longrowe

Not just NA cars. Mine is GCC (Middle East) spec and my plate is in the passenger door sill.

Splitting Atoms

Parts are often manufactured months before the car.

I am curious about the VIN number compared to the build date. You would think it is car number 2301 (starting with 00001) manufactured and that there were 2300 cars built before it, but that seems unlikely to me with a 12/97 build date.

longrowe

Interesting question. How many cars roll off the line in a month? If the 996 started production in Aug/Sep of 1997, how likely is it that they would be at 2300 by December?

longrowe

This paragraph is from Porsche 911- 50 years

Volkert

I earlier assumed my "0992" would have been build around October/November. They only build coupes initially, so 500 cars per month, starting August? That could approximately work. Then adding cabs per February or so, leading to 10.000 cars manufactured in total for MY98?

Do cabs and coupes share their VIN number?

Volkert

Jimt565

Mine is a MY99 C2 Cab. 2/98 but look at the serial number 0089?

Volkert

Well, that at least solves one riddle! Yes, convertibles have their own series of serial number, however only in the States. ROW does not differentiate between cabs and coupes.

So that would mean yours is serial number 89 for MY98 NA Cabriolet!

Cheers!

Montychristo128

I have an inservice date with dealer stamp of 22 May 1998, so clearly built before that.

I will check car when I get it back from the engine rebuild for a build date.

gnarbowski

I didn't check mine before I shipped it off to FSI, but that wouldn't have mattered anyways. Jud at FSI looked inside my door and examined the entire vehicle and has concluded the sticker is gone. The vehicle could have been repainted, but I doubt it. The carfax doesn't indicate any accidents and the paint has plenty of chips, but a lot can happen in 19 years.

After some digging, I've pinned it down to a 9/98 build. The dealer had two dates in their system for the vehicle, 9/2/98 and 9/14/98. I thought this was odd, but who really knows. There is also a 7/98 build on here with xxxx3481, while my car is 9/98 with xxxx3633 for a vin. Makes sense, right.

Coopduc

Just bought a 1999 roller, 3/98 build with 59k miles on the clock. So much for the early cars having better engines.

Volkert

Who told you that? They have a reduced chance on IMS bearing failure (due to double row design) and bore scoring (due to better temperature mgt etc). It does not mean they are failure free, especially when 18 years old... They do have a 4th/5th timing chain, lack of oil changes related issues etc etc (24 modes of failure....). You can still overrev them, cooling issues due to failing waterpump, clogged radiators...

AdamIsAdam

7/98 for me.

And a real dipstick! Aren't they lighter than later years as more electronics were added?

I didn't even pick mine up yet and I'm already loving it!

(PS I just ate fried eggs for breakfast)

gnarbowski

The only good m96 is one that has been rebuilt with nickies.

Volkert

Understood the Mk.1 C2 body is 50kg lighter then the C4 body. With the Mk.2 they used the same body for C2 and C4.

AdamIsAdam

Not sure about that, but I read that the 996 was 50kg lighter than the outgoing 911 out replaced.