The first question when buying a Porsche is usually ‘Which one is right for me?’

We are happy to discuss this with you in person or over the phone if it helps, just contact us; otherwise we hope the advice below helps you narrow down your search.

When buying any modern Porsche a service history from a main dealer or specialist independent is important. These are complicated cars and should only be maintained by a specialist, if a car doesn’t have good history, don’t buy it. Assuming the car has a full history and ideally some receipts showing money spent, look more on the basis of condition than on millage. These cars were built to last if they are looked after correctly they can cover several hundred thousand kilometers. If neglected though even a low millage car can cause problems, so look closely at the car and get a feel for how it has been looked after. Once you have got a prospect that looks promising, get it inspected by a specialist, unless you are very familiar with these cars, an inspection may well turn up some items that you have missed and in most cases the extra money you spend in advance for a check over will in the long term save you money that would have been spent on fixing unexpected faults.

All of the modern Porsches are reliable everyday performance cars offering an exciting driving experience without the quirks associated with the older Porsche sports cars. The Cayenne offers a useful size body and luggage space capability and is the only true five seater, four door vehicle currently offered. Cayman and Boxster both offer a superb handling two seater sports chassis, probably better than the 911 and now have engines to match the chassis performance, the S variants of each model are the best, but all are rewarding to drive. Manual transmissions are the best to enjoy the cars abilities, but in a modern city the Tiptronic S transmission is likely to prove the more popular option.

With the advent of 996 generation in 1998, the 911 became a water cooled, high performance GT car. Many existing Porsche customers bemoaned the loss of the old air cooled 911, but in reality the air cooled engine would not meet European and World emissions targets and a new solution had to be found. The new cars have a modern chassis, suspension, engine and gearbox and for the first time from Porsche, an ergonomically designed interior. The 996 and later 997 generations are available in 2 and 4 wheel drive, narrow and wide body styles, coupe and cabriolet, Turbo, Turbo S, GT2 & GT3 so there is a style to suit everyone. Early 3.4L cars had some engine failures, but only a small number have suffered the problem and most will prove reliable cars. Most models are 2+2 seaters, ideal for a young family or just two adults, don’t try to put four adults in one, it isn’t comfortable! The GT3 in all its forms is the purest drivers car, the Turbos are the most powerful and both transmissions, manual and Tiptronic are good on any model.

The Cayenne

The Cayenne is Porsche’s idea of the ultimate SUV, available in three different types, Cayenne - V6, Cayenne S - V8 and Cayenne Turbo/ Turbo S - V8 Twin Turbo. Available first in 2003 as the Cayenne S and Turbo models and regarded by some as not the best looking vehicle in its class, the Cayenne was released to much hype by Porsche and delivered performance both on and off road to leave the Range Rover and X5 looking somewhat inadequate. As with most Porsches, options on available cars vary widely, but most in the GCC will come with full leather interiors, automatic/ Tiptronic gearboxes, sunroof, parking sensors, full electrics and air suspension. Early cars gained a reputation for brake problems and disappointing reliability but by the 2005 model year most faults had been sorted out by Porsche. V6 offers good value, but was introduced late and can be hard to find second hand; V8S is probably the best model for the majority of buyers, but the Turbo and for 2006 Turbo S offer performance levels that beg to be explored. Face lifted for 2008 model year, the improved looks and performance were very well received with the general public and long waiting lists for the new cars are keeping second hand values high at present.

Released for the 1997 model year as an entry level mid engine Porsche, the Boxster was initially offered as a 2.5L engine, rising to 2.7L in 2000 with the Boxster S 3.2L available in the same year. The new shape arrived in 2004, with the same engine options, all be it with slight performance improvements. Upon release there were some complaints that the Boxster was underpowered for its very capable chassis, but in reality all Boxsters are fun to drive. The mechanical components of these cars are generally reliable, a few early high millage cars have suffered engine and gearbox failures, but only a small number have had problems. Boxsters are prone to oil leaks from underneath, which will require attention from time to time, normally when a new clutch is fitted. The interiors of most GCC Boxsters are high specification and do suffer from wear and tear, they can be expensive to repair if required so a good condition interior is a very desirable and any flaws should be accounted for in the purchase price. As with the interiors, the soft top roof and rear window do suffer in the GCC climate and it is quite common for these to have with been replaced on earlier cars or to need replacing. The older Boxster have now depreciated in price to a level where they are accessible to most second hand car buyers, but not all owners will maintain these cars correctly and as with all Porsches a good service history is a must; if the one you are looking at doesn’t have it, walk away, there will always be others that do.

Released in 2005 as the coupe version of the Boxster, the Cayman has many of the same characteristics as its sibling. It is a superbly well balanced car and in the Cayman S 3.4l form has 295bhp, which makes this a fast road or track car. The Cayman is only limited by Porsches unwillingness to have the baby Porsche outperform its older brother the 911. Many of the aftermarket Porsche tuners are working on engine upgrades for the Cayman as it is a generally held belief that this car’s chassis is able to handle a lot more power than is now offered by the standard engines. Thus far the Cayman has not sold in large numbers compared to other models and so second hand ones do not come up for sale often at present; however as more people find out what a capable performer this car is, numbers sold are sure to increase. Most second hand cars are still under Porsche warranty, so there is little to worry about other than accident damage and neglect.

The perfect everyday GT car, the 996 & the later 997 can be driven hard and fast on road or track and will prove capable and enjoyable or it can be used for the weekly shopping and not prove tiring to drive in traffic. Space is limited both in the front luggage compartment for carrying bags and in the back for anyone larger than a small child, but this car can be driven in comfort for hundreds of kilometers at a time. As with the Boxster, interiors do suffer from wear and tear, worse on the 996, so look closely at these, oil leaks underneath are common and these cars MUST have a good service history, ideally backed up by receipts, not just stamps on the service books. Carrera 2 & 4 are both good cars and are worth similar amounts of money to each other, the cabriolet variants attract a premium over the coupe but look for condition of the soft top as these do wear out in the climate here. Almost all cabriolets were sold in the GCC with a detachable hard top, which is a desirable option for the summer, but can be bulky to store in the cooler months when you want the soft top down. Tiptronic and Manual both good transmissions, Tiptronic is the more popular in the GCC, but manual gives the more pure driving experience. In Turbo form these cars are simply awesome to drive, with power to spare; GT3 is a must for those track day enthusiasts and the GT2 for those who just have to have more power.

The air cooled 911 are the cars school boys around the world dreamt of owning; loud, raw performance cars, made for a time before environmental concerns and noise regulations. They are all based upon the original 911 shape and over the years evolved through the 964 and 993 generations to be ever quicker and sharper handling sports cars. The engines and gearboxes are all generally reliable but prone to oil leaks, the interior was designed by an engineer, not an accountant or an ergonomist so they are bullet proof and functional rather than pretty and practical. The A/C, heating and ventilation systems improved over the years to reach an acceptable level by the 993 generation, but this is a weak point for these cars and they do not cool well in the summer months. Most of the air cooled cars have now reached the bottom of their depreciation curve and many are starting to appreciate in value as they reach classic status.

The 993 (1994 to 1998)

Widely regarded as the ultimate 911, these are the most sought after generation of the 911 and their prices are now rising as they achieve a modern classic status. Available in Carrera 2 & 4, wide body & cabriolet versions as well as the mighty Turbo and track focused RS, they are the most refined of the air cooled 911s and can be used on a near daily basis. The main short coming of these cars for use in the GCC is that their air conditioning systems are not good enough for the high summer temperatures and so these cars are best kept as second cars unless you have covered parking to keep the car cool during the day. As with most Porsches, the 993 is reliable as long as it is well maintained by a knowledgeable specialist, ideally these cars should come with a full service history from a main dealer or independent. However as the youngest 993 is ten years old now, the last five years of history is the most important so if the very early history is missing it may not matter provided the car is in good order now and has been well maintained for the past five years or so. Manual transmission is generally the preferred gearbox for these cars, although Tiptronic is still worth considering if you spend lots of time in traffic.

The last of the classic 911 shape, these models are currently the best value for money 911 on the market, they are now available for the price of an average Japanese saloon. The 964 offers all of the appeal of a classic 911 with good reliability and are nearly usable on an everyday basis, although as with the 993 the A/C is less than perfect for summer temperatures. Early cars suffered from well publicized oil leaks from the cylinder barrels, but most of these will have been fixed by now, the dual mass flywheels also caused early problems. In general the 964 offers a good entry to the 911 family, even by today’s standards it is a fast sports car and the exhaust note from these cars is a delight to listen to. The Turbo version of the 964, known in the factory as the 965 is the last of the large capacity single turbo 911 cars and is becoming very collectable, particularly the 3.6L. If you can find a good 965, now is the time to buy one as they will soon go the way of the 964RS and be too expensive for most buyers. A Turbo driven well is rewarding on a fast road or on the track, however treat a 965 without respect and like the 930 Turbos that came before, it will bite back, often with expensive consequences.

The Carrera 3.2, SC & 930 Turbo

There are not many of these cars in the GCC region anymore, they were imported in relatively small numbers in the first place and many have now been re-exported or sadly scrapped. The Carrera 3.2 from 1984 to 1989 is the best of these cars, with the last three years of production being the ones to seek out as they have the later G50 gearbox. These 911s are most likely to be only usable as second cars as the A/C simply isn’t up to the GCC climate; they have no driver aids at all and are quite involving to drive. The 930 Turbo is an adventure to own, turbo lag followed by 1 bar boost is addictive fun and a skilled driver will be rewarded on the limit. But be warned, many an owner has found themselves heading backwards towards a crash barrier, be careless with this car and it will fight back!