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Old 10-26-2011, 10:15 PM
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SiFi1886
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Default Clueless.....996 Turbo

would appreciate any help please...

i am planning to get my husband a 911 turbo for xmas.

he has a 928 at present, and has been a money pit.. had i/we known that the 928 had so many BIG things that can go wrong with it, i/we may have been slightly more cautious..

hence this thread.. i have seen a 2002 911 turbo with 75K, its manual and im really looking for some advice on what issues to look out for, as i WILL be getting it inspected this time..

are there any major issues i need to tell the mechanics to look out for when doing the inspection?

thank you so much in advance

Shelley
Old 10-26-2011, 11:07 PM
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porscheforfun
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Most mechanics should know what to look for . Have it done at the dealer , these cars are pretty bullet proof . It will be a nice surprise. The dealers know what to look for . The non turbos are the ones with more issues. Fuel pump is normal for these to go out and the rear wing failure is very common. For the most part these are great cars. Good luck !
Old 10-26-2011, 11:16 PM
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JG 996T
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Rear spoiler hydraulics; clutch accumulator, expansion tanks... Pre-purchase inspection(ppi)
Old 10-27-2011, 02:46 AM
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rage2
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What's your budget like? I have a friend looking to sell his 996TT X50 with only 24,000 kms. Pristine car. I'm in Calgary too.
Old 10-27-2011, 02:51 AM
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daytrip00
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FYI, the 996 Turbo is a money pit too... It's a bunch of small stuff. Cheap if you can fix it yourself, but it's a high maintenance car. In 6 months of ownership (bought it at 25k miles and drove it 4.5k miles), I've had to fix/replace

Window regulator
Key switch (when i replaced it, i realized it was the second time it's broken)
Diverter Valve
Fouled plugs (though, to be fair, you're supposed to replace the plugs at 30k)
MAF sensor
idle tensioner

In addition (when i purchased it, it had been garaged its whole life and i had to replace):
Center console (wood trim cracked, hinge broken)
Dash defroster vents (wood trim all cracked)

If i didn't love this car so much i'd hate it but it can be quite a headache.
Old 10-27-2011, 04:11 AM
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Danyol
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3 yrs and 19k miles I've replaced a window reg and accumulator - $200 in parts.

He is a lucky man to have you!

Besides the accumulator and rear wing, look out for 2nd gear pop-out ($$). Look for a service history (reg oil changes ect), accident history; you need to insist on a PPI (pre-purchase inspection) at a Porsche shop/specialist. This won't be cheap, but neither will the repairs on an "unloved" car.

Good luck

Last edited by Danyol; 10-27-2011 at 01:12 PM.
Old 10-27-2011, 10:51 AM
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Land Jet
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A car is a car is a car. They all have issues. The enjoyment factor in these cars more than makes up for the aggravations. If I were you I'd be looking for a low mileage example. Good look.
Old 10-27-2011, 11:26 AM
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jbossolo
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^ What he said.

FYI, the 996 Turbo is a money pit too... It's a bunch of small stuff.
I beg to differ. 2002 X50 here, regularly tracked, heavily modified. Very little issues aside from normal maintenance/wear and tear. It's a Porsche after all, they are expensive to fix (mostly because of the cost of parts and labor). Good luck. You sound like a great wife!
Old 10-27-2011, 11:36 AM
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"02996ttx50
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i'm looking to get my 996 turbo a wife for xmas. any major issues i should look out for and can i use the cpo checklist for the ppi?

all kidding aside. my first low mileage tt had a lot of small nuisance issues incl the dreaded 2nd gear popout but the cpo saved my a** and a lotta dough. my second tt is relatively high mileage and decently modded and zero issues to date. 82k on the clock. it all depends on the car, aside from the known issues that have either happened, or will, over time.

good luck. incredible cars.
Old 10-27-2011, 02:10 PM
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Chaos
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I helped Chipster's wife when he was in Kosovo,firn a near by rennlister on someone in your local PCA region to guide you and shorten the learing curve.
ps Do you have a sister?
Old 10-27-2011, 03:24 PM
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gerhard951
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Only way to have piece of mind is CPO with these bad boys....bought an 03 with 30k from dealer with all records...car has been at shop at least 9 times in 13 months...and as someone else already said if I didnt love this car so much i would hate it.....too much fun not to like.....here's my list...oil pressure sender, Check engine light... plugs and remap dme to X50 specs so boost is correct, then the blow off valves, clutch accuator, headlight switch, wheel speed sensors, one cracked radiator, bad CD changer needed to be replaced...to be fair i have driven the crap out of it and put 13k in 13 months with a trip to Florida...where the car ran perfect for 18 hours w/o being shut off.......There is no Substitue!
Old 10-27-2011, 10:03 PM
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SSST
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Some guys with lemons posting. I got one with 48k and CPO 8 months ago and am still looking for a reason to put it in the shop.

Absolutely a great car for the money. Look for one between 25 and 50k miles, with complete service records. Then get a PPI by someone qualified. It's not fool proof, but your chances of a bad car will be significantly reduced.
Old 10-27-2011, 10:45 PM
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SiFi1886
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Thanks for all the help guys.

Some guys with lemons posting. I got one with 48k and CPO 8 months ago and am still looking for a reason to put it in the shop.

Absolutely a great car for the money. Look for one between 25 and 50k miles, with complete service records. Then get a PPI by someone qualified. It's not fool proof, but your chances of a bad car will be significantly reduced.
What is a CPO?

I helped Chipster's wife when he was in Kosovo,firn a near by rennlister on someone in your local PCA region to guide you and shorten the learing curve.
ps Do you have a sister?
Yes I do have a sister in fact I have three, one in London two in Italy.

What's your budget like? I have a friend looking to sell his 996TT X50 with only 24,000 kms. Pristine car. I'm in Calgary too.
Does your friend have it advertised? is it the black one in okotoks?

'm looking to get my 996 turbo a wife for xmas. any major issues i should look out for and can i use the cpo checklist for the ppi?
Look for one hand made in the 60s/70s that has been well cared for and has no modification or enhancements.
Old 10-28-2011, 12:00 AM
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doubleurx
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I've had mine for 18 months and 15000 miles. I have had no issues at all. The only thing I have had done are oil changes and the 30K service. I drive mine every day which I know helps all cars to be more reliable. Let them sit and problems start.
Old 10-28-2011, 01:12 AM
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adam_
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OP-

Forget input from individuals on 'what went wrong with my car'.... it is of zero use to you in evaluating your risk on your car.



My impression- from reading perhaps 40,000 posts over 5 years, is that this car has relatively low failure rates.

Issues seem to be:
2nd gear pop out ($$$)
Coils/plugs (part of normal maintenance, so not really a breakdown)
Old rubber hoses start leaking- boost leaks. Can lead supposed 'Porsche mechanics' on wild goose chases.
Radiator/coolant line leaks; expansion tank
Clutch failure (due to abuse, fine for normal use- problem is buying used you dont know what was done)
Clutch Accumulator

I do my own wrenching, so for me the car has been a walk in the park. Coils, plugs, upgrades... fluids (oil, trans, steering, brake)... all maintenance, only one CEL and that was due to plugs exacerbated by by tune/engine software mods.

Also. make sure you get a good shop for the PPI. There is not 'common definition' of a PPI.. there are threads here and on 6speedonline.com (another good site for help, input) on what should be in the ppi and how to get it done. You want a qualified 996TT mechanic AND someone who has YOUR interests at heart (ie not a dealership usually)

GL

A


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