Portiacraft - any good
Discussion
graemel said:
In truth I have bought and sold Porsche's to Portiacraft over the years and friends have done likewise. Never had a bad experience and no complaints from mates either. I consider them one of the good guys in the market place.
+1 You won't get posh coffee (or any), but the prices reflect that 
Get the car checked indipendantly, and get a person who knows Porsche. You get what you pay for, Harry does work on tight margins, but he's been around for a bit with Martin and Ollie, so the business model must work...
Some people dislike them, some don't...
Don't flame me, I have delt with them in the past so all IMHO...
Mr F
Some people dislike them, some don't...
Don't flame me, I have delt with them in the past so all IMHO...
Mr F
Have bought and sold 4 cars of them in the last 6 years and never had a single problem , really great guys to deal with.
Most negative comments are from people who have never bought from them as they are sometimes too laid back especially Harry never any dramas they just get on with it and the guys in the workshop are brilliant a lot of times I turn up and get my oil topped up etc and they never charge me for it. However no coffee so if you want to deal with plush showrooms and people in suits they will not be for you.
Most negative comments are from people who have never bought from them as they are sometimes too laid back especially Harry never any dramas they just get on with it and the guys in the workshop are brilliant a lot of times I turn up and get my oil topped up etc and they never charge me for it. However no coffee so if you want to deal with plush showrooms and people in suits they will not be for you.
They're ok by all accounts - a couple of my mates have purchased from them - worth getting an independent inspection though.
Also you might have to pay for a test drive unless they've changed that policy.
I wanted to buy a C4S of him a few years ago, but failed to proceed as tehy told me they don't take non-porsche as part ex (car was a mint BMW E60 530i for about £15k - so approx 50% of C4S cost)...so again something to bare in mind unless they just didn't want that car.
Also you might have to pay for a test drive unless they've changed that policy.
I wanted to buy a C4S of him a few years ago, but failed to proceed as tehy told me they don't take non-porsche as part ex (car was a mint BMW E60 530i for about £15k - so approx 50% of C4S cost)...so again something to bare in mind unless they just didn't want that car.
steve singh said:
Also you might have to pay for a test drive unless they've changed that policy.
According to their website, it was a £20 donation to a cancer charity after a mate was diagnosed. £4k donated.I spoke to them on the phone today and am visiting tomorrow. The guy I spoke to gave me the time of day and some good advice. The guy from Herts Sorts Cars didn't. I wil try and visit both, but Portiacraft are top of the list and have 2 cars I am interested in.
I've bought a couple of cars from Harry in the past. Honest, no nonsense approach. If he has the right car for you it will be well priced. I have also popped in when passing and had the workshop look at things as a favour, even with cars I have not bought from them. Never had a coffee tho!!
johnbrace said:
Most negative comments are from people who have never bought from them as they are sometimes too laid back especially Harry never any dramas they just get on with it and the guys in the workshop are brilliant a lot of times I turn up and get my oil topped up etc and they never charge me for it. However no coffee so if you want to deal with plush showrooms and people in suits they will not be for you.
Bought car, week or so later sent car back and had my money refunded. So I can say here that I have indeed bought a car from them.The reason the car went back:
They had stated in the advert for sale as follows:
'Wide bodied 911 to tidy at a very low price. We will do all mechanical work and get a new MOT but it could do with tidying. Interior is lovely and it will drive as it should but it could do with a respray to make perfect but if done it will be one of the best around. I think I need to be more specific re the paintwork. It is not rusty kidney boxes etc all are good it is simply old paintwork that will not just T-Cut out. However to the untrained eye the car looks great. You can probably tidy it without repainting it but I am being over the top critical. If it was an average 88 911 I would describe it as 'clean but it is an original supersport coupe'. The car will go through an MOT that will highlight any issues all mechanical work will be done including exhausts and heat exchangers if needed'
I drove a 100 miles, viewed the car in damn bad weather, going mainly off description I put down a 1K deposit, it was not possible to test drive on the day.. Five weeks later I picked her up. So I was guessing any probs found would be sorted as per description.
Car had in fact the following problems/decription errors:
Plate had been previously RIVETED in the nearside wheel arch panel between side and back windows then badly covered over. (But obvious to the trained eye)
B Posts on offside were bubbling through
B Posts on nearside were poorly repaired
Poor rot repairs under both headlamps
Tops of both front wings rotton
Just about every panel did not lign up
Oil pressure 2 bar at 5000 rpm, non existant at tickover
Non original engine
Non original paint just about everywhere
Valves sounded like they were desperatly needed adjusting.
Hazard lights didn't work
Accelerator pedal stuck on and would not self return (interesting at the first set of lights I was trying to slow down at on the A40 from 70MPH)
Clutch was well on its way out.
Also stated:
'Terrific detailed history from new''
The car had a box full of receipts. However the last service (from memory) was 1999..... 11 years previous. The receipts were mainly for wiper blades, tracking and sundry items. ie non service items.
Now I got my money back, however I lost the 12 months tax I'd bought, a days labour to take it back and a tank full of gas.
There will be people on here who will flame me for not having the car inspected. The thing is I went off the description supplied and that description should be honest; this one in my opinion was not. I did not expect a garage queen, but I didn't expect anything like what I ended up with.
And why is it set in stone that a car SHOULD be independently inspected? I was buying from a Porsche specialist who knew/should know exactly what was wrong with the car but still sold it on like it was a cheap resto project. They are not a back street sell whatever car company.
It was a shame, the bizarre thing was I really liked Harry and Martin and their setup, I really wanted a SSE, all I hoped for was a good honest car and it was not cheap. I still ended up being the mug. I estimated it needed a minimum of 10K spent on it to make it a 'Good' 911.
10 weeks later in the same condition they but it on the market again for 20K, then reduced to 18K and then finally sold it for whatever.
So probs sold again for a little bit more than they sold it to me in the first place.
Edited by Wozy68 on Saturday 28th May 15:08
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