Originally Posted by Optionman1

For anyone considering a 996 I hope this advise doesn’t come off as rude, it’s certainly not mean to be. If you’re questioning pre-purchase whether or not you have the financial resources to stay on top of 996 maintenance, its not the right car for you. You will constantly drive in fear, ruining the experience.

Originally Posted by the_shansen

One last question, I’ve read about 997s having issues with bore scoring and that 996s also suffer. Is this one of those expensive issues that hits a small number of vehicles?

Originally Posted by RobertM525

Yes, that was another good one:

I keep wondering how this compares to, say, an E46 M3 or an ND2 Miata or even a 981 Boxster.

Originally Posted by RobertM525

For me, it's less a matter of whether I can afford it so much as whether I can justify it. My last fun car was an Acura Integra and that car needed barely anything except for oil changes. That's a tough thing for any performance car to live up to.

I know the 996 is not an '80s Ferrari, where I can expect it to be broken down and in the shop constantly. On the other hand, I know it's not going to be a Toyota Camry. At this point I'm just trying to figure out where exactly it lies on that spectrum and exactly how I feel about that. So I really appreciate the feedback everyone has in this thread/forum.

Originally Posted by Optionman1

I've never owned other performance cars, but with a 996 you are basically buying a $20-30k engine and the rest of the car is free. If the engine goes, folk over $20k+ or sell for $5k. Maybe this is oversimplified, but way too many RL posts about people learning the hard way, and usually quickly after buying their "dream car". If I knew then (2 yrs ago) what I know now I wouldn't have bought a 996 with a stock engine, I would (a) buy a roller and send it to F6I and wait for it to be done right, or (b) I'd find one that someone is selling that already has a F6I engine in it. As my signature list reflects, I did just that with my 2nd 911, found one that had already visited Georgia. Good luck, go in eyes wide open.

Originally Posted by the_shansen

Thanks everyone for the perspectives.

I'd also appreciate your input as I'm looking at two examples. One is very local and the other is ...close enough.

First is a 2001 C2 with ~49K miles in Arctic Silver. I talked with the owner, and IMS, RMS, Clutch, etc are not done. Only maintenance items during their ownership (3 years/15,000 miles) is oil changes. Asking price is ~$28k. I figure there's about $4K in maintenance/work for IMS/clutch/RMS, brakes, etc.https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...84964295873897

Second is a 2003 C2 with ~27K miles in cobalt blue. IMS recently done at a Pcar dealer, but clutch/RMS not done. Asking is $32K. I figure there's about $2k of upfront maintenance. https://cars.ksl.com/listing/7071652

BAT auctions indicate the 2003 is in market price, but that the 2001 may be overpriced. Curious what you all think.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by the_shansen

I’ve been kicking around the idea of picking up a well sorted and maintained 996 to scratch the Porsche itch I’ve had since I was an 7 yr old. However, I’m facing the reality that despite a low cost to entry, there is a high maintenance cost.

I’ve read through several threads on using a 996 as a daily, but most are 2-4+ years old so I’m looking to obtain a renewed perspective given the passage of time.

Am I crazy to think that a 996 could still be used as a daily driver? Please be frank with your perspectives and don’t hesitate to break my inner child’s heart.

Additional details: I live in Utah and have a Subaru, which would continue to be my poor weather vehicle. I probably around 8,000 miles on the odometer a year.


Cheers!

Originally Posted by koth442

Wow, you have some high standards for maintenance. 996.2's generally go for a couple thousand extra over .1's.

I also paid $3k for my IMS + clutch install at a reputable indy, FWIW.