Is buying a used 2012 Porsche Cayenne Turbo off Facebook Marketplace the move? This car enthusiast believes so, as you can use depreciation to your advantage when buying a used car. In a video that's generated over 13,300 views as of this writing, Blake Sanburg (@blakesanburg) shares how he recently scored a major deal buying a 2012 Porsche Cayenne Turbo on Facebook Marketplace. “Depreciation Is the Greatest Invention of All Time” In the TikTok, Sanburg is thrilled to share his latest Facebook Marketplace purchase of a 2012 Porsche Cayenne Turbo. “Depreciation is the greatest invention of all time,” he begins. Sanburg then explains why depreciation is the best thing for a car buyer, using his recent purchase as an example. “I was able to pick up a 2012 Porsche Cayenne Turbo for 86% off,” Sanburg shares. OWNERSHIP STORIES Viral stories from across the web Our team of experts tracks what owners are saying about car-shopping, repairs, the daily driving experience and more on social media. The starting MSRP for a standard 2012 Porsche Cayenne Turbo is $107,100, Edmunds reports. However, Sanburg mentions that the one he purchased from Facebook Marketplace includes nearly every possible upgrade. “It kinda looks like a regular SUV, but you are not going to believe what the original window price was for this vehicle: $135,000,” he reveals. Sanburg explains all the features making the vehicle’s initial window sticker above six digits. These features include heated and cooled seats, adaptive cruise control, and curtains on the windows that go up and down. “I grabbed this thing off of Facebook Marketplace from a struggling single mom of four for a measly $19,000,” he shares. “Bro finessed a mom of 4,” one commenter joked. Buying any vehicle, especially a used one from Facebook Marketplace, can be a hit or miss. Luckily for Sanburg, it was a huge win. “It has been flawless,” he reports. “The last six or seven months of ownership, I’ve put on about 5,000 miles on it, and I haven’t had a single issue. I love this thing. It's so [expletive] comfortable, so quiet on the inside, the sound system is fantastic, and it is quick.” Beyond day-to-day driving, there’s maintenance to consider, and luxury vehicles are known to have higher maintenance costs. However, Sanburg addresses this and says he hasn’t had any issues in his six to seven months of ownership. “For everyone asking about maintenance so far, I haven’t done anything,” he concludes. Commenters Chime In Viewers took to the comments section to share their thoughts revolving depreciation and buying a used Porsche. “Old fully spec > new base model,” one TikTok commenter said. “I think truck owners don’t believe in depreciation, truck sellers on Facebook marketplace make me feel like I’m insane lmao,” another shared. “You bought her headache,” a third replied. “The cost of maintenance is going to be triple what you paid for,” another commented. Should You Buy a Car on Facebook Marketplace? Buying a car on Facebook Marketplace can be a gamble. By rolling the dice, a car buyer could land a great deal or get scammed into a bad purchase. When scrolling on Facebook Marketplace, you’ll see cars listed for a fraction of dealership prices. However, not all information from a Facebook Marketplace listing can be trusted, and if a deal is too good to be true, it often is. For example, one Facebook Marketplace horror story involved a false odometer reading. The listing said the car had 170,000 miles on it, but after the buyer checked the CarFax, they found that it actually had 300,000. Still, not all Facebook Marketplace purchases are bad, as evidenced by the viral video. If you’re interested in going the Facebook route for your next car, here are tips from Yahoo Finance on how to avoid being scammed. The first thing you should do is check the seller’s profile and look for any red flags. If the profile was recently created in the last year or two, it may be a scammer. Now, on to price: As previously stated, if the listing seems too good to be true, it probably is. It’s best to stay away from these listenings. Additionally, you should never put down a deposit to hold a car that you haven’t seen. For the car itself, make sure to do research beyond what’s provided in the listing. Check the vehicle’s history online with a service like CarFax to determine maintenance, accident, and ownership history, and whether the vehicle has a clean title. When it comes to meeting up to inspect the car, it’s always best to meet in a public place and tell people where you’re going. It can also be helpful to take a mechanic with you to do the inspection. If you’re examining the condition of the car yourself, look under the hood, examine the car’s body, frame, tires, and interiors. Buying a car on Facebook Marketplace certainly comes with some risks, but proper research and preparation can help prevent a scam from taking place. If everything checks out, you could possibly score a luxury vehicle for a fraction of the dealership price. How Can I Take Some of the Sting Out of Depreciation? Every car owner will experience car depreciation as it is unavoidable. Depreciation relates to the rate at which your vehicle loses its value, Bankrate reports. This loss in value is determined by several factors, including wear and tear, market demand, and manufacturers' redesign. Additionally, the vehicle's make, model, age, mileage, accident history, and overall condition will play a factor in determining the resale value. “New cars lose value quickly, often 20% or more in the first year and up to 60% through five years,” per Kelley Blue Book (KBB). Though depreciation is inevitable, there are a few car hacks that can be done to help preserve the value of your vehicle. According to KBB, here are four things to do to help retain the resale value of your vehicle. Do regular maintenance: Being on top of car maintenance is the responsible thing to do in order to preserve the car's value. Keeping a maintenance log can also be done to provide complete transparency on vehicle history when selling. Don’t customize your car: While adding aftermarket parts can display your style, it becomes a hindrance when reselling your vehicle. These modifications limit the number of potential buyers. Sell the car yourself: This allows you to keep the full amount of the market value of the vehicle. While selling to a dealership is convenient, it will take a portion to cover its costs. Look for tax breaks: If the vehicle is being used for business, tax write-offs are possible. A portion of the depreciation can be considered a write-off on your tax return, so it’s best to bring it up with your tax advisor next tax season. The two major takeaways are to stay on top of maintenance and avoid any customization. This will help preserve the car’s value when selling. Motor1 has contacted Sanburg via Instagram direct message and TikTok direct message. This story will be updated if he replies. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team