Porsche Enthusiasts Club Forum

Hi all,

This is probably one of those questions that has been asked a billion trillion times before so please bare with me.

I'm about to get myself a 996. Ever since I had my cousin's 911SC (1974) for loan over a weekend 20 odd years ago I always wanted a 911 myself and am in the lucky situation that I can afford one.

I'm currently stationed in Switzerland (and will be for the next good few years) and there are some good 996 on offer from 1998/99/00'ish with less than 100K KM (62,500 Miles) on the clock. Both C2 and C4's with or without tiptronic, convertibles, Carrera's etc so there is enough to pick form. I have thought about a convertible one but not sure as I believe it can be very expensive to maintain from leaks etc...

So, I have found a 996 Carrera (dark blue with kaki tanned leather) from Sep '98 with only 65,000 km on the clock and the advert reads elderly female driver only form a car sales room. The car has also a 2 year warranty from the car seller (no limit on the km's). Is this a good buy? I mean of course I will have it checked out and all, but 65K km in 13 years doesn't sound very much to me, and will this also mean that I'll be kind of certain that there are no problems with the usual horror stories one reads about every time a 996 is mentioned?

There is also a car being sold as a approved Porsche sale through a Porsche shop. Here there is only 3 months warranty and the service book is fully stamped and all. Is it better to buy from an authorized Porsche dealer with less warranty than a non authorized dealer with more warranty.

I just don't want to get burnt as this is my first own car which I have dreamt about over the last 20+ years and can now afford one!

I need lots of help as this is my first "real" car I'm buying for myself. My other half has been told that she is not allowed to eat or drink anything while seated in the car (or even being close to the car with any foods or drinks) as this is going to be my new best friend!

Thanks,

Frank

Hi Frank. I've been looking at these cars too. I think there is a buyers guide on the Hartech website, this should help you. The warranty needs to be clear, some are not worth the paper they are written on. If you let us know what type of 996, e.g. C2/C4/manual/tip etc, then someone who knows more than me can help you out better.

Its tough to say which is the better deal without obviously seeing the cars. However the 996 stories have reached mythical proportions with much hype, but that is not to say there are issues compared to normal Porsche reliability. You can never be certain any car is going to be bullet proof so its hard to buy one in the knowledge its never going to suffer the dreaded 996 fate. All you can do is minimise the risk and protect against.

SO for me it all boils down to current condition, service history, thorough check over or pre pusrchase inspection then a warranty of some sort. Any dealer that advertises one elderly lady driver for a 911 would make me wonder about the reliabiility of the warranty !!!

Check them (warranty) over in micro detail to see what is covered, give them some examples of what might go wrong and ask if they would be covered? So for me it would be the car currently the best deal via price and history IF identical then warranty and my trust in it would be a deciding factor, given you can purchase 3rd party warranties although for acar 13-14 yrs old this may be tricky, leaving you with the sellers one only. Much to consider but in the end one car will start to stand out.

Mileage is not a big thing, its not that low compared to some.

If it was me, I would more than likely go authorised dealer, but negotiate an extended warranty if possible. It needs to get a little closed to the indy dealer to be a no brainer.

Would agree with all Clive says except I would have thought there are not going to be many 996's around on authorised dealers forecourts given the age of all 996's now.

996's are harder to find on OPC forecourts, but not impossible. The 3.4's are becoming rarer, but the 3.6's are still there. I have just bought a 996 (3.6) Targa from an OPC Centre with a years warranty. Ordinarily they would have let it go to auction, but are now apparently starting to sell them on Pistonheads. They had a 3.4 when I went to test drive mine. The advantage in going OPC is the warranty, I wouldn't buy one without it as it gives some piece of mind!!

Sorry for the late response... Having worked in France for over a year w/ 35 working hours per week it is hard to adjust to "normal" working hours

Anyway, I have had my eyes on the following:

996 Carrera 2 from Sep 1998, 107,000 km, Tiptronic, Last vehicle control 06/2011, 3 months warranty (CHF 27,500 = £20,500).
996 Carrera 4 from Aug 2000, 116,000 km, Tiptronic, Engine replaced by Porsche at 48,000 Km (CHF 31,900 = £23,700)
996 Carrera 2 from Mar 1998, 98,000 km, Tiptronic, Last vehicle check 17/02/2011, 12 months warranty (CHF 33,500 = £24,850)

Both are from dealerships and my list of preference (based on colour and interior)...

I love the 996 shape, despite what some may think, and Tiptronic as I'm made believe it is cheaper to run as I won't have to change the clutch every 6 months or so (maybe a bit exaggerated). Basically, I don't believe I will be driving more than 12,000km a year so wear and tear will be minimum...

By looking around at cars in general in this country (Switzerland) I have a feeling that cars are generally well looked after which is a good over all sign, BUT of course won't base my future purchase on that alone...

To be honest, I'm scared to bits but it is also something I have always dreamt of so it is now or never... I need all the help/support humanly possible

Hi, all sound too expensive compared to UK prices, if you ever wish to bring a Swiss registered car back to the UK, beware , its a nightmare importing to the UK as its outside the EU and the UK authorities will tell you the car is not type approved for the uk. Very difficult, time consuming and expensive. Agree that Swiss cars are generally well maintained, I think the Swiss PC's are high quality.

Hi Sam,

Thank you for your concerns, but I have no plans in moving to the UK.

I basically need some input on the three cars I have picked out. The pricing is irrelevant but had it there as an intra-comparison if it makes sense...

Any input concerning the models is highly appreciated...

Thanks

Frank

Well Frank, if you want the right car maybe you should buy my 993 cab, '96, 80k,left hooker, ex German import, manual,very good conditionfor £30k Now remember we are talking 993 here , bomb proof, apreciating asset (unlike some of its newer cousins, actually ALL its newer cousins) and in my view the last of the Porsche true SPORTS cars. Good value for money and I would deliver @ the asking price

OK, a while since I was around last. Getting closer to purchase and here's my shortlist and I need some help.

I now sort off have a dilemma of which model I should spend my – almost there with the savings – cash on as I have done a lot of research over the last 8 months or so. I love the 996 and it ticks all the boxes for what I’m looking for. Not taking price into consideration as I’m not in the UK or US (I’m in Switzerland) so prices on second-hand cars are what they are where I live and I find them very affordable. What I can compare is the cost of the car vs. the cost of parts / service ratio if that makes sense for the models I have been looking at compared to other countries.

So, my short list is as follows (and might change):

- April 2000 996 C4 3.4L Convertible with 118’500 km on the clock. Tiptronic. It comes with hard top. No warranty. CHF 32’500

- Aug 2000 996 C4 3.4L with 116’000 on the clock BUT with new engine supplied by Porsche which has gone 48’000 km since new. Tiptronic. No warranty CHF 27.900 (still there after my posts a few months ago)

- Feb 2000 996 Turbo 3.6L with 162’000 on the clock. Tiptronic. 12 months warranty. CHF 35’700

- Aug 2003 996 3.6L with 90’000 km on the clock. Tiptronic. 12 months warranty CHF 32’900

I will not buy (let alone glance) at a vehicle without a full service book so all these have them. I also prefer to buy from a garage as they seem sound enough in this country. As you can see price wise they range from CHF 28’000 to CHF 36’000 but that’s not the point.

The usage will be a mixed bag:

Daily runs to and from work,
Some winter usage for going skiing (roads are cleared and they do use salt) and all cars must be fitted with winter tyres during specific periods.
One or two longer trips through Europe at summer (through Germany going up north to Scandinavia) and the odd trip to the Mediterranean.

So, which is the safest bet for durability and service costs? Is a Turbo more expensive to keep running than a bog standard C2 (The C2 is not on the list as I want 4x4 in case of unexpected snow fall etc)... I’m leaning towards the cab as it does have the hardtop (for a ski-rack) for winter and long journeys and the summers in this country are long and warm... I also gather that most problems on cars this old has been through the critical stage of the RMS failing and all (i.e. example with the new engine at 48’000km) right.

Is it a bad idea to buy a car which has had an engine replaced by Porsche? To me it sounds like a problem less to worry about concerning the RMS and oil leakage... I also believe (please correct me) that these older cars have proven their reliability and should run ok (ok normal service and part replacement costs are a must)...

I’m close of reaching my goal with savings so only a few months left ☺

So what would you recommend?

Before you even drive it, the first thing you have to do is look at it every day for as long as you own it. What one has your favourite colour and interior combo'?

Next thing, I'd want a warranty. Also, I'm biased so I say go for the turbo. It is a different engine to the other 996 models and having a tip' box you won't need to worry about over rev's.

It all comes down to personal preference. Please take my comments as my opinion, and decide for yourself.

Hiya Frank, I am also constantly looking at 996's and also aware of the potential impending doom regarding the engine, however I currently could not afford to even consider a turbo which from what I can gather is a no brainer as the engine layout is different and consequently didn't have any problems. I may be wrong but I'm sure if I am someone on here will correct me Also the price difference between the the normally aspirated and turbo models in this country is vast compared to your figures. good luck.
Andy Bruce.

Agree with the above. For that kind of price difference, it has to be a Turbo all day. No disrespect to anyone with a normal 996 but the Turbo is so much more car. Based on the engine that won Le Mans many times!

I have owned a 2004 4S Tiptronic Cab for 3 years, low mileage with full dealer history.

I had the same dilemma when buying as you did and Lee has summed it up quite nicely.

My car is not a daily driver so reliability is less of a consideration. The later cars with Tiptronic are less likely to suffer with engine failures. I paid £5k less than the going rate for the car which helped to square off any, what if doubts?

Running costs are not cheap, I would say you need £1.5k a year and considerably more to run a Turbo. Definately worth it, these cars are awesome.

I've said it before, and still not got round to it, but I wanted to write a buyer guide for these cars as I thin the club will swing this way in years to come. the 944 will become more of a collectors car and 996/986 cars will become as much of a hobby car as the 944/924's are just now. I'll try and list a few things you should check and look out for.

1 - Radiators/AC condensers. These should have been changed by now, as even sitting in a garage they would have started to deteriorate. The 996 has 2 on either side, with the AC condensers in front of them. The Turbo has another one in the middle. Does the AC blow cold, if not a sure sign there is a lack of gas in the system, possibly due to a leaking condenser.

2 - Clutch. On a 996 they get really heavy when worn, although I've never driven one with a worn clutch so can't tell you what it feels like. The turbo has a hydraulic clutch, so feel lighter then the normal 996. This brings in the other issue of the slave and accumulator, which is a reasonable job if they go.

3 - Gearbox. Doesn't seem to be a problem in the UK, but there is talk on Rennlist of second gear popping back out. This might need a gearbox re-build, but I've never known anyone in the UK to suffer this.

4 - Pads and discs. All subjective to the life span of these depending on how the car had been driven. Check the cross drilled holes are not blocked.

5 - Tyres. Check they're "N" rated. If the previous owner has not bothered to pay for proper tyres, you don't know what else they have saved money on?

6 - Front bumper stone chips. They all get them, just make sure you are comfortable with how many you have.

7 - IMS/RMS. The new seals can be fitted. Porsche updated the seal to a new type, which appears to be better. Check if it has been done.

8 - Scored bores. 1 swallow does not a summer make, but a small number of doom mongers have suggested that the bores can get scored, causing compression leakage. A leakdown test at the inspection stage is a sure fire way to make sure your compression is fine.

Numbers 2 & 3 don't matter to you, as you're looking at a Tip' box. So I won't go into the over rev' issues either. The cars are due a brake fluid flush every 2 years and a coolant flush regularly, check they've been done too. Numbers 7 & 8 are a debate in themselves. I'm sure that if you look at the failure rate of any new car manufacturer, there will be a number of issues. The internet has highlighted the 996 ones and caused it to appear greater than it is IMO.

These are just some things I though about when buying mine and not a definitive buying guide, the list is not exhaustive. I'll add to the list as if I think of anything else.