Whether you’re a sports car enthusiast with impeccable taste or simply an enthusiast of world-class performance and head-turning automotive design, the Porsche 911 is one of the best used performance cars to consider adding to your collection. In addition to the near-perfect silhouette and precision-engineered performance, the Porsche 911 is also a great used sports car since it’s one of the longest continuously running models still in production. In other words, there are over 50 years and hundreds of variants of used Porsche 911 models to choose from. If you’re new to the world of Porsche 911s, here are some tips for buying a used one in Texas.

Oil vs. Liquid Cooled Used Porsche 911

Although the basic design of the Porsche 911 has remain essentially unchanged since 1964, there are two distinct periods that define the half-century history of the 911: the air-cooled and liquid-cooled eras. From the 1960s through the 1998 model year, the 911’s engine was cooled by air and circulating oil. Although purists will swear by the older, air-cooled 911 models, newer liquid-cooled versions offer greater performance and less noise.

Porsche Generations

If you want to be a savvy car buyer and impress your friends and family while making sure you don’t get a “fast one” pulled over on you, try to learn some of the basics of some of the most important and popular Porsche 911 models:

First Generation – The first-generation models deliver the purest representation of the Porsche 911 thanks to its clean, focused design. Engine size gradually grew from 2.0 liters in 1964 to 3.2 liters in 1989, with the exception of turbocharged models.
Third Generation – Also referred to as the 964, the third-generation Porsche 911 debuted power steering and anti-lock brakes, and also introduced the first automatic transmission in 1990.
Fifth Generation – The fifth-generation Porsche 911, also known as the 996 model, ushered in the age of liquid cooling for the 911. These models represent a quantum leap in horsepower and performance over the older, air-cooled Porsche 911 models.

Pre-Purchase Inspection

You can find a lot of private sellers in Dallas, TX with Porsche 911s up for grabs, but that doesn’t mean you can trust every seller or even expect that they themselves know the true condition their vehicles are in. To buy with confidence, bring any 911 you are thinking about buying to a Porsche maintenance and repair shop in Dallas, TX for a pre-purchase inspection. Porsche repair technicians will be able to give you a thorough assessment of the car’s condition and the cost to make any necessary repairs.