Thinking of buying a 996.

Hey guys, I am thinking about purchasing a 1999 996, I've noticed that you can get them in the mid-high $20ks, and this seems like too good of an opportunity to pass up. Any advice on purchasing one of them? I am mechanically adept, but this will be my daily driver so I don't want something I'll need to spend time working on, but I'm not afraid of getting dirty. I've heard of rear main seal & coolant tank issues, what do I need to know/ask about these, and what else do I need to keep an eye out for? Does anybody have a list of options (dealer brochure), so that I can find the car with the right stuff! Was an LSD an option on the C2? Anyway, any personal experience on buying/repairs/costs of ownership of a 996 would be appreciated.

The 996 can be a great car and very reliable. However, there are some that have had problems with their cars. My advise is to purchase from a reputable source and have a complete PPI done prior to purchase. Additionally, follow the link below and read "Reliability of 996 engines" and "Underperforming Seal" on Renntech. http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showforum=2 Good Luck!!

You are asking about a very broad topic here. This isn't meant to be a blow off but spend some time researching on this board. There are many threads about all the topics and questions you have asked that go into more detail than you are going to get in this thread. Short answers: I think the 99's were the only ones where an LSD was offered as a factory option. FYI, I drive my 996 daily and I try and perform all of the maintenance myself. Other than a couple of items the car is very maintenance friendly to the weekend mechanic. With your price range you going to be looking at basically 99's with maybe a couple of 00-01 thrown in with higher miles. In general the 996 is a very robust car and makes an excellent daily driver. You should have no problems with reliability from a well maintained car, nor will you need to constantly be fixing something. The regular maintenance can be preformed by most weekend warriors that want to take the time. However, the parts are more expensive than most Japanese and US made cars. Is this your first Porsche? If so here is some general thoughts on buying used Porsche�s and 996�s specifically. I have bought 3 used Porsches. In general Dec-Feb. are buyers months. For purchasing a PPI by a qualified mechanic is a must. There are a lot of cars for sale and some a great and some are disasters waiting to happen. I caution you about choosing/buying a 996 (or any Porsche for that matter) on price. While I understand the concept of a budget, please realize that many times you get what you pay for (i.e. you see a �03 996 priced at $28k there is a reason besides some BS �my lose is your gain�). When buying a used Porsche I think it is wise to spend a few extra dollars for the car that has been well cared for (and has the records to prove it) versus the car that is just priced right. For example, as the early 996�s start to get 7+ years old, a car who�s previous owners took the time and money to have the spark plugs changed, brake fluid changed every 2 years, had all the filters changed as scheduled, had the brakes inspected, changed to oil at regular intervals, etc. is much more desirable to me than one who�s owner dropped $5k on a set of 19� wheels or has the lowest miles. Mileage is often debated. Other items often over looked are the conditions of the pads/rotors, tires and scheduled services. If you need brakes and tires and some scheduled maintenance you could easily be in it for $2k (and that is doing the work yourself). In general cars that are sold at close to the factory scheduled maintenance have not had them done (this is also true with low mileage cars that really need some of the services done because of age). You will also find that many of the cars for sale need at least 2 tires. Just a couple of things to look closely at. I know the overall beauty and/or performance of the car may blind you to cost that will arise just around the corner. .

If you are buying a 996 for the mid 20's then you really better have some cash in the bank to cover your ***!

The 996 is a great car. Maintenance is minimal but expensive when you need it. Hopefully, you'll pick a good one and not a lemon. Good luck.

Thanks for the advice everyone. This would be my first porsche, but I worked for a small independant Porsche shop between years in college and fell in love with the cars. That was before 996s were even out of the factory, and now that I can afford something nicer than the VW Passat I am currently driving. I think I will try to use the garage I worked for to do the PPI if i find a suitable car in San Diego, but I'm also looking in the LA Area (broader search so i can find exactly what i'm looking for), so I need any advice for decent independant shops in LA, specifically in the south bay. ray - I downloaded those articles from RennTech thanks! brian- I've been scouring 6speedonline and rennlist (and now renntech), but i appreciate your comments. I will probably spend another month doing research before I actually start looking at cars, there is so much to learn!! Am I missing any data sources? Is there a well put together list of vehicle options for a 99 or 00. I think one of the common mistakes people make is comparing several used cars based on price, condition, but not knowing or comparing what options were available from the dealer. Thanks -Vince p.s. My other cars, 1969 Mustang Fastback (its been my restoration project for the past 5 years), 1986 BMW 535 --Track Car for 24 Hours of Lemons.

Vince, You might also find some useful info here - https://rennlist.com/996_faq/ and http://www.deter.com/porsche/ and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_996 and http://www.flat-6.net/forum/showcargroup.php? Good luck!!! They really are great cars!!

+1 This is very low compared to market. Keep in mind that the 99' model year lasted almost 2 years. There were many issues that were resolved across that time. I would be very careful to check all the service records and make sure that all the updates have been done. Definitely check the carfax and have a PPI done. A very clean unmolested low mileage 99' with no should be in low 30's. High mileage cars or those with incidents will be in the 20's.

Look for the 220 option code on the sticker under the front hood of the car. That's the LSD option. Get a CarFax and get a PPI done at a reputable shop (around $200 bucks at Kahlers in the Pleastonton/Dublin area and over $400 at Newport Porsche down south in the LA area). The shop should only release the results to the guy who pays for the PPI (you). The results should not be given to the seller unless you just want to give him a free pass on paying for the PPI. When I had them check out the car I bought (37Kmiles at the time), they looked for the RMS issue and such. I used the results (oil leak and coolant tank leak) as leverage with the seller and asked him to either lower the price based on the cost to fix the issues or have the issues fixed. The latter being the best option for me b/c I knew the car had been looked over and had all the issues fixed (no hidden surprises). He actually fixed the problems and I completed deal afterward ($35k for a 37Kmile 99 996c2 w/lsd). I stayed away from any 996 that was involved in a accident. I figured why chance anything if I had a choice. If the sticker under the hood was missing, I walked away. Good luck.