ttgroove

Hello,

I am new to this forum and would like to get your take on what due diligence I should be doing before buying a 996.

I am looking at 2002 996 Targa Tip with 50,000 miles on it for $25,000. It got bunch of options and original sticker is $94,000. I test drove and fell in love with it. I am taking it for pre-purchase inspection tomorrow at a local non-dealer Porsche mechanic. This car had 4 owners before me, so I am not sure if IMS and RMS were taking care of. I will talk to the mechanic once PPI is done to see if he recommends doing IMS and RMS. I am inclined to do them anyway for my piece of mind. With California tax, IMS and RMS, it will probably come out to be $30,000 out of pocket.

Is there anything else I should be concerned about before buying it? What do you think of this purchase?

I always drove Japanese cars but it is time for me to experience something different. Maintenance cost is a concern, but this car will be a weekend car. I do not expect to put on more than 5,000 miles annually.

Any opinion from you experts will be greatly appreciated. I really want this car (mid-life crisis fighter), but at the same time I fear the cost of ownership, I go back and forth on whether to buy or not. I am almost hoping PPI will go badly I have a way to "get out".

Thank you in advance.

Macster

The car is just a used car so you want to verify the car is basically sound and worth owning.

What you decide to do or not do about the RMS and IMS is between you and your mechanic.

I note you have already driven the car. I advise a test ride of 15 miles to let the seller demo the car to you followed by a test drive of 15 miles over the same route so you can then experience the car in a variety of ways as you will use the car should you buy it.

This 30 miles of use gives the engine time to manifest any issues, make that the engine, drivetrain, brakes, steering, etc. time to manifest any issues.

Afterwards then you subject the car to a thorough used car check out to confirm everything works or what doesn't is not expensive to put right and does not hint at deeper underlying problems.

Be sure you check the tires -- they can be due to be replaced based on their age (>6 years old). Along with the tire age check their condition. Uneven wear is due to misalignment. Budget $200+ for a proper alignment and the results will be less satisfactory with the worn tires.

Check the brake wear. A new set of brake hardware can run $1000/axle if you have this work done.

After you finish then you have the car PPI'd. Among other things this will have the car carefully inspected to leaks. The DME over rev counters and engine run time is read and you can review the data with your mechanic.

For price I can't help you. I am not current on market prices for these cars. However, I think it safe to say that the asking price is probably high, padded some. This is the nature of the business.

Generally for a used car the car is worth from what it can bring wholesale to well the sky's the limit.

Remember:

Anything a car salesman tells you is intended to get you to buy the car as soon as possible and pay as much for the car as possible.

Price is not fact, only an opinion.

There is always another car.

Dennis C

If you get a PPI from a good shop that knows Porsches, then you should be fine. There's no guarantee with a 12 year old car. Do you best homework and enjoy it. Make sure that it has decent brakes and tires. You'd hate to have to add another couple of thousand to cover those right after you buy it.

Don't get too emotionally involved. If the PPI tells you to walk away, then walk away. You'll find another one.

porsche951

I bought a 2002 Targa 62k miles paid $27,500 last April. Didn't do a PPI because I've dealt with the sellers 3 times previously and I literally take them at their word. Mine still needs to have the IMS taken care of which I'll likely do this spring along with a clutch. Mines no mid life crisis I recently turned 60 but I've been driving sports cars for 44 years and this is my 4th Porsche. I recommend that after you buy it take what you read in these forums with a grain of salt because some of these guys will make you paranoid as hell. Yes these cars are expensive to fix but then again after you do your IMS these cars are extremely reliable. Good Luck.

5CHN3LL

If you don't have the Carfax, do you have someone who can run it for you? It's hit or miss whether it will provide anything useful, but it's still another worthwhile thing to check.

_If_ you are relatively handy in the garage, much of the routine maintenance is very easy. Brakes, for example, are easier on a Porsche than just about anything else I've ever worked on. Conversely, if you are not inclined to do some of your own preventive maintenance, you'll find that Porsche labor rates are high, so stuff that would cost you $200 at the Toyota shop may cost you significantly more at a Porsche dealership or independent mechanic.

You mentioned that you fell in love with the car, but subsequently you mentioned that you hope the PPI goes badly. The 996 is a great car, and if you really WANT a 911, it's an incredible value. However, if you're on the fence, there are other cars that are nearly as much fun to drive that are going to be more affordable to own - S2000, Miata, etc.

NineEreven

If you "hope" for a bad PPI, dont waste your money and get one to begin with. Go buy another lexus or nissan.

With 50K on the clock, there isn't too much to worry about besides what you listed. Tires, brakes, and all those consumable parts should be looked at but your fine apart from all that.

Kalashnikov

You already want to "get out" and not sure about the purchase. I would walk away. To get the 996 you have to want the car and be 100% sure you want it. Buying 996 is much easier than selling one.

996 is a bargain of the sports car world. It turns heads, it gets great mileage, it goes 170+ MPH. Maitenance is a factor, but most of the basic PM can be done with a floor jack and some stands. If SHTF you are screwed, but you know...you can have a heart attack tomorrow or trip getting out of the bed and die, so should you stay in bed all day tomorrow.

Spokayman

You say this car would not be a daily driver which implies that you have other reliable transportation taken care of.
To me this lessens the worry of disruption to daily life if the car is down for a few days to a few weeks due to maintenance or repair.
Low miles per year also equates somewhat to lower repair or component replacement costs, just don't forego oil changes routinely.
If you do dive into Porsche ownership, just do so with a realistic understanding that they are not a Toyota or Honda. In almost every way they don't perform the same as " standard" cars and that is why we love them!

5CHN3LL

On the flip side, don't dive into this car thinking it is going to be the fastest thing on the planet. 300 HP and a well-adjusted suspension makes a very capable car, but it's no tire-shredding monster. What precisely are you looking for when you say you're "looking for something different?"

Unless you're SOLD on owning a 911, I'd think seriously about a Boxster or Cayman. They're beautiful cars, the mid-engine setup means you can overcook things a bit without getting into serious trouble, and you can get a newer Boxster for 996 money, maybe even CPO so you don't have to worry about repairs.

Cuda911

$25k seems to me like a very good price for that car, assuming the PPI checks out OK. As others have stated, maintenance is rather expensive, but it's a fantastic car, and a perfect mid-life crisis fighter !!!!

ttgroove

Thanks everyone.

Yes I have two other "more reliable" car in 2013 Prius and 2011 Odyssey. Before them we had WRX and Legacy 2.5 GT.

The thought of getting 911 did not occur to me until I talked to my friend who has 2001 996 Cabriolet. He mentioned it has depreciated so much that thought it may be a good time to get into one. I think grabbed his 996 five years ago.

I started this car search with Miata, 370Z, and FR-Z, the usual suspects. While all of them drove nice in their own ways, none of them had "it" factor. Also, I feel I am bit too old driving them as a 40-year-old.

I also looked at 2001 Boxster with 40,000 miles for $13,000. I thought it was nice, but again felt missing the "it" factor.

I think I am attracted to 911 for its iconic status and the sound. This particular one has EVO V-Flow, it sounded awesome. Going fast beyond the speed limit is not exactly what I am after but who knows, it may put the bug in me again.

Will report you back what I find out from PPI tomorrow.

ttgroove

Does anyone know what are the black bumper thing on the front bumper? The owner swapped the bumper to the one on the photo. Don't know if it aftermarket or OEM.

CJWessing

I went from a 2005 Legacy 2.5GT to a 2002 Targa, Legacy felt like a little kids toy when I would get back into it after driving the Porsche for awhile. I say go for it.

To give you another price point, I paid $19k for my 2002 Targa with 77k miles on it last May. Still on original IMS. Had to do a bunch of minor repairs (window regulators, door latches, frunk latch, motor mounts DIY, brakes DIY, etc), made the mistake of adding everything up and I'm about $25k into the car now. Clutch was replaced at 50k, planning to do IMS whenever this one goes out.

It's my DD now and love it every day.

CJWessing

Looks like it might be a Turbo bumper, and I think the black thing on the bottom is called a front air splitter/spoiler. Not sure if it's stock or aftermarket, but I see aftermarket ones around here (LA) on Craigslist for fairly cheap.

CJWessing

Just looked closer at the pic and saw the bumperettes, not sure what they are.