trident82

Hi guys, I've wanted a 911 ever since I first drove one in high school...a 93 targa to be exact. Had a M3 and sold it to fund this 996. Anyways its a 2000 C2 with 47000 miles on it. Everything looks immaculate, but the PPI shows some issues. Also no IMS work has been done. The left side paint shows o3n the carfax as the only accident.

Is this still a good buy at 23k? Thanks in advance for any help guys

VA951

Price seems high by at least a few thousand but that depends on where you are. Nothing too scary in the PPI but you may want to have a body shop look it over.

trident82

Thanks a bunch for the reply brother....I'm in the SE USA. It's a rare car around me for sure.

luvacatfight

Tailpipes are hanging low. Motor mounts? Seems overpriced by $5K to $7K. Would hate to see anyone's first 911 experience be a disappointment in any way. Can find much better 996's for the mid-20's. Here is just one example.

http://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/cto/5761754664.html

FRUNKenstein

Not too bad of a car, but probably more like a $19,000 car, even with only 47k miles. Clearly it's not perfect, but few are at this age.
Foam out of air vents is pretty normal.
Missing emblem on wheel cap is a $20 fix.
Coolant reservoir is a PITA to fix, but doesn't say it's broken. At this age, everything on the car could break at any time.
Paintwork/accident is really what keeps it from being a $23,000 car. Frankly, that keeps it from being even a $19,000 car.
If you like it, then I would keep it on my list, but don't get in a hurry to buy. Especially this time of the year - this is buyers' market time of the year for about another 4 months. Take your time. Get to know the market. At $23,000 asking, this car isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

trident82

Thanks guys for the great replies.

5CHN3LL

None of those things are items that haven't already happened to some/most of the people here...and they're not inconsistent with a 16-year-old car.

As an aside, whoever did the PPI appears to have some 996-specific knowledge; the foam blowing and coolant tank are both things that someone who started at a dealership three years ago might not even know to look for.

IMS opinions are MORE common than a**holes - I belong to the "I'd rather have a car with the original bearing so I know what it really looks like when it gets retrofitted" camp; others feel differently. I have learned from the Interweb that mostly honest people will turn into lying bastards to get rid of a car they think might be failing. Wait, your recently-removed original IMSB was in pristine condition, but a month after dropping $5K in preventive maintenance was when you suddenly decided it was time to sell the 996 and "upgrade to a newer 911?!?" And you lost the original? *backs away slowly*

Yeah, getting an unmolested car is better than having to wonder...

trident82

My problem is that I've already put about 50 miles on it test driving it.....and I've really taken a shine to it. The stock sound is intoxicating for sure.

Again guys thanks for the responses, I can already tell I'm going to be spending a ton of time on here.

5CHN3LL

Just 4 years ago, I paid $30K for a 996 that's a year older and had higher mileage...

It's true that there are tons of 996's out there, but there's no law against buying the one you want.

trident82

Yeah I'm just nervous as hell about buying this old of a car, but ultimately life is too short not to be driving an awesome car imho, and this happens to be the most "awesome" I can afford at this time.

To me it's worth it to perhaps overpay a little as long as I get into a proper 911. The private buyer price I got on this car was $20,500, so I assumed I'd be padding the dealerships pockets a bit.

I just want to join this 996 club asap!

5CHN3LL

If it makes you feel ANY better, I have a '96 Corvette and a '99 911, and my wife's 2012 Murano has spent more time in the shop than either of the sports cars.

Unless you're buying CPO - and you're not, not for a 16-year-old 996 - the dealer doesn't need to make more money than the private party seller...in fact, a dealership ought to be desperate to get a 16-year-old 996 off the lot. Start wringing your hands about the IMS things you're reading about on the Interweb...maybe just a little too loudly...and see if they can't drop the price another $500 or so.

Schnell Gelb

Calm down and read more Rennlist !
Ask here for some recommendations to local Indies and buy a car from one of their good customers. Cheaply maintained 996 is an expensive mistake imho. Better to pay more up front for a diligently maintained car otherwise you'l simply pay later on deferred maintenance or worse !

trident82

10-4 guys, and I will def. be reading as much as I can.

5CHN3LL

There is a difference between an unmaintained car and a car that has not had a ton of PM performed on it. My car had been meticulously maintained, but it had not had the "Rennlist PM Overhaul" performed, likely because the previous owner was fortunate enough to stay off the Internet and just drive his car.

Of all the things listed in the PPI, the "badly worn rotor" is the only thing that would worry me - and brakes are so incredibly subjective that one inspector's "20% and badly worn rotors" is another's "80% - good to race!"

trident82

Great info brother, thanks.

I had the dealership double check the brakes this evening and they reported that they were not nearly as bad as the PPI detailed. I figure I could just replace them in a few thousand miles once I build some coin back up