TractControlOff

Hello all,

I've been following (mostly lurking) the 997 forum for a few months now in anticipation of owning one myself. I'm currently looking at a 2005 C2S manual. The car checks all of the boxes as far as what I'm looking for and has 54k miles. The owner has provided me with all service records I've requested and what I've gathered is that the car never had the IMS bearings replaced. Not to make the 45,000th thread strictly about 997 IMS but I want to know what I'm in for before I potentially make an offer on the car. If I buy the car, should I immediately replace the IMS? Should I do RMS + clutch while I'm at it? The car has been with the same owner since 2009 and has not been abused by any means for what it's worth.

Thanks in advance and I look forward to joining the 997 circle soon!

- Tony

bgoetz

If it has the replaceable IMS, doing the clutch, RMS, and IMS definitely makes sense and adds value to the car. You need to figure out which it has though.

mrhebert

If you have the M97 engine, the IMS failure rate is approximately 1%. You also have to remove the engine on the M97 engine. Why would anyone do that?

Carsly

I'd buy a 996 Turbo and sleep soundly at night.

Oh wait, I cross shopped the two and did exactly that five and a half years and thousands of smiles ago!

bgoetz

That isn’t true, early M97s had a bit higher failure (8%) and had a replaceable IMS. Personally I like the ability to easily replace the IMS.

bgoetz

I loose zero sleep. The only thing I don’t have is fried eggs when I wake up and an interior that makes me want to go back to bed. I don’t miss that in the least