[thstone]

1. Don't worry about the lack of service history. 99.999% of Porsche owners take very good care of their cars and with only 53K miles, the car was likely well serviced.

2. Change the oil as soon as you buy it. Then do the 60K service on time and the maintenance should be fine from there on out ($300 DIY parts, $700 local shop, up to $1,000 at a dealer).

3. Don't worry too much about the IMS bearing. Very low chance of a problem, 1-2%.

4. Get a Pre-Purchase Inspection (PPI) from a local Porsche mechanic. It is money well spent to know exactly what you're getting into.

5. As you know, there are no cheap Porsche's. If you don't have $2,500 in reserve, then you might want to think twice. I just put in a new starter for $400 DIY ($750 local shop), alignment for $100, and will need new tires after my track day this Sunday ($700-$900). Its easy to put $2K into an 8-yr old car that is behind on repairs/maintenance.