The approach to buying a performance sports car like a Porsche 911 should not be rushed into and there are pitfalls in buying any used car. But let's face it with the passion and cost at stake when buying a used Porsche 911, there is a lot more at stake than when you are buying a mass market family hatchback.

Our first rule of thumb to follow is; if it looks dodgy or too good to be true, then chances are it could be. So don't rush in and ensure you protect yourself and your investment. Buying privately can bring great savings over buying from a reputable dealer, but be prepared that you have very little comeback if something goes wrong with your car. Again, I just recommend that you do as much research as you can and always get a mechanic involved who knows about Porsche 911's, especially if you have no clue where to look for the engine, let alone know if the manifold is leaking!

Your preparation needs to start when look at adverts and websites for your Porsche, the great thing about used Porsche 911's, is the fact that there are hundreds of styles and specs available, so the choice is great. Get a clear idea of what you are after and make a list as this will help you to narrow down your list of prospective motors, try to be flexible as you may just find that a bright green 2 year old car may catch your eye more than that 1970's classic 911. Do some research on prices of the cars you like, a company like Parkers price guide will give you a decent idea, but I find the best way is to look at what people are selling their cars for. Get an ideal dealer and private seller price for the model and mileage you are after.

The next stage will be to build your shortlist of cars you want to view. I recommend producing some sort of checklist so that you can ask all the appropriate questions and note them down on a list. This way its easy to compare that essential points about the cars. When you enquire about the cars, be sure to ask questions about: The Porsche's documentation, previous owners, service history, bad points, warranty, and reason for the sale. One trick that you should try is asking them the price of the 911, many people will lower the price of the car but not update their adverts, so you may be on for a bargain before you start. If you are talking to a dealer I would try to get a lot more detailed information from them about the Porsche's history and performance to find out if they are a Porsche specialist or reputable dealer.

Once you have a list of used Porsches you want to view, if some of them are with dealers, I recommend taking the time to go online and search for some reviews or info about the dealer. Any dealer that has a bad reputation may have information about them online, it's worth the effort and you never know what you will find. Right, now you ready to go out and visit some sellers.

I am going to write a follow up article to detail what to do when you're viewing a used Porsche. I Hope this article helps as a good starting point.