The Ultimate Preowned 996 Buying guide.

[BruceP]

Originally Posted by Benjamin Choi

I see your points, Bruce, but given that a lot of us are not trust fund babies and drive not a $200K car brand spanking new, on top of knowing how the M96 engines are not known to be "bulletproof," the recommendation in considering an aftermarket warranty and putting it up in this buyer's guide is a value-add at the end of the day.

I think you would agree that nothing is ever clear cut in this forum and in life so a poor value to you may be of great value for others. We shouldn't omit this subject matter from a used car buyer's guide because some of us like to indirectly interject that a $12G engine replacement wouldn't piss off their bank account.

That's a lot of food on the table, period, and even at my age, peace of mind counts for a lot. $3Gs gets you an Omega Speedmaster Pro. $12Gs gets you a Panerai. It's an insurance policy and it's clear to me based on my readings that this topic is highly relevant. Bingo.

Hey, no criticism is meant. And I think that you're pretty honest with yourself about why you're doing it, so it really does have value to you. There was a time I would have done the same, just so I could have a car that I might not otherwise feel comfortable driving. I think that's just it, though... people have to be frank with themselves about why they want the protection before they can really judge its value. If I was writing a buyer's guide, I might say, "Repairs can be expensive and replacing an engine is not unheard of. If big repair expenses would be too disruptive to you financially, consider an extended warranty." I would not say, "Extended warranties are a must," or even, "... a good idea."

Fact is, for everyone who says they're glad they got one, there are hundreds who silently wish they hadn't bothered. Buying one is a gamble, and so is not buying one. In the first instance, the odds of losing are much higher, but the price is lower. In the second, the odds of losing are much, much lower, but the price is much higher. My point is kind of the same as yours: Value is subjective. I think any advice given to a prospective buyer should acknowledge that.

[redridge]

if the coolant tank are yellowish in color, most likely its the original and more likely to leak... if whitish in color, it is fairly new. To replace the tank for na, its a direct replacement and a diy. For a tt, its an engine drop, most likely not a diy.

[Leenseen]

Thanks to everyone for chipping in on this thread.

Good Read for me especially since a 911 is looming round the corner as long as I can get rid of my darned RX8!

[Aaya]

Thank you for the well thought out post.

[BrandX]

Originally Posted by Benjamin Choi

$3Gs gets you an Omega Speedmaster Pro. $12Gs gets you a Panerai. It's an insurance policy and it's clear to me based on my readings that this topic is highly relevant. Bingo.

Watches, right?

[wa2go]

Yup. Got my Omega Speedmaster on eBay for $675 about 8 years ago. To someone, it was an unwanted gift.(!) It still gets stares and inquiries from people almost every day. And even if it didn't, I love it every time I put it on. Dead on accurate, self-winding, no battery required, maintenance free so far. Gotta love it!

And now, returning to topic: This thread was an awesome (i.e. valuable) find for me. I cannot thank the original author enough! I am still waiting for an opportunity to test drive a 997 GT3 to decide if I want to jump into a 996 or save a little bit more and wait for a 997... Wondering how to go about finding a 997 GT3 to drive in the Newport Beach area...

-wa2go
'97 E36 BMW M3 currently in storage in NY
'91 E30 BMW 325iX currently in storage in NY
nondescript USA-made longterm rental DD junk
'99 BMW R1100S 0-60 in 2.9 sec
'90 Harley Low Rider, louder than hell

[lizem100]

Chad
What specific or general probs did you have with 996s over 50K miles?

[Chads996]

Originally Posted by lizem100

Chad
What specific or general probs did you have with 996s over 50K miles?

No specific problems. As I stated in the post, it is a personal preference to find Porsches in that particular mileage range (based on how old the model is). Most sports cars in general sometimes live hard lives. One's owned and maintained by enthusiasts often live less harsh ones with often less miles driven.

If you are comfortable buying a 996 with higher mileage...that is your decision. Be sure to get a complete PPI with compression.

C.

[Sam CS 05]

Hi looking at a preowned 2001 996TT, I came across the dealer service records with description of "Stage 2,3,4 Recon." performed in in 2004, what is a Recon.? is that a major red flag?

[Chads996]

Originally Posted by Sam CS 05

Hi looking at a preowned 2001 996TT, I came across the dealer service records with description of "Stage 2,3,4 Recon." performed in in 2004, what is a Recon.? is that a major red flag?

Sounds like a reconditioning of some sort. Given that this is a normally aspirated forum, you might have better luck over in the Turbo forum.

Good luck with your search.

C.

[Sam CS 05]

oops! pardon me didn't realize it
Sam

[Rivarama]

Hi, I am about to buy my first Porsche. That will be a daily driver. My budget is about $40K.
Given that I am in Boston, I want a carrera 4 or 4S. After looking at a couple of website such as cars.com or ebay, I see that I can get a 2003/2004 4S coupe for about that price with around 40K or so.
Is there a big maintenance cost between the 4 & 4S? Any reliability differencial? Given that the limited price difference between the 4 & 4S, I am really wondering why I should not buy the 4S
Finally, is there RMS still an issue on the 2003/2004 models?
Thanks for your answers
Paul

[Chads996]

Originally Posted by Rivarama

Hi, I am about to buy my first Porsche. That will be a daily driver. My budget is about $40K.
Given that I am in Boston, I want a carrera 4 or 4S. After looking at a couple of website such as cars.com or ebay, I see that I can get a 2003/2004 4S coupe for about that price with around 40K or so.
Is there a big maintenance cost between the 4 & 4S? Any reliability differencial? Given that the limited price difference between the 4 & 4S, I am really wondering why I should not buy the 4S
Finally, is there RMS still an issue on the 2003/2004 models?
Thanks for your answers
Paul

RMS issues can pop up on any of these cars. HOWEVER, the RMS issue is completely fixable and should be a deal breaker (unless the issue is long overdue for a fix). The C4S is a MUCH better car (in my opinion) than the C4. Better brakes, handling, etc. Personally, I would shoot for one of those. Good luck.

C.

[Rivarama]

Thanks for answers and buying tips. I narrowed down my search to 3 cars in the Tri-state area - and I am looking for somebody who could do a PPI for me.
Can you please tell me where I can find a mechanics that could do a PPI on a 996 4S. How does that work? Should I ask the seller to drive the car there after I pay a deposit? or should I drive it after I leave a deposit?
Thanks

[Chads996]

Originally Posted by Rivarama

Thanks for answers and buying tips. I narrowed down my search to 3 cars in the Tri-state area - and I am looking for somebody who could do a PPI for me.
Can you please tell me where I can find a mechanics that could do a PPI on a 996 4S. How does that work? Should I ask the seller to drive the car there after I pay a deposit? or should I drive it after I leave a deposit?
Thanks

Congrats. If possible, post a request here on Rennlist or contact the local PCA chapter president. They will likely know a good independent shop. If that is not available, try a dealer.

The PPI - yes, request that the seller take the car to the closest location available. Most PO's will gladly do this. Be sure to offer to pay for the gas (optional, but something I would do).

The total sale should be contingent on the PPI. Meaning, the deposit as well. If the car fails the PPI cancel the deposit check and walk.

Hope that helps. Good luck.

C.