atr911

RMS = Rear Main Seal

C'est une morceau qui arrête l'huile d'échappé ou le transmission rencontre le moteur.

IMS = Intermediate Shaft

Les moteur original de 1999-2005 on utilise une 'intermediate shaft' qui étais trop petit et il y avait des incidences ou il y a faillit puis le moteur est aller 'KABOOM'.
Depuis 2006, Porsche est utilise une 'bearing' plus gros puis les incidences de 'kaboom' étais beaucoup réduit.

michel944

Ok, merci ! That's something that has to stay in the back of your mind when you buy one of these !!!

raspberryroadster

fully agree, keep a reserve....especially with these series parts & repairs are a killer.

imo, before committing your search to 986/996 series, you also study the 993/964 series (last of the hand assembled, aircooled 911's).
kart like drive (especially 964's), relatively easy to fix (compared to later series) and solid build quality...just a thought.

Zookie

dude what are you saying? they are all hand built, even today, yes today... "Last of the hand assembled porsche", where do you get your info from?

Every type of car has issues... Just remember Car might be Cheap to buy but Maintanace/Parts are Not... simple rule, get the newest car you can afford, only go back in time if you know your cars...

the guy knows what he wants, a 996 or 986... not a 993, not a 964... what good condition 993 or 964 goes for under 25K... read the first post before posting again

pongobaz

+1. Zookie is right. Do some research before making such ludicrous statements. Get a copy of National Geographic's Ultimate Factories: Porsche (2009) and you'll be amazed at how little robotics are involved in the final assembly. All the leather hides are hand selected and sewn by people. It takes an hour for 1 technician to fit the leather to the dash. Only part of the primer coat and the clear coat are applied by robots, the colour is sprayed on by workers using paint guns (like it always has). Most of the efficiencies in place in Stuttgart were implemented with the 964 productions. The last 993 were built on the same line, at the same time as the (then new) 996; look at the pic in the paintshop...yup, that's a 993 right behind a 996.
The rest of the pics show a few other "robots" called, Dieter, Hans and Manfred!

Zookie

thank you Pongobaz, i was going to write Excatly what you wrote, word to word :P... but i had to runs (pun intented) to the washroom, dame you Street Meat... like atr911 said KABOOM!!!

TurboS

LOL

On Which street did you buy the meat?
Could be the stomach flu, it's Nasty.

raspberryroadster

there was no offense intended....and thanks for pics of the porsche assembly line...it looks very similiar to the american assembly lines i've visited in the 90's (only cleaner perhaps).
i was only adding a view (especially for a DIY person) those series tended to bridge the older p-cars with the more modern poweful watercoolers. they do remain dependable, efficient and relatively easy to maintain.
in terms of production processes going forward from 92 there were huge changes at porsche (as there had to be considering there exceptional costly way of building cars in limited numbers had taken the company to the verge of bankrupcy). those changes included functional changes in manufacturing processes, inventory planning, outsourcing....etc etc and all of that was successful and allowed the marque to survive and continue to produce a fine auto. i will not debate the extent to which today's p-car is hand assembled, suffice to say based on their production numbers and workers per car produced today, that there is substantially less hand filing/seam welding/wire pulling today. i am not saying thats a bad thing - only that it makes the new porsche sports car a more complicated car/more difficult to service in one's garage.

this was not intended to take this posting off topic, only to add another dimension for a person interested in p-car acquisition............as this forum recognizes those 2 series mentioned have strong attributes for a budget buyer.

if anyone cares to here's a small cut & paste of beginning of porsche change driven by introduction of japanese mfg process HOW ironic considering the sh't toyota is in now....and incidentally the porsche experience is very similiar to what occured at harley-d. (its a cut & paste of a NY Times business article from 1996 discussing the turnaround a porsche)....my background (capital mkts.) tended to take me close to the auto industry both micro/macro perspective....and since it was written 96 it adds an on the spot flavor....
apologies to all who took offence in the GTA

.........................copied
From the dizzying heights of the mid-1980's when American yuppies, not to mention staid German executives, had to have one, Porsche went to the brink of bankruptcy in 1992. Recession had crippled sales, and costs were out of control. Turning to the Japanese, with their "lean" manufacturing techniques, was considered its only hope of making a profitable car and avoiding the ever-rumored takeover by BMW, Mercedes-Benz or Volkswagen.

"It was the biggest shock for the company to accept that Japanese were walking around, not able to speak either the Schwabian dialect or German, and telling people what to do," said Wendelin Wiedeking, Porsche's 43-year-old chief executive. "They were tough guys. They were absolutely aggressive to the people. And we wanted it that way."

The remaking of Porsche using Japanese manufacturing techniques has a significance beyond the company. For years, German auto makers, feeling the pinch of more efficient Japanese producers, have tried to adopt elements of just-in-time lean manufacturing and to get high-paid German workers to be more flexible. But changes have been modest at best, leading many auto executives to vow they will never open a new car plant in Germany again.

"Germany looked at Japan and said, 'Yes, but we can't do it here; we won't do it here,' " said Daniel T. Jones, a professor at the Cardiff Business School in Wales. "Porsche had no choice. And having done it, the argument that other auto makers ought to be following their lead becomes irresistible."

Feelings may have been hurt, but Porsche survived -- not only as a cachet name in German automobiles, but as the last remaining independent European manufacturer of sports cars. The company recently reported its first profit in four years, after $300 million in losses.

continued extract

The traditional craftsmanship for which Germany became famous was filing and fitting parts so that they fit perfectly," Professor Jones said. "But that was wasted time. The parts should have been made right the first time. So the new craftsmanship is the craftsmanship of thinking up clever ways of making things simpler and easier to assemble. It is the craft of creating an uninterrupted flow of manufacturing."

The company now has been able to turn its focus to product development. The 2-seat Boxster -- a roadster with Porsche's traditional flat, six-cylinder with opposing, or boxing, cylinders -- will cost about $50,000, compared with about $64,500 for a 911 coupe. Porsche hopes the Boxster will add younger professionals to its customer base of wealthy professionals and business people over 40.

Porsche still hopes to strip another 10 hours off car-assembly time, according to Mr. Wiedeking, a goal that would make the company comparable to the best Japanese auto makers. And Porsche is working with its suppliers to cut costs and improve quality and deliveries................and on

jamesjedi

It is safe to say that the air cooled cars were more hand built.

pongobaz

Of course, depending on the series. It's absolutely true that the 356 and early 911's were more hand built. But with every new generation new tooling and techniques were added to improve productivity. To think that the older Porsches were better built just because some worker had to finesse panels into place with a rubber mallet might be a romantic and nostalgic notion but it is misguided. Porsche being primarily an engineering firm, it has always used the best assembly techniques that were available and that it could afford in that particular era.
The changes brought about by Wiedeking and Macht at Porsche are based on the Kaizen Philosophy of constant improvement. Yes Toyota adheres to these principles (as do other Japanese mfr), but it is wrong to state that Porsches are now built in the same mass production ways of Toyota. FYI: Porsche Consulting now provides these same services around the globe to very diverse industries.

atr911

Some might argue that the machine may actually build better cars... look at how machines and electronics have influenced our gearbox choices... a la pdk

swbatte

To further the hijack - the 356 and 911 were designed on drafting tables with pencils, and rulers. Now they are designed with finite element analysis, cadcam on super computers. Does that mean they aren't as well designed, because they weren't designed by hand? I'm exagerating here, but robotic paint systems and dip tanks are better than hand spraying for instance. Most of the parts installed on a Porsche were probably not built by hand either.

Back to the thread. The Boxster would be an excellent choice if you haven't owned a car like this. It will give you a chance to learn how to drive a high performance car, and is more forgiving/handles a little better. Not to mention, maintenance is a little cheaper for parts etc. On the other hand, 911s are the real deal - and you'd love a 996.

I guess it comes down to hardtop or convertible. Then drive a couple, and you'll know what you want for sure! Good luck!

Sputter

The 911 is The real deal? as opposed to what? 986s are roadsters not 4 seat passenger cars . Not the same car at all and I have drink holders.

Jim

vipola

I always wondered, does 996 and 997 have 4 seats?

Turbodan

yes