Sales debate: Five things first-time Porsche 911 buyers should do
After buying a house, buying a car is normally the second biggest purchase that you will ever make. Of course, a Porsche 911 is no ordinary car and while that makes buying one even more special, it can also make it a daunting experience. What should first-time buyers look out for? With the help of two independent specialists, Total 911 endeavours to find out.
Both Charlie Abbott from independent specialist, Paul Stephens, and Mikey Wastie, proprietor of Autofarm, agree that the first step is identifying what you want to get out of your 911 ownership experience: “Is it for commuting, track days or just polishing?” asks Wastie. “It’s important to choose the right car that matches your needs most closely.”
From this, Abbott points out that you can then narrow down which generation of 911 you would ideally love, while considering if your choice falls within your budget.
From there, research is key, with both specialists placing it high on the to-do list. Wastie explains that it’s vital to “look for weaknesses” in your chosen generation, identify “the versions that are most popular and learn when upgrades or items were changed in the specification.”
This will enable you to narrow down your options to a specific model and specification, which you can then start searching for on websites and through dealers. The added benefit of this, Wastie explains, is you can then “see which cars keep popping up for sale and which ones are hanging around”.
Abbott explains that even once you’ve chosen which 911 to buy and researched it, you should still be patient and wait for the right car to come to market. “Don’t rush into a car that doesn’t fulfil your needs.”
When you have spotted an example that takes your fancy, both Abbott and Wastie feel that getting the car checked over by a respected inspector is a safe move. Alternatively, the former points out that buying from a specialist negates this need.
For their final step, the two experts differ in their approach. Wastie feels that “joining an owners’ club and meeting the owners of the car you want” is a useful endeavour as you can “draw from their experiences.”
Meanwhile, Abbott explains that, even after following these steps, remaining grounded is important: “Be realistic if you are buying a classic Porsche; even though they are extremely well built, they still have their classic car characteristics.”
By heeding their advice, the proposition of buying your first Porsche 911 should be made as simple (and exciting) as possible, all while ensuring you get your hands on a great example of your chosen model.
For market advice on any generation or style of Porsche 911, check out our full selection of sales debates, where we ask the 911 experts the pertinent market questions so you don’t have to.
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