Many of us have bought a car at some point in our lifetime. In fact, car ownership statistics show that over two hundred and sixty million vehicles are registered in the United States, but less than .2% reported driving a Porsche as their primary vehicle. It is not much of a mystery behind that statistic; Porsches are not inexpensive vehicles to purchase or maintain. However, you do not have to be part of the 1% to be part of the Porsche family. So, if you are ready to take the plunge and buy your very first Porsche, how do you begin to determine which model, options, and year is right for you?

Narrowing Down Your Choices

There are more Porsche models than ever to choose from, leaving something for everyone’s style and budget. Porsche models vary wildly between vintage and modern styles with over 50 years of production. Something like a 1963 Type 901 model has that classic vintage look with old school metal bumpers and round chrome-plated exterior mirrors. While the modern 718 Boxster model has a sleek curved body style with sports seats and interior carbon fiber. Narrowing the choices begins with determining your budget, which will immediately decide whether you can afford a brand-new Porsche or an older one.

The cheapest of one on the market is the Macan model, which starts just over $50,000 and is strictly the base model. It is also worth noting that if you cannot afford the payment of a base model, you ought to consider what the annual maintenance and repair costs are. The average Porsche repair cost per year is around $1,200, and the average insurance costs of Porsches, in general, are north of $2,400 per year. These are, of course, averages and actual costs will depend on your credit, driving records, and other deciding factors.

Reliability Considerations

Repairs may be costlier than your average vehicle, but Porsches are rated as the most reliable vehicles in the world. In fact, in 2017, the J.D. Dependability Study dubbed Porsche as one of the most credible luxury vehicle manufacturers in the world and was given a 5 out of 5-star rating for overall dependability. So even if maintenance is a valid concern, you can expect to have minimal exposure to that.

What To Watch Out For

Being the high end, immensely sought-after luxury vehicles that they are, you must watch out for the negative aspects when purchasing used. The practice of “washing of titles” in this context, is when someone buys a Porsche at auction deemed totaled by an insurance company, repairing it, then run the title through a neighboring state so that the “salvage” title is washed away completely. The danger here is that you are buying a car that has been totaled, but fixed up enough such that you would never know it. The bottom line is to make sure that it is Porsche Approved Certified before purchasing.

Conclusion

It may be intimidating as a first-time Porsche buyer, but one thing is certain, you can trust the name. Porsche has been awarded the best luxury brand for outstanding performance and consistency for seven years in a row by Kelley Blue Book. If you are ready to invest in your own, then just make sure you take the proper time to shop around, find one that you love and can afford, and only purchase from a respected dealership.