USNA12

So, if my GTS search doesn't pan out, I may go the Turbo route. Seeing a decent amount of .1/.2 for sale all around 20-45k miles.




What would you recommend to a potential new owner? 40k-ish miles seems common for a .2 on sale. Not just on this website but elsewhere as well. Reason why I ask is that my 987.1 Cayman S had no problems in the 2 years I owned it and I drove it like I stole it regularly.
Any information you gentlemen can pass on?

HellaHashTags

The coolant pipe issue on the 997.1TT (not the 997.2TT) is something to consider:
http://sharkwerks.com/porsche/techni...urbo-cars.html

786

^ what he said. that's the main issue that needs to be addressed that i know of. the 997.1 has this issue but overall is quite robust with the Mezger motor. you can pin/weld coolant lines and do SW elbows when you upgrade clutch etc.

the 997.2 seems reliable as well, and quite quick with a handful of parts (like those Champion 9-sec package cars).

i wanted manual and it was easier to find in a 997.1. good luck, they're great cars, lots of fun and quick. great mod potential as well.

USNA12

Even at higher miles? Meaning the 40-70k miles range? for the .2 at least

caslca

.2 6mt is an extremely rare car to find! There are 2 right now in the entire country on autotrader. Be prepared to hunt in the whole country and pay a premium ($90K+). I think the GTS price range is more of a .1TT price. You will have a lot more to chose from if you look at the .1s

For the .1s, I've heard about issues with the camshafts being spun (seems to be a common theme for the Mezger engines (google: "mezger engine spun camshaft")

Both cars have rather delicate front diffs. If car owner sticks to OEM size wheels & tires, it's fine. Otherwise, the diff may croak (i think $7-$10k repair) due to front-rear difference in rolling diameter.

Both cars are vulnerable to clutch assist accumulator. It seems to fail quite reliably every 5-6yrs or so (mine failed under CPO at 34K miles). The first indication of it failing is pentosin under the small fluid container in the frunk.

I personally would steer clear of PCCB ($$$$$ to maintain, especially if you plan to track) and LSD(seems to last 5-6 track days). I'd also try to get one with 5lug instead of the centerlock.

Good luck and have fun with your hunt!

stonesonsilver

^^are you referring to the optional rear differential lock?
How does that only last 5-6 track days?

caslca

yes, the rear LSD. It is a clutch/friction-based diff and will wear out the clutch pack in very short time if it's made to do what it's supposed to do - provide limited slip. E.g., see this https://rennlist.com/forums/997-gt2-gt3-forum/540804-lsd-buster.html

caslca

PTV is also a bit controversial for track use since it works by applying extra brake force to the inside wheel. That causes not only extra wear, but it seems to get in the way sometimes. https://rennlist.com/forums/991/899874-is-ptv-a-liability-on-the-track.html

The conclusion here should be to do your research and decide what would work best for you, mostly if you plan to track or not. Buying for collection purposes also warrants different thinking. If you've got the $$$$$, then don't worry about it and get a loaded one. These cars were 150-160k new and expect proportional maintenance.

bondjockey

LSD's can be rebuilt with Guard internals if you plan to track it often. Makes it much more robust. Or you can just ditch the oem lsd and buy a Guard unit.

stonesonsilver

Oh ok. Thanks for the link. Looks like the diff is serviceable/replaceable without dropping the whole drivetrain...
That's good! Definetly planning on a guards unit!

As for the ptv, how do you know if your car has it. Would it show on the options list?
Yeah ptv sucks imo. Do plan on tracking

Dodaleca

Yes should show option 220 if I remember correctly on the build sheet (PTV only on ".2" model).

Also check out ac condensers and radiators for corrosion and/or impact leaks (just replaced one leaking ac condenser on my 2010) - problem all 997s I'd assume.

stonesonsilver

Oh ok
Yeah mines a .1 so good that I don't have ptv

Outside of all the regular maintaince,
I think pinning of the coolant pipes is the biggest thing for .1s
Pretty much a prerequisite before you wanna track it

El Dario Loco

Based on my own experience I would also like to add front differential to the list of things that can fail depending on milage and usage. Damn expensive to replace ($10k) and I haven't been able to find someone who can repair it.

chsu74

Only happens if you buy front and rear mismatched tires. Diffs are robust or you would hear a lot of issues here.

El Dario Loco

Not sure what the previous owner did but he had at least 5 other P cars in his garage and have been driving 911:s since the eighties so I would be surprised if he was stingy with tires. Do you think this could be caused by having different thread depth/aged tires front vs back?