errico

hello guys

I just got into a situation where a can buy a 996 turbo 2002 60 miles for a great price. I have a 996 c2 2001 for 6 years now and it's a great car. I got offered something to buy the turbo but I have till Monday morning to give them the answer or it will sell.
My issue is that I know nothing about the maintenance and issues this car has. Iam well aware of the 996 issues ims etc etc as I own the car. I presently have 4 years warranty on my 996 c2. Purchasing a turbo will leave me with no warranty but a spectacular car. It looks crazy nice.

My questions.

Engine issues ?
Anything issues ?

What should I expect as far as failures.

I appreciate the quick responses, there us so much I can read till Monday morning , any input is appreciated!

2K7TTMIA

Sounds like a great deal, did you test drive it?, ask about prior history? Will it be requiring an inspection or upcoming maintenance? what's the asking price? Is the sale "as is" or pending an inspection?
2nd gear pop out is one issue that has come up with Turbos, but lack of use or poor maintenance can bring up a whole mess of issues with any car that others have not experienced.
Are you willing to risk getting the car " for a great price" and then have to sink $$ to get it right if issues start arising? If you get the car and then have it thoroughly inspected and it's a keeper, then you got a heck of a deal. Good luck either way.

errico

I would not say it's a deal but it's exactly what I like. I would be giving away my 996 c2 warranty for a 996 turbo no warranty.

The 996 turbo will leave the dealer just fine it's after I worry about. The records are clean as well.

harris

back in 2007

I sold my 996 C2 2001 man to get my
current 996 TT 2001 man

both car had extended warranty though and were purchuased from a dealer..

I must say that buying such a car should rather be a well prepared movement, not a quick decision over the week-end and especially inside a forum
whatever we say to you good or bad should be taken in account...not force you to make up your mind.

the pleassure of owning a porsche with a warranty makes it easier for you to enjoy your car. i am not saying that 996 TT will brake. it is most likelly that it won't.all I am saying is that before you purchuase the car , have it checked by a professional mechanic, and much better in a OPC. this will allow you to firstly to check the condition of the car, and secondly to may be knock off som $$$

I was allways affraid by offers ending up on mondays with quick replies...
on the other hand the seller from what you are saying, will sell the car nomatter if you buy it or not...which means that he is trying to get some mextra $$$ from you..
or bay be is not telling you the truth and he is trying to phychologicaly force you...
you have the money and he needs it..you are on the top.

check the car professionally.
(if he agrees thean ok- if not walk away)

make an offer at a lower price of what he is asking the car and deefinetelly of what you can afford...
because you really like the car let some $$$ on the side to play the game.

when you will be 100% you want the car ( assuming that there is no other mechanic issues) play the game

I doubt he has another buyer waiting...
( he is trying to force you because he might understood that you want the car- or even worse he is trying to force to buy the car without inspecting it, which in this case is far more questionable.
on the other hand if he has another buyer you have nothing to loose than try)

let us know what you did

harris

p.s. when buying a used car you have to put priorities...in my case was TT to be a nice clean car...I ended up with a silver -metrople blue car which was my last favorit colour on my list...It was though an OPC car with warranty and FSPH....

Letmebegus

+1

Is this from a dealer? Is it a dealer you trust?
A few minor issues in the driveability of the car, body issues, spoiler issues, that would make a dealer want to unload at a price that seems like a deal can easily total up to 10k in costs.
If this one truly sells Monday, then was this dealer going to sell it to you - out from under someone else? Not a very cool dealer.
If it does sell, and you really wanted one, then let the search for a good one in your price range begin.

PAULUNM

When you have the PPI done, I'd have them pull the oil filter apart. If it's got a bunch of metal in it (oil flows from the outside of the filter to the inside), then skip on the car.

kato1453

If it is what you want, and it passes a PPI. I would say go for it. Just beware of the spoiler issue as the most annoying. The 2nd gear pop out should come up in the PPI. All these cars are closing in on 10 yrs, so there will always be issues

errico

The car is at a Ora he dealer and yes it's clean with no issues. It is a tuslly sold but the finance did not pass for the other buyer. Again guys the car is not the issue and the price is right. I know the games the play, I just wanted to know if these cars usually have common issues , example would be a 996 with the famous ims issue. Sorry if I was not clear , I just want to know if purchasing a Tt without a warranty is risky business as ism not aware of the mechanics if this car. Thank you !

nick49

Your questions will be answered by reading these forum posts. Go back a ways.

95carrera

Short answer: 2nd gear pop out, rear spoiler issue. Read recent excellence article on buying a 996tt. Not the same engine as 996 thus, no RMS issue.

SiFi1886

listen for worn sway bar bushings at the rear on the test drive and look for uneven tyre wear.

I hope it works out for you.

Kevinmacd

Divertor valves have a tendancy to go, but after market for about $300 to $400 fixes the Bosch reliabilty.

Let me stress you need to get PPI done regardless of the dealer. As far as maintenance, these cars are reliable and seem to run forever. It all depends on who drove it and if maintenance has been performed.

Don't get emotionally attached, be logical and do what is required to keep you from spending $$$.

My 996tt does not have a warranty and all I have done is replace the divertor valves. So I for one don't think warranty is an issue. Let me put it another way if you don't have the $$ to fix it then you shouldn't buy the car! BTW insurance will be more for the turbo.

joelesmith

don't get emotionally attached. oops, to late.

harris

After all these replies what makes me wonder is that a dealer that you trust is trying to sell a car to you that has been already some kind sold....to another person. Or had a deal.
Question: would it be nice to you to be treated like this?



Harris

larry47us

There are a few issues that crop up in this car. Well . . . . . there are issues that crop up in nearly ANY car. This engine is a totally different engine than the 996NA, as others have said. There is NO IMS issue, no potential engine destruction if a bearing goes. But . . .

These cars are a bit more expensive to maintain. Plugs, for instance, need to be replaced at 30,000 miles, rather than 60,000 miles.

There is an issue with 2nd gear pop-out, but this only rears its head if the POs were playing slap shifting with the car. Stressing the shift points and linkage result in the pop-out. From what I understand, if you don't create the additional stress, then there is no issue. There are several companies that make a "gizmo" (that's the technical term) that will easily be added to the transmission that eliminate the pop-out problem, if you do it B4 the problem raises its ugly head.

The spoiler was mentioned. This is a hydraulic animal, and there are times that either moisture, or improper raising (uneven raising) can create a problem. Replacing the entire mechanism is a $1,800 fix. There is someone on this board that is selling a "fixed" spoiler mechanism. It fixes the spoiler in the raised position, so it won't go up and down, but it is only a few hundred $$. I was considering it, but found that I was only having problems after washing the car, and then, if I just pulled over, turned the car off, and then started it and lowered the spoiler manually, the problem went away. I've been running for a year like that.

The clutch accumulator is another problem. The clutch is hydraulic, and the accumulator holds pressure after the engine is turned off. So, when you first get into the car, and press on the clutch to start it, the pedal goes down easily. After the engine starts, there's no problem. If the accumulator fails, then it is a LOT harder to push the pedal down. It will go down with some effort, and after the engine starts, it's no problem. There are three things that could cause the pedal to be hard to press down. The accumulator is one, the top of the slave (which has a valve in it) is the second, and I forget what the third is. It gets expensive, because they can't tell which is the problem until it is "repaired" and then the problem crops up again. That means you could pay to fix it three times before it is finally fixed. Ask me how I know.

If the car has had it's chip flashed, that's a great thing. Cost is about $1,500 available from a number of different suppliers, but it does stress the engine, and can prompt other issues that could cause the engine to miss during hard acceleration. But, it is cheap power. Seriously, it can add 80 horses or so.

Ceramic brakes are an issue. If they will need replacing in the near future, it supposedly costs upwards of 5 figures to get it done. They should last for 80,000 miles or so, but when the clock finishes ticking, that's a big expenditure.

In short, if you really like the car, find an independent mechanic who works on Porsches and have him do a PPI. It might cost you $200 - $400 depending on the shop, but it will be well worth it. It could save you bunches of dollars down the road. Even though you have a 996NA, the 996TT is a different car. Knowledge of the NA doesn't transfer to how the TT drives. Also, DON'T get emotional, even though this may seem to be a good deal to you. If you or the shop doing the PPI find something that the seller won't discount for, or fix. WALK AWAY QUICKLY. There are a lot of these on the market, and you should be able to find a good car, in the right color, with the right equipment, the right mileage, for a price you're comfortable with.

Then regale us with pictures and stories of how excited you are. The 996TT is a GREAT car. I love mine, you will too. Here's the best two pieces of advice:

1. Just don't get carried away with emotion.
2. Get a PPI from an independent mechanic.

All the best,

larry