What should I expect from an Approved Used Porker? - Page 4 - Porsche General - PistonHeads UK

I finally got my 971 Panny today, after a month of waiting for it to be prepared. It ended up being delivered to me as they didn't have it ready in time for me to pick up on the day they said it would be, so nervously, I bought the car blind. Firstly, over the moon, as I imagined it to be a 4-seater 911, and it really does look like that in the flesh. I've moved up from an 8 series, and the interior is so much better in the Panamera than the 8 series, even though the 8 series is loaded with tech. My question really revolves around what should I expect from a Pre-owned Approved Porsche? The wheels have been refurbed, and look great, but there are some quite deep marks on the paintwork one of the doors (when I say deep marks, my nail feels them). Am I expecting too much to have had that fixed? Should I contact the dealership about it, or just leave it? The sensible amongst you must have an opinion on how anal I should be...

I wouldn't put up with that. How old is the car, and ask yourself if you were part ex-ing the car back to them would they knock you on the pre-inspection price if it was presented to them in the condition its been presented to you. My own experience was a 3 month old car that had seen paint up front and they were honest about it (ex dealer principles car), but to my eye all looked spot on. My detailer on the other hand found loads of minor concerns, all of which he remedied. Were they up front about any issues?, and if so was it reflected in the price - if not I'd be pretty pissed off. YMMV.

Ah, well my car is 3 years old... Alas, I wish I could afford a 3 month old one, but I'm trying to pay cash and not finance anything and this is all my budget stretched to! I guess, I should expect some marks on the inside, but the sales guy told they'd fix everything on the outside so it'd look brand new... The wheel centres are a bit chewed up and there are streak marks on the passenger door (a cluster of four perhaps 5cm in length) and given the car is 200 miles from the OPC I didn't know if there was any point in bringing it up... I mean if they said, "No, we're not going to do anything about it." I probably would just get on with enjoying the car. I guess I will say, the overall service from them did leave me slightly annoyed - I may not be a new car buyer, but it's still a lot of money for me!

ilovephiladelphia said: Ah, well my car is 3 years old... Alas, I wish I could afford a 3 month old one, but I'm trying to pay cash and not finance anything and this is all my budget stretched to! I guess, I should expect some marks on the inside, but the sales guy told they'd fix everything on the outside so it'd look brand new... The wheel centres are a bit chewed up and there are streak marks on the passenger door (a cluster of four perhaps 5cm in length) and given the car is 200 miles from the OPC I didn't know if there was any point in bringing it up... I mean if they said, "No, we're not going to do anything about it." I probably would just get on with enjoying the car. I guess I will say, the overall service from them did leave me slightly annoyed - I may not be a new car buyer, but it's still a lot of money for me! 100% get on the phone and express your disgust, doesn't matter how much £££££'s is involved - its the principle, and they'll most likely get a local company to you involved for any remedial work. Unless you are totally happy, in which I'd guess you wouldn't be asking. Keep us posted, and good luck.

ilovephiladelphia said: I finally got my 971 Panny today, after a month of waiting for it to be prepared. It ended up being delivered to me as they didn't have it ready in time for me to pick up on the day they said it would be, so nervously, I bought the car blind. Firstly, over the moon, as I imagined it to be a 4-seater 911, and it really does look like that in the flesh. I've moved up from an 8 series, and the interior is so much better in the Panamera than the 8 series, even though the 8 series is loaded with tech. My question really revolves around what should I expect from a Pre-owned Approved Porsche? The wheels have been refurbed, and look great, but there are some quite deep marks on the paintwork one of the doors (when I say deep marks, my nail feels them). Am I expecting too much to have had that fixed? Should I contact the dealership about it, or just leave it? The sensible amongst you must have an opinion on how anal I should be... I would NOT have driven it away, and asked them to put it all in good order, or stick it.

If you are not happy then do get in contact with them and give them the opportunity to sort it out. Being optimistic, a Dealer doesn't want you to have a bad experience. I bought an AUC BMW last year and had a little niggle I noticed after using the car. I was going to live with it but thought I would mention it to the Dealer. They were brilliant, took the car back in and sorted it all out. The last thing you want with a new purchase is to be disappointed. Which Panamera did you purchase? I am looking at an 8 or a Panamera next. Your comments on the upgrade from the 8 and it being a 4 door 911 is exactly what I want to hear! Really, I want a 911 but not sure if it would be the right choice i.e. is it the best car for me or just realising a dream? A mate said to me yesterday I should scratch the itch and then move on if necessary. Actually quite wise words. Good luck and enjoy the new car.

I guess because I signed all the paperwork over email, and the car was delivered, the purchase of this car constitutes a Distance Sell, so technically I can return the car within 14 days for no reason. I did go down to the showroom to pick the car up and sign the remaining paperwork but they told me the car wasn't ready for handover the day I went down! I'm going to call another OPC and see exactly what they feel I should be expecting from a UAC.

Maxus said: If you are not happy then do get in contact with them and give them the opportunity to sort it out. Being optimistic, a Dealer doesn't want you to have a bad experience. I bought an AUC BMW last year and had a little niggle I noticed after using the car. I was going to live with it but thought I would mention it to the Dealer. They were brilliant, took the car back in and sorted it all out. The last thing you want with a new purchase is to be disappointed. Which Panamera did you purchase? I am looking at an 8 or a Panamera next. Your comments on the upgrade from the 8 and it being a 4 door 911 is exactly what I want to hear! Really, I want a 911 but not sure if it would be the right choice i.e. is it the best car for me or just realising a dream? A mate said to me yesterday I should scratch the itch and then move on if necessary. Actually quite wise words. Good luck and enjoy the new car. I went for the Panamera 4! It really does feel like a step up. The 8 series seat also gave me terrible backache, and I had to buy a separate lumbar support. I think the only thing I'll miss is all the tech. My neighbour has a Panamera, and after driving that (Panamera 4 too), I decided to cash the 8 series in and get the Panny. I will contact the dealership and see what they have to say - can't do any harm right? I wonder why, after spending so much money, I feel so timid about exercising my rights.

ilovephiladelphia said: I will contact the dealership and see what they have to say - can't do any harm right? I wonder why, after spending so much money, I feel so timid about exercising my rights. Absolutely. Step one is to get in contact and explain the concern. A reasonable Dealer should go straight into resolution mode. It doesn't cost them much to (in this case) machine polish a scratch out and if required replace centre caps. Logistics is another thing although if they are part of a group that could be easier. Remember, the sales guy won't be aware of these issues as the prep and delivery are done from another team. If you don't get any joy then that is when to start raising the stakes.

Maxus said: ilovephiladelphia said: I will contact the dealership and see what they have to say - can't do any harm right? I wonder why, after spending so much money, I feel so timid about exercising my rights. Absolutely. Step one is to get in contact and explain the concern. A reasonable Dealer should go straight into resolution mode. It doesn't cost them much to (in this case) machine polish a scratch out and if required replace centre caps. Logistics is another thing although if they are part of a group that could be easier. Remember, the sales guy won't be aware of these issues as the prep and delivery are done from another team. If you don't get any joy then that is when to start raising the stakes. +1 They want you to be happy with the car, because in a couple of days they're going to send you the customer satisfaction survey, and they want/need 5 stars. Seize the opportunity Oh, and make sure they put the replacement wheel centres on with the pointy bit of the shield pointing at the valve stems. Now on my second panny, and I have a lovely relationship with the service department of my OPC

Lawyer up and get it sorted . Imagine some evidence of use on a used car . I've only bought one used approved Porsche and the whole experience was less than satisfactory.

Haha I know it's a used car, and I wasn't expecting it to be new! It's just the salesman said they'd make the bodywork immaculate, including the wheels. It's just this, combined with the faff in actually getting the car (waiting a month after paying in full, then spending four hours travelling to the OPC only to be told it wasn't ready, etc), and that there's still coffee stains in the car, is just making me sad, when it should be joyous! All I wanted was what they'd told me over the phone. I'll await their response, and let you know what happens. I just hope they don't make me go all the way down there to sort this stuff out...

randlemarcus said: +1 They want you to be happy with the car, because in a couple of days they're going to send you the customer satisfaction survey, and they want/need 5 stars. Seize the opportunity Oh, and make sure they put the replacement wheel centres on with the pointy bit of the shield pointing at the valve stems. Now on my second panny, and I have a lovely relationship with the service department of my OPC Haha! Yes... that is a very good point. They will be wanting 5 stars, won't they!

Maxus said: Absolutely. Step one is to get in contact and explain the concern. A reasonable Dealer should go straight into resolution mode. It doesn't cost them much to (in this case) machine polish a scratch out and if required replace centre caps. Logistics is another thing although if they are part of a group that could be easier. Remember, the sales guy won't be aware of these issues as the prep and delivery are done from another team. If you don't get any joy then that is when to start raising the stakes. Ah of course, I guess the sales team and the prep/delivery team will all be different, won't they. I've dropped an email to the sales manager, and see what they say.

ilovephiladelphia said: Haha I know it's a used car, and I wasn't expecting it to be new! It's just the salesman said they'd make the bodywork immaculate, including the wheels. It's just this, combined with the faff in actually getting the car (waiting a month after paying in full, then spending four hours travelling to the OPC only to be told it wasn't ready, etc), and that there's still coffee stains in the car, is just making me sad, when it should be joyous! All I wanted was what they'd told me over the phone. I'll await their response, and let you know what happens. I just hope they don't make me go all the way down there to sort this stuff out... Hope you get it all sorted - it does take the shine off the experience .

It may not be new, but it still wasn't cheap and for the premium you pay in getting it from Porsche, I would expect it to look like pretty much like a brand new car. The whole process sounds a bit crap, you would have expected a phone call to tell you it wasn't ready. Letting a customer turn up all excited and then telling they couldn't have it is bloody awful. What kind of business lets its customers down like that?

My first thought was some unexpected soreness around the nether regions. Seriously though, just because it says Porsche over the door have you changed your expectations? If there are things they said they would fix and didn't get back to them, I would have delayed the pickup to avoid getting it delivered. You now have the situation where the dealer is long way away and you're debating if the hassle of the trip is worth it. I wouldn't go quite as far a saying the delay was deliberate but it is working in their favour already.

I’ve just had more or less the same experience buying a 971 Turbo from a high end specialist, 300+ miles from where I live. The car arrived without books, missing a blade key and with one or two very minor bodywork issues, as well as a puncture, and shot front brakes. I caught all of this within the 14 day period, having put in writing all the issues on the day the car arrived. The dealer I used was very keen to help and I was aware that they’d only had the car a day or two before I reserved it, so for whatever reason, they dropped the ball on the prep and ended up paying for everything to be remedied at Porsche West London. OP - you absolutely have to kick up a fuss on this. If you don’t, I suspect it will tarnish your enjoyment of your new car. FWIW, over the years I have bought three AUC cars from Porsche; two Panameras and a recent Cayenne. All three were prepped immaculately (a cynic might say that’s because I was picking them up in person) and the experience was very different from yours. My view is that Porsche dealers have a huge spread, obviously that includes a two year warranty at £2.5k (RRP at least, probably less to them) but my understanding is that they use this spread to correct paint, perhaps even respray the front bonnet for example. So, it sounds like they’ve dropped the ball on this one. Don’t let the distance put you off, you’ll really regret it. Edited to add: re: the interior, one would expect some wear and tear on a 3 year old car, particularly one that’s likely to get plenty of use. So minor marks on seats etc are to be expected. Coffee stains though? That’s not acceptable in my view. The outside should be pretty much pristine, all that should be part of the prep. Edited by Mosdef on Friday 6th August 09:10

supersport said: It may not be new, but it still wasn't cheap and for the premium you pay in getting it from Porsche, I would expect it to look like pretty much like a brand new car. The whole process sounds a bit crap, you would have expected a phone call to tell you it wasn't ready. Letting a customer turn up all excited and then telling they couldn't have it is bloody awful. What kind of business lets its customers down like that? This 100% , I dont want to be horrid but thats a really bad experience , Im assuming that the original collection had been arranged ? , If that had happened to me my boot would have been up the dealer principal's arse to about the level of my knee. they need to resolve this

I had a phone call this morning hinting that they're unwilling to remedy this (because then they'll "make a loss on the car", saying that they "wouldn't have fixed the scratches on the bodywork anyway". What a strange excuse. Bizarrely having played around with the car more, it looks as though they haven't updated the PCM either, with the last owner's details all over it! The key fob has also stopped working (I'm presuming the battery has gone as the second key works ok)! I'm collating all the issues in an email and sending to the OPC. The entire reason I went with Porsche was to avoid this kind of headache...

Mosdef said: I’ve just had more or less the same experience buying a 971 Turbo from a high end specialist, 300+ miles from where I live. The car arrived without books, missing a blade key and with one or two very minor bodywork issues, as well as a puncture, and shot front brakes. I caught all of this within the 14 day period, having put in writing all the issues on the day the car arrived. The dealer I used was very keen to help and I was aware that they’d only had the car a day or two before I reserved it, so for whatever reason, they dropped the ball on the prep and ended up paying for everything to be remedied at Porsche West London. Edited by Mosdef on Friday 6th August 09:10 This happened to me! I think the car was like advertised for 20 minutes before I reserved it (just really wanted the colour). This is probably why they dropped the ball completey. Ughhhhh.

Charlie_1 said: his 100% , I dont want to be horrid but thats a really bad experience , Im assuming that the original collection had been arranged ? , If that had happened to me my boot would have been up the dealer principal's arse to about the level of my knee. they need to resolve this I know I tried to be really nice and understanding about it as well, but instead of the car I ended up paying £199 for a return journey by train...

https://www.porsche.com/uk/approvedused/porscheapp... Includes "Body refinishing to exacting Porsche standards". Doesn't sound like that's what you received (or their exacting standards are low..). I picked up an Approved Used almost 3 yr old Cayenne last October and was very pleased with the condition it was in.

If you were to start making noise about it being a distance sale and mention that you have 14 days to receive a full refund, would that focus their minds a little more in your favour?

If they are diamond cut wheels I would be asking for new ones as a condition of purchase. Refurbs never seem to last longer than 6 months or so if the car is kept outside. After that they start going milky. In my experience with a London OPC all Porsche Approved means is that it’s been checked sufficiently so as to qualify for a warranty. Brakes and tyres are replaced if below a set minimum, but IMO anything else in terms of vehicle condition you should be all over it to ensure you’ve got the quality you expect. I drove a 911 400 miles home a few years ago and it was pulling to the left. Noticeably so. Take nothing for granted, especially if buying from a distance.

le_gazman said: If they are diamond cut wheels I would be asking for new ones as a condition of purchase. Refurbs never seem to last longer than 6 months or so if the car is kept outside. After that they start going milky. In my experience with a London OPC all Porsche Approved means is that it’s been checked sufficiently so as to qualify for a warranty. Brakes and tyres are replaced if below a set minimum, but IMO anything else in terms of vehicle condition you should be all over it to ensure you’ve got the quality you expect. I drove a 911 400 miles home a few years ago and it was pulling to the left. Noticeably so. Take nothing for granted, especially if buying from a distance. And a service will be due in 3 months and 1 day, I got caught out on this and had to shell out £1200 for the service and additional scheduled maintenance not to mention the mess they made of the car in process which took a week in a bodyshop to fix.

If your not happy I would just return it under the distance selling that you mentioned. There must be other choices and if it bugs you now, it probably always will.

One thing I would add is that if your OPC isn’t up to scratch then contact Porsche Customer Care, who are great at holding the dealers responsible. They’ve fixed a lot of issues that the OPC just wouldn’t respond about when I contacted them. Usually when Porsche Customer Care phone them they respond very quickly… I did the same and bought an approved Porsche as I expected a higher standard. Whenever the dealer fell short, Porsche themselves made sure the dealer made it right. This redeemed the ownership experience for me.

Time to name and shame then

Well, it seems to be the season for slightly sub-par used 971 experiences - add me to the list. Got mine in June, distance sale, and have only recently managed to get it back into the supplying dealer to get a list of issues sorted, some of which were obvious from day 1 of my ownership. They are sorting things, but it did take some effort to chivvy them along, which has soured what ought to be a perfect experience from a premium brand. As long as they do indeed sort things out, all will be well. If not... well, I'm glad of the tip to invoke Customer Care. At least I have a 70 reg Panamera to tool around in while things are sorted (rear axle steering - noice!) but it shouldn't have taken so long. Edited by Marshy on Friday 6th August 20:47

Thanks for all the support! These are all really good suggestions, and I don't know why I felt so timid about getting in challenging the way I received the car. I've reached a compromise in that I'll be speaking to my local OPC and getting a quote from them for all the remedial work; if it's below a certain amount the selling OPC have agreed to have it done locally, otherwise they'll transport the car back to get that stuff sorted. This seems reasonable enough to me, and I'm hoping it's smooth sailing from here, and my local OPC agree to do the work in a reasonable timescale! That's actually a really good point about getting in touch with Porsche Customer Care - if I'm not happy I'll drop them a line. I wish I could name and shame, but I think the thread will be modded or banned if I do... but at least they seemed to have seen sense. I quoted the link someone posted about the Approved Pre-owned standards (thank you!!), and they couldn't really argue with that. I'll keep you all updated, and hopefully it'll be a happy ending...

Marshy said: Well, it seems to be the season for slightly sub-par used 971 experiences - add me to the list. Got mine in June, distance sale, and have only recently managed to get it back into the supplying dealer to get a list of issues sorted, some of which were obvious from day 1 of my ownership. They are sorting things, but it did take some effort to chivvy them along, which has soured what ought to be a perfect experience from a premium brand. As long as they do indeed sort things out, all will be well. If not... well, I'm glad of the tip to invoke Customer Care. At least I have a 70 reg Panamera to tool around in while things are sorted (rear axle steering - noice!) but it shouldn't have taken so long. Edited by Marshy on Friday 6th August 20:47 Marshy - did you invoke the Distance Selling regulation threat? Did the selling OPC tell you about the Distance Selling Regs? I was reading on the Motor Ombudsman's website (they are really useless though from previous experience with a BMW as they take months to move through each stage of a complaint, and I mean MONTHS), that if not told about the Distance Regs at point of sale, they can be invoked for up to 12 months...

tomw2000 said: https://www.porsche.com/uk/approvedused/porscheapp... Includes "Body refinishing to exacting Porsche standards". Doesn't sound like that's what you received (or their exacting standards are low..). I picked up an Approved Used almost 3 yr old Cayenne last October and was very pleased with the condition it was in. Thanks Tomw2000 - I quoted this to the OPC; 'exacting standards' can't comprise leaving a cluster of 7, 3-5cm long, past the lacquer scratch marks, or wheel centres that look like a 16 year old teenager's face....

gottans said: And a service will be due in 3 months and 1 day, I got caught out on this and had to shell out £1200 for the service and additional scheduled maintenance not to mention the mess they made of the car in process which took a week in a bodyshop to fix. Argh! How can I find out when the next service is due? I'm trying to register with Porsche Connect, but I still haven't received the V5C, so can't to check out the service intervals.

ilovephiladelphia said: Marshy - did you invoke the Distance Selling regulation threat? Did the selling OPC tell you about the Distance Selling Regs? I was reading on the Motor Ombudsman's website (they are really useless though from previous experience with a BMW as they take months to move through each stage of a complaint, and I mean MONTHS), that if not told about the Distance Regs at point of sale, they can be invoked for up to 12 months... They did tell me about it (I did read all the paperwork before signing it - it was in there), I did threaten them with it at one point, and I think it concentrated their minds. There has been no quibbling about the fact that things should be dealt with, it's just been super slow-moving, and complicated by being done at a distance. The car did come with a fresh service, two new tyres, and was cosmetically bang on, so there's that, I suppose!

ilovephiladelphia said: gottans said: And a service will be due in 3 months and 1 day, I got caught out on this and had to shell out £1200 for the service and additional scheduled maintenance not to mention the mess they made of the car in process which took a week in a bodyshop to fix. Argh! How can I find out when the next service is due? I'm trying to register with Porsche Connect, but I still haven't received the V5C, so can't to check out the service intervals. If you go into car settings, there is a section in there showing service history. My recollection is that under the AUC program, a buyer shouldn’t have to do any real maintenance for 6 months. In fact, this is exactly what happened with our Cayenne - the service interval came on 4 months after purchase and Porsche carried it out for free.

When you finally get the V5, note that Porsche Connect will generate a code that you give to the OPC. In theory, there's a fee for them popping that code into the car via PIWIS, but if it happened to be there for something else... Also note that the trial period is ridiculously short - thanks Vodafone.

https://www.porsche.com/usa/accessoriesandservices... A good resource for finding your way around the car.

ilovephiladelphia said: Thanks for all the support! These are all really good suggestions, and I don't know why I felt so timid about getting in challenging the way I received the car. I've reached a compromise in that I'll be speaking to my local OPC and getting a quote from them for all the remedial work; if it's below a certain amount the selling OPC have agreed to have it done locally, otherwise they'll transport the car back to get that stuff sorted. This seems reasonable enough to me, and I'm hoping it's smooth sailing from here, and my local OPC agree to do the work in a reasonable timescale! That's actually a really good point about getting in touch with Porsche Customer Care - if I'm not happy I'll drop them a line. I wish I could name and shame, but I think the thread will be modded or banned if I do... but at least they seemed to have seen sense. I quoted the link someone posted about the Approved Pre-owned standards (thank you!!), and they couldn't really argue with that. I'll keep you all updated, and hopefully it'll be a happy ending... Good im glad its working out you

Dear All, Just for the update incase anyone is interested/finds this interesting/finds this thread of help when purchasing an Approved Used Porsche. So in summary the main issues with the car upon delivery were: 1/ PCM not wiped with handover, with firmware not updated 2/ cluster of seven scratches on a door panel which "catch on the fingernail" 3/ battered wheel centres 4/ intermittently working key fob Separate to this, I travelled four hours to collect the car only to be told it wasn't ready for handover, and had a long and expensive journey back home without it. The selling OPC initially agreed to get the work done local to me, as I live four hours away. The local OPC gave a quote to remedy the above, but the vending OPC feels the quote is too much, and cannot afford to recover the car and remedy the above. I'm disappointed as this is not what I expected from an AUP, but I do understand this is a used car - but the salesperson did say "It will be like a brand new car." I presume points 1 and 4 I could probably solve myself by reading a few guides online for the PCM and changing the key fob battery? Any advice would help regarding this. The vending OPC is agreeing to a sum of £300 and new wheel centres to compensate, in lieu of recovering the car. A Porsche Approved Body Shop is quoting £800+VAT to fix the scratches, and £180 for new wheel centres. I don't want to be an anal a hole (I understand this is a used car), but at the same time I don't want to let the vending OPC get away with less than stellar service. I did spend ages hunting for the car, so am loathe to return it under distance selling guidelines as that also means I'm left carless. I'm proposing £500 and new wheel centre caps as a compromise, but I feel uncomfortable doing this as I feel I should make a precedent for them so they don't pull this kind of nonsense with anyone else. What would the sage heads on PH do?

I would go back to them (dealer principle, sales manager and porsche customer care UK) with the proposal below (in an email, no over the phone) You return the car to them and they provide you another porker as a loan. They fix all four issues and then they can drve your car back to you and take back the loan car. Thus they manage the costs and you are only iinconvenienced for one day. Give them one working day to respond and advise them this is a fair and acceptable resolution you are willing to accept (assume you do). Else you will will reject the car. Politely explain you have wasted many hours on this already and you Porscehe experience has fallen well short of that expected.

ilovephiladelphia said: Dear All, Just for the update incase anyone is interested/finds this interesting/finds this thread of help when purchasing an Approved Used Porsche. So in summary the main issues with the car upon delivery were: 1/ PCM not wiped with handover, with firmware not updated 2/ cluster of seven scratches on a door panel which "catch on the fingernail" 3/ battered wheel centres 4/ intermittently working key fob Separate to this, I travelled four hours to collect the car only to be told it wasn't ready for handover, and had a long and expensive journey back home without it. The selling OPC initially agreed to get the work done local to me, as I live four hours away. The local OPC gave a quote to remedy the above, but the vending OPC feels the quote is too much, and cannot afford to recover the car and remedy the above. I'm disappointed as this is not what I expected from an AUP, but I do understand this is a used car - but the salesperson did say "It will be like a brand new car." I presume points 1 and 4 I could probably solve myself by reading a few guides online for the PCM and changing the key fob battery? Any advice would help regarding this. The vending OPC is agreeing to a sum of £300 and new wheel centres to compensate, in lieu of recovering the car. A Porsche Approved Body Shop is quoting £800+VAT to fix the scratches, and £180 for new wheel centres. I don't want to be an anal a hole (I understand this is a used car), but at the same time I don't want to let the vending OPC get away with less than stellar service. I did spend ages hunting for the car, so am loathe to return it under distance selling guidelines as that also means I'm left carless. I'm proposing £500 and new wheel centre caps as a compromise, but I feel uncomfortable doing this as I feel I should make a precedent for them so they don't pull this kind of nonsense with anyone else. What would the sage heads on PH do? My hope of understanding and reasonableness from the OPC was unfounded. Appalling service from the OPC to resolve issues that another OPC has agreed and quoted for rectification. I would be invoking distance selling regulations with the OPC as well as contacting Porsche GB customer services to relay the story and seek their views. You want the car to be as described which isn't too much to ask. Good luck and keep us informed. ETA - Would it cost more to replace the car today? Danger is the OPC say's yes, no problem. Bring the car to us and you get your money back..........then put it up for £5k more as no stock available. If so, fight for the repair. Edited by Maxus on Thursday 12th August 17:55

ilovephiladelphia said: Dear All, Just for the update incase anyone is interested/finds this interesting/finds this thread of help when purchasing an Approved Used Porsche. So in summary the main issues with the car upon delivery were: 1/ PCM not wiped with handover, with firmware not updated 2/ cluster of seven scratches on a door panel which "catch on the fingernail" 3/ battered wheel centres 4/ intermittently working key fob Separate to this, I travelled four hours to collect the car only to be told it wasn't ready for handover, and had a long and expensive journey back home without it. The selling OPC initially agreed to get the work done local to me, as I live four hours away. The local OPC gave a quote to remedy the above, but the vending OPC feels the quote is too much, and cannot afford to recover the car and remedy the above. I'm disappointed as this is not what I expected from an AUP, but I do understand this is a used car - but the salesperson did say "It will be like a brand new car." I presume points 1 and 4 I could probably solve myself by reading a few guides online for the PCM and changing the key fob battery? Any advice would help regarding this. The vending OPC is agreeing to a sum of £300 and new wheel centres to compensate, in lieu of recovering the car. A Porsche Approved Body Shop is quoting £800+VAT to fix the scratches, and £180 for new wheel centres. I don't want to be an anal a hole (I understand this is a used car), but at the same time I don't want to let the vending OPC get away with less than stellar service. I did spend ages hunting for the car, so am loathe to return it under distance selling guidelines as that also means I'm left carless. I'm proposing £500 and new wheel centre caps as a compromise, but I feel uncomfortable doing this as I feel I should make a precedent for them so they don't pull this kind of nonsense with anyone else. What would the sage heads on PH do? Well this is me being me , but you have tried being reasonable and it doesnt seem to have worked , and their offer is rubbish , I would be saying that I will bringing car back and will be expecting to deal with dealer principal and if I cant get satisfaction I will be rejecting it I understand that you are keen on the car but once again if this was me it would eat away from my enjoyment of the car Im sorry your experience has been so bad buying a car is supposed to to be a good thing not give you grief

Charlie_1 said: ell this is me being me , but you have tried being reasonable and it doesnt seem to have worked , and their offer is rubbish , I would be saying that I will bringing car back and will be expecting to deal with dealer principal and if I cant get satisfaction I will be rejecting it I understand that you are keen on the car but once again if this was me it would eat away from my enjoyment of the car Im sorry your experience has been so bad buying a car is supposed to to be a good thing not give you grief 100% agree. There is no way the car you’ve bought should be in the condition you’ve described. Sticking with it will be a sour experience and they shouldn’t be getting away with that.

I wish you good luck and hope it gets sorted satisfactorily. Sadly I am not surprised at their behaviour, a nice welcome into Porsche ownership!

Reject under distance selling regs. Buying used from an OPC comes at a significant premium so you should expect 5 star treatment. Don’t be fobbed off!

In relation to the PCM Firmware update. Apart from it being reset to wipe previous owner data I do not believe they will update the firmware. That only comes if you buy the latest map update and at the cost to update a Nav system that was out of date even when it went into the car on first production run is just not worth it.

Are used cars selling so quickly that dealers think they can get away without prepping them for sale properly?. Is it easier for the dealer to deal with any complaints when sold. Perhaps some people do not complain

Take the money and wheel centres and move on . I wouldn’t bother with a Porsche approved body shop , get chips away to do it . Too much stress .

ilovephiladelphia said: I don't want to be an anal a hole (I understand this is a used car), but at the same time I don't want to let the vending OPC get away with less than stellar service. For context, my car came delivered (distance sale) with a bunch of small issues: - I've had a couple of "engine control fault" warnings - came and went over a weekend, never seen again, but still concerning - The luggage cover was wrecked - looks like they didn't check it pre sale - One of the 360 degree camera lenses was smashed - The ashtray cover doesn't stay shut - There's something reminicent of warped discs going on under braking (could be anything, but it's there) - couple of other small bits All small in isolation, a bit slipshod in combination. At no point has the OPC prevaricated about getting any of these fixed, but the process was frustratingly long: original proposal was for my local OPC to look at it, but I'm just a random punter to them, so would have had to wait many weeks for a slot with a loan car. So I kicked up a fuss and agreed to take the car back to them, in return for them scaring up a loaner. Hence, I've been in a 70 reg Panamera demonstrator for the last two and a half weeks while they look at mine (and while they source two new alloys due to me whacking an enormous pothole a mile away from the dealer ). In otherwords, there has been zero quibbling about fixing stuff, or about money. It's just taken time. You should expect no different, although I acknowledge distance is more of a factor in your case.

I had a bad experience with a dealer who shall remain nameless in the north a couple of years back, lots of similarities to those the OP describes... I lived 3-4 hours away, dealer didn't want to collect the car or let Reading rectify. I went to Porsche GB with an official complaint, they were *excellent* within a day or so supplying dealer authorised Reading to complete the work, which included painting the drivers door, my advice PUSH HARDER! Items #2, #3 and #4 totally unacceptable. Edited by markda on Friday 13th August 12:41

markda said: I had a bad experience with a dealer who shall remain nameless in the north a couple of years back, lots of similarities to those the OP describes... I lived 3-4 hours away, dealer didn't want to collect the car or let Reading rectify. I went to Porsche GB with an official complaint, they were *excellent* within a day or so supplying dealer authorised Reading to complete the work, which included painting the drivers door, my advice PUSH HARDER! Items #2, #3 and #4 totally unacceptable. Edited by markda on Friday 13th August 12:41 Reading, I will not let them touch my car ever again after the mess they made of it. Never ever again.

I managed to pick our ‘new’ car from an OPC up near Tewkesbury and I must say the experience was rather good! On one visit to check the car, I saw nothing wrong. The next visit, they had two wheels off for a slight refurb that I didn’t think needed doing! It was all about bringing the car up to standard as an AUC !, I couldn’t find a mark on it, inside or outside….. An excellent experience all round but then we pay quite a premium through OPC.?? I would stand my ground if I were you and be very reluctant to compromise at all - certainly not by much anyway. HTH? Ps - on the video they sent me initially as I was away, they even pointed out some marks/slight discolouration on the exhaust tips which ‘would be sorted’ prior to picking up. I think we have had very different experiences and mine is/was what we both expected?

Porsche Perth was excellent with my distance purchase from Isle of Man where a lot of trust is required.Couldn't fault them and they deserve a heads up.

gottans said: Reading, I will not let them touch my car ever again after the mess they made of it. Never ever again. That's a shame, especially from OPC owned by Porsche GB! I have had nothing but fantastic service from them over the years. My only complaint would be their servicing prices do seem to be quite a bit higher (£200+ or on major service) than another OPC within 25-30 mile radius.

markda said: gottans said: Reading, I will not let them touch my car ever again after the mess they made of it. Never ever again. That's a shame, especially from OPC owned by Porsche GB! I have had nothing but fantastic service from them over the years. My only complaint would be their servicing prices do seem to be quite a bit higher (£200+ or on major service) than another OPC within 25-30 mile radius. When things go wrong, the attitude of the dealer is critical, they failed the attitude test big time and I have ended up footing the bill for the repairs. The result of the mess is I will not buy another Porsche.

ilovephiladelphia said: 4/ intermittently working key fob I had this a bit with my 970 facelift 4S. I had to fish the key out from the fob and unlock the door (like a primitive savage, I tell you!). I assumed it was because the car would go to sleep if left for a couple of days. Or maybe the battery in the fob was low. However the issue was genuinely intermittent in that occasionally it would occur one day after using the car, which casts doubt on both theories. Maybe it is a Panamera thing.

Hi everyone! Gosh, this topic is so old now - I can't believe it's been this long, but this matter is finally sorted (and closed). So after posting this, I found another crease in the metalwork of the car (was probably reversed into a lamppost at some stage). It was only really visible when the light shone on it a particular way, but once I saw it, I couldn't unsee it! This really did my nut in as they obviously thought they could just mug the car off to me. I ended up taking it up with Porsche GB... after THREE months they agreed to having it repaired at a Porsche Approved Bodyshop. Five months later the car was booked in. Foolishly I paid for the repairs myself, and agreed that Porsche would reimburse me after (never do this - lesson learned). I paid £1500 for the repair work - with Porsche GB saying they would pay half and the original dealer half. It took Porsche about three further months to pay, and the Dealer needed chasing for another two months after this - it was only when I had to ask to speak to their manager that this finally went somewhere. Anyway, saga closed and if you have similar problems, stick at it! Perseverance pays off.

Great news. Some OPCs are absolute clowns. It’s good to see that your car was eventually prepped to a standard that an OPC purchase should have provided.

andyeds1234 said: Great news. Some OPCs are absolute clowns. It’s good to see that your car was eventually prepped to a standard that an OPC purchase should have provided. This is my point! I always believed that Approved Used from an OPC meant that the car would be ‘like new’ in excellent condition. The whole experience is meant to be just that? Anyway, glad you got sorted OP and touch wood you’re happy with the car now? How is it?

I know you want to keep it private but I don’t want to deal with a dealer or dealer group who have a different ethos when I purchase my next 911 , as new cars are years away and used cars are the future for the next 3 years Any pointers on which region I should avoid ? Glad you got your car sorted , Enjoy it

dibbers006 said: I'm really pleased you've got it all sorted and hope you get many miles of enjoyment out of your car Thank you so much! So far I've done about 10K miles in the car and absolutely love it - some mornings when I'm driving to work, and the crisp seasonal sun abounds, I thank the lord. The cars themselves are so well built, and so good to drive, it's such a shame the dealership experience didn't match up.

andyeds1234 said: Great news. Some OPCs are absolute clowns. It’s good to see that your car was eventually prepped to a standard that an OPC purchase should have provided. Exactly - the OPC assured me that's exactly what I should expect for the OPC premium! After seeing the crease on rear I was absolutely flabbergasted at the disrespect more than anything. I know it's a first world problem, but my only luxury in life genuinely is the car as I work too long to spend it on anything else (bar coffee)! The way OPC kept ignoring my calls further rubbed salt into the wound.

Slaav said: andyeds1234 said: Great news. Some OPCs are absolute clowns. It’s good to see that your car was eventually prepped to a standard that an OPC purchase should have provided. This is my point! I always believed that Approved Used from an OPC meant that the car would be ‘like new’ in excellent condition. The whole experience is meant to be just that? Anyway, glad you got sorted OP and touch wood you’re happy with the car now? How is it? Absolutely wonderful. The Panny really does feel like a stretched 911, and I'm astounded at managing to get 4.8secs 0-60 from a 3L genuine 4-seater. I fitted Porsche roof bars (£180 off eBay), and now the car is probably the most practical thing I've ever owned, that's a joy to drive. The only bummer is the road noise (21" Turbo wheels - anyone have tips on whether higher or lower pressures would help with this?), and the poor microphone pick-up when I'm having a call through CarPlay. The interior itself though still looks brand spanking new, and when the car is washed (as it has been today) it looks like it's just rolled off the factory line now. I'd still have a 911 over the Panamera, but given the practicality boons, and the sacrifices I had to make with the 911, overall I could not recommend the Panamera enough. I may change to a Taycan in the coming year, but given the poor charging network and lead times (as well as massive used prices), I'm sticking with this car for a while.

Porsche991992 said: I know you want to keep it private but I don’t want to deal with a dealer or dealer group who have a different ethos when I purchase my next 911 , as new cars are years away and used cars are the future for the next 3 years Any pointers on which region I should avoid ? Glad you got your car sorted , Enjoy it I very much wish I could say which dealership/group but the post would be modded if I did that. In saying this, I've had issues with two dealerships in a previous ownership so I'd be wary of them all, and perhaps only deal with one where you have developed a relationship with an individual as that voice within the organisation really helps. With my last two Porkers I found one guy who was super lovely, and if it wasn't for COVID, I'd have gone back to him again. Porsche GB do step in fairly quickly however, and I'd advise to use them if there are issues fairly early on!

ilovephiladelphia said: Absolutely wonderful. The Panny really does feel like a stretched 911, and I'm astounded at managing to get 4.8secs 0-60 from a 3L genuine 4-seater. I fitted Porsche roof bars (£180 off eBay), and now the car is probably the most practical thing I've ever owned, that's a joy to drive. The only bummer is the road noise (21" Turbo wheels - anyone have tips on whether higher or lower pressures would help with this?), and the poor microphone pick-up when I'm having a call through CarPlay. The interior itself though still looks brand spanking new, and when the car is washed (as it has been today) it looks like it's just rolled off the factory line now. I'd still have a 911 over the Panamera, but given the practicality boons, and the sacrifices I had to make with the 911, overall I could not recommend the Panamera enough. I may change to a Taycan in the coming year, but given the poor charging network and lead times (as well as massive used prices), I'm sticking with this car for a while. I can hear your smile from here….. Enjoy! We’ve all generally worked pretty hard to be able to indulge ourselves and if you’re anything like sad little (if 123 Kg can ever be little) oil’ me, I had 911 bookends when at school and read Car and Performance car magazines diligently. I popped to Waitrose early last week; we have one if I turn right into town at about 4 miles and if I turn left, another c. 11 miles away. I turned left because of the car Glad you finally got it sorted