TheLastTemplar

Thanks for the numbers--these are kinda high but at least suspension is less than I had expected. I think many of the classified ads for 996s tend to already have the IMS and RMS issue addressed, so that's already a good sign since I save money.

As for the complexity of a TT, is it a lot harder for a mechanic to fix than say, a Carrera 2 Mark I? IYO, which would be less expensive to maintain year in and year out, aside from any major repairs; a 99-00 Carrera 2, or a 2002-2004 Carrera 2?

Does one need to replace the IMS and the RMS every few years, assuming L&N or whomever, has already done the work a year ago? Is the IMS and RMS more or less a one time deal?

I'd hate to have to spend 3 grand every few years on IMS/RMS replacements.


rpm's S2, thanks for giving a good range of miles to look for. Would 90,000 miles be good, or will this be the same deal like the Turbos in this 90K range?

I noticed dealer sites that sell 30-40 mile range of Mark I and II 996s, tend to sell them for $35,000, give or take. No real mods or anything--looks stock, and they want 35 grand. I want to do a sale through a private seller, but are these dealer sold cars under some kind of warranty?

I live in Canada, so if I were to buy from a US dealer, I assume even if they had a warranty coverage on a 996, I would not be eligible since I'm in a different country.

As for mufflers, I was thinking of doing an exhaust system upgrade. I love the flat 6 sound in stock form, but I was thinking of this;


This car looks sexy as hell, and nicer than 95% of the vehicles I see on a daily basis here in my city.

Sue Esponte

You're doing the right thing by asking a lot of questions and doing diligence around your options but I get the sense that you might be looking for a degree of certainty you just don't get from a used car let alone one with 90k miles on it.

A few months ago, for example, a fellow RLer bought what appeared to be a great C4S. The IMSB blew on his drive home. He had the car PPI'd and did his research. It's a story that feels so wrong it's hard to believe. While you won't have an IMSB problem with a TT you may have other expensive issues arise; especially from a higher mileage engine. Replacing turbos and servicing a TT isn't cheap. $3k to replace an IMSB vs. the costs of maintaining a turbo? Pick your poison. And, to my original point, you just don't know what might happen tomorrow on any car, let alone one that has spent the past 9-14 yrs in the hands of 1 or more owners.

I know there are many people who are of the opinion that higher mileage cars are the better bet when it comes to Porsches (if not most used cars) but i think there is a general consensus that cars with 100k miles start needing expensive kit purely based on wear and tear. So, while a low mileage car may suffer from weepy seals that have dried out and other maladies based on lack of use, a higher mileage car will suffer from parts failing due to lots of use. Choose your battle but, regardless of which direction you go, it will still be a battle.

The IMSB replacement from LN is sold as a wear and tear item so figure you're going to need to replace it every 50k(?) miles or so. You said you don't foresee putting a lot of miles on the car so I wouldn't think this cost would be heavier than the costs of maintaining a TT engine.

-Eric

rpm's S2

Exactly. It is a used car. There are no certainties or guarantees. A 90k car may well be in better condition than a 60k car. My 65k 996 is in far better condition than some cars I see with far less mileage.

The PPI is critical - but not foolproof. If you assume you will have to spend $2-4k on top of the purchase price you will not be caught out.

And beware exhaust upgrades that claim performance gains... these gains are often marginal and sometimes come at the cost of mid-range torque or other trade-offs. Again, drive the car for a while before you make significant changes.

Cosmo Kramer

I will add my 2 cents, if you plan on just driving during the summer the C2 will be just fine. I have had my car for a few months now and on the street I would have to push it to beyond stupid levels in the corners before it will break loose. Mine is a 99 C2 with only 45000 miles and I picked it up for 22K. It is super lightweight, sport seats, no power options, no LSD/PSM and I think it performs remarkably.

TheLastTemplar

Eric, I have basically ruled out the Twin Turbo as a car to get. I have narrowed it down to a Carrera 2 or 4. C2 is what I will get for 2 reasons:

1) Less expensive than the C4 to obtain outright, assuming it's the same year model with the very similar options.

2) Less running & engine parts than a C4, C4S and TT. Meaning, when it has 100K miles on it, and stuff breaks apart, I won't be in a black hole replacing as many parts. Less parts = less worry, and less money spent to replace/fix.

Kramer, speaking of 22K, here is a 1999 C2 listed in this site's classifieds forum:

https://rennlist.com/forums/vehicle-...a-2-coupe.html

For 22K, doesn't the 70,000+ miles seem too high for the price?? I want to think the price is high due to the time it's being sold (spring/summer), rather than the fact it's a Reds Guard 996. Does black command a higher price or does a Reds Guard??-- I'd take either color, though I'd rather choose the one that sells for less. For example's sake, let's say if there were two Carrera 2 911s side by side, with the same options, mileage and condition, listed in the same city, on the same day, same owner, etc. which would be sold at a higher price?

Also, when you say pushing it to stupid limits into the corners, do you mean going really fast and possibly even doing a drift? "Sounds loose" kind of scares me, since I would hope if I go at high speeds, nothing will fall apart or become loose.

rpm's S2, I mainly want to get an exhaust, such as the Quicksilver, to "improve", the sound of the stock flat 6 engine. I like the fact the Quicksilver, as seen in the vid, basically makes it more audible and a bit "angrier"--while keeping the trademark sound/exhaust note of the stock 996.

If it adds some HP or torque, or even if it does nothing, I think an exhaust upgrade is necessary for me. I like an aggressive and audible engine roar coming from a car, especially one that looks as nice as a 996.

Safety wise, how was this car rated back in 99 to 04? Is it as safe as something that's rated high like a Toyota Camry or Corolla. Speaking of Camry, I have seen an ad in the paper this afternoon for a current model for $23,700, base price. That seems high for a non sports car IMO, and it's not much cheaper than a 5.0 Mustang. Obviously, I wouldn't get a Camry or Mustang, though I am amazed why it's so expensive for a car that is geared towards a small family, and for people who don't want to spend much on a car. I know KIA's cars fall under $15,000 and the sporty looking Dodge Dart goes for $20,000 or less.

rpm's S2

If you simply want to improve the sound, get the Fister D 996 muffler.

As for safety - The 911 is as safe as a sports car can be.

Sue Esponte

That's a base Camry...4cyl, no frills. You can price a Camry into the mid to high $30s depending on the model and options you choose. It's not a crazy price at all but why or how does a 2013 Camry even remotely relate to a 996? For that matter, how does a 996 relate to any modern day car in terms of comparison? The 996 may look modern in the way that all 911s look very similar and tend to be ageless as a result but we are talking about a car that first came out 14 years ago. Think about your own life that long ago and try making a comparison.

A 2001 996 wasn't as reliable as a 2001 Camry, it didn't hold as many people, it wasn't as economical, as cheap to maintain, and it probably didn't do as well in crash tests (lthough I believe NHTSA tests are limited to categories of cars so I don't know whether there's a true way to verify that). That said, the cars have two entirely different missions in life and nobody at Porsche ever targeted a Camry owner when they engineered the 996.

The 996 is not a Scion FRS either. It's a model that dates back to the previous century in terms of safety, reliability, economy, etc. and even then they weren't as reliable as a Honda or Toyota. This shouldn't be news.

-Eric

Cosmo Kramer

That one in the classifieds reminds me of mine only a bit more miles and more options (LSD and supple leather). Mine is a repaint where this one looks original which would make it more valuable, plus now that we are in high season prices are going up. Price may be a bit high, but that is the asking price and he could be negotiable. I personally like clean unmolested cars like that one. I picked a 99 due to the dual row IMS bearing and the more simple cable operated throttle instead of drive by wire on the 2000+ C2's and 1999+ C4's.

Yes "break loose" meaning sliding the front or rear of the car due to excessive corner speed or hard acceleration/braking. I find my car has tremendous grip. My previous car was a supercharged 928 with around 440 crank hp which really required your utmost attention at full throttle.

ivangene

not reading all this

first off welcome

second - buy one, and drive it for a year...find out what you want out of one, then keep it or buy the one you learned was the right car for you - in my case - it changed a lot over the year

but I was happy to just get plugged in and start learning - the only regret is not doing it sooner!

arr0gant

Welcome to the forum.
I've owned a decent assortment of P's - (chronologically listed) 2000 Boxster, 2000 Boxster S, 2002 C4S, 2001 911 Turbo, 2000 Boxster S, 2006 Cayman S.

ALL have had fewer than 20k miles when purchased and were in mint condition. Surprisingly, the most enjoyable driving cars for overall me were the Boxster S's with the Cayman a close 2nd.

If as you say you're not into names/badges etc, you REALLY don't care what others think.. ...and you're opened to any Porsche, I personally recommend starting with the newest 986 Boxster S with the lowest miles/owners that you can afford. For example, 2004 Boxster S with 20k miles for around 23k.

All that said I'm on my way into a 1996 911 C2 Cab w/ 42k miles and can't wait. So go out and test drive!! Decide what feels the best, most connected, speaks to you the most. You shouldn't pick the car, it should pick you!!

perfectlap

^ I think you really have to be a roadster type to enjoy a Boxster S for more than short spell. It's not a very practical car and parts and labor for a Boxster S are no cheaper than a 996/997. Granted many people buy Boxsters because they foolishly believe the total outlay will be less than a 996/997. It all depends on what work has already been done and how the car was maintained up to that point. For instance I just had the waterpump and rotors done. $2k.

And pricing is all over the place right now. I've seen 996's go for $10K and a year older 2000 base Boxster with low mileage go for 40% more -- sold in less than 3 days (TX car). They just made a truck load of these cars (996 and Boxster) so buyers can be choosey.

To the OP, if you have a 2001-2004 with a single row bearing, you need to service aka replace the bearing if you are sticking with the conventional bearing. If you are doing the LNE Solution, you do it only once, its a bearing-free design but its $3K with labor. I think you're not supposed to run a single row bearing for more than 50K miles if I'm not mistaken... certainly not one using mettalic bearings instead of ceramic bearings, ferrous contamination issues that some with high mileage IMSB's ignore. Dual row bearings like on the older 996 Carreras will last longer, probably until your next clutch wears out.

p.s.
I'm not sure if the math on low mileage 996 Turbo vs. moderate/high mileage 996 RWD inherently disvafors the Turbo. I guess it depends on length of ownership. Nor does it consider issues like higher quality parts used in more expensive Porsches, cylinder wall construction in th 3.4 996 engine always come to my mind. That was clearly a cost-savings error. And generally it seems that's how it goes with Porsche, they try and skimp on the base model engines and base cars in general.

Frank996

Extremely well said Dennis C

TheLastTemplar

I think I will be getting the Carrera 2 from 99 or later. No one talks about the 98 since I think that was the debut model and thus is prone to many problems. I don't really like the look of the old pre Cayman style Boxsters and would much prefer the 911s or the newest version of the Cayman, which is super expensive. If I had 50 grand or more, and had no worries of debt or getting into a hole, I'd likely opt for the Cayman S since that looks like a legitimate supercar.

arr0gant

2002 or greater is the only 911 996 to go w/ (except the '01 TT) IMHO...
('98 was 993)

TheLastTemplar

Kramer, what is a drive-by wire?

perfectlap, for the single bearing or double bearing, if I go for the LNE solution, you're saying it's basically a one time deal, and never again does one have to worry about this, correct?