Purchased a Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS (991 Early Model)

It had been almost half a year since I parted ways with my GT3 Touring Package. Recently, I had been thinking that if I were to buy a Porsche, it would be either a base 718 Cayman or an early 991, so I focused my watch there. Then, a 2015 model year 991.1 (early 991) Carrera 4 GTS with 32,000 km appeared on Car Sensor.

Agate Grey Metallic

The rare 5-lug wheel setup on a GTS.

A rare 2-seater configuration with rear seats removed. It even has GTS logo embroidery like the GT3.

Looking closely at the specs, the balance between year and mileage was good. And instead of the overwhelmingly common standard center lock wheels on the GTS, this one deliberately has 5-lug wheels. The color is Agate Grey Metallic, which is also used as the image color for the new 992 GT3 Touring and has recently been gaining appreciation.

Furthermore, it has a red-stitched GTS interior package and is a 2-seater with rear seats removed, giving it a vibe similar to a GT3. This is a specification that only a seasoned Porsche enthusiast would order. Especially since I ideally wanted a GTS without center locks, this was a rare find I absolutely wanted to buy.

Act Fast When You Find the Used Car You Want

Falling for that sense of style, I called the dealership the next morning. I told them I’d come see the car in the afternoon and sped from Kansai to Nagoya in my Cayenne. Speed is key when buying a used car. And since rare specs like this hardly come around, I acted immediately.

Basically, if a car is listed in the evening or at night, call first thing the next morning as soon as the dealership opens to reserve a viewing. Then go see the car as soon as possible. Meeting a used car is a once-in-a-lifetime encounter. No matter how far the dealer is or how busy you are, if you really want it, you should make the effort to go. Also, if the car is highly sought after, you can use the bold tactic of calling to express your intent to buy right away.

When I bought a Nissan Note e-Power NISMO S, someone else had come before me to see it. They said they would think it over and decide later, but their decision was slow.

So, because I said I would buy immediately on the spot, I ended up getting the car.

To decide quickly on the spot, it’s important to have clear criteria for what’s acceptable for immediate purchase and what’s a deal-breaker before you visit the dealer.

What I Look for in a Used Car

I’m not an automotive professional or industry insider, so I can’t do appraisals or inspections. So I focus on one thing: I look for signs that the previous owner treated the car with love and respect rather than just whether it’s clean.

When I arrive at the dealership and check the car, the first thing I look at is the tires.

The wear, roughness, and melting of the tires tell me a lot about how the car was driven. Also, whether it has Porsche-approved N-certified tires is important, as it suggests the car was maintained at a dealer and makes it easier to get extended warranty later.

As soon as I see the car, I turn on my smartphone light and start checking the tires, which made the sales guy a bit wary, but I ignored that and started checking underneath the car (laughs).

The tires on this car were still quite new. It was clear the car was driven very carefully. The rubber wasn’t melted or roughened and was in good condition. There was no uneven wear on any of the four wheels, all wore evenly.

The exterior condition is less important to me; small scratches or stone chips don’t bother me much. Those can be fixed with paint if you care, and cars inevitably get scratched when driven.

I focus more on the interior. The interior doesn’t lie. When I bought my 964, the interior’s condition was the final deciding factor. Interior damage or seat condition is often harder to repair than exterior, and dealers can’t hide interior flaws with wax like they do with the exterior.

The interior reveals a lot about how the previous owner used and treated the car.

First, the smell. No artificial fragrances, pets, or cigarette odors. I personally want to enjoy the natural Porsche scent rather than a car that has lost it.

Porsches have a distinctive smell from the air-cooled era, and even after switching to water-cooled engines, each model has its own scent. Also, whether the interior is leather or Alcantara makes a subtle difference, but there’s a common Porsche scent that sets them apart from other brands.

I especially check the wear on the outer side bolster of the driver’s seat. If this area is badly worn or cracked, it suggests the owner lacked respect when getting in and out of the car, which is a big minus for me.

This car passed with flying colors and was even cleaner than my Boxster GTS.

Next, I check small scratches on the center console and buttons. Keys or small items placed here often cause scratches. Female owners sometimes wear down button markings with their nails. I checked carefully and found no issues.

Also, many 991 and 981 models that have been parked in the sun a lot have door trims that peel off, so I checked that carefully too. Cup holder operation was also tested and passed.

I checked the suppleness, softness, and moisture of the leather seats and whether the steering wheel wear matched the mileage. The steering wheel was Alcantara but still had good nap and was in great shape.

The only thing that bothered me was the leather dashboard had marks from a smartphone holder and radar detector installation. The radar detector seemed removable without issue, but there was a faint double-sided tape mark in one spot that concerned me. That was the only real deduction. (I plan to have it repaired by an interior specialist later.)

Also, there were urethane protectors on the door edges and front and rear bumper undersides to prevent scrapes, which I asked to have removed before delivery.

Personally, I don’t need these, but the fact they were there shows the previous owner treated this car very carefully. I felt their love and respect for the car in these details, which was another high point.

Checking underneath, the muffler had a nice even golden fox tint, showing it wasn’t just short trips but was driven enough to get properly warmed up, which is another plus.

I couldn’t test drive this time, so finally I started the engine, waited for water and oil temperature to rise, then revved it a bit. I checked the engine response and sound (especially for any abnormal noises). Despite being overwhelmed by the amazing GTS sound, I stayed calm and judged it passed.

Then I asked about maintenance history and the car’s general background, negotiated details and price with the dealer. I requested Hi-Moist coat body coating and pre-delivery inspection including oil and battery replacement at a nearby Porsche Center, which they agreed to, so I decided to buy.

In the next article, I’ll share the delivery day and my first impressions.