Panamera 4s Diesel - ‘New, old stock’ Panamera - Good Buy or Not?

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Wed 24 Mar 2021 08:00
Panamera 4s Diesel - ‘New, old stock’ Panamera - Good Buy or Not? - Elbitrevnoc

Would appreciate any advice or experience that anyone could share please. Have come across opportunity to buy a very well spec’d car from a reputable independent dealer. Story is that Porsche cancelled pending sales of diesel Panamera during the emissions scandal and that some cars stayed at the factory, unused. They were then registered in Germany, but not sold, in December 2019.

Dealer has bought in a few of these cars, now on a Uk ‘69 plate and with delivery mileage only. Cars are effectively new, although actually 3 years old and a model no longer produced. On the face of it it’s an opportunity to buy a top spec car at a massive discount, but I’m also conscious that it’s difficult to understand what the actual value of the car is - compared with a normal used car, with very low mileage. Cars are absolutely UK standard in every way and I have access to the Porsche online configuration code for the car.

Does anyone have any thoughts or experience of this type of purchase and is there anything else I should bear in mind? I’m tempted but don’t know if I could be buying into any future problems. My plan would be to hold on to it for a good few years, so I don’t have any immediate concerns about future value.

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Wed 24 Mar 2021 08:11
Panamera 4s Diesel - ‘New, old stock’ Panamera - Good Buy or Not? - chris87
Cars that just sit somewhere tend to deteriorate. If you can get a brand new warranty on it, you should be ok, as long as the dealer agrees to replace the usual suspects (tyres, battery, brakes).

Also, not sure about price, but make sure that massive discount is indeed massive and not just a small discount on top of what’s achievable on a brand new one without even negotiating.

For example, if list price was £60k 3 years ago, I wouldn’t pay more than £30k for it. It’s a diesel, it idled for 3 years, it’s an “old” model, it’s “imported” etc.

Otherwise go for it, good cars/engines, unless you plan to do the schoolrun/daily shopping in them.

Edited by chris87 on 24/03/2021 at 08:12

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Wed 24 Mar 2021 08:31
Panamera 4s Diesel - ‘New, old stock’ Panamera - Good Buy or Not? - Manatee

The question really is how much more an unused 2019 model is worth than a normal secondhand one.

I had the opportunity to buy a 3 year old or so E-class a few years ago that had never been out in the rain. It had 3,000 miles, and still had the plastic covers on the seats. It had been kept in a dehumidified garage. The owner left all the doors and boot slightly ajar so as not to squash the seals, and had fabricated a big spanner with which he could turn the engine over without starting it, just to move the internals around. It was literally like new, and probably cleaner. It had a full service record. If it rained on the day the service was booked, the owner would re-book it rather than get mucky underneath.

I can't remember the exact numbers now, but roughly speaking I could have bought a 3 year old approved used with low miles, say 10,000, for say £13-14,000. The seller, a friend that I would not have wanted to rob, was looking for £18,000. Not a big ask for a 'new' E class, but I offered £15,000 max. Reason being that the first thing I would have done with it would have been to start keeping it outside and using it in all weathers - from that point it would just have been a lower mileage used car, so there was no point in my paying thousands extra for a 'dry', showroom car.

Of course a Porsche is a slightly different case to a Stuttgart taxi. And if you plan to keep it for a long time, then treating it as a 'new' pre-reg would be less of a concern.

Would you have been considering one anyway? If it's what you want, then paying £10k+ over the odds for a 2-3 year old might be worth it for the joy of a perfect example. But the starting point for that calculation is the value of a 2/3 year-old, old model, not the price new.

Much depends on the marginal utility of money to you. Sometimes I spend more than I have to because I want something, and tell myself that it doesn't really matter if the result is that I just leave £50 less in my will. Money isn't a problem as long as I don't run out:)

Edited by Manatee on 24/03/2021 at 08:39

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Wed 24 Mar 2021 09:04
Panamera 4s Diesel - ‘New, old stock’ Panamera - Good Buy or Not? - craig-pd130


I had the opportunity to buy a 3 year old or so E-class a few years ago that had never been out in the rain. It had 3,000 miles, and still had the plastic covers on the seats. It had been kept in a dehumidified garage. The owner left all the doors and boot slightly ajar so as not to squash the seals, and had fabricated a big spanner with which he could turn the engine over without starting it, just to move the internals around. It was literally like new, and probably cleaner. It had a full service record. If it rained on the day the service was booked, the owner would re-book it rather than get mucky underneath.

Good lord. I pamper our family cars and my motorbike, but that is another level entirely.

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Wed 24 Mar 2021 09:06
Panamera 4s Diesel - ‘New, old stock’ Panamera - Good Buy or Not? - _

There are some very low mileage diesels on sale, but about (in my opinion) about £25,000 overpriced.=, so £47-50,000 maximum is what I would pay.

Naturally no Porsche warranty with them if they are imports and 3 years old, I may be wrong, but I would check with a Porsche dealer or Porsche Uk themselves.

Don't forget the running costs and parts and servicing, as well as service item costs, tyres, brakes, etc.

And you cannot take that to any fastfit for anything.!!!

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Wed 24 Mar 2021 09:11
Panamera 4s Diesel - ‘New, old stock’ Panamera - Good Buy or Not? - Alby Back
The Panamera diesel is a lovely car. I had the opportunity to share the driving of one with a work colleague from the UK to Milan and back a few years ago. A journey I'd normally do twice a year in my own car ( E Class estate ) before Covid of course.

I had been sceptical about "a diesel Porsche" but it was just the nicest thing for a trip like that.

Not, presumably as full on fast as a petrol one, but I certainly never felt starved of power while driving it.

I think, might be wrong, that they are 2WD not 4WD like the petrol ones if that's important to you?

Anyway, if your usage and lifestyle suit a diesel, it would be a fine thing I'm sure, especially if it can be sourced at a "bargain" price.

It sort of feels like we are in the dog days of being able to have "proper" cars and if this is a good deal and you want it, then it might be one of the last chances to do it.
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Wed 24 Mar 2021 09:39
Panamera 4s Diesel - ‘New, old stock’ Panamera - Good Buy or Not? - daveyjp

Starting point for this is whether the Panamera is top of your list for a car to own and a diesel fits your use patterns,

If so it makes sense to find a bargain, but factor in work you may want to do, or which may be needed as a result if it sitting round for years.

If you are buying because it looks a bargain, ensure it is compared to other vehicles which meet your needs.

20 years ago when I wanted an A2 I found a 'bargain' at a car supermarket. It was 18 months old but only had tens of delivery miles. I realised it was a pre facelift model so didn't have all the upgrades of the facelift such as climate control, cruise etc. I found a facelift ex demo model at a dealer with a few thousand miles for the same price and opted for that instead.

Edited by daveyjp on 24/03/2021 at 09:45

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Wed 24 Mar 2021 09:42
Panamera 4s Diesel - ‘New, old stock’ Panamera - Good Buy or Not? - skidpan

I remember our vet buying a "new old stock" Monaro a few years ago, it had been stood for a couple of years in this country. Nothing but trouble. It had 4 square tyres for starters which the dealer was initially reluctant to sort and then the Lambda sensors gave up the ghost, more arguments. After more issues he gave up and went back to a Merc.

I would say leave this potential Porsche money pit well alone.

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Wed 24 Mar 2021 09:51
Panamera 4s Diesel - ‘New, old stock’ Panamera - Good Buy or Not? - Elbitrevnoc

Thanks everyone for your thoughts - lots of valid points to consider. I have to admit that I’m struggling to make my mind up! The key thing for me I think is to compare the price I pay with what I could achieve on a conventional 3yr old car with low miles. As Manatee says, once I’ve started driving it and put a few miles on, that’s exactly what it will be!

The alternative would be to be patient and hang on to see what comes up in the Porsche network over the next couple of months as things (hopefully) open up a bit more. There’s not much there that ticks my boxes at the moment, but I should perhaps just try to chill out and be patient!

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