Bought a 996 yesterday
05-29-2016, 04:15 PM
#1
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Bought a 996 yesterday
Hi all, another "Hi, I'm new here" post.
Short version: Picked up a 2000 C4 yesterday. So far I'm thrilled with it. A few jobs to do but overall I think I got a good one.
Long version: Hi, I'm James. History of "fun cars" includes a 1966 912 15 or so years ago, as well as Saabs, Alfas, that sort of thing. More recently I branched out into V8s with a '76 F150 and a '74 Charger (four-year project from rust bucket to show car). But they weren't really me, so off they went.
The choice of replacement for the empty garage spot came down to two: a 996 or an Urquattro. But the Ur's have gotten so expensive lately, and I already have a nice 4000 Quattro that I bought to teach my daughter to drive in. So I started looking at 996s, and reading as much as I could about them.
Friday I had the day off and ended up idly browsing Craigslist, which is alllllways dangerous. Happened upon an ad for nice-looking 996 not too far from me that had just been posted that morning. Called the guy, went to take a look, and ended up putting down a deposit. Picked it up yesterday morning and haven't stopped grinning since.
The specifics: It's a 2000 C4 'Millennium Edition'. I know the 'limited edition' aspect doesn't make the car any more desirable, but I do kinda like the colour and the interior. It's in pretty good "driver" condition, 132,000 miles with a couple of cosmetic things I'd like to fix eventually but nothing urgent. Not that I have huge amounts of experience of 996s but it drives beautifully. Sits just a little lower, on H&R springs and 997 rims which look fantastic. Interior is in pretty nice shape, a couple of the wood bits could use replacing but the seats have had some work and look good.
Mechanically it's had recent RMS, AOS, transmission work, clutch, brakes and various other things. It was a CPO car until 2013, so I have a printout documenting years of expensive dealer maintenance - including a new engine 80,000 miles ago in 2008, which means I have the 'big bearing' IMS and whatever else.
I plan on doing as much of the maintenance myself as I can. So yesterday I got stuck in, taking the driver's door apart to investigate why the key wasn't operating the lock mechanism. The latch had been replaced at some point, and the rod connecting the lock barrel to the latch was sitting at the bottom of the door. So I made a new locking pin for it, buttoned it all back together and now all functions as it should. I love an easy fix
For those who've read this far, here's a pic or two:
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesbarbour/27219439422/in/album-72157669023063435/" title="Untitled"><img src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/8/7362/27219439422_f130e77328_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Untitled"></a>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesbarbour/26710331793/in/album-72157669023063435/" title="Untitled"><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7540/26710331793_573821f57c_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Untitled"></a>
Cheers!
James
Short version: Picked up a 2000 C4 yesterday. So far I'm thrilled with it. A few jobs to do but overall I think I got a good one.
Long version: Hi, I'm James. History of "fun cars" includes a 1966 912 15 or so years ago, as well as Saabs, Alfas, that sort of thing. More recently I branched out into V8s with a '76 F150 and a '74 Charger (four-year project from rust bucket to show car). But they weren't really me, so off they went.
The choice of replacement for the empty garage spot came down to two: a 996 or an Urquattro. But the Ur's have gotten so expensive lately, and I already have a nice 4000 Quattro that I bought to teach my daughter to drive in. So I started looking at 996s, and reading as much as I could about them.
Friday I had the day off and ended up idly browsing Craigslist, which is alllllways dangerous. Happened upon an ad for nice-looking 996 not too far from me that had just been posted that morning. Called the guy, went to take a look, and ended up putting down a deposit. Picked it up yesterday morning and haven't stopped grinning since.
The specifics: It's a 2000 C4 'Millennium Edition'. I know the 'limited edition' aspect doesn't make the car any more desirable, but I do kinda like the colour and the interior. It's in pretty good "driver" condition, 132,000 miles with a couple of cosmetic things I'd like to fix eventually but nothing urgent. Not that I have huge amounts of experience of 996s but it drives beautifully. Sits just a little lower, on H&R springs and 997 rims which look fantastic. Interior is in pretty nice shape, a couple of the wood bits could use replacing but the seats have had some work and look good.
Mechanically it's had recent RMS, AOS, transmission work, clutch, brakes and various other things. It was a CPO car until 2013, so I have a printout documenting years of expensive dealer maintenance - including a new engine 80,000 miles ago in 2008, which means I have the 'big bearing' IMS and whatever else.
I plan on doing as much of the maintenance myself as I can. So yesterday I got stuck in, taking the driver's door apart to investigate why the key wasn't operating the lock mechanism. The latch had been replaced at some point, and the rod connecting the lock barrel to the latch was sitting at the bottom of the door. So I made a new locking pin for it, buttoned it all back together and now all functions as it should. I love an easy fix
For those who've read this far, here's a pic or two:
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesbarbour/27219439422/in/album-72157669023063435/" title="Untitled"><img src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/8/7362/27219439422_f130e77328_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Untitled"></a>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesbarbour/26710331793/in/album-72157669023063435/" title="Untitled"><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7540/26710331793_573821f57c_c.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Untitled"></a>
Cheers!
James
05-29-2016, 04:20 PM
#2
Instructor
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Marietta, GA
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Welcome to the group! Pretty car and I love those wheels on our cars. Not being familiar with Millennium edition, what is the exterior color? Mine is Midnight Blue and I love it.
05-29-2016, 04:29 PM
#3
Congrats and welcome.
Do you have the original wheels or have they been lost?
From Loundon county by chance? I saw a local ME in Leesburg earlier this year.
Do you have the original wheels or have they been lost?
Friday I had the day off and ended up idly browsing Craigslist, which is alllllways dangerous. Happened upon an ad for nice-looking 996 not too far from me that had just been posted that morning. Called the guy, went to take a look, and ended up putting down a deposit. Picked it up yesterday morning and haven't stopped grinning since.
05-29-2016, 04:34 PM
#5
Congrats, enjoy in good health!
05-29-2016, 06:08 PM
#6
Rennlist Member
So did you leave the drivers side window open due to clearance with the wheel well and not being able to open your door? I was going to trailer mine, but rain was forecasted and I couldn't leave the window cracked.
In any case congrats!
In any case congrats!
05-29-2016, 06:23 PM
#7
Rennlist Member
Congrats on the car - looks great. Nice plus that it's a ME. Welcome. This is a great forum to be involved with and will be a huge help in maintaining and modding your car.
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05-29-2016, 06:27 PM
#8
Instructor
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Marietta, GA
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You know you can use your key to activate the window, right?
05-29-2016, 06:36 PM
#9
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Thanks for the warm welcome
tokika - it's "Violet Chromaflair" apparently. Looks great in the sun. I think dark colours, like your midnight blue, looks fantastic on these cars More on the ME here. Mine is #135 - I've started building up a rough excel sheet with the last known locations of the ones I've come across online.
gnat - Original rims are gone, PO said they were all chipped and scratched. Pretty sure it must have been my car you saw, I bought it in Hamilton. The seller also has a lovely 914 and a few other things. Are you local? I get to Cars & Coffee at Great Falls occasionally, looking forward to taking the 996.
Petersa9 - The trailer was a pain in the ****. We had to "modify" the front of it with a bfh and drive the car up onto blocks just to get the front bumper to clear the front of the trailer. And coming back off of it at the other end we needed blocks at various points to stop the car from grounding in the middle. I guess the lower ride height didn't help. We got there in the end though.
There was just enough clearance at the side to open the door and step half through and half over it with the window down. This is how I found out that the lock barrel was disconnected, because when I tried to roll the window up with the key nothing happened! Rolled it up as much as possible while still being able to reach in to take the key out, and thankfully it stayed dry for the hour and a half it took to get home thanks to Rolling Thunder traffic.
tokika - it's "Violet Chromaflair" apparently. Looks great in the sun. I think dark colours, like your midnight blue, looks fantastic on these cars More on the ME here. Mine is #135 - I've started building up a rough excel sheet with the last known locations of the ones I've come across online.
gnat - Original rims are gone, PO said they were all chipped and scratched. Pretty sure it must have been my car you saw, I bought it in Hamilton. The seller also has a lovely 914 and a few other things. Are you local? I get to Cars & Coffee at Great Falls occasionally, looking forward to taking the 996.
Petersa9 - The trailer was a pain in the ****. We had to "modify" the front of it with a bfh and drive the car up onto blocks just to get the front bumper to clear the front of the trailer. And coming back off of it at the other end we needed blocks at various points to stop the car from grounding in the middle. I guess the lower ride height didn't help. We got there in the end though.
There was just enough clearance at the side to open the door and step half through and half over it with the window down. This is how I found out that the lock barrel was disconnected, because when I tried to roll the window up with the key nothing happened! Rolled it up as much as possible while still being able to reach in to take the key out, and thankfully it stayed dry for the hour and a half it took to get home thanks to Rolling Thunder traffic.
05-29-2016, 10:43 PM
#11
Rennlist Member
05-29-2016, 11:15 PM
#12
If you don't have receipts for every gas fill up, then you do not have an complete service history. In fact unless you have receipts for car washes then your documented history is shoddy at best.
On my personal car I document every time someone looks at it and/or says something about it
On my personal car I document every time someone looks at it and/or says something about it
05-29-2016, 11:46 PM
#13
gnat - Original rims are gone, PO said they were all chipped and scratched. Pretty sure it must have been my car you saw, I bought it in Hamilton. The seller also has a lovely 914 and a few other things. Are you local? I get to Cars & Coffee at Great Falls occasionally, looking forward to taking the 996.
Yeah I'm over by IAD. I'm too lazy to get out of bed early enough to make any of the C&Cs
05-30-2016, 05:38 AM
#15
Race Director
