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From Pepita reader to Porsche owner in one swap meet
This week: One success story plus the 3 best new cars.
This is reader Alex's new car.
A 996.2 cab with manual transmission, under 100K miles, new tires, IMS and clutch recently done for $24,000. Just those three items saved him between four and six thousand dollars in maintenance.
He found it at a Porsche swap meet. What better way to get to know your future car than connecting with the current owner at a friendly meet.
But that's just logistics.
Alex has gone from dreaming about owning a Porsche, to becoming a Pepita reader, to now driving his kids around in style. And they love it.
Cheers to Alex!
RF
Reader Matt said “fun ad to read” when he shared this.
It actually reads like a lost issue of Pepita Picks.
The PCA-member seller addresses the Tip question right away, shares original build sheet, and proceeds to list with precision all the tasteful mods he has done to the car (“don’t tell the wife!”). He just forgot to mention the full leather (Cocoa) interior, which is a nice uncommon option.
Honestly, if I ever go missing, just get this guy to write the newsletter.
Mechanical issues? According to the seller this engine has the later larger IMS bearing, which is considered an improvement over earlier designs. It’s an S model, so inspect for bore scoring.
Current market? An average asking price of $45,000.
Alternatives? đź”— This 2009 997.2 cabriolet with manual transmission for only $36,000
A gorgeous 2-owner 981 finished in what looks to be Aqua Blue Metallic over beige interior. The roll bar is color-matched too, which adds to the great looks.
“20-inch wheels with new tires and a soft top that is in excellent shape and works perfectly,” and a clean title.
Mechanical issues? Check maintenance records for the water pump.
Current market? They orbit the $25K mark. This nicer-than-average spec is worth the $25K or more.
A well-priced C4S in "good condition and well maintained" according to the ad. The seller mentions new tires, new oil and filters and "many LN Engineering parts", but doesn't specify if an IMS upgrade has been performed to the car.
Mechanical issues? Ask for service records to make the “well maintained” claims concrete.
Current market? Usually priced around $40-45K, but they do show up for $30-35K from time to time.
Alternatives? đź”— This similar car for $41K or this neat đź”— dark blue Tiptronic for $35K.
Adopted Puppies
Last week must have been some sort of record. Two of the three picks were in the market for only 3 days and were sold by the time the newsletter went live. Sometimes I can’t ship these fast enough. The $8,000 running and driving 996 featured in the Out There section also didn’t last long. |  |
Porsche Problems
See you next time with more affordable picks!
Take care,
—RF