Certificate of Authenticity
 

I bought an '06 Carrera S convertible a couple of year back and for some reason Porsche sent me a Certificate of Authenticity. I thought that was good until I saw it states my engine/transmission iM96/03/G96/00. I checked the numbers engraved in the engine - M97/01 686 11393.

So this certificate is worthless??

IIRC, at the 2018 TechTactics West, PCA mentioned that they no longer put the engine numbers on COA's.

That seems worthless when it contradicts and adds unnecessary confusion to your information. I thought all 997.1 S models had the M97 and base models had the M96.

I would contact them and let them know of the error. Maybe they'll correct it and send you a new one as that engine # with an M96 would not be correct in a 997.1 S car anyway.

Does the VIN number match?

COAs have been found with errors. Call PCNA to have it corrected.

Why do people waste money on these?

Over the past several yeas, Porsche simply does not know what should be on the things. Their databases are pretty bad. Not like it used to be! Tranny and engine numbers will never be provided. I resorted to asking several times--until by the third one they got it right! But they still won't do engine numbers. With today's mass-produced 911s, it's just not that big a deal anymore.

Porsche is no longer providing certificates of authenticity (COA). I was going to get one for my 78 shark and one for my 997. They are often wrong and of somewhat limited authority for those of us who know these cars, but they are great to have in the file for marketing purposes. Every big auction makes mention of the COA when one is available, and I assume it is because maybe less schooled buyers think that is an important part of the car's history. In fact, the Hagerty site also listed it as an important part of a cars history not that long ago, in the context of valuing a collectable Porsche. Porsche now calls it Porsche Production Spec.So, like it or not, the broader car market does value these useless things, and for a few bucks, why not have one in the file for later sale. If it is wrong, get it corrected.

More here: https://rennlist.com/forums/987-981-...-by-ppsd.html; and here: https://rennlist.com/forums/off-topi...rsche-coa.html