Why Porsche Approved is the smartest way to buy a pre-owned Porsche

Buying a luxury performance car can be a thrilling yet stressful experience, especially if you don’t know how the particular car you’ve had your eye on has been treated previously and you’re not entirely sure what you should be looking out for.

That’s especially true if the car you’re looking at is a Porsche, a brand known for its meticulous attention to detail and high performance.

But what if you could get a factory-backed guarantee – a used car tick of approval, if you like – that removed the uncertainty of buying a pre-owned car?

That’s the peace of mind that Porsche Approved promises.

The Porsche Approved process starts with delving into the history of the car, including how it has been maintained.

If the car was previously attended to outside the Porsche network at any time during its life, then a major service is carried out. It’s all about ensuring all fluids and functions are as they were when the car left the factory floor.

Porsche technicians also perform detailed diagnostics using the latest analysis tools. It includes analysing the car’s electronic control unit (its main computer) and checking if it has logged any fault codes for previous issues.

Whereas some workshops may simply clear those fault warnings, Porsche works through them to get to the root of the problem, ensuring there isn’t potentially another issue bubbling away.

And technicians ensure the car is running at its peak.

“When we put all of our vehicles through that very exacting testing process, we’re able to source the latest software updates,” explains Tony White, the Pre-Owned Vehicle Sales Manager at Porsche Centre Melbourne.

“Even if the car is a few years old, there still might be an update for it. With Porsche Approved there are no question marks – you’re getting the very, very best.”

Porsche Approved includes a 111-point check that covers off everything about the car, from the engine and transmission to the lights and operation of the glovebox.

From the all-electric Taycan or race-honed 911 GT3 to the Macan and Cayenne SUVs, every Porsche undergoes the same comprehensive inspection.

It goes way beyond a check of the oil and a look over the body and incorporates everything from a close-up inspection of the glass glazing and test of the anti-lock braking system to a check of the cruise control, audio system, ventilation, and heated steering wheel – as well as a check of every button and dial throughout the car. Things that may easily be overlooked by even the most ardent aficionado – such as the operation of the forward-facing radar system for the autonomous emergency braking – also undergo extensive scrutiny utilising factory diagnostics.

Tyres come in for particular attention on a pre-owned Porsche – and the Porsche Approved process goes way beyond legal requirements.

As well as a check that the tyres meet the factory-defined load and speed limits, technicians also check the age of the rubber. If the tyres are too old they are replaced with a fresh set of factory-approved hoops.

White says it’s about making a used car feel as though it’s just rolled off the factory floor, albeit without the new car smell.

“We have to push the narrative when it comes to presenting the car as close to a new car as possible,” he says, adding that even the tiniest details are checked and corrected to ensure the would-be buyer is looking at a pre-loved car that is as close to perfect as possible.

“I don’t think there’d be much worse than parting with a significant amount of money and it’s all beautiful but the mirror on the sunvisor is cracked.”

It’s a good point. A Porsche is the sort of car you expect to be perfect.

The Porsche Approved process even includes an inspection of accessories and any parts or extras, even if they’re from aftermarket suppliers.

While they may be to the highest aftermarket standard, that’s not always good enough for Porsche, which ensures only original componentry is used. If it needs to be changed, it’ll be done during the inspection.

And, of course, it goes without saying that any repairs or corrections are done using original Porsche factory components.

“We absolutely 100 per cent use nothing but genuine Porsche parts,” says White emphatically. “It’s quality of execution, we know what we’re dealing with, the manufacturing standards are to a very tight tolerance.”

The Porsche Approved process is performed by a technician who’s undergone rigorous training to factory-approved standards.

Just like the engineers honing the dynamics of a 911 or tweaking the software of a Cayenne, the men and women crawling around, underneath, and inside pre-owned Porsches in Australia are trained to the highest global standards.

White says those performing the Porsche Approved checks typically have years of experience with the brand.

“We tend to use people who’ve been through the workshop for a number of years, who can identify things that not everybody will necessarily spot,” says White, reaffirming that the exhaustive Porsche Approved inspection process is about peace of mind.

“There’s a level of comfort that when someone buys a car through a Porsche dealer that not only are they buying a car that’s gone through a very exacting process, but they’ve got significant backup moving forward.

“The aim of the program is to make sure that all the boxes are ticked, the customer is buying with not only confidence but with some comfort level that they’re going to be taken care of moving forward.”

That ongoing back-up comes in the form of a warranty akin to what was offered when the car was new.

Whereas many brands use third-party providers to underwrite the warranty back-up, with Porsche the support comes directly from the factory in Germany.

So much so that the data collected during the Porsche Approved check and associated service – including taking pictures of the car – is added to a database managed by head office.

Plus, the Porsche Approved warranty is one of the longest of any brand. Any Porsche Approved car up to 15 years old that has travelled less than 200,000km is eligible for that factory peace of mind.

And if anything goes wrong, you know you’ve got the best in the country working to get your car back on the road, starting with access to the brand’s 24/7 Porsche Assistance service and a loan vehicle while yours is off the road.

As much as anything, though, White says Porsche Approved provides transparency for customers.

Instead of just presenting a vehicle to a would-be purchaser as though it’s never needed any work, Porsche Approved openly logs what’s been done to ensure the car is at near-new standards. It gives the customer an insight into the journey the car has been on.

“We’re really open and honest and transparent about the work that we carry out,” says White.

It’s all about providing that ultimate peace of mind that comes with the Porsche Approved tick.

For more information on the Porsche Approved program or to find your nearest Official Porsche Centre, visit the Porsche website.