996T buying question (New to the forum)

Hi everyone as the title says I'm new to the forum and only recently started gravitating towards the 911. Before covid hit I decided I wanted one and now after this whole thing has happened I've decided life is too short and I need one! I'm looking at a 996 turbo and I've found one that looks really good it's from a private seller but he bought it from a specialist and all looks in order except one thing.. When I did an HPI check on it there seems to be 5-6 years of MOTs missing (2007-2013) although 30k miles were put on the clock so not SORN etc. There are also a few failed MOTs and advisories which brings me to my question: If all the service history is fine (annual from OPC or specialist) does missing MOT history matter ( still not sure if this is an issue with the hpi check or genuine missing MOTs). Also are failed passed MOTs a red flag if the car has most recently passed an MOT with no advisories. For reference most of the advisories were tire tread etc but there was one for 'front drive shaft joint constant velocity boot split or insecure' if that means anything to anyone. Thanks everyone for your help, hoping to join you as a Porsche owner soon. p.s. any other big things to watch out for are welcome. TLDR : Looking to buy a 996tt service history is fine but 6 years MOT history missing on HPI check does this matter?

:welcome: to 911uk A 996T would make a great first 911. Have you tried using the official MOT History checker? You just key the Reg No in and the whole history is displayed. Click Here ---> https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history Occasionally there are anonymalies eg. where the car has had one or more private plates and the system hasn't made the association between them all. It's nice to know the full history but the most important thing is the current condition of the car. A proper Pre-Purchase Inspection should give you peace of mind. A decent Service History also helps. Good Luck :thumb:

Thanks T8. I'm going for the Turbo partly because of the the huge power but also the 4 wheel drive which should help keep me out of trouble as a 911 novice.. I have checked the .gov website as well which shows the same thing not really sure what's going on there.. I'm definitely not buying the car as an investment but it would be good to know its not going to turn potential buyers away in the future. Just a bit scary as its not a cheap car (for me at least) and not sure if this is a big deal. I was thinking of getting a PPI from brooklands kent as that is where the car is serviced and they have good reviews as far as I know.

Great choice for a first 911, was mine too (although I arrived via 2 Boxsters). If the mileage stacks up via the SH I wouldn't worry about it, particularly if you can speak to the garage that has maintained it. The 4wd isn't really true, only delivers a small % to the front wheels and up to 30% max I think. That said the mechanical grip from these cars is astonishing, if you get yourself into trouble you've done something really bad. Owned mine over 5 years, never missed a beat and still fast enough by my standards. Had it over to Spa a couple of times, serviced annually and it's spot on. Good luck, they are very, very capable cars. :thumbs:

Enjoy the purchase and the car. If in doubt, an inspection has to be a good decision. I would personally take the car to somewhere different to the where it had been looked after. Not a reflection of that garage but more the concept of not marking your own homework if that makes sense?

99% sure it'll be because of a private plate at the time, although it's possible it was in Ireland for that time. Best thing to do if you view the car is ask the owner, see if the paperwork tells the story, or contact the garage that did the servicing at the time.

I managed to recover gaps in MOT history after purchasing my car. During some MOT the "S" in the VIN had been recorded as a "5", coupled with some private plate changes this left some gaps DVLA were very easy to deal with, saw the issue and added all the missing years to the online history very quickly.

It was more than likely in Ireland.

By modern 911 standards a stock 996T hasn't got "huge power" (420hp) but will give you 2020 Carrera performance for a fraction of the price. The awd system does give some extra assurance, especially in the damp, but it's not a 4wd car in the usual sense and be aware that the fat tyres don't like standing water. Brooklands Kent have some good reviews. See link below. http://www.911uk.com/viewtopic.php?t=136076&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=brooklands As has been said you might prefer to get a fresh pair of eyes on the car for a PPI. If the car is in Kent I can recommend 'Project Nine' at Marden. i wouldn't let the MOT issue put you off. Good Luck :thumb:

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice. I've asked the owner (who didn't own the car during that period) if he has any idea and will wait for him to get back to me. In the meantime I'll find another garage to do the PPI project nine looks like a good one but possibly a bit far from south east london. Any advice on things to look for or wish you knew before you bought one is always welcome

Usual things to look out for -How corroded are turbos and turbo fixings and heat shields. -Condition of rads both engine and air con. -condition of brake lines and air con pipes - how much life left in discs and pads - Any noise from suspension -central locking and windows -has clutch been changed recently -make sure no noise from gearbox, all gears engage nicely and that it doesn't jump out of second gear when jumping on and off throttle -make sure boosts to steady 0.7 bar They are great cars and with a relatively cheap remap and good driver will keep up with practically anything! Mac

I'd suggest doing some research before acquiring a 996 Turbo. As you'll see on here, a number of things can go wrong that'll throw up big bills. That's on top of the normal old 911 bits.

9e are near Gatwick. Cast iron reputation when it comes to turbos.

Just done the same OP and bought my first 996T a few weeks ago. Key things I looked for as above but also the spoiler hydraulic system. It seems it's not a case of if this will break, but when. Check it's been serviced/rebuilt etc in the service history. Heatshields (and bolts) also a consumable item. Have fun! They are amazing cars

Similar story for me. I have had (or still have) a 62 356, 67 911, 88 911, 997, 987.2, 987 Cayman and the 2003 996T is the most complete package IMO. Motor is amazing for its flexibility and durability but with age the suspension Components and cooling systems need careful checking, particularly in the harsh, damp environment there.