique.

The boxster was a little different as it needed it's 60k service soon, so rather than doing a PPI, I just had the 60k service done and split the cost with the seller. We agreed ahead of time that if anything was found wrong we would renegotiate the price and/or he would pay for the whole service less $200 if we couldn't come to terms. Lots of trust on that deal, but it turned out OK.

I would/did buy without - because my two had factory warranty left. I bought the Boxster from a Chevy dealer in CT. It came directly from P-leasing thru Manheim auctions. Shortly thereafter I paid my 'local' Porsche dealer to do a Cert. Inspection ..they did all the checks; just w/o the paperwork. The other advantage of having a little warranty left is: you can buy an extended one w/o hassle. The most recent was P-certified.

I doubt that I would buy a car - with no warranty left - without having someone look at it. ..very especially if this was my first Boxster.

When I sell the Box, I expect to comply with any reasonable request. ..even tho' I'm about 2hrs from anyone who's been under the boot of a Porsche.

j i m

Hi,

Several contributors have chosen to take the risk and not do a PPI. They report no problems, but that's sheer luck of the draw, nothing more.

I don't think it's in anyway an endorsement to ignore this safeguard against buying a Lemon. Getting a PPI is simply the prudent thing to do before committing tens of thousands of dollars. Reject it at your own peril...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

Some folks love to gamble!

Babying ruins as many cars as wringing them out occasionally does. A car that's been in sitting the garage for 5 and a half years is just waiting to have problems. And who knows, your friend may not have broken the engine in correctly, or there may be a fault that nobody is aware of.

Get the PPI, it's not a matter of trust, it's liability because you don't want the friendship to suffer if you both learn something you weren't expecting.

For the record, I got a PPI and appreciated knowing what expenses were around the corner (CV boots, water pump under warranty). Also get a compression check if you want to feel good about the engine, I got 150 across the board and knew I had a winner;)

-David N.