I am very confident this has been asked before, but I’ve just spent the last two hours searching and browsing here and haven’t found what I’m looking for.

I’ve been a 911 fan for 30 years and finally am I a place where I can entertain buying one. The 997’s seem to check all the boxes of what I’m looking for and in the price range I’m looking at. I was hoping the forum can enlighten me with what to look for, what to avoid, what to expect at what mileage, and general knowledge.

What I’m looking for is a 2006-7 Cabriolet, preferably C2S but will entertain non-S or C4 as well.

Thanks!

Thanks guys. My budget is less than 50k and I am willing to go nationwide. But, I’m not at that point yet.

What I’m looking for is known issues. For example, the IMS bearing needs to be replaced at x miles, the roofs are known to fall apart after 10 years, etc.

For 50k you are in 997.2 territory. They will be higher mileage, but there will be no IMS issues and rare bore scoring issue (mostly from colder weather cars) Those are both really expensive repairs, 15-20k. The 997.2 does have its share of high pressure fuel pump issues, but that is a 2k fix max. Some have run their 997.1 with no issues for long periods of time maybe they will have issues maybe they won’t. Depends on the level of risk you are willing to accept. The radio display is dated on both models, but more so on the 997.1 as you would imagine. We really need to know more about what you are wanting and what you will be using the car for. Daily driving, racing, garage Queen, weekend? Good cars go fast so have your cash in a liquid form. You will be lucky if you have more than a couple days once it is posted online. Best advice is to purchase the newest one you can find and drive some so you know what options you want or don’t want. Turo is a great way to drive someone else’s car to see what you want if you don’t yet have Porsche friends. Join PCA and go to a meet and greet before it gets too cold and you will see a lot of what you may or may not want, plus a lot of great people. A Porsche enthusiast will take better care of a car than most and is a good bet. All maintenance records is helpful, but does not exempt you from doing a PPI. Do it no matter what anyone says. Take advantage of looking everywhere. Flights are so cheap and driving mine back from California to Texas was a blast. Just know that you probably won’t find a bargain. Don’t be surprised to give exactly what they want or even more. If it really is as nice of a car that they said you can bet others will be looking at it too. Porsche cars are expensive to fix and if it is not exactly in the condition and options you want, walk away.

What is the importance/issue with paint depth? Thank you

Thanks!

Welcome. 50k should get you a very nice 997.2 cab you can enjoy and not worrry about. The 997,2 are as reliable as any other German made car. The Tiptronic automatic doesn’t get a lot of loving. Some people think it is just fine others just don’t like it. The PDK on the other hand is simply fantastic, fast crisp shifts that feel almost immediate. The only downside of the PDK is it is not serviceable if it fails it has to be replaced as I understand it at this time. But again they are are as reliable as any other German car’s transaxle . Porsche’s manual is world class. I have never enjoyed a manual more. Some people like to add a short **** kit that makes the throw of the shift even shorter and sportier. It is easily serviceable and a new clutch and bearings although no fun to pay for are not a overwhelming repair cost, but there is the ever present Porsche tax associated with any thing Porsche. If you are driving frequently in traffic the PDK may be a better choice in the long run. Porsche has quite a few different seat options and depending on you size, age, shape and weight the different seats are going to feel more or less comfortable to you. The 997.2 was the last Porsche to have hydraulic assisted steering. Which most drivers will agree has a more familiar road feel compared to the next generation 991s electric steering assist. Not to contradict a fellow Reenlister but I believe the 997.2 were actually the last Porsche’s to be hand sprayed before transitioning to the automated paint facilities. Take your time, drive as many as you can and never buy one before having a complete PPI inspection. Cheers and you mileage will vary.