Hi,
In the market for a Guards Red 996. Found one locally at one of those mom and pop lots. Carfax looks fine and hoping to get a PPI early this week when the shops open. I haven't driven many 996s so I don't know what to expect in terms of interior wear and tear for a 2002 with 90k+. Was hoping you could educate me / talk me into pulling the trigger!

Stats:
2002 C2 91K Miles
LN IMS Retrofit
California Car
Price: Asking $25k USD

Interior: Grey with chipping/peeling and discoloration on steering wheel, center console, shift ****, door handle, radio surround.. Feels like I should be able to restore most of the blemishes over time; not going for a show car just a weekend car that I can maybe dd someday.
So generally, would this interior be considered in bad condition? Will most of the sub $30k 996s have similar interior wear and tear? (from pics, some seem to show similar issues but as you know it can look worse in person)

Pics (looks a bit worse in person):









Thanks in advance!


P.S. Paint has swirls but should be able to get them cut/polished out (hoping!) minor chipping that was badly touched up but not a biggy. Tail lamp lenses have a small crack on each.

 

I have an 03 Targa with 63,000 miles. I just had my interior refurbished by a guy who color matched dye and took most of the pieces off and feathered the edges of the wear with sandpaper before applying the finish. I paid about $500 to have the center console and the side of the seat control you are showing done. All of those pieces are available for purchase from Suncoast parts new. Some of them aren’t too expensive but the center console runs around $500 by itself.

My understanding is that with this vintage of Porsche and Mercedes they used black plastic with a soft colored coating over it in the interiors. They are prone to show wear even if they aren’t abused.

 

Any color other than black, does wear well.

After 20 years of use, they may need to be refreshed.

The bolster wear varies so much, depending on the owners size & mobility in relation to miles, ie, city car with less miles and frequent in/out, vs. a rural car driven many more miles with less in/out.

OP was correct, refinishing is something many of us are dealing with.

 

Thanks for replies. This is a Cabriolet so I imagine that doesn’t bode well for these interiors.

The back seat looked brand new. I think I will adjust my expectations for the interiors of these cars and budget for the likelihood of refinishing the interior pieces.

 

Cosmetics should be the LEAST of your concerns with this car. The engine should be the CORE of your decision-making process. Leather dye and soft-touch paint can easily be corrected for under $100, but an engine with serious issues will bankrupt your Porsche, especially if $25K is all you have to dump into your dream car. Follow me?

For those interested, here is the car in question:
https://www.autostarmotorsinc.com/pr...Carrera/710989

Here is the Carfax:
https://www.carfax.com/VehicleHistor...vH21KCSpM5jge8


Now while the dealership "claims" the IMS bearing was swapped out with an LN retrofit, the bearing was NEVER registered per LN warranty requirements. (see attached image) You don't know when the bearing was installed; therefore, it may be time to do it again. The service interval is every 6 years.

Also, you MUST have this car scoped to rule out cylinder bore scoring. I strongly recommend getting your mind off of cosmetic things and concentrate on the engine and the functionality of the car (e.g. convertible top mechanism). Get the Pre-purchase Inspection by an independent Porsche shop that knows the M96 engine.

 

Take it from me, they all wear like this. I have a 2002 Cab and the entire interior is plastic and needs a complete repaint. Carpets are good quality. Check out my YouTube channel on my restoration. Very fixable. However the engine is your starting point. I’m pretty certain that a PPI will not scope the bores for scoring. However you can usually see signs in other ways. Check the tailpipes. The left is bank 2 so cylinders 4,5,6. 6 is the culprit that usually shows signs first. The pipe will be sooty and dirty compared to the other pipe. Another way is to listen for a ticking sound on the right side of the engine. That’s more difficult if you don’t know what to listen for.
My 911 has 101k miles has a rear main seal leak but no scoring. I had to check it myself. It also has seepage in other places and the piston rings are allowing oil in the combustion chamber. All things that should be serviced at this point anyway. So if it hasn’t been done, I’d budget for a gasket, seals and possibly ring refresh. Parts will be around $800-1k. However you’ll have to drop the engine to service it completely. If you’re not comfortable with that you should budget for 3k-5k in service. Oh and while you’re in there you should plan on replacing the clutch if it’s a manual.

Oh and that price is on the high side for a base C2 but it is what it is in today’s market. Good luck!

 

Thanks for the in-depth response and research. As I tried to convey, the question was solely and narrowly fixed in the cosmetic because I am doing my due diligence with a full PPI as stated. Please note: The dealer never stated to me the IMS had been done, the sticker was present in the door jamb. I do appreciate the warnings about mechanical as I do consider that the most important consideration. I was not aware of the 6 year maintenance interval.

 

No grey interior in these cars ever looks good. Seems normal to me.

 

Yes, and that's why I spent time to help you to understand that like a book, you shouldn't judge a Porsche by it's cover, but rather, the health of the engine. Worn or sun-damaged cosmetics on a 20-year-old Porsche Cabriolet shouldn't come to a surprise, especially the graphic grey interior which is known to age poorly. I know, I had two of them. As long as the leather is not torn, you can easily repaint (i.e. leather dye) the seats, parking brake handle, gear shift ****, and center console for under $100. Easy DiY project.

My comment about the PPI is to make sure you get one conducted by a reputable Porsche-specific shop, not just any shop.

With the LN Retrofit serial number, you can contact LN Engineer and get an actual purchase date and that may help you to pinpoint when it was installed, but no guarantee.

It wouldn't surprise me if this car will need quite a bit of work. I would expect to pay at least $5,000 after the sale if it passes the PPI.

Just make sure the PPI includes a bore scope inspection. Good luck!

 

okay

 

Ouch! lol
While gray would never be my first choice, I wouldn't go so far at to say it 'never looks good'.

 

I have a grey interior cab and would say what you see is pretty typical. The grey shows every mark due to the black underneath.

 

Nice mats. Coco?

 

Looks fairly normal for a car of this age. My car definitely has some wear spots on the interior.

 

There is a lot of good advice on this thread.

Sounds like you have done your research with regards to what to look for regarding the engine and what you will need to do if you purchase the car.

In answer to your question, there are a few threads on the 996 pertaining to "interior upgrades" on RL that will give you more ideas, links and costs. As everyone suggested, the pictures look pretty much like any other 996 grey interior. Same wear and spots.

I have a grey interior and have always liked it. As mentioned by many, the leather wear can be fixed cheaply and easily with dye. The rubberized plastic can either be replaced with the same rubberized plastic parts, stripped and painted, or even upgraded with aftermarket items. Many folks have been stripping and painting these parts themselves or going to Bumper Plugs to have them do it. This is an option I am seriously considering. Just haven't figured out which color I will use yet.

Plenty of affordable and even expensive options available.

Hope the PPI and Bore Scope are favorable. It's an awesome car.