{"id":9057,"date":"2025-04-10T19:00:22","date_gmt":"2025-04-10T18:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.design911.co.uk\/blog\/?p=9057"},"modified":"2025-06-18T07:13:17","modified_gmt":"2025-06-18T06:13:17","slug":"inside-philip-raby-specialist-cars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.design911.co.uk\/blog\/inside-philip-raby-specialist-cars\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside Philip Raby Specialist Cars"},"content":{"rendered":"

The UK\u2019s Porsche scene is full of larger-than-life characters, storied workshops and Instagrammable stock. But in a quiet corner of the south coast, far from the corporate chrome and scripted sales pitches, sits something refreshingly different: Philip Raby Specialist Cars<\/a>. No hype, no frills \u2014 just decades of experience, an eye for a good car, and the confidence to do things properly.<\/p>\n

Here, you\u2019ll find 911s that have been lived with, learned from, fettled and fine-tuned by people who know what they\u2019re doing \u2014 and more importantly, why they\u2019re doing it. There\u2019s no conveyor belt. Just a focused setup that cares as much about the 100th mile as the first.<\/p>\n

From magazine mastheads to cylinder heads<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Founder Philip Raby didn\u2019t begin in sales \u2014 he started in magazines, writing for 911 & Porsche World<\/em> before launching the widely respected Total 911<\/em>. After selling the title to a major publisher, he faced the inevitable question: what\u2019s next?<\/p>\n

\u201cSomeone said, \u2018Why don\u2019t you start selling Porsches?\u2019\u201d he recalls. \u201cSo I began with the odd car, outsourcing the servicing. But during lockdown, we thought: hang on \u2014 why not do it ourselves?\u201d<\/p>\n

It made sense. Managing the entire process meant better quality control and, crucially, better aftercare. If you sell someone a 911 and it comes back for servicing a year later, you\u2019ve done something right.<\/p>\n

Now, several years later, the workshop is fully integrated, run by a small team that\u2019s lean, knowledgeable & refreshingly no-nonsense.<\/p>\n

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Meet Ollie: workshop lead, problem-solver, all-round car whisperer<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Running the workshop is Ollie \u2014 calm, capable and straight-talking. He oversees a setup that includes two two-post lifts and a four-poster ramp, ideal for bulkier models like Cayennes and Panameras.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s nothing we avoid,\u201d he explains. \u201cWe work on everything from early air-cooled cars to modern 992s. Engine rebuilds, suspension work, bodywork, general servicing \u2014 it all comes through here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The team \u2014 Ollie, Jason and Harland \u2014 isn\u2019t huge, but what they lack in headcount, they make up for in consistency. It\u2019s not about volume. It\u2019s about doing the job properly and treating every car as if it were their own.<\/p>\n

And when it comes to older models like the 996, that honesty becomes even more valuable.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t make these cars brand new again,\u201d Ollie says. \u201cThey\u2019re 20, 25 years old now. It\u2019s about helping owners make sensible, informed decisions \u2014 not chasing perfection, but making sure things are sound and reliable.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Drive it, feel it, then deliver it<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Every car sold by Philip Raby Specialist Cars goes through a thorough inspection \u2014 and then a road test. Not a quick spin around the block, but a proper couple of days behind the wheel.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou only start to notice the real details once you live with the car,\u201d Philip says. \u201cThat\u2019s why either Ollie or I drive each one before it goes out.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not a gimmick \u2014 there\u2019s a warranty on every sale, underwritten in-house. Which means the margin for error is zero. The car needs to feel right, sound right, and behave exactly as it should. If it doesn\u2019t, it stays.<\/p>\n

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A reliable backbone: Design911<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n

None of this would work without a strong supply chain \u2014 and that\u2019s where Design911 comes in. The go-to name for Porsche parts in the UK, they\u2019ve quietly become the default choice for independent specialists like Raby.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019d be lost without them, to be honest,\u201d Ollie admits. \u201cThe parts are always spot-on. OE-match quality, sensible pricing, fast turnaround \u2014 everything we need.\u201d<\/p>\n

For older models especially, main dealer prices can quickly spiral out of control. That\u2019s where Design911 adds real value \u2014 by supplying the right parts at the right price, without compromising quality.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey play a huge role in what we do,\u201d Ollie continues. \u201cThey make our job easier \u2014 and our customers happier. They\u2019re our first port of call for almost everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019s quick to name-check the team, too: \u201cPhoebe\u2019s brilliant. She\u2019s grown into the role really well. And Sam\u2019s always on it. I don\u2019t want to forget anyone, but the whole crew there just gets it. It feels like a proper working relationship, not just a transaction.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Sales without the sell<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Not everyone who walks into the showroom knows exactly what they\u2019re after. And that\u2019s fine \u2014 because this isn\u2019t the kind of place that forces a decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome buyers know every option code, others just know they want a 911,\u201d says Philip. \u201cSo we make a coffee, sit down, and talk it through.\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019s under no illusions \u2014 for many people, this is a dream purchase. One they\u2019ve saved for, planned around, maybe even waited years to make.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe try to get it right first time,\u201d he adds. \u201cBecause if someone ends up with the wrong car, the dream can go badly wrong. We want them to enjoy it, not regret it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Appointments are encouraged, especially for test drives \u2014 space is tight and stock moves quickly \u2014 but walk-ins aren\u2019t turned away. \u201cWe\u2019re happy to show people round. There\u2019s no pressure here. Just come in, have a chat.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Rare metal with real character<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Among the stock is something rather special: one of just 75 right-hand-drive homologation cars built so Porsche could race at Le Mans. Signed by Derek Bell, no less.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a real piece of history,\u201d Philip says. \u201cBased on a 924 Turbo, but reworked with an intercooler, wider arches and a different character entirely. Derek Bell owns one too, which says a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s one of those cars that doesn\u2019t shout \u2014 but if you know, you know. And that\u2019s very much the vibe here.<\/p>\n

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More than metal<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There\u2019s a simple ethos at play here: give people a good experience, and they\u2019ll remember it. That applies whether someone\u2019s buying a GT3 or bringing in a 986 Boxster for a service.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople say they\u2019re buying the car from us<\/em> \u2014 not just buying a<\/em> car. And that\u2019s how we like it,\u201d says Philip. \u201cWe want people to feel looked after. That it wasn\u2019t just a transaction.\u201d<\/p>\n

With Design911 supporting things behind the scenes and a core team that knows its way around every model in the Porsche back catalogue, Philip Raby Specialist Cars is a rare find: informal, informed & refreshingly human.<\/p>\n