996 buying worries

Hi guys, sorry for being lazy and not searching the forum - just looking for some quick questions. I'm persuading a friend to trade in his Beemer for a 3.4 996. I'm happy with the general worries about RMS etc as these can be spotted by PPI and fixed/walked away from. However, I've read the odd horror story about sudden engine failure with the 3.4 unit - this would be really scary as my friend is pushing his finances anyway getting a 996 and would kill or at last maim me if he was later struck with the bill for a new engine! So, is this something to be worried about? The car would most likely be quite high mileage (100k) so I figure that it would have blown by now if it was gonna... Thanks in advance.

Very simple response. Stop being lazy and do some research. It's a complicated subject and only a fool would not do their own research.

This is part of of my research. I can get stats on failures from elsewhere, it's the opinions and advice of those I trust on Rennlist that I'm seeking here. Stop being lazy and give your opinion

Okay. Opinion. Someone on a tight budget should not be buying a Porsche. Forget the horror stories, they only happen to a small number of people, but if they happen to you (or your friend), then they're going to cost you big-time. Maintenance on a Porsche is not inexpensive. Someone who is not in it for the longterm and accepted the fact that it will cost them (I dare not even think about what I'm currently sinking into my 996) should not be in the game.

So your friend is stretching to buy a 100K mile plus used 996? And is worried about maint. costs? that is a nightmare waiting to happen. Though the 996 is a great car, like mentioned above, fixing it and do regular maintenance on it is not cheap at all. If he cant change the oil ect, its gonna cost $150 just to do that. He should look at the maintenace schedule at a Porsche dealer for what it might cost.

Cheers guys, opinions appreciated. He can afford the upkeep, it's just the big scares that might put him off. Being already a Porsche owner myself I appreciate that most models have their scares and it's just the tricky task of separating myth from reality to help make a considered judgement. Couldn't agree more that all Porsches need and deserve quality regular maintenance.

I still disagree. Regular maintenance includes some pretty big ticket items... let's say that the MAF needs changing, that's $450. The tires will need doing every 2 years, that's $1200. I spent $320 on an annual service and oil change last week.... it can get pretty expensive very quickly. If you friend is not ready for it, then he's going to end up sinking a decent amount of money very quickly.

I bought my 996 Cab with 78k miles. Never had RMS in its history and never had a new motor. It's a great, tight car. Lots of parts can be found at dismantlers for these cars so don't be scared of high dealer parts prices. DIY oil changes are easy and filters are cheap if you buy them online. Heck, even the optional hardtop for the cab can be bought used for $400! These cars are cheap to maintain compared to many MB, BMW, Audi, etc.

if your streching your budget, a 100k mile high end car isnt your best bet unless you have the tolls and knowlegde to fix it yourself

I trust a 100K miles 996 more than 10K miles 996. Honestly.

True, but either way you don't know if you're going to get a nasty surprise in the next 500 miles.

Common addage is that there is no such thing as a cheap Porsche. Just because they've depreciated to a price point where people who would normally not be able to buy these cars are now able to enter the market does not mean that it makes sense to buy one. If you purchase one, and don't have the financial wherewithal to repair/maintain it if a major issue occurs, the blame should lie squarely on yourself. A Porsche is a machine like anything else, and a machine approaching 6 yrs and 100K miles can and will have issues.

You can't enjoy something you're afraid of using.

Well said! Quick story: In 1992 I bought my first Corvette, new, ordered it, proud as a puppy to own it. It was my daily driver (at least for a while) and I was at the gas station filling up. It was Spring and the car was covered in pollen. Some guy walks up and looks at my car and thought it was scratched, I said no, that's just pollen. He said, "Wow, if I had a car like this, I'd just park it in the front yard, I'd never drive it." Sorta defeats the purpose, doesn't it? FWIW, I drove the poop out of that car, it became my track ***** and although it had its fair share of (Chevy) issues, I enjoyed it and sold it to a friend who totalled it on the race track, so it died an honorable death, pushing the rev limiter, rather than rusting away from neglect in some climate controlled garage under a cover. I feel the same way about my Porsches; they have all been on track (except for my current one, which is a cab) and enjoyed. They break, I fix. But I drive 'em! Michael