aaronazevedo

Greetings all -

I used to be on the 993 forum and sold my 993 a year ago or so. I'm getting back into the 911 world and looking at a 996 cab.

I've been reading and searching this forum looking for a list of items that should be on my lookout list. The only real thing I find is the rear main seal issue on the 3.4 liter motors. Ideally, Id be looking for an '01 and later with a 3.6 motor, but I've found a great deal on a low mileage '00 with a 3.4 motor.

thanks in advance

Aaron

Barn996

Where to begin. First off welcome to the 996 forum. A thorough PPI should do more than tell you tire and brake pad wear and any cosmetic issues. An inspection for any oil leaks and their location, condition of all electrical components, elec. windows, sunroof etc. Any evidence of an accident to body panels, suspension parts etc. Review of all work performed such as oil and filter changes, brake work, coolant tank, AOS,etc. Unusual sounds from the engine, water pump leaks, hoses. Have them list items that need attention and the cost to do the work. GL and keep us posted.

soverystout

Keep doing that research!

It's the 02 and later cars that have the 3.6L motor.

RMS Rear Main Seal - Common
IMS Bearing - Intermediate shaft bearing - not common but scary
AOS Air oil separator - can cause issues
Water pump - needs to be replaced every few years regardless of mileage/use


You want as many maintinence records as possible and try to locate the shop where the services were performed for more info.

You really should have a Porsche specialist do a Pre purchase inspection.

Gonzo911

as souverystout said, absolutely use a Porsche specialist and I recommend an indy for sure.

philooo

Be carefull !

Unless you specificy to your Porsche dealer what needs to be checked they will make a very simple cosmetic check and that's it. It will cost you 'only' $200 but you will know nothing.

If you want the works it will cost you a lot more:
- compression test (if high mileage car)
- leak down/pressure testing coolant
- alignment to make sure the car is straight
- paint thickness test (not sure they even have the tool for it)

PPI is good, but make sure you inspect the car really good yourself.
After my PPI, I took the car for a test drive and the alignment was out fo whack with steering wooble over 50mph. They did not even see that in their 'PPI' so be careful. Don't trust the PPI blindly.

If you know a good mechanic shop personally I'd even rather go with that. Porsche are like any other cars. Only benefit of the Porsche dealer is that he will be able to plug the infamous PIWI computer to it and report on some numbers like over revs.

Good maintenance is key. I also don't like when a car has been steam cleaned all the way to the underbody. You can't tell if there was any leak or scratches.

Dennis C

We used to have a sticky about this called the 996 buyer's guide, or something like that. What happened to that?

Other things that I'd look for include:

- Leather dye on the seat bolsters or in other common wear areas, like the steering wheel or shift ****. Sometimes sellers try to cover up imperfections and the dye quickly wears off.
- Transmission smoothness and shifting action. You may notice difficulty getting into 2nd gear, especially on downshifts. This can be a sign of synchros going bad.
- Try to get moving from a stop in 2nd or 3rd gear and you'll be able to tell if the clutch is slipping, telling you that a replacement is coming in the near future.
- Make sure that the PPI includes a check of the exhaust system. Cats do go bad, mufflers have internal components break, etc. If there are any rattles, I'd want those to be addressed.
- Check for leaks, especially around the RMS, as mentioned above.
- I like to buy cars with maintenance records, but I realize that's not always possible.
- Look for signs of a respray on the front bumper. Like the 993, these cars tend to get lots of stone chips. Many people have the car resprayed. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's nice to know about it before you buy it.

Good luck with your search, and enjoy the process!

Torontoworker

Lot's of tools from really cheap magnetic type ($20) to mid price digital (under a $100) to models mainly for the body shop industry ($300 and up)

See ebay item of mid range model as a sample; http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-1-DIGITAL-...item256a9b2b2a

Speaking of key's!!!

Can we talk about getting TWO keys when you buy your P car. Don't be like me and when you buy your car from someone and they tell you they only have ONE key - don't go, 'ok' and think, 'How much can a second key cost'? Ummm, you'll want to have demanded a second key from seller when you find out just how much that cost you... Just saying.

targa996

yeah - finding right shop for PPI is critical. Go to independent Porsche specialist - not dealer or german car house. A few other things to watch for

- Window regulators - do windows drop when you open door ?
- Exhaust Rattles - Check cat is still good
- Clutch condition
- Has oil been changed more often then 15K interval speced by factory ..?

Gonzo911

And...since its a cab be very critical of the condition of the top and the motors/pumps. Many times a slow or hesitating top will only need hydraulic fluid, but a replacement pump/motor can get pricey. The top should go up and down smoothly. Plus, listen for squeaks when you drive (especially over bumps) to make sure it is seating correctly and the seals are good. Make sure you raise and lower the top several times using both the switch as well as the key. Operating the top by using the key in the driver's side door will give you a better look at the overall operation.

aviography

Good point, the original owner who sold me the car said "the remote for one key doesn't work" and he's right but it starts the car just fine so I suggested to him perhpas it is just a dead battery, he mumbled something and shrugged his shoulder.

I was more than suprised when I popped the key fob of that key later and found there was no circuit board in there!! I suspect he may have had that key go through laundry and killed the board, and decided to just throw away to board so that no buyer can come back to him after replacing the battery and said the key was defective, I'm sure if I go back to him to inquire about the missing circuit board he will just play dumb and say: "What circuit board? I don't know anything about the circuit board?"..........

Not impressed to find this out to say the least!

logray

Ditto!

Hurdigurdiman

My wife bought me a suprise 70th birthday present last May a 1999 C2 Cab. With it came a PPI which didnt mention that the inside courtesy light and door panal lights were not working. The car also had a noisy transmission/gearbox which it didnt mention . Lucky for my wife that she bought an extended warranty (which you might consider) 3 year/45000 miles in addition to any other PPI suggestions on how good things were on the car. Which to me is a load of crap as there are just too many things to list that can go wrong with the 911. For instance even after the buying of the extended 3 year warranty, it did not cover the inside lights (which are still not working).. but can be put on from the switch on the cluster. Well after I drove it about 500 miles, and had a porsche mechanic sit in with me, the warranty firm had to install a built up gearbox at a price of $3500 which more than paid for itself. I have done lots of preventative DIY jobs since getting the car. All cheap but important things, Oil, Coolant, changed & bled, all filters changed, supentine belt, brake pads and wear sensors, front apron off and cleaned radiators. Checking oil filters for silver or plastic bits (all clear so far). I still think that the 996 is a fantastic car in everyway. Also a great buy owing to the scare mongering that goes on with regards to the IMS etc.. Which ever way the cat jumps, I have mine covered. Go for the car my friend and look after it and drive it like you stole it. Only between 5% and 10% of all 996s made have had a reported problem with the IMS.. You wouldnt put your wages on it that you could pick the bad one from ten 996s would you. Its a great bet in my book that I got a good one. But It's good to check that oil filter anyway. Bit of advice, drive it with the hard top on (if it has one) and windows closed and then you can hear the gearbox better. By the way I knew nothing about the 911 a year ago but by God I do now. LOL