2001 996 tip repair history - is the normal?

I stumbled on a great deal on a 2001 996 CAB tip earlier this year. motivated seller due to job loss. saw info on an extensive list of repairs including IMS/RMS and the exceptional cosmetic condition so I jumped on it. was not what I was looking for at the time but seemed too good to pass. still think that, but thinking of selling to get what I had wanted. starting in 1989 I went through all the models Porsche made in the 80s, 3.2 carrera, 924S, 944S, 944 turbo (total rebuild modified into DE track car) and a 928. was working on a full restoration of an 78 930 when I had to stop driving the track, just too old to handle the physical demands at almost 70. sold all of them but the 87 924S I plan to resurrect. finally sat down and sorted through the repair records. I will be calling the shop that did most of the work over the 5 yrs the PO had the car to confirm what I am reading. but it looks like they had major repair to just about every system on the car. work started at 80k and I got the car at 86k. not sure I want to believe what the PO spent. I will tell you this car looks, runs, and drives like new. really enjoy driving, especially in manual mode. and as revs pass 4K with your foot in it the fabspeed intake/exhaust lets out an incredible howl, but not too loud. gotta love a Porsche flat six on song. is it normal for an early 996 to have all the problems this one appears to have had before 90k. except the IMS risk thought they were pretty reliable. or was this one just and exception. did a search on Autotrader for similar car and see low $20s to low $30s. similar milage and apparent condition $25-30 I'll be posting on the for sale forum once I have confirmed all the work done. here is a summary of what I found. IMS/RMS reseal cam covers and cam chain covers. replaced engine mounts replace water pump and thermostat replace spark plug tubes and coils replace MAF major exhaust - O2, CATS (Fabspeed), Fabspeed carbon fiber competition Air intake and Maxflow performance cat back sport muffler. sounds incredible Major AC repair replace evaporator rear suspension components replaced replace front struts and strut mounts

Yes all of that stuff could be replaced at that age as a part of preventative maintenance. That car private party is worth about 20K tops, unless it's a rare color or unique options.

That's a pretty short list for a 25 year old $80K German Sports Car with 80K miles on it...

The major AC repair is nice. I think we all know what that is and would appreciate that.

then I guess all the listings I saw are sellers dreaming? don't know any maintenance history of the listings but will all the work done to my car would think that would be work a premium. the car is almost perfect cosmetically. need to look at the option list I found on the frunk lid.

Quotes source post: 20330662

Look at it this way. Why wouldnt you want to buy a 996 that has had $10k worth of preventative engine service done to it, $5k worth of exhaust uogrades and $3k worth of suspension refresh for pennies on the dollar. What i would do is start testing your oil to see the condition of your engine, drop your sump and cut open your oil filter to see whats in it at your next oil change, run high viscosity, high moly oil and change it 2x a year, sell the Fabspeed carbon air intake and use the money to upgrade your AOS to the UAOS w/ Track drain even though you may not ever track your car... And then drive the hell out of it.

I'd add 1 more check. Look at cam deviation. A 25 year old 996.1 with high miles almost always needs vario cam actuator pads/o-rings. You sure when cam covers were off they didn't do that..?

That looks like a normal list to me and shorter than it could have been. I would consider also checking the AOS system for vacuum leak - put in a UAOS if needed; changing the ZF tiptronic filter and fluid, differential fluid, power steering fluid, brake fluid flush

Quotes source post: 20331149

For an auto cab with 85K miles? From my shopping that's a high teens car. Manual will add a few $K, and coupe will add several $K more. I bought my manual cab, reasonably well sorted, for $21K a few months ago and that was about market price. People can ask whatever they want on autotrader. I literally had a salesman run out of the dealership as I was leaving yesterday to offer to take $10K off the price of a Spyder I was looking at. Best reference I see for actual prices is to look at what they're selling for on C&B or BaT. Not Autotrader or CL.

Quotes source post: 20331149

The problem is finding the buyer that wants a cab, automatic and puts value on the maintenance and exhaust upgrade. I would look at bring a trailer sold cars for comps. They tend to be about right or a little high. Also only look at 2000-01 cab automatics. I'm sure it's very nice, just in the 996 world it's at the lower end of desirability spectrum.

understand I got a good deal. not worried about trying to get a fortune but there is clearly a BIG disconnect between all the similar cars I saw listed and what this group is saying. of course you can ask but it all depends on what someone is willing to pay. if I can't get a decent price will keep for a while. like the car and don't need to sell. got the kind of answers I expected.....

IMHO. BAT finished sales history chart, is the best we have to see real time values. From BAT this is what I've seen after looking there for years now. its not etched in stone just trends I've seen for years now, Always exceptions though.. Check BAt and see for yourself.... 1) The biggest hit on value seems to be high mileage or even medium high mileage. A great condition low mile under <10,000 miles 996 almost of any flavor (almost) seems too go for top dollar. Add $10-20,000 premium to the price If car has desirable options/colors could even go much higher. A low mile 10-20,000 mile great condition car will also command a strong premium, but lower premium than the under 10k mile car. maybe $5-10,000. A 20-30,000 mile car also will command a somewhat lower premium but substantially above the norm. 2) Cab, subtract -$3-10,000 or sometimes more__ unless documented new top, new/rebuilt hydraulic rams, no inside water damage, and top looks/works perfect inside and out, then add $3-5000. 3) Tip tranny is a killer on price and more important, desirability. No way out on this. Another -$3-5000k hit is normal maybe more,,, unless you find the buyer that wants a tip. Those buyers seem to be few and far between but are out there, Especially on an other wise desirable great condition car. 4) A heavily modified car tends to lower value to most but not all buyers. Depending on the mods of course. Many 996 buyers are savvy Porsche guys and know what they're looking at, many are not... Many want a more or less oem car in great condition and will pay for it. 5) A heavy full maintained 996,,, engine/drive train/suspension/interior/body/tires/wheels/electronics, etc, with complete records done by a reputable shop or owner, makes the car very desirable to most in the know. Could add $10-15k for the right buyer, Probably not more even if the owner spent $40K on a new big bore nik'd engine.. A full everything restoration maybe with a Porsche theme, done tastefully seems to add ungodly amount$$ to the $ale price. 1 just went recently for $75K on BaT. Most times a partial maintenance done is desirable, and will help for a fast sale, but seems to not translate to a substantial increase in price. Each one of these cars is an individual example and since there are not that many its hard to say what the current market will bring for them. Most times its not much as buyers do expect the car to be in good running order. The very low mile oem cars seem to get a pass on maintenance done.... jmho

Quotes source post: 20330662

I would say that list is pretty normal for a 20 year old car. PO on mine did most of the same items over the 2 ears before I bought the car a couple of them were done under my ownership, but most of it was nullified by a failed AOS hydrolocking and cracking 2 cylinder walls. So I have a new (< 2 years old) FLat6 3.8 now.

ALLCOOL interesting dissertation.... hbdunn clear and to the point. I started this thread having had all versions of the '80s gen Porsche and doing ALL my own work, then dropping out when I had to stop track and never really learned much about 996 other and IMS... IMS... IMS..... went through a BMW 6 convertible and MB SL until now. so mainly interested in whether all the repairs this car has had were normal. did not mean to suggest I had found some 'piece of gold'. and thought the listing prices I saw were too high. I am 74 and this is exactly what I wanted at the time. as noted above drove the **** out of a Cararra 3.2 and modified 944 turbo on the track for 15 yrs. been there, done that, still have a lot of T-shirts. talked to a guy at the last 'cars and coffee' with a new GT3 RS. ask if he had been to the track. NO ... never will. this is my trophy car. would scare the $#!+ out of him at least if not kill him if he did.... sigh..... these cars are to be driven .... hard. but to most of the people I encounter now with new Porsche they are just a status symbol. sorry if that sounds like jealousy but guess I was and always will be just a track rat... limited my car budget as I was planning to buy a light sport plane. but after finding one and being told I could not get anyone to write insurance gave up on that. will just keep flying my ultralight and renting a plane occasionally. they told me I am too old, not enough hours, and the ELSA type plane they just would not cover me. issue with ELAS is they start as home built from a kit but build had to then be inspected by FAA to get airworthiness and N number. then you can do all your own maintenance. I actually know a couple people who fly them without a license or insurance, that is a bigger risk than I am willing to take. one of the mantras about flying is 'don't do anything stupid', that is what usually kills people. 'real' planes have to be serviced by certified aircraft mechanics and have rigid maintenance schedules. so insurance just can't rate the risk on ELSA. was talking to a commercial charter jet pilot who wanted to learn to fly and buy a helicopter. told he could not get insurance until had over 200 hrs in a helicopter. so now don't feel so discriminated against. it is quite sad to read the list of $40k worth of repairs the PO went through in their 5 yrs of owning. yes this PO spent over $40k. last car was a 2004 MB SL55 AMG, what a beast. read all the warnings, and after getting did ABC suspension repairs, etc as needed. but when it developed a scoured cyl and fouling plugs within 50 miles sold cheap to a guy who would swap a used engine. did not mean enough to me to keep and dump a lot of money into is. if I had this 911 when the PO got it and started hitting those repairs would probably dumped it too. now that I have more toy money by not buying a plane will list this 911. I suspect I will not get a reasonable offer this time of the year. but that is OK. will keep driving, but less as winter sets in. wishing everyone a blessed Thanksgiving

For a street car, a tiptronic cab sounds like a lot of fun. And I would imagine the upgraded intake and exhaust adds a lot of pleasure to the experience.

glad someone understands...... around town in full auto mode uninspiring but very easy to drive. it is a driver's car, impeccable handling at anything short of the limit. when needed just pop the gas pedal to the floor briefly then hold about 1/2 - 3/4 and the tranny drops to the perfect gear and the car pulls nicely. never scary. and when road is open and you can drive in manual and keep the engine on a boil it is a lot of fun and that sound of the Porsche flat six on song with this exhaust is something else. rainy day so won't drive it.

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Couldn't agree more. I have a 996.2 tip in seal grey and luv it. Around town errands or on an easy ride around the hood with the top down looking at xMas lights on a crisp S Fl nite with seat heat on, thats my preference over my 6 speed 996.1. I think the tip shifts great with the steering wheel shifters in manual mode, perfectly good for a Banzai run. Or in drive for a casual ride. It can do both very well.... Also have my Biarritz white 996.1_ 6 speed for more spirited not around traffic drives... Don't misunderstand me,,, My point in above post was not about putting down the tip, just trying to give my opinion on the way all around pricing has evolved on our 996 cars... JMHO

and my suspicion is you like both types of music .... country AND western. I did enjoy beating on a 6 speed on the track but those days are gone.