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Porsche Certified Pre-Owned Program Review

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Last updated Dec 20, 2020

To some, Porsche is the epitome of luxury and quality. While that’s an arguable perspective, we can’t deny that Porsches provide a certain level of luxury to their car owners. If you’re a Porsche fan, going for a certified pre-owned vehicle might be an ideal way to get into one. You won’t be paying nearly as much as you would be buying a brand-new Porsche.

However, you should carefully consider the Porsche certified pre-owned program. We’re about to take a look at their warranty, inspection process, and evaluate the perks the program offers.

TLDR; We are far from impressed by the Porsche CPO program. They need to add a powertrain warranty that lasts for at least seven years. They also need to provide more thorough inspections. While their expanded roadside assistance is nice, we think it’d be more beneficial to have a better warranty.

Porsche’s Certified Pre-Owned Warranty Information

To become a Porsche certified pre-owned vehicle, the car must meet the following criteria:

  • 13 years old or newer
  • Fewer than 124,000 miles
  • Passing the 111-point inspection

We’re surprised that Porsche is certifying vehicles that are up to 13 years old. That’s almost double what most automakers will certify. We suppose that means they have confidence in their cars.

What does Porsche’s Certified Pre-Owned Warranty Cover?

Porsche provides a limited warranty for all Porsche certified pre-owned vehicles that covers:

  • Body
  • Comfort electronics
  • Brake system
  • Electrical systems
  • HVAC
  • Suspension and steering
  • Powertrain and transmission
  • Fuel and cooling system
  • Engine

That’s pretty comprehensive. However, to be covered, the issue must stem from a manufacturer defect. If the problem stems from misuse, an accident, neglect, or normal wear and tear, the repairs will not be covered under the CPO warranty.

The complete lack of a powertrain warranty is alarming. While the powertrain is covered in their CPO warranty, we’d prefer to see a separate powertrain warranty that lasts longer than the CPO warranty. This is done by many other automakers, such as Acura.

That exclusion list is relatively standard for CPO warranties. This warranty is intended to protect you from the manufacturer’s defects and not cover you for every issue you have with your vehicle.  

Porsche states explicitly that there is no deductible for warranty repairs, which we love to see. They also specify that specifically trained technicians will do all repairs, and they’ll only use genuine Porsche parts.

How long does Porsche’s Certified Pre-Owned Warranty Last?

The warranty that comes with every Porsche certified pre-owned vehicle will last for two years and unlimited miles. This CPO warranty goes into effect when the new vehicle warranty expires or when the CPO vehicle is purchased if there is no existing new vehicle warranty.

The Porsche CPO warranty lasts for two years with unlimited mileage, but there is not a separate warranty for powertrain coverage that’s included in the two years. This is far below the industry standard for powertrain warranties, which is typically ten years.

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Porsche does not explicitly state that the warranty is transferable, although other websites claim that it is transferable. This is something to clarify before buying a Porsche certified pre-owned vehicle since a transferable warranty will significantly increase your resale value.

Porsche’s Certified Pre-Owned Inspection

Porsche has a modest 111-point inspection. The average for most CPO programs is around 150, so Porsche is well under the industry standard. You can view the complete CPO inspection checklist online, but we’ll cover the main points below:

  • Vehicle documentation, including owner’s manual and maintenance records
  • Lights, switch, and accessories, including the ignition switch and stop lights
  • Exterior, including axle joints and wheel locks
  • Tires/brakes, including tread depth and brake pad wear
  • Engine compartment, including alternator function and A/C compressor
  • Fluids, including engine oil and transmission oil
  • Interior, including sun visors and roof lining
  • Test drive, including cold start characteristics and clutch play

We’re surprised to see such a light inspection for Porsche, a brand known for quality. Perhaps their inspection is more thorough than the number of inspection points leads us to believe? Or maybe they aren’t that invested in their certified pre-owned program? It seems like having more inspection points is a great way to ease a customer’s worries about buying a CPO vehicle.

Other Porsche Certified Pre-Owned Perks

Porsche provides 24-hour roadside assistance for two years after buying a Porsche certified pre-owned vehicle. Porsche provides more robust roadside assistance than most automakers. It includes:

  • Battery jump-start services
  • Flat tire service
  • Emergency fuel delivery
  • Lockout services
  • Replacement keys
  • Winch services

Porsche also provides trip interruption benefits if your vehicle breaks down due to warrantied issues more than 100 miles from your home. This coverage includes reimbursement for meals, lodging, car rentals, and alternate transportation. They do not specify a dollar limitation with this coverage.  

We’re surprised to see that these are the only perks offered by Porsche. Most manufacturers have an entire list of perks, while Porsche only offers two bonuses. One of the main perks we’d like to see them add is rental car coverage for warrantied issues. Having to cover your rental when the problem is due to a manufacturer’s defect does not sit well with us.

Overall, we’re not impressed by Porsche’s certified pre-owned program. The warranty is not nearly long enough. They should either extend it or create a separate warranty that covers the powertrain. Another concern is their inspection. They aren’t inspecting as many points as most other automakers. We recommend getting a pre-purchase inspection for any Porsche certified pre-owned vehicle.

If you’re set on getting a Porsche, going certified pre-owned is an excellent way to go. However, if you’re looking for a reliable CPO vehicle, there are other programs with a better offering.

1 Comment

  1. Victor Nguyen

    While you may not be impressed with the Porsche CPO warranty, I find it a lot better than Mercedes and BWM’s. One of the common things that usually goes bad by the time or mileage of the original warranty expires is the suspension and steering. BMW and MBZ do not cover that in their CPO warranties. Since these cars are often riding on air suspensions, the cost of repairing them is often astronomical. As a result, the manufacturers tend to stay away. I’ve paid roughly 1K for a leak in one of my front control arms of the 750i. That’s just an arm, not the entire suspension.

    I’m currently looking at a CPO Panamera 4S or a Turbo when my BMW CPO warranty runs out in a few months. And Porsche CPO seems like a good deal compared with the other 2. As for the longer powertrain warranty that you’re complaining about, I’m not so sure if that would be such a big deal. After all, the majority of those who buy these cars don’t usually keep them that long. When the new car and the CPO warranties run out, it’s time to dump them.

    Reply

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