Consultation on Buying a Used Panamera

The new Panamera model, which just recently had a minor facelift announced, reminded me of a consultation I once received on the best timing to buy a Panamera. This time, I’d like to share the details of that inquiry along with my husband’s response.

First, here is the inquiry we received(dated late February 2020).

I always enjoy reading your blog. I am currently considering a “2015 model 970 Panamera 3.6 PDK” which is in surprisingly good condition for its age.
・It’s not an Edition model, but it has the sports-related option Sport Chrono (Sport Chrono Package) installed, and no PASM.
・It’s fitted with 18-inch tires.
・Despite its good condition, it’s priced at a miraculous 5 million yen.
・It’s a Porsche Certified Pre-Owned with 35,000 km on the odometer, and the inspection expired this February.
Because of this, I’m struggling to decide without a test drive…
What I’d like to ask is about the quality of the 2015 PDK, the power feel of the 3.6 naturally aspirated engine, the ride comfort (without PASM), and whether it’s usable as a commuter car (my commute in Tokyo is about 20 km round trip). Basically, I want to know if it still “feels like a proper Porsche.”
The dealer mentioned that “the engine might feel a bit sluggish,” “the PDK can feel a bit jerky,” and “it doesn’t have the sharpness of a flat-six engine.”
Of course, I’m prepared for the Panamera’s resale value.
I have experience with five Porsches and currently own a 981 Boxster with a manual transmission, so I have two cars in total. Thank you very much for your advice.

At our home, we were already driving a 971 Panamera at the time of this inquiry, and before that, we had a 970 Panamera Edition, so I asked my husband for his thoughts based on that experience, and here is his reply.

A late 970 in good condition priced in the 5 million yen range is a bargain! Regarding the PDK, I do recall the shift from 1st to 2nd gear wasn’t perfectly smooth, but it didn’t bother me much.
As for the naturally aspirated engine’s power feel, of course the turbo model has smoother initial acceleration, but when I drove the Edition, the power was more than sufficient and I had no complaints. It’s perfectly fine for commuting.
When we switched from the Edition to the 971 Panamera, we often wondered, “The Edition is so well made, can the 971 really surpass it? Seems unlikely.” It was that well-built a Porsche.
However, what concerns me is the lack of PASM. Without PASM, the ride comfort might be a bit lacking (just in comparison). If you want a comfortable daily commuter, I think having PASM is better.
So if it were me, I’d probably wait a little longer until a good-condition Panamera with PASM comes along…

I recall that the Panamera (970) we had was very comfortable to ride in, and the acceleration was natural and smooth, typical of a naturally aspirated engine. My husband initially didn’t have high expectations since it was a base Panamera, but after driving it, he was very satisfied and really liked it.

Even though the latest models have various improvements, with Porsche, whether it’s an older model, a sedan, or an SUV, you can still feel the Porsche essence, which I always find amazing every time I drive one.

So, after sending my husband’s opinion, we received this email from the inquirer a little while later.

I’m really drawn to the truly elegant styling of the 970. I was also concerned about PASM, but given the circumstances, I’ve decided to go with the Panamera! Thank you for giving me the push I needed.

I’m so glad to hear that! It’s been a few months since then, and I hope they’re enjoying their drives in the Panamera.

Curious About the New Panamera

The new Panamera was announced recently, and as usual, my husband has been reading related articles and watching Nürburgring lap videos, but since I haven’t seen him since the baby was born, we haven’t talked about it yet.(Not really worth calling just to talk about it… lol)

So when I get to see him again, I’d like to ask how a long-time Panamera owner like him feels about the new Panamera, and hopefully write an article about that too.

By the way, I’ve written an article about the PASM option before ( Should You Get Porsche’s Popular PASM Option? ), so if you’re curious, please take a look.