Buying from a Porsche Specialist - Page 2 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202501248... I am on my way this morning to view this GT4 in Slough and as I have never purchased from a Specialist or indeed bought a GT4 before I thought I would ask some questions . The Car itself is being sold on behalf of the Owner who comes from Northamptonshire , its a three owner vehicle and has apparently outstanding finance . The first Owner is unknown , the second apparently was a Collector and the current one has owned the car just over a year and has done around a 1000 miles in her . Given the location and date of the one and only Service , I assume this was carried out by the Specialist rather than the Owner though I may be totally wrong on this ? Its certainly a distance to travel from Northamptonshire and then back to the Specialists premises . I suspect its been serviced at the instigation of Ashgood and then spent the intervening week or so being fettled for sale before being uploaded for sale yesterday .I wonder if anyone has any thoughts or perhaps even recognises the car ? I follow the Forum on a daily basis and I know from past experience on here that some of your thoughts and experiences can often prove invaluable to someone like myself contemplating purchasing one of these cars . Thanks in advance for any advice .

Morning. Looking at the description, the car was serviced 12 days ago at Porsche Brooklands so no issues with service history. The next service will be due in Jan 2027 which will be the major. Factor between £1500-£2000 for that depending on where you are. I'd also look at buying the Porsche extended warranty when the time comes. It's around £1800 for 3 years but if the PADM goes they are around £1200 each to replace so it may well pay for itself if one goes. Key thing is to drive it. If you find the ride too harsh, then look at the GTS 4.0. Same engine and gearbox and its only 20hp down on the GT4 due to a software map but obviously isn't a GT4. I think you'll get a couple of grand off. I'd probably offer £5k under and negotiate from there. At 2k miles I wouldn't have thought anything would be wrong. Good luck.

Is it still under Porsche new car warranty at that age? If not I’d make the purchase conditional on a 111 check being done by Porsche.

New cars come with 3 years warranty, so that will be end Mar '27 as stated. Car is being sold SOR so no issue with it being transferred over to new owner.

This^^ one thing to do is buy the extended warranty whilst the car is still under the manufacturer's warranty. It's then classed as an extension rather than a stand alone warranty and makes a difference slightly in price. You also don't need the 111 point check if you go for the former.

scrounger73 said: Morning. Looking at the description, the car was serviced 12 days ago at Porsche Brooklands so no issues with service history. The next service will be due in Jan 2027 which will be the major. Factor between £1500-£2000 for that depending on where you are. I'd also look at buying the Porsche extended warranty when the time comes. It's around £1800 for 3 years but if the PADM goes they are around £1200 each to replace so it may well pay for itself if one goes. Key thing is to drive it. If you find the ride too harsh, then look at the GTS 4.0. Same engine and gearbox and its only 20hp down on the GT4 due to a software map but obviously isn't a GT4. I think you'll get a couple of grand off. I'd probably offer £5k under and negotiate from there. At 2k miles I wouldn't have thought anything would be wrong. Good luck. Thanks Scrounger , I’ve already got a 4.0 GTS of the same age and it’s a great machine which possibly accounts for some of my reticence regarding the GT4 .. I shall take your advice . Thanks

Funnily enough I bought a guards red 718 GT4 from a specialist (RPM Techniq) last year. They’re a good outfit and I had an existing relationship with them after selling my 981 GT4 via them a year before. Not the same group selling your car I know but the idea of a specialist isn’t a concern. Some have better reputations than Porsche official dealers. It was still under Porsche Warranty for 6 months and only 6k miles so had no concerns whatsoever.

reddiesel said: Thanks Scrounger , I’ve already got a 4.0 GTS of the same age and it’s a great machine which possibly accounts for some of my reticence regarding the GT4 ... My wife was of the opinion that I coudn't need my old 981 GT4 once I'd got a 4.0 GTS. She was wrong, I definitely did. I know it's a luxury, but they are sufficiently different that it's good to have both. Not sure which I'd go for if there could only be one. Even trickier with the 718 GT4. Both great, but different enough that it matters. 981 GT4 went not long after I got a GT4 RS last year, and that really isn't an ideal "daily" in the same way as the 4.0 GTS. So I have even more excuse. [Somehow when I picked up an old Yeti 4x4 for the farm track we ae living up for a few months, she wondered which of the Porsches I'm going to sell. Not happening!]

LiamH66 said: My wife was of the opinion that I coudn't need my old 981 GT4 once I'd got a 4.0 GTS. She was wrong, I definitely did. I know it's a luxury, but they are sufficiently different that it's good to have both. Not sure which I'd go for if there could only be one. Even trickier with the 718 GT4. Both great, but different enough that it matters. 981 GT4 went not long after I got a GT4 RS last year, and that really isn't an ideal "daily" in the same way as the 4.0 GTS. So I have even more excuse. [Somehow when I picked up an old Yeti 4x4 for the farm track we ae living up for a few months, she wondered which of the Porsches I'm going to sell. Not happening!] The life some of you blokes live lol . I had a run in the GT4 RS last week and fine machine it was too . I had only the one reservation and that was the rear wing . At 61 I felt 40 years too old for it .

Lovely guys and setup at Ashgood, let us know your feedback They actually put me off buying a GT4/3 whilst I had my 4.0 GTS on order, no hard selling just honest feedback

Be reassured. There is a core group of excellent specialists; 911 Virgin, RPM, JZM (I think!) and Ashgood. There may be others but the above I’d buy from, based on previous experience. RPM are so good, I’d buy from them unseen.

GT cars are made for track use..

2k miles on a set of tyres?? That's been very well used. Bought my car 4 years ago with new Cup 2s on, 15k miles later they are still very legal and it's done a few track days in that period as well.

reddiesel said: Well I got down to Ashgood as arranged though my visit threw up some issues and to be honest I was disappointed . First the visuals . For a car thats done 2000 miles the tyres are pretty much gone . Secondly the preparation of the car left a lot to be desired with large areas of polish that hadn't been buffed and the wheels weren't much better . That said there was no damage to the body or the wheels . The windscreen was well chipped with a large gouge out of the top edge where it meets the roof . How this was achieved I couldn't even guess . Expel PPF covers the front of the car and extends up to about an 1/8 of the roof . The interior was in great order as you would expect from a car with such low mileage . The Front Bumper appears to have never had a number plate affixed . Is this common and how does it happen ? I suppose the first buyer perhaps says he doesn't want it fitted ? Equally it may not be the original . There was one staff member there who was dealing with several others but eventually after throwing me the keys we fell into a short discussion . Again I inquired about the cars history and to my amazement was told a completely different story than that I had gotten from his colleague yesterday . This time Ashgood had previously sold the car to its current owner whereas yesterday the current owner had gotten it from a collector . I then asked the salesman where Ashgood had gotten it and incredibly he still couldn't tell me . The Salesman suggested that his colleague had simply gotten it wrong which is perfectly acceptable . I then pointed out that he must have gotten it wrong twice as when I called him back a second time yesterday he told me that he was just off the phone to the owner and the owner had told him he had gotten it off a collector . It was also subject to finance . Although I have the registration number YN23XMY I haven't as yet checked this out . Its my belief on account of the tyres that this car has had a hard life then a service stuck on her prior to sale . PPF can hide a multitude of sins and the car also could have had a new bumper . My suspicions are heightened by Ashgoods problems in telling the same story twice regarding the vehicles history and so I told them the car wasn't for me . I did have high hopes but I am enjoying the search . Provenance is all for me when it comes to these Cars . Too many who can afford the lease payments have hammered these cars at various trackdays before handing them back into the Dealership network . Several OPC Dealerships when I have spoken to them have acknowledged this can be an issue for the used buyer so I shall keep on looking . Do you know the VIN? I could have a look on the Porsche database and see if it flags anything up.

I was about to photograph the Tag in the Window when he walked out but to be honest by that time my mind was made up . It was one of those occasions I think when a bit of honesty would have secured a sale because I was there to buy . I was telling my old Aston mate about it earlier over a coffee and I think I did the right thing in walking . Matt Johnson has a nice one up in Barrow in Furness which though a year older and not my favourite colour has good provenance though personally I prefer an OPC . It can also go wrong there too but on reflection I still think they have the best of them .

Looks to have been sold.

I wonder about that .

Well I got down to Ashgood as arranged though my visit threw up some issues and to be honest I was disappointed . First the visuals . For a car thats done 2000 miles the tyres are pretty much gone . Secondly the preparation of the car left a lot to be desired with large areas of polish that hadn't been buffed and the wheels weren't much better . That said there was no damage to the body or the wheels . The windscreen was well chipped with a large gouge out of the top edge where it meets the roof . How this was achieved I couldn't even guess . Expel PPF covers the front of the car and extends up to about an 1/8 of the roof . The interior was in great order as you would expect from a car with such low mileage . The Front Bumper appears to have never had a number plate affixed . Is this common and how does it happen ? I suppose the first buyer perhaps says he doesn't want it fitted ? Equally it may not be the original . There was one staff member there who was dealing with several others but eventually after throwing me the keys we fell into a short discussion . Again I inquired about the cars history and to my amazement was told a completely different story than that I had gotten from his colleague yesterday . This time Ashgood had previously sold the car to its current owner whereas yesterday the current owner had gotten it from a collector and then consigned the car to Ashgood for sale . Naturally I then asked the Salesman where Ashgood had gotten it and he couldn't tell me . The Salesman suggested that his colleague had simply gotten it wrong which is perfectly acceptable . I then pointed out that he must have gotten it wrong twice as when I called him back a second time yesterday he told me that he was just off the phone to the owner and the owner had told him he had gotten it off a collector . It was also subject to finance . Although I have the registration number YN23XMY I haven't as yet checked this out . Its my belief on account of the tyres that this car has had a hard life then a service stuck on her prior to sale . PPF can hide a multitude of sins and the car also could have had a new bumper . My suspicions are heightened by Ashgoods problems in telling the same story twice regarding the vehicles history and so I told them the car wasn't for me . I did have high hopes but I am enjoying the search . Provenance is all for me when it comes to these Cars . Too many who can afford the lease payments have hammered these cars at various trackdays before handing them back into the Dealership network . Several OPC Dealerships when I have spoken to them have acknowledged this can be an issue for the used buyer so I shall keep on looking . Edited by reddiesel on Saturday 25th January 21:06

reddiesel said: The Front Bumper appears to have never had a number plate affixed . Is this common and how does it happen ? I specifically instructed my supplying OPC not to drill my front bumper when the car arrived with them. For 2 reasons: 1. It made the PPF much easier to install, and it eliminated the risk of the PFF lifting/bubbling around/under the drill-holes. 2. Looks way better without a front plate.

kmpowell said: I specifically instructed my supplying OPC not to drill my front bumper when the car arrived with them. For 2 reasons: 1. It made the PPF much easier to install, and it eliminated the risk of the PFF lifting/bubbling around/under the drill-holes. 2. Looks way better without a front plate. Completely agree with you

Just buy a Vinyl number plate. Easy to fit just take your time doing so.

Interesting comments on this car. It was sold on consignment, and the previous owner was a collector. Yes, it had been tracked before my ownership — and rightly so, because that’s exactly what the car was engineered for. Some people prefer to keep their cars as garage ornaments, and that’s their choice, but this GT4 was never abused or mistreated. That’s not how I drive, and during my ownership it was properly cared for and pampered. Ashgood are a highly respected specialist, and the car went to an excellent home. The buyer even traded in a previous‑generation GT4 for it, which says a lot about the confidence and enthusiasm they had for this particular example.

Wow! That's some thread resurrection

BefriaCars said: Interesting comments on this car. It was sold on consignment, and the previous owner was a collector. Yes, it had been tracked before my ownership and rightly so, because that s exactly what the car was engineered for. Some people prefer to keep their cars as garage ornaments, and that s their choice, but this GT4 was never abused or mistreated. That s not how I drive, and during my ownership it was properly cared for and pampered. Ashgood are a highly respected specialist, and the car went to an excellent home. The buyer even traded in a previous?generation GT4 for it, which says a lot about the confidence and enthusiasm they had for this particular example. I have to say my experience of Ashgood’s warranty wasn’t entirely satisfactory!