As some of you know, I am in search of an outstanding C4S to be my daily driver. I have seen and drove a few already. Most of the ones I drove, drove pretty well actually. But the brakes consistently don't seem to be as good as my Boxster S's. They say it's "just the way the 996's are".

1) To those that have 987's or 997's as a point of comparison- is this true?

I came across a C4S that had a "glass sunroof". But you cannot see through it from the interior. I.e. - the suede roof liner does not slide back so you can see outside or does it? I thought the C4S sunroof was supposed to be "body colored and metal"?

2) Can anyone confirm?

Also, I am trying to gauge how much I should be paying for C4S's since dealers out there seem to be priced from $45k to $50k for cars ranging with miles from 22k to 39k miles.

Regarding paint, dealers that claim "perfect" or "immaculate" seem to have a very relative view of that. I've seen cars deemed as such that look like, as my wife puts it, "went through a 1000 car washes"... There are small minute scratches everywhere even including the rear tail light assembly! Some dealers even had cars whose wheels had serious curb rash that they "forgot" about when I spoke to them on the phone. One had a missing aero part underneath the car (albeit being a cheap fix, but I wonder how that could have been missed in the "zillion point inspection".) And some failed the "any paintwork? = no" test when I go through the car with a paintmeter. It's getting really annoying how the stereotype holds true of "used car salesmen", regardless of brand.

Going through Edmunds.com, I am thinking that I would price the car I am searching for accordingly. I.e. for example, a 2004 C4S as "outstanding" NOT including options with 25k miles = $38k private party to $42k dealer retail. Outstanding is defined as:

"Vehicle is in exceptional mechanical, exterior and interior condition with no visible wear; it requires NO reconditioning. Paint will have a glossy appearance. Vehicle has no mechanical and/or cosmetic problems and has a clean engine compartment. Exterior and interior are free of any damage. Tires are in nearly new condition. Vehicle has a clean title and has the ability to pass an emissions inspection."

3) So my question is, for those that recently purchased their C4S's or 911's recently, how did their purchase price compare to what Edmunds says?

 

There are no 996 C4S with glass sunroofs, the only 996 with a glass panel is the Targa and there was no "S" until the 997 in the Targa.

 

Re: #3

When I bought my CPOd C4S about a year ago, Edmunds TMV was just a couple thousand less than sticker, so I'd say it was spot on.

 

WOW - so why the hell would one have a "glass roof" even though the headliner doesn't slide back so that you can see "through" the glass?

Also, the paint around the sunroof was original. Or at least the paintmeter number was 4.5 to 5.5.

 

Glass for sure? it was not just painted black fot some reason?? odd!

 

Nope, it was absolutely glass since I remember that there was a spot on it... and the neurotic in me wanted to get my glass cleaner from my car to clean it up!! And that I was trying to figure out how to "slide the headliner back" so that I could see through it...odd indeed!

 

Walk away from that one. Wierd

 

Absolutely correct!

Run, don't walk.

 

Phil, I need you to buy a new C4S, let it sit in your garage and then sell it to me a year or two later... And please let it be red, yellow, orange, black or silver with a dark interior and heated seats...



This used car search is turning up to be a challenge and time consuming. I was thinking of just giving up this "used car" search and just order a new one with the exact options that I like... but then dealer tells me its about a 3 month wait... 3 months tells me JANUARY... I don't want my birthday gift (to me, from me, love me) to be doubled as a Christmas gift (by wife).

 

I want pics of the "glass" sunroof!!!

 

Anyone in the Chicago land area that can look at a car for me?

As a side note...interestingly...Ferry Porsche and I have the same birth date (albeit he would have been 100 years old this year and I'm not!)! Could this be a sign?

 

Yes, it is a sign....... that you are younger than Ferry.

 

and subsequently, Not dead.

 

and that a 135i is a better car.

 

M3Armand, I wish you all the best in your search but based on our posts to date cannot for the life of me figure out why you would buy a 6C4S today, especially given your stated proclivities and experience. For your first used car it's definitely too old, and at the risk of offending C4S people, not worth the premium in this market given the very nominal incremental cost to be in a Turbo. I also had the heeby jeebies about purchasing "naked" used, and went CPO a couple of years ago on my '02. If i were buying a 996 today, there's no way it wouldn't be a CPO TT or a well known GT3. Otherwise just buy a 2006 7C4 (you don't need an S if you're happy with the standard 325bhp). These are all in a similar priceband, the GT3 a little over, and very special. I would recommend the forum over at 6speed if you're thinking turbo, much more active than here. I would not buy a car that a dealer wouldn't certify, there's always a reason and it's never pretty.