roccoelise

Hello everyone, I just joined the forum although I've been reading it quite a bit over the years.

I'm looking to buy a first gen 996 gt3, and I'm going to check soon a car in Europe, where I live.
Now I've been sent the VIN number, as it's in the paperwork pictures the owner sent me, and I can't figure it out what's wrong but it seems invalid on most VIN decoder.
WP0ZZZ99ZYS691368
The VIN seems fine to me, appears to be a gt car but notheless it doesn't get recognized by most VIN decoders, I am asking you as maybe it's a cup car or non street legal and with my limited experience I hadn't realized it. Maybe the 1368 in the end it's to high as if the serial number it's only for the GT cars I don't how it could be for MY 00. Any help would be really appreciated

Also, given the car should have low mileage is there especially something I should check in the car? From what I understand a DME check at Porsche will show engine hours as well as range 1 and range 2 but maybe there is something that gets replaced on higher mileage gt3 or something more specific than the pedals/seats/steering wheel normal advice. For instance, on ferrari f355 low mileage cars usually have original (cracked) headers while on most other they've been changed.

Any help appreciated, thanks

Marv

I would try talking to your local Porsche dealer and see if they can help.

As for higher mileage cars, the OEM LSD lasts about as long as it takes to get the car off the dealer lot (Guard is the preferred replacement). The struts and rear shocks go next at about 30K miles. Ohlins R&T is what I put on mine. The aluminum cooling fittings on the engine should be welded or pinned. The clutch seems bulletproof, but we replaced it anyway when the engine cme out at 143K miles to have the valve guides replaced. The bottom end of the motor needed nothing. I now have 152K miles on the car.

Oh, and the plastic coolant overflow tank is another known weakness as with the original water pump and fuel pumps. The updated parts seem much, much better.

Hope all goes well with the potential purchase. These cars are very robust if taken care of and the routine maintenance is not that bad at all. They are just old and as such parts are starting to get harder to find and there are much faster cars on the road these days. However, the lack of electronic assists and lower complexity of the car is the biggest selling point in my mind.

roccoelise

Thanks for all the info Marv

Turbodan

I would check the door hinges, underside of the car, check the rads in the front for damage from rocks etc.. as they are exposed and would show with miles.
othewise the dme should tell the story of hours.
how many miles are on the car? what colour is it btw?

yelcab

True, but there is only one original ... the 996GT3. Can't beat that.

Turbodan

no updates?

roccoelise

Hi Turbodan, sorry for the delay, and thanks for the advice.
It's actually a very common arctic silver, less than 20000 miles, M003. Although I actually like the 996 in silver,

roccoelise

Indeed there are certainly much faster cars than the original GT3. but overall I value feeling and sense of occasion of a car way more than pure speed.

Turbodan

does the silver car check out? are you acquiring it? what options?