Thinking of Buying - Info & Advice

First post here so first things first Hello All :bye: Couple of times i have had a 911 on my list of possible cars, this time it really is the only car that i can see myself changing to Previous cars have been the usuals suspects, M3, Scoobys, EVO, Lotus Exige - god i loved that car , and the current mode of transport R32 golf My budget is approx 30k and i would prefer a C4S, trouble is i know nothing about what to look for and really what i could expect to get for 30K, there seems to be such a massive spread in prices & spec. so a couple of Questions : What can i realistically expect to get for approx 30K is there anything i should be looking to avoid / keep an eye out for ? Manual or Tip - I have always been a manual person, does the tip gearbox take away the driving involvement ? Annual running costs ? - i have insurance quotes for approx £450 - but what about the rest ?? (i only do approx 6-8k miles a year) sry for all the questions, i have used the search function, but i am after the most upto date info & thoughts Thanks in advance Phil G

A 996 C4S is a fine example, £30K should get you a clean, late car with decent mileage. I would go for manual. Your budget should get you a decent spec to include PCM Navigation and Porsche Sports Exhaust. When spending your hard earned cash, ensure it has a full Porsche service history and avoid cars that are shortly due a service - get one that has just had it done. Also look at tyre condition to ensure again its not due a full set. Get all this right and your annual running costs will be minimised for the near future. If you are buying privately or indeed from a dealer it is often money well spent having a proper PPI. (pre purchase inspection) If you increase your budget a tad, you will get yourself into a 997 C2S. Let me know if you want some finance illustrations.

C4S? A fine choice, and clearly a man of impeccable taste! Personally, I'd go for a manual, unless your 6-8k miles a year are spent in traffic. PCM would be nice, but its not very good compared to aftermarket kits. All C4Ss come with uprated stereo (but Bose was an option- nice it if its got it) and electric memory seats (but some come with sports seats which are cool too, but no memory function). Litronic (bi-xenon) lights are great, or rather the standard lights are rubbish and you will at least need to get some xenon retrofits if not got Litronic. Switchable exhausts are an essential option- you can get it retrofitted though for about £1500. Ali handbrake/gearknob look great, but look out for wear on the painted metal. Running costs will not be too bad if you get it worked on at a specialist- as Jamie says, a PPI is well worth it (you'll undoubtedly save what it costs with bargaining points). Certainly no worse, possibly cheaper than the cars you've had. Look out for leaky rear main seal (not a big deal, but will need sorting at some point), leaky radiator header tank, neglected interiors (pay attention to the condition of the centre console for scratches around the belt clips and ashtray cover, and the condition of the bolster of the driver's seat), and kerbed/chipped wheels. Tyres and brakes are pricey to replace, so make sure there's some life in them or get the price adjusted to reflect. Look also at the rear nearside wing- sometimes the wiper can scratch the rear wing if let fall wrong when washing the rear screen (ask me how I know :x ) and so it requires paint- make sure its done well with no overspray onto the seals. There are plenty of good cars about, so be choosy. As Jamie says, a 997 C2S might be worth consideration for a little more money- I personally prefer the looks of the 996 C4S, but the 997 is better quality inside, and a more sophisticated and faster drive. This lot www.harbourcars.com seem to have a nice selection, no affiliation etc, but they are a site sponsor.

:welcome: 997 all the way with current prices

Dont listen to the 997 guys, why would you want a very early 997 when you can have the best looking 911 produced, the C4S :worship: :lol: Did I mention I have a superb example for sale in sales section?? :santa: Feel free to ring me if you want any info, just PM me :thumb: Its a bit higher than your budget, but I cant find one as good as it on the net with the spec of mine, and it includes Porsche warranty If you fancy trawling through my posts you will see I have had a lot of warranty work done on my car so anything that can go wrong with C4s has been done in the last 2k miles. My car has also recently had a major service and is not due another for nearly 2 years (or 12k miles, whichever comes first).

Can't argue with that too much, a 996 C4S is truly stunning!

Hi just got a late 03 996 c4s 6 speed with 17k on the clock full opc service history. Lots of factory extras, for £30k Its awesome, i drive it every day. Its soon going to be taken to Hartech and treated to some love. Im new here too, but in my limited experience, go for the c4s you will get a great car for your budget, set some aside for a top notch garage to 'fettle' it and crack on ! Good luck ! moff

Hi I have just bought a 911 (an old (2000) 996 C2, deciding £15K gave me 99.9% what I would get from a £30K car and it can only lose £15K) & did all due diligence wrt how much to spend etc. Whilst the 996 C4S looks delightful bear in mind it is heavier than C2 and will suffer massive depreciation over the next 12 months. They are also meaner to the front tyres & tyres for the C4 cost a mint (same as 996TT). The ride is also less compliant than C2 (again same as 996 Turbo) - although they look the bollox. £30K will buy a faster, more modern looking & evolved C2 997 which will still depreciate but will always be worth more than the 996C4S. Also enjoy longer service intervals and far superior interior. Either that or halve your budget & get a cheap older 911. Re tip v manual: looking at your history you like the Lotus, the manual will give the same responsive thrill, the tip is like driving a turbo engined car in that the slush effect it creates is akin to lag... buy a manual whatever car you go for (I used to have a VX turbo) - it will delight you when you change down to 3rd or 2nd to overtake...

Dont think so mate, out of all the 996's the C4S has held its price better than ALL the other variants, including the Turbo 8) The C4s was a limited run car and the best looking 911 made, it will ALWAYS demand a higher price. I think you are mad to buy a £15k 996 unless you are going to keep it forever. Remember that a lot of the "cheaper" C4s's are not C16 cars and will always be worth less :hand: We can debate what is better till we are blue in the face, its you and only you who will decide what to spend your hard earned cash on Regardless of what car you buy, be it a 911, an Audi or a Bentley they will all lose some cash, but rule of thumb is the newer the car (ie 3 years or younger) the more it will lose. I chose the C4s when I bought it partly because of the reason above and a whole host more but all I can tell you is this, bar a 993, I bet it has dropped the LEAST out of the whole 996/997 range :bandit:

FWIW, Evo mag marked the 996 C4S the best 911 except the GT3 at the time. Slightly heavier than a C2, and slower top speed due to extra drag of the J-Lo rear end... But you will not notice the difference on the road, in fact the 4wd traction will more than make up for it. My 4S, with me as a trackday virgin at the wheel, was astonishingly quick round a wet circuit compared to others there. That was down to the car rather than me of course, but it was still involving and fun. Point taken though, the more you spend on a car, the more you'll lose. The 4S was not a limited edition though- it was sold alongside all other variants from 02-04, and it sold well so plenty about. Luckily though, wide-body normally aspirated 911s are always popular and do command a premium.

all I would add is, don't test drive a turbo. Coz for not an awful lot more & virtually the same ruuning costs you could have a very, very quick car. You can by a TT for 30k too depending on what kind of age mileage you find acceptable.

All very well buying a Turbo for £30k but when things start to go wrong.................... it could end up costing you the same to fix it

Welcome to 911uk - :welcome: C4S Very nice car.. PSE and Bose is a must in my view.. Feel free to post any your thinking of and I am sure we will give our advice :thumb:

Thank you all very much for the replies I will start my search for my new car in the new year, in the mean time i think i need to do quite a bit of research, and learn what all the options are. Also i used to quite enjoy getting involved with the local owner communities for the cars that i have owned, and doing track days - have have done over 50 although have not done one for the last 18months, , another thing i miss. how do i find out if there any any local groups / meets etc.. , i live on the west coast of cumbria 15mins from the lakes. Im pretty much set on the C4S, i would love a 997 as i like the looks, but i think i would have to wait another 12months to be able to get the 997 i would like. One other thing i need to rectify is that i have not driven a 911 for about 10 years and that was a very early 80's 911 Thanks guys, i look forward to getting involved some more here :thumb: Phil G

C4S is great Hi I have had my C4S for 16 months now and love it, its an every day driver so needed to be practicle... but fun.... I would tottally agree about PSE and Bose have them, i have bose but no PSE but would defo go for this if ever i changed the car.... i believ the C4S will become a classic, some will always dissagree... I found my test drive very duanting... i thought the brakes were shot on mine.... but it turns out you need to press way harder than any other car i have owned... i came from four Impreza's and loved them all.... the other things that grow on you are the handling... i had my Geo done about ten months into ownership and really wished i had had that done earlier as it made such a difference and wore my rear tyres out quickly... the nose feels light at first, but now i am sure of the car and dont notice it at all... I consider myself a very quick and experienced driver... i have rallied and raced... fords and Chevette HSR.... and i woud still say it took me a year to truly get out of the car the driving experience that i expected... in other words its a challenge and a very refined driving experience.... I would ref the EVO COTY 2002 article which gave the C4S first place.... i wasnt sold on it at first, from a driving perspective.... but thought these guys must know... and they do... its a stunning car...and a tottal grower.... the only complaint i have is..... every one else gets to see that rear end but me.... bummer.... and when i see another on the road i always smile and think what a great car it is... then remember i am in one as well... tbh... best car i could afford... paid £K15 over your budget 16 months ago (ouch) was it worth it, YES... lifes way too short... live it too the full... good luck... when you find something you are keen on... post the details on here... you will get loads of help from these guys... they are magic... good luck :thumb: