Question for owners of 2006 Carreras
08-12-2009, 09:31 PM
#1
Question for owners of 2006 Carreras
Hi,
I'm considering a few different options for my next car (it'll be a third car). There have been recommendations against '05 997s due to potential RMS and (rare) IMS issues on the forums.
I'd love to hear from the owners of the 2006 model on how their cars have been holding up, now that they're almost 4 years old. I'm aware of the maintenance costs, tires, etc, so I'm am particularly interested in how in any major issues that had to be covered under warranty. Or if you've just had 40k trouble free miles, that'd be great to hear as well!
If I go the 997 route (I'm also considering an E46 M3 and potentially the 993), I'm trying to determine if a third party warranty for a couple of years would be a worthwhile investment on this car.
Thanks so much in advance.
ps: here are the shoes the new car will try to fill...
I'm considering a few different options for my next car (it'll be a third car). There have been recommendations against '05 997s due to potential RMS and (rare) IMS issues on the forums.
I'd love to hear from the owners of the 2006 model on how their cars have been holding up, now that they're almost 4 years old. I'm aware of the maintenance costs, tires, etc, so I'm am particularly interested in how in any major issues that had to be covered under warranty. Or if you've just had 40k trouble free miles, that'd be great to hear as well!
If I go the 997 route (I'm also considering an E46 M3 and potentially the 993), I'm trying to determine if a third party warranty for a couple of years would be a worthwhile investment on this car.
Thanks so much in advance.
ps: here are the shoes the new car will try to fill...
08-13-2009, 04:13 PM
#3
Advanced
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: florida and indiana
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My 06 911S, almost 4 years old, modded and flashed to about 400hp, some track time but not raced, 20k miles, no problems other than about to put my 3rd set of rears on. Tried to trade for an 09 last Fall/winter but could not get what for me would have been an acceptable deal so going to keep it a few more years and bought an Easycare warranty after a lot of research. (I'm NOT recommending Easycare, but there's some real crap out there such as US Fidelity).
Good Luck
Good Luck
08-13-2009, 05:23 PM
#4
Rennlist Member
96 Carrera S CAB
I love mine. Bought with CPO June 2008 with 21K miles. Have 32K now and drive daily! I have owned a New 2007 C4S Aero, 2005 C2S, and 2006 Cayman S in the last few years. Carrera S worth the difference. Some like Cabs and some do not but it is a blast to drive!
08-13-2009, 07:19 PM
#6
Poseur
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
With now 41,000 on the clock, the 06 year is proving to be a very good year for the 997. I generally suggest against purchasing the first year of a model and that sadly applies to the 997 as well,--avoid the 05 because they still were chasing some bugs. If your budget is stretched thin to buy a 06 vice an 05, wait 6 months and buy the 06.
I probably have more miles on mine than most 997 owners. I have suffered a few failures, but all are (still) covered under the original warranty. I also elected to purchase a 100,000 mile, 10 year extended warranty, in that I tend to keep what I buy with respect to all my vehicles.
(1) Water pump failure. I think this is a bit more common than it should be in a car. But then again, this is my first water pump replacement in a Porsche automobile in over 35 years of Porsche ownership,--and ironically, my FIRST water cooled Porsche.
(2) PCM failure. The communications systems governs all the entertainment and navigation and communications subsystems within the vehicle. Mine started to do dumb things and was swapped out recently. All software seems to flow through the PCM to control many functions within the car.
(3) Serpentine Belt failure. While supposedly 60,000 mile belts, mine succumbed prematurely taking the engine out entirely. Without these belts, these cars are dead in the water. It's an inexpensive belt, so traveling with a spare and a 24mm wrench is damn cheap insurance if you're near Blythe California at midnight with the nearest cell tower in Texas. The come-along wheels are not hardy,--feel with your finger whether they are smooth and flat or have grooves on the sides of the belt surface. I think the part is under engineered,--rare for Porsche. It's safest to replace them with the belt at belt replacement time.
(4) Oil consumption. My engine happens to use oil. Always has from day one. Our Rennlist oil consumption poll suggested that this is quite rare with the vast majority not using any measurable amount no matter WHAT you do to the car. Many track their cars with no increase in oil consumption. My rate has been about a quart every 1000 miles but the last time it went about 2533 miles (but who's counting?) That's a statistical aberration for my car.
(5) Assorted sensors. There are a myriad of sensors on these cars that can give you fits. I had repeated problems with a right seat sensor, which resulted in the air bag system being deactivated on that side. The replacement of the entire seat bottom solved the problem. But, I wouldn't really want to be paying for that on my own, without warranty coverage.
(6) Left rear window (cabriolet only) regulator,--appears to be in need of replacement. On order at the dealership.
(7) Whistling mirror(s). Needs sealing because of the multi-piece design and manufacturing methods. Quite easy to fix without parts, but fairly common. More noticeable on Cabs.
(8) PSE exhausts. Prone to premature cracking of the resonance-damping bands which are spot welted on them. I think they need a thicker band, and perhaps longer welds to solve this. Under warranty, they are completely replaced. Without warranty, any decent welding shop can tack weld things back together for you for a couple of buck.
General observations. The 997 is the next level of Porsche maturation beyond the 996. Much of what they learned that were problem areas on the 996 were resolved in the 997. But keep in mind that much of these cars is designed around R & R rather than repair. (Remove and Replace). For example, if an alert light on the instrument cluster dies,--the entire cluster at $1200 has to be replaced. Rare? Pretty much. However, be aware. It does, however, avoid the need to ever dig into one to replace a single light bulb,--it doesn't use them.
PCCBs. The most incredible brakes ever developed for a road car. No problems whatsoever and worth noting, herein. In about 40,000 miles of use the car has used 0.6mm of brake pad material out of a pad thickness of 10.6 mm. If you keep a car rather than flipping one, the PCCBs are truly money in your pocket, with two side benefits,--reduced unsprung weight, resulting in a much improved handling car, and 120 second wheel washing and cleaning time. If you have 2 minutes, I can show you how little time I spend cleaning my complex wheels. Sadly, most 997 buyers have cringed at the price and avoided ordering them for their cars. It's rarely found on a used car (due to early flipping). If you see a car with them,--go for them! I predict a life of in excess of 150,000 to 200,000 miles on my rotors and pads, given a competent driver. There are stories of PCCB failures but these are mostly from drivers who know little about how to drive a 911.
And speaking of driving a 911, your existing car has been the perfect car to move into a 997 from. I'm an old school 911 and 911 turbo guy, well adjusted to driving a highly rear-weight biased car. You will be simply amazed at the handling performance of the 997, particularly with the 19 inch wheels and decent Porsche-recommended tires. (Don't go cheap and put weird tires on these cars to save a buck,--you will miss out on the car's true capabilities if you do). You will amaze yourself at what this car can do coming from a regular 911.
Maintenance. Couldn't be simpler. I have done all the maintenance on my car so far, from oil and filter changes, to cabin and air filters, to brake fluid clear-outs to thorough inspection from top to bottom. I also routinely check the alignment when I replace all 4 tires together. (On the 2WD cars the tire wear is the same as your current car). Just watch the inside rear for wear,--negative camber always does that and many new to Porsche don't know to watch that closely.
My extended warranty is with Easycare,--better than many others. It includes wheels and tires, and I have used it several times for tires because of road-hazards.
Don't necessarily be suckered in by a low mileage 06 car. These are cars that will soon need a new battery and probably haven't been worked out enough to sort out the infant mortality issues on the car. I would choose one in the 30,000s range. Anything less than 20,000 miles and YOU will pay for the fixes, and some can be hard to troubleshoot.
These cars are assembled in 55 minutes at Zuffenhausen. Because of that, taking them apart is nearly as easy. Keep that in mind. It is a far more accessible car for that sort of work than your current 911. The Porsche dealership should have a thorough computerized history of the car. If you have a bunch of numbers in the over-revs column, that's not necessarily a show stopper. If they are logged from some time back, it's clear that the engine has survived. These things are quite durable. Remarkable, they don't leak ANYTHING. ANYTHING. By going to an integral dry sump the best parts of the dry sump design is retained while the worst are lost. (External dry sumps entail the inclusion of many more oil pumps and oil lines which need to be tightened periodically).
RMS. Still an issue for the 997 engines, but not nearly as commonplace as the forums lead you to believe. As you can imagine, the complaints wind up on the forums,--while the praise never sees the light of day. Porsche knows what they are doing, for the most part.
The 997 is the present day best deal for the money for a killer car. With depressed prices for used cars, you can make out like a bandit.
I probably have more miles on mine than most 997 owners. I have suffered a few failures, but all are (still) covered under the original warranty. I also elected to purchase a 100,000 mile, 10 year extended warranty, in that I tend to keep what I buy with respect to all my vehicles.
(1) Water pump failure. I think this is a bit more common than it should be in a car. But then again, this is my first water pump replacement in a Porsche automobile in over 35 years of Porsche ownership,--and ironically, my FIRST water cooled Porsche.
(2) PCM failure. The communications systems governs all the entertainment and navigation and communications subsystems within the vehicle. Mine started to do dumb things and was swapped out recently. All software seems to flow through the PCM to control many functions within the car.
(3) Serpentine Belt failure. While supposedly 60,000 mile belts, mine succumbed prematurely taking the engine out entirely. Without these belts, these cars are dead in the water. It's an inexpensive belt, so traveling with a spare and a 24mm wrench is damn cheap insurance if you're near Blythe California at midnight with the nearest cell tower in Texas. The come-along wheels are not hardy,--feel with your finger whether they are smooth and flat or have grooves on the sides of the belt surface. I think the part is under engineered,--rare for Porsche. It's safest to replace them with the belt at belt replacement time.
(4) Oil consumption. My engine happens to use oil. Always has from day one. Our Rennlist oil consumption poll suggested that this is quite rare with the vast majority not using any measurable amount no matter WHAT you do to the car. Many track their cars with no increase in oil consumption. My rate has been about a quart every 1000 miles but the last time it went about 2533 miles (but who's counting?) That's a statistical aberration for my car.
(5) Assorted sensors. There are a myriad of sensors on these cars that can give you fits. I had repeated problems with a right seat sensor, which resulted in the air bag system being deactivated on that side. The replacement of the entire seat bottom solved the problem. But, I wouldn't really want to be paying for that on my own, without warranty coverage.
(6) Left rear window (cabriolet only) regulator,--appears to be in need of replacement. On order at the dealership.
(7) Whistling mirror(s). Needs sealing because of the multi-piece design and manufacturing methods. Quite easy to fix without parts, but fairly common. More noticeable on Cabs.
(8) PSE exhausts. Prone to premature cracking of the resonance-damping bands which are spot welted on them. I think they need a thicker band, and perhaps longer welds to solve this. Under warranty, they are completely replaced. Without warranty, any decent welding shop can tack weld things back together for you for a couple of buck.
General observations. The 997 is the next level of Porsche maturation beyond the 996. Much of what they learned that were problem areas on the 996 were resolved in the 997. But keep in mind that much of these cars is designed around R & R rather than repair. (Remove and Replace). For example, if an alert light on the instrument cluster dies,--the entire cluster at $1200 has to be replaced. Rare? Pretty much. However, be aware. It does, however, avoid the need to ever dig into one to replace a single light bulb,--it doesn't use them.
PCCBs. The most incredible brakes ever developed for a road car. No problems whatsoever and worth noting, herein. In about 40,000 miles of use the car has used 0.6mm of brake pad material out of a pad thickness of 10.6 mm. If you keep a car rather than flipping one, the PCCBs are truly money in your pocket, with two side benefits,--reduced unsprung weight, resulting in a much improved handling car, and 120 second wheel washing and cleaning time. If you have 2 minutes, I can show you how little time I spend cleaning my complex wheels. Sadly, most 997 buyers have cringed at the price and avoided ordering them for their cars. It's rarely found on a used car (due to early flipping). If you see a car with them,--go for them! I predict a life of in excess of 150,000 to 200,000 miles on my rotors and pads, given a competent driver. There are stories of PCCB failures but these are mostly from drivers who know little about how to drive a 911.
And speaking of driving a 911, your existing car has been the perfect car to move into a 997 from. I'm an old school 911 and 911 turbo guy, well adjusted to driving a highly rear-weight biased car. You will be simply amazed at the handling performance of the 997, particularly with the 19 inch wheels and decent Porsche-recommended tires. (Don't go cheap and put weird tires on these cars to save a buck,--you will miss out on the car's true capabilities if you do). You will amaze yourself at what this car can do coming from a regular 911.
Maintenance. Couldn't be simpler. I have done all the maintenance on my car so far, from oil and filter changes, to cabin and air filters, to brake fluid clear-outs to thorough inspection from top to bottom. I also routinely check the alignment when I replace all 4 tires together. (On the 2WD cars the tire wear is the same as your current car). Just watch the inside rear for wear,--negative camber always does that and many new to Porsche don't know to watch that closely.
My extended warranty is with Easycare,--better than many others. It includes wheels and tires, and I have used it several times for tires because of road-hazards.
Don't necessarily be suckered in by a low mileage 06 car. These are cars that will soon need a new battery and probably haven't been worked out enough to sort out the infant mortality issues on the car. I would choose one in the 30,000s range. Anything less than 20,000 miles and YOU will pay for the fixes, and some can be hard to troubleshoot.
These cars are assembled in 55 minutes at Zuffenhausen. Because of that, taking them apart is nearly as easy. Keep that in mind. It is a far more accessible car for that sort of work than your current 911. The Porsche dealership should have a thorough computerized history of the car. If you have a bunch of numbers in the over-revs column, that's not necessarily a show stopper. If they are logged from some time back, it's clear that the engine has survived. These things are quite durable. Remarkable, they don't leak ANYTHING. ANYTHING. By going to an integral dry sump the best parts of the dry sump design is retained while the worst are lost. (External dry sumps entail the inclusion of many more oil pumps and oil lines which need to be tightened periodically).
RMS. Still an issue for the 997 engines, but not nearly as commonplace as the forums lead you to believe. As you can imagine, the complaints wind up on the forums,--while the praise never sees the light of day. Porsche knows what they are doing, for the most part.
The 997 is the present day best deal for the money for a killer car. With depressed prices for used cars, you can make out like a bandit.
08-13-2009, 10:29 PM
#7
Rennlist Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Panama City Beach, Florida
Posts: 602
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
I have a 2006 2S Cabrio with over 36,000 miles in 4 years. 1 oxygen sensor & 3 minor glitches with the convertible top. Had to have the sound system amplifier replaced because a drain blocked up & water accumulated in the trunk. Replaced battery at 3.5 years/33,000 miles; lots of short trips as a daily driver.
The engine has been modified since 9,000 miles with a full range of bolt on parts. Uses oil, since new, at about 2,000 miles per quart.
The engine has been modified since 9,000 miles with a full range of bolt on parts. Uses oil, since new, at about 2,000 miles per quart.
Trending Topics
08-13-2009, 10:36 PM
#8
Rennlist Member
My '06S is approaching 48-months on the road. It just turned 20k miles (it has three stablemates in the barn).
The car uses no oil. I replaced the original Pirelli tires at 18k. The car needed a new battery at the three-year mark.
Other than that - car has been perfect. Probably the best car I've ever owned.
The car uses no oil. I replaced the original Pirelli tires at 18k. The car needed a new battery at the three-year mark.
Other than that - car has been perfect. Probably the best car I've ever owned.
08-13-2009, 11:02 PM
#9
I have an '06 C2, which I have owned from Sept '07 to the present, from 9k miles to 22k miles. The car shook at idle, and I had some engine mounts replaced under warranty as a result. Over time the shake has come back a bit, but I have decided not to worry about it. The interior has a few squeaks and rattles (which I understand to be par for the course), and the coat hook (not kidding) fell off one day and needed to be replaced. Other than that, knock on wood, the car has been solid and simply a joy to drive.
08-14-2009, 09:29 AM
#10
24K trouble-free miles since 5/06 on my 06 C2S. Four oil changes, includng 20K mile service ($400) one brake flush, two new rear PS2's (@20K miles!), new battery at 17 months (replaced under warranty), one rear flat (covered under wheel/tire warranty).
Have had mechanical breakdown coverage with GEICO since car was new...provides full coverage of all mechanical components (excludng wear items) for 7 years with $250 deductable per visit. Costs me $100 a year..a sweet deal compared to aftermarket warranties.
Best car I've ever owned. Keeps getting better over time. This driver strongly believes 06 was a very good year for 997's.
Have had mechanical breakdown coverage with GEICO since car was new...provides full coverage of all mechanical components (excludng wear items) for 7 years with $250 deductable per visit. Costs me $100 a year..a sweet deal compared to aftermarket warranties.
Best car I've ever owned. Keeps getting better over time. This driver strongly believes 06 was a very good year for 997's.
08-14-2009, 10:59 AM
#11
Racer
2006 997 C2S Cab. 14k miles. running Softronic, x-51 headers, intake and PSE.
car runs like a top, not a single issue other than oil consumption - which has decreased dramatically from 1 qt per 600 miles to 1 qt per 3,000 miles.
love the car, tough to consider trading it.
car runs like a top, not a single issue other than oil consumption - which has decreased dramatically from 1 qt per 600 miles to 1 qt per 3,000 miles.
love the car, tough to consider trading it.
08-14-2009, 01:55 PM
#12
2006 C2S. I purchased this car just over six months ago with about 8K miles. The car currently has about 11.5K hard driven miles on it. I have had zero issues with the car and absolutely love it. My 997S is probably on the low scale as far as miles but I am working hard to make up for that. It is still under warranty and I plan to buy an extended warranty at some point or mechanical insurance just incase of a major failure.
Jason
Jason
08-14-2009, 02:09 PM
#13
Not in MA anymore
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
'06 C2 order new now ith 32K... have only had one issue and that was a sunroof drain clogged from the factory discovered the first rainy day 
No oil use or nuttin'... it's a sweet car...
Matt
No oil use or nuttin'... it's a sweet car...
Matt
08-14-2009, 02:49 PM
#14
Instructor
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: East Bay, CA
Posts: 211
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I bought my '06 C2 cab new. No major issue.
- a part of the seal of the soft top was loose after 3 years. Replaced under warr.
- dealer found a short in the elec. sys. and may have caused the batt. drain and fixed under warr.
I replaced 1 batt., and did 3 oil change myself.
My engine also uses oil. About 1 qt. per 2-3000 miles.
Mostly weekend trips and DE track driving.
Still love the car but tires are $$$.
- a part of the seal of the soft top was loose after 3 years. Replaced under warr.
- dealer found a short in the elec. sys. and may have caused the batt. drain and fixed under warr.
I replaced 1 batt., and did 3 oil change myself.
My engine also uses oil. About 1 qt. per 2-3000 miles.
Mostly weekend trips and DE track driving.
Still love the car but tires are $$$.
08-14-2009, 03:20 PM
#15
Racer
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 433
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Just traded in an '06 C2 that I had for 3 years and approx. 50K miles. Bulletproof. The only thing that ever went wrong was that a hinge on the cupholder cover broke and the cupholder cover wouldn't close. Tragic, I know. Best car I ever had. Didn't eat oil, never had a leak, ran terrific at all times. My '09's doing great, but it's got another 2.5 years and 45K miles to live up to before it will take the trophy for best car ever.