jeffm

I've been looking at a few 997's and I'm fortunate enough to have a friend loan me his durametric tool during the selection process. As an owner of a Cayman S, I understand these cars are too be driven, but what would you consider "excessive" over-revs?

In my most recent search, I've come across two cars that strike my fancy. The first one is an 05 base owned by an enthusiast for the past 5 years. The second one is an 06 S that was sold (not traded in) to a local dealer. I understand that, driving in a spirited fashion, range 1 (and some range 2) can often be reached. With approximately the equivalent total hours what do think of the over-rev difference?

Car 1
05 base, 2,400 total hrs
Range 1 - 4,432
Range 2 - 564

Car 2
06 S, 2,661 total hours
Range 1 - 65,536
Range 2 - 17,403

Do you feel car 2 has excessive over-revs? Would you consider this abuse or well driven?

Hella-Buggin'

Car 1, no problem.
Car 2, has been driven hard. That's not necessary a bad thing but that's a lot of ignitions tickling the rev limiter. Or just a couple of times of keeping the one's foot in it and not realizing it for significant durations. Remember each revolution counts as 6 ignitions. Rough math puts that at about a minute and a half of it's life banging against the limiter. I haven't run mine in a while but I'm sure it looks similar.

motopix

The 2006S has similar stats to mine although you have slightly more hours and slightly more Range 2s than mine when purchased.

I bought it knowing it was a track car and didn't think twice about the prior over-revs. But that's me. Do what you're comfortable with. As I've said before, the over-rev report is both a curse and a blessing in these cars. Overall I think too much meaning is read into it.

jeffm

Although I've looked at other cars through the years, I don't recall seeing that high of counts in range one and two.

To give a more complete picture, here are the remainder of ignitions on car 2:

Range 3 - 6,028
Range 4 - 1,021
Range 5 - 64

jhbrennan

Only 3 ignitions every revolution...can't have all 6 cylinders firing at once Still lot of rev limiter hits.

motopix

That's a different picture.

Hella-Buggin'

Indeed. Move on.

That car has been dogged too hard. A Few range threes, I'm comfortable with but that many range 4 and any range 5 are deal breakers.

yashagrawal

Is this a MT or PDK ?..

jeffm

2006 S, MT, 94,000 miles

Hella-Buggin'

It's not PDK with range 5 ignitions.
Maybe some Range 3 but even that high is doubtful.

Tcc1999

Car #2 has a lot of over-revs. Like everyone says, these cars are meant to be driven hard but what exactly does that mean. Obviously, whoever owned that car bounced off the rev limiter a lot. Lets say that the over-revs are not a concern. But that many over-revs seems to suggest the car has been driven hard throughout the rev range. Has this had an adverse impact on the car? I dunno' maybe, maybe not. The fact is, there are lots of 911s out there that have been treated like Fabrege Eggs, so if you are uncomfortable in any way with the over-revs (regardless of whether they may have had a deliterious impact on the car, or not) pass on it and go with something you are good with. It is too much money to spend for something that you have concerns with.

Best of luck.

chuck911

A rev limiter only prevents over-revs on acceleration. All those higher range over-revs are a driver habitually zinging it by downshifting too soon. These things tend to be either/or. They either damaged, or didn't. In other words its not like the more revs the worse, and the #2 car could actually be just fine. Especially if the over-revs happened long ago (the report should show hours since).

That's why my take on it is less that the engine may have been damaged, and more that the car has been driven a lot by a guy with very poor judgment. Guys with no sensitivity and prone to harsh use one way, tend that way in lots of other things too. There is a saying with Porsches- you don't buy the car, you buy the owner.

I'd pass on the previous owner.

jeffm

The range 4 and 5 happened over 500hrs ago. That said, the car actually drove and sounded well, hence my only last minute decision to run the report. However, the range 1, 2 and 3 occurred less than 40 hours ago.

I REALLY wanted this car and my emotion almost got the best of me. It was difficult to walk away after the hours invested round trip to see it and the time spent with the exhausting sales manager.

As the last red flag, I asked it the car was taken in on trade and they said "yes". After further digging, they admitted the owner came by just to sell the car to them at auction price. I mean, who does that? 2006 CS2 with full factory aero...he must have lost thousands on it.

beden1

Please excuse my ignorance, but how do you read these over rev numbers?

jeffm

Durametric diagnostic tool

http://www.durametric.com/