mhariush

I'm trying to read up on old threads about reliability for these cars. But some of the threads are getting older

Dilberto

The fuel filter flange will eventually fail, squirting fuel. The rear hatch struts need replacement every 3 years. The front control arms and motor mounts will go after 120k and the water pump will start slinging coolant around $100-130k.

nodoors

Don't forget the brake booster vacuum lines that start breaking and leaking and the blower fan!

knfeparty

I would say get a manual transmission base model, gut out all the interior which is going to disintegrate anyways, fix all the vacuum pieces, cardan shaft, starter etc, then lift it and put on mud tires.

These are the big ones:

Legend has it that the S models will all die from cylinder scoring and that you should get a base model or a Turbo.

Engine mounts: for the turbo model, the engine has to be REMOVED, but I think on the base and S it's not bad. The car will drive like crap and shake all the time when the mounts are worn.

Front control arms: Front suspension squeaks, ball joints clunk. Pretty easy to replace lowers, but alignment shops can't figure out how to set caster. Upper arms require disassembly of most of the engine bay.

Cardan shaft: Get that rocky mountain rebuilt one, or whatever the company is called. $400 for the whole shaft, super easy to bolt in, don't worry about it for another 60k miles.

Hatch struts: Instead of fighting with these, just remove all of the interior off of the inside of the hatch. The look is a bit Spartan, but it adds a couple cubic feet of cargo room and the reduction in weight will make the hatch lift higher (I can stand under it on low suspension setting and I'm 6'1").

Transmission valve body: Costs about $1200 I think, but not too hard to install.

Starter: It's under the intake, and if the coolant pipes ever failed, the starter will go too due to getting soaked.

Headlight wire harnesses: Just do the hack where you cut the tabs off and press them in manually.

Brake booster vacuum line, coolant tees, AOS diapraghm, other vacuum lines: Have to do these, but DIY capable.

Air compressor: mine was either replaced before I bought it (121k miles) or is still going strong at 162k. New one is $$$ but the rebuild kits are cheap.

Headliner: there's no fix, just glue it back together a couple times then pay $800 for a replacement.

Front seat backs: They will fall off. You will re-glue them. They will fall off again. Ultimately, I put black screws through mine to hold it all together.

ventoGT

A DD with that many miles, people on the board will tell you having secondary transportation is a good idea. I think that would be the case with any vehicle of that mileage.

Travis

We have a 181K Mile CS. Nearly all of the stated known items were part of the service history for our P!G.

When we bought it, the pipes, cardan shaft and fuel pumps, and a few other wear items were already taken care of.

In the 4 years we've have driven this, I've had to replace control arms, hatch struts, brakes (pads, fluid, rotors), oil 3x, transfer case actuator + controller, one coil, hid bulbs, pollen filter, battery, and motor mounts. All wear and tear items.

Tires are due soon. DWS06 will be going on in a month.

This is not the daily, more like the long distance road trip, home depot, bike hauling vehicle.

Hope that helps

uphoto

Really depends on how much you want to drive it daily too. Hopefully you have something as a backup for when you have to do some work on it.

dhc905

I just ticked over 180K on my CTT and have owned for 6 months now. Total cost of ownership has been new rear struts and fuel filter. Prior owner did spend $6K in the year leading up to selling on fixing various items (mostly the ones pointed out above), but I'm guessing their total cost of ownership given the records was probably $12K and ran from 33K miles when they bought it CPO to 175K when they sold it to me 7 years later. And they serviced it exclusively at the dealer.

MM951

Off the top of my head, my 130kish (I forget) 04 TT I bought last December with 55K miles put on since purchase I have repaired the following:

L/F Air Spring
Alternator (+ the while youre in there)
Waterpump
Drive Belt
many many intake seals and hoses ($$$)
coolant tank
every breather hose/diaphragm
fuel filter flange
various bulbs
a battery
coolant t's
coolant breather pipe under intake manifold
left front upper and lower controls arms - waiting to do right side
tires
lots of gas and oil
fuel filler door switch
plugs/coils
valve cover/variocam gaskets
fuel injector harness repair
coil connector due to melted coil
valve body rebuild using transgo parts
all fluids
rear hatch struts
bypass valves
all soft vac line

I'm sure there is more but I like to repress these awful memories.

My back up car is my 200K plus 944 Turbo with the big turbo, wastegate, Vitesse software, coil overs, etc etc that I've had since I was 16 and the car had less than 90K.. I am a glutton for punishment. This is also reflected in my choice of women.

ventoGT

HA! At least you are lucid about both Porsche ownership and women

uphoto

TRUTH!

knfeparty

I forgot to mention fuel pumps- those did actually leave me stranded once, but only because when I repaired them I got a line tangled up in the float and ran the car out of gas when the gauge said it still had some left!

I wouldn't depend on any Porsche as my ONLY car; that's why you need TWO! 996 and 955/957 make a great combo that won't break the bank.

nodoors

Yep, that sounds about right, haha. Did you post any information about the Transgo kit install? Please tell us more about that one. You might as well go ahead and find a new blower motor and resistor as they are on borrowed time.