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Greetings, fellow forum members. I apologize in advance for the lengthy post, but I'm grappling with a rather complex issue.
Background
As a college student in Boston, I recently managed to save enough money for a Porsche Cayenne 957 and envisioned some off-roading modifications. Last week, I purchased a 2008 Cayenne S via Facebook Marketplace at a reasonable price after negotiating it down due to a rusty hole on the driver's side fender (as shown in the attached picture). Despite its 145k miles on the odometer, the car was in relatively good shape, except for a minor steering fluid leak and the aforementioned rust issue. I had plans to get the fender repainted at a reputable body shop for a cost well below the going rate. Post dealing with taxes and registration, and just when I was about to address the fender problem, I discovered a significant amount of sand between the fender and the car body, leading to severe rust that became evident when I removed the molding (refer to the second picture).
The Problem
It appears the previous owner frequently took the vehicle to the beach, resulting in extensive rust damage. A visit to the body shop today brought to light that replacing one side of the car would cost around $8,000 since it involves replacing the entire left unibody assembly and the inner rocker. This estimate is significantly beyond my budget. The shop also cautioned that merely lifting the car might exacerbate the rust damage, potentially affecting the other side, which, while currently in better condition, could deteriorate similarly. Ignoring the rust could lead to further damage, especially considering the road salt and harsh weather conditions in New England.
I'm reaching out for advice or recommendations on how to proceed. Is there an alternative repair solution that would allow me to still use the car for off-roading and modifications without replacing the entire unibody? Or am I better off selling the car, even if at a loss, and starting my savings anew for a different vehicle? This situation is disheartening, especially after investing so much effort and money. I regret not inspecting the car more thoroughly for rust issues before purchasing. This experience has been a hard lesson, but I'm eager to find a solution that doesn't completely waste my investment.
Please let me know if more pictures are needed!
Thank you all for your time and insights. Wishing everyone a wonderful day.
A vehicle with a frame can have the frame replaced. Your Cayenne is a unibody which means the body IS the frame, so at best you can cut out rotted sections and weld in new, which is probably what the $8K estimate is for.
The fender rust is bad, but that's more superficial. If the rocker panels are also disintegrating, that's a major problem, but repairable. We'd need to see photos of the underbody to judge the structural integrity. If areas where the steering or suspension attaches to are rotted out, you can have a death trap.
Do the doors seem to be sagging or binding? I've seen cars so bad that if you raised one corner off the ground with a jack, the body would flex to the point you couldn't open the doors.
Cayennes don't usually rot and I've only seen one other on this forum that had fenders and rockers that resembled yours. Try and post some more pics of the underbody if you can, and ultimately get a 2nd opinion from a reputable body shop.
As far as repair cost...hate to say it, but an '08 S with 145K miles in excellent condition isn't worth $8K, let alone spending that much to repair one.
If it's unsafe, best to sell it and disclose the issue to the new owner in writing. Or it might be worth trying to take the person who sold you the car to small claims court.
And whenever you consider buying a used car, keep in mind that a little bit of rust is exactly the same as being a little bit pregnant.
I don’t know what small claims court would do to help. Unless it was a dealer that sold the car with a guarantee of quality, there isn’t much else that you could claim.
I think this is just a very expensive lesson. Part out the car or sell it for whatever you can get and move on.
Also, as someone who made plenty of bad car choices over the years…you don’t need an older, higher mileage Cayenne if you’re a poor college student. Get a Camry or something cheap and reliable and wait to get something that you want when you’re out of school.
Rust is a non starter for me. Actually flew to buy a 944 I was going to drive home that was misrepresented by the seller. Had the cashier's check, bill of sale ready to go, etc but upon finding rust told the seller I was out. Spent another $500 to Uber back to the airport and buy a 1 way ticket back home. Probably the smartest $500 I spent.
Unfortunately, with a Facebook market purchase you probably don't have much recourse. I would spend as little money as possible on it, drive it rusty until you graduate and then replace it with a reasonable and reliable first car as you start your career.
A vehicle with a frame can have the frame replaced. Your Cayenne is a unibody which means the body IS the frame, so at best you can cut out rotted sections and weld in new, which is probably what the $8K estimate is for.
The fender rust is bad, but that's more superficial. If the rocker panels are also disintegrating, that's a major problem, but repairable. We'd need to see photos of the underbody to judge the structural integrity. If areas where the steering or suspension attaches to are rotted out, you can have a death trap.
Do the doors seem to be sagging or binding? I've seen cars so bad that if you raised one corner off the ground with a jack, the body would flex to the point you couldn't open the doors.
Cayennes don't usually rot and I've only seen one other on this forum that had fenders and rockers that resembled yours. Try and post some more pics of the underbody if you can, and ultimately get a 2nd opinion from a reputable body shop.
As far as repair cost...hate to say it, but an '08 S with 145K miles in excellent condition isn't worth $8K, let alone spending that much to repair one.
If it's unsafe, best to sell it and disclose the issue to the new owner in writing. Or it might be worth trying to take the person who sold you the car to small claims court.
And whenever you consider buying a used car, keep in mind that a little bit of rust is exactly the same as being a little bit pregnant.
Thank you for your advice and I will share more photos later.
Also, as someone who made plenty of bad car choices over the years…you don’t need an older, higher mileage Cayenne if you’re a poor college student. Get a Camry or something cheap and reliable and wait to get something that you want when you’re out of school.
This money I saved was not from my parents’ allowance so it sucks I have to waste a big chunk in one ****ty purchase. Though I still have most of the money left for mods, it’s def not worth it to keep invest money in a rusty car like this. Just upset that the plan had failed. I have a Mercedes my parents bought me for daily, the reason I wanted to get the cayenne and mod is I’m going back to China after college and I won’t have many opportunities to off-road and camp there. So my college time is prob the only time for me to do things like this.
If you haven't made any mistakes you haven't lived. Just suck it up and move on. Years later you'll appreciate the value of this lesson.
At school, why don't you invest in an old Toyota, Nissan etc. Far more forgiving and you'd be out there camping rather than sweating over what is in effect a terminal Cayenne.
As long as the rust isn’t going to result in a weakened structure then why worry about it? If your intention is to go off-roading it’s likely going to get a little banged up anyway. You’ll lose money at resale but as others have noted it’s a learning experience and you won’t repeat it.
As long as the rust isn’t going to result in a weakened structure then why worry about it? If your intention is to go off-roading it’s likely going to get a little banged up anyway. You’ll lose money at resale but as others have noted it’s a learning experience and you won’t repeat it.
That's fair! I was planning to put on mods and make it more capable, but I guess as the rust will get worse it's not worth it anymore. Now, just trying to figure out the best financial option for my situation.
If you haven't made any mistakes you haven't lived. Just suck it up and move on. Years later you'll appreciate the value of this lesson.
At school, why don't you invest in an old Toyota, Nissan etc. Far more forgiving and you'd be out there camping rather than sweating over what is in effect a terminal Cayenne.
This was gonna be my fun car in the next few years as I had a daily my parents bought me. Now, just trying to figure out an exit strategy or find an affordable fix and use it until I save more money.
You HAVE TO go get it inspected before you even think about driving it and make sure the rust isn't structural. Otherwise you can seriously injure yourself or someone else by driving a compromised car on public roads.
If it's fine structurally, beat the crap out of it offroad for the next couple of years, have some fun, and then ball it up and cram it through the mail slot, like a rental car.
Edit: Yes, you got an estimate for the work needed to repair the rust. Did that shop tell you it was safe to drive in the meantime?
03-01-2024, 09:38 PM
Need Help and Honest Advice
