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Leave it to Porsche, arguably the world’s most successful sports car maker – and also, of course, a successful SUV, sedan, and EV maker – to put a more powerful spin on the certified pre-owned (CPO) category. Called Porsche Approved, the Porsche CPO program goes beyond most other carmakers’ CPO programs in key areas.

If you are in the market for a high-end sports car, SUV, or sedan, and you have not thought of a certified pre-owned Porsche, the CPO program may make you take a closer look. At the same time, we think it’s a good idea to consider buying an extended car warranty, in some cases for reasons you might not have expected.

Porsche offers its own Vehicle Service Protection Plans, but we recommend taking a close look at our best extended car warranty review to find the best providers.

Keep in mind that aftermarket auto warranty providers might not cover all Porsche models.

Endurance covers most Porsche models, while CARCHEX and CarShield cover some Porsche models. Check with a Porsche dealer on pricing for Porsche extended warranties and compare that to what third-party providers offer. A third-party warranty choice could make your Porsche dream car more attainable.

Porsche really wants to sell you a used model through a Porsche dealer rather than have you buy from a non-branded dealer. We can make that statement because Porsche’s CPO program accepts vehicles up to 13 years old and with up to 124,000 miles. No other brand’s CPO program would touch cars with so much “experience.”

With such a long range of model years included, you can use the Porsche CPO search tool to find Boxster and Cayman sports cars and Cayenne SUVs starting in the low $30,000 range and even lower in some cases. And, you should have no trouble finding models of all ages well below Porsche’s 124,000-mile limit.

What kind of a warranty is Porsche willing to put on such an old car or SUV? As it turns out, it’s quite generous. Porsche says its CPO warranty is comparable to its new vehicle warranty. The main difference is that it runs for two years and unlimited miles.

On newer Porsches, the CPO coverage starts after any remaining balance of the new vehicle warranty expires. On Porsches with no new vehicle warranty coverage remaining, the Porsche CPO warranty starts the day you purchase the vehicle.

Jumping back to the Porsche CPO vehicles still under the factory warranty, we offer an example. Using the Porsche CPO search tool on the Porsche website or a Porsche dealer’s website, you should be able to find a 2017 or 2018 Boxster or Cayman with under 25,000 miles priced in the $50,000 to $60,000 range. We saw a few with under 15,000 miles.

Since the Porsche factory warranty lasts for 4 years/50,000 miles, such a late-model example may still have around 2 years/30,000 miles left on the warranty. Add the CPO warranty coverage that takes over after that, and you have a nearly new Porsche sports car with about four years of warranty coverage (including unlimited miles covered in the CPO portion of the warranty). That’s a good deal.

By the way, just a few years ago, Porsche’s CPO program allowed vehicles up to 8 model years old and with up to 100,000 miles. Those terms were already well ahead of other brands. In typical Porsche fashion, its current CPO program leaves others in the dust.

One number associated with the Porsche CPO program that may appear small in comparison to other brands’ CPO programs: the inspection points. Porsche says its factory-trained techs conduct a 111-point mechanical, cosmetic, and visual inspection and use genuine Porsche parts when replacement is necessary.

Is that not as good as the 300-point inspection that Audi uses for its CPO program? After all, both brands are part of the same company. Don’t fret about it. Porsche’s CPO inspection is quite thorough, and some points on the checklist combine items. Also, you can get a sense of Porsche’s high standards from the details. For example, the Porsche tech conducting the inspection follows these instructions:

Tires must have a tread depth of at least 4.0 millimeters and must be the same brand, model, speed rating, and Porsche specification code, or all four must be replaced.

Before taking a closer look at what the Porsche CPO warranty covers and doesn’t cover, we need to address vehicle quality. In a word, Porsche’s quality has been rated as stellar by leading industry sources.

Porsche scores well in initial quality, according to J.D. Power, but how does it hold up after three years of driving? According to the 2020 J.D. Power U.S. Vehicle Dependability StudySM, Porsche does extremely well. Out of 32 brands in the 2020 Study, Porsche scored fourth from the top, with 104 problems per 100 vehicles. Porsche came in behind only Genesis (89), Lexus (100), and Buick (103).

That doesn’t mean Porsches don’t break, of course, and repairs can be costly. However, considering that a Porsche CPO vehicle is likely to be the first Porsche for many buyers, it’s comforting to know that these vehicles are made well.

Although the list of what the Porsche CPO warranty does not cover can appear long, there’s nothing out of the ordinary compared to other auto warranties. Some carmakers’ CPO warranties have more critical coverage exclusions.

The Porsche CPO warranty does not cover emission control systems or corrosion, which is not surprising given that the program offers cars up to 13 years old. (Such areas are covered by the remainder of the new vehicle warranty.) The rest of the list mainly includes items pertaining to routine maintenance or owner neglect.

Here are a few examples of things not covered by the Porsche CPO warranty:

Overall, we like the Porsche Approved Certified Pre-Owned Program. The prospect of buying a Porsche at a substantial discount from new with a generous warranty, even for older models, is a strong temptation to many car enthusiasts.

We do, however, suggest caution for Porsche newbies. Porsche has built a deserved reputation for high quality, but high quality is no guarantee against part failures and vehicle breakdowns. Stuff happens, and it can be expensive stuff with a Porsche.

The risks of breakdowns are higher with older models of any brand. Even with the generous Porsche CPO warranty terms, we highly recommend investing in an extended auto warranty. The Porsche Vehicle Service Protection Plans are solid choices, but they can be pricey. Also, these plans require you to have repairs performed at an authorized Porsche dealer, of which there are just 192 spread across the United States.

The best extended car warranty companies are compelling choices and allow repairs at about 30,000 certified facilities across the country.

The companies that cover Porsches will also include valuable benefits such as roadside assistance, towing, rental car coverage, and trip interruption coverage. The latter is very important, because it will reimburse you for hotel rooms and meals if repairing your Porsche should require waiting overnight or longer while far from home.

Contact any of these reputable extended car warranty companies to compare quotes.

Like the Porsche factory warranty, the Porsche CPO warranty does not cover vehicle maintenance. Anyone buying a new, used, or CPO Porsche would be well advised to consider the costs of routine maintenance.

Regardless of the model year CPO Porsche you buy, there is no deductible to pay under the CPO warranty.

The Porsche CPO warranty includes roadside assistance for 2 years/unlimited miles, but there are no trip interruption benefits. (The Porsche extended warranty does cover trip interruption.)

The Porsche CPO warranty is transferable, with a caveat: If you trade or sell the car to a non-authorized Porsche dealer or an auto broker, the CPO warranty is void. Basically, you have to sell to or trade the car into an authorized Porsche dealer or sell it to an individual buyer.

Porsches can be expensive to repair, which should not come as a surprise, given the level of performance they offer and the technology they employ in the powertrain, chassis, and cabin. RepairPal is a good source for researching repair prices.

In an effort to provide accurate and unbiased information to consumers, our expert review team collects data from dozens of extended auto warranty companies to formulate rankings of the best providers. Companies receive a score in each of the following categories, as well as an overall weighted score out of 5.0 stars.

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