New to forum - Purchase Advice

Good evening. New forum member here. I am looking into purchasing my first Porsche. I have been shopping the 996 market as they have reached a price point that allows me to justify it as 3rd car. I have looked at several so far. I found several great posts on this topic but of course each 996 purchase is can be a unique experience. One of the best happens to be at a dealer and seems to be a bit over priced. I would appreciate some advice on what a fair purchase price would be on this 996 from the dealer. Over all in excellent condition. 2000 996 - Silver w/ Black interior 6 Spd 30k miles 1 Owner Stealer asking $27k. Thoughts, advice, offer suggestions welcomed. Thanks!

post the ad so we can see it The dealer is trying to cash in on the one owner/low mile thing...$27 is WAY over IMO but lets see the car...I would avise a PPI at a DIFFERANT PLACE and keep some coin aside for an upgrade or two - low mile cars seem to be suffing the dreaded suffings more than the high miles in our finding, saw a 25K mile Boxster in for heart transplant last week...old heart=dead @ 25k just sayin' At $27 they best have a documented reason - and a warranty to back it up.... Welcome BTW and where are you from

The Ad: http://bit.ly/dHDbLh The Carfax: http://www.carfax.com/VehicleHistory...&partner=CDM_0 I also looked at a 1999 Yellow 6Spd today from a private seller. 101k miles, good condition but needs a serious detail. The yellow '99 has the upgraded factory exhaust and LSD. Hoping to have it PPI'd tomorrow.

price on the 99' ? there are big rewards for doing your own "bring it back to life" detail... good feeling, but leaves you wondering about the P.O. - some owners do take good care of thier cars and just dont know how to wash them...I have seen it plenty LSD would be a plus in my book that 00' is wicked clean - WOW! one of the cleanest I have seen for sure - pretty plain/simple car... nothing jumps out at me either way - except how clean it is

The asking price on the '99 is $19k. The exterior is in good condition, interior is in fair condition. Wheels have a bit of road rash. The owner has maintenance records covering his period of ownership. The most recent one states that the air oil separator needs to be addressed.

I hate the seller's ad! those places always make me feel like a bunch of MO-MO's are runnin the show with a handful of slick young sales people - and ALL of them want to take the "Porsche" out and "see what it can do" including the service guy who gives it a 10 point "inspection", the detailer who has to take it out and dry it off, and the lot boy who has to warm it up before he can add 2 gallons of cheap Arcco gas to it so it can go on test drives just the feeling i get from those places - sorry... may not be like that, but those ads bug me

I would advise a stretch for the cleaner car....unless you want to buy someone else's "issues" an AOS is $150 and a hell of a lot of work....and a detail and leather treatment can make a big improvement - what are you planning to do with your 3rd car - first P-car

My wife and I each have our daily drivers so I figured I would look into something a bit more spirited to have for fun. This would be my first P-car. Mainly drive to work and possibly HPDE.

Welcome. For $27 you should be able to find an 02 or newer with some upgrades.

Welcome The silver 00 looks clean but I believe for that price you can get a newer model. Whats your budget? 27k or 19k?

My "new" 02 996 is my third Porsche -- not a lot compared to some of these folks -- but I have learned one thing in my travels down this road: It is always dramatically cheaper to buy a "clean" car up front than a cheaper one with issues. That is true of most cars, but Porsches even more so due to the high cost of parts and labor. And if its a fun car for you -- it should be just that, fun! You compromise that experience somewhat by having a ratty interior, bleached carbio top, dented fender etc... in this case quality pays, especially if its your first.

@francars - The top of my budget sits right in the middle of that range at $22.5. I am all about the cleaner '00 now it's just a matter of getting the dealer to see things my way. To walk out the door with it at $22.5 I am looking at getting them down to $21.5. Taxes, Fees and Admin charge will eat the other $1k. @Zurichgnome - I agree. It wont be much fun or sense in buying a car on the cheap and then spending the equivalent of $3k in DIY time and money to not even come close to the a cleaner car to start with.

well I can just let you know..... you'll be spending that $3k in "stuff" on either car if you keep hangin' round us

DAME!!! he already has 5 Posts... tooo late... Wellcome to Rennlist! Im sure you can get MK2 2002+ for that Price

From studying the market very, very closely for the last 4-6 months, I think $21.5k will get you a very good mk1 with high options, or a high mileage mk2. You should be able to get a mid-mileage mk1 with a new motor for less than $20k. If your goal is a pristine, nick-free interior and perfect paint, you'll probably have to stretch beyond the $21.5k limit, but not all the way to $27k; that's pretty fancy money at that point. Just one guy's somewhat-educated guess.

As a point of reference I paid what they're asking for a 2002 cab about two years ago. Granted mine had a lot more miles than this one. If you like it go in there armed with the knowledge you learned here and negotiate the heck out of the car. If they want to get rid of it they'll work with you.

First of all, WELCOME TO THE OBSESSION!! I would steer clear of ANY 1999 car. This was the first of the series, and with every year, Porsche made changes for the better. I would try to find a 2002 or later. This will have the 3.6L engine, and a lot of upgrades. Even if you bought a car with more mileage - say to 45K, you'd be better off in the long run IMHO. Decide what you want that's important. There are a LOT of cars out there, and there are shops all over the country to give you a solid PPI. DON'T be afraid to buy long distance. Lots of members here have bought cars long distance (including me) and it can be a rewarding experience if you do the planning right. Good Luck. larry

the 00 is plain jane from what I can see but it certainly does look clean. You are not going to get it for $21.5. Maybe $24 though. I not so sure a 02 with mileage under 60K can be had for $21.5 either. As the saying goes, buy the newest one you can afford with the most detailed history of it's maintence and care. happy hunting. Here is some better pics of that 00: http://www.hendrickcars.com/for-sale...c-1641641.html

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Yeap... this is very true!!! Specially stop looking at the for sale adds...

OP here is the view from my office desk this morning. Someone decided to park a '99 C2 6-speed with 92k in here amongst the 2-wheelers. Rumor has it the seller needs a paltry $18k to part ways with her. Subscribe to the forum and all will be revealed... https://rennlist.com/forums/for-sale...speed-18k.html

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carfax reports 2 owner.... prob had rms in 2005? Price is a bit high.... $65K is a bit low on options for that asking price. I think you can do better. This is a 10+ year old car.... 3000 miles/year is barely driven IMHO. 50K miles for this year is reasonably better.

I agree with most of Larry's comments, but those of us with the 1999 to 2001 cars like them, too.

Having just bought a 2002 after searching for 6 months, I think inviktus is spot on with his market analysis. You might find a better deal but he's darn close -- and I found he pricing of the cars to be amazingly lemming-like. Since you are looking for a summer car, one word of caution -- if you are looking at an early 2000s cabriolet, get a really good look at that top. I saw a lot cars where they are cosmetically starting to look a rough and they do not typically reflect the the $2000 for a new top and install.

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Ditto What does Larry know......a TT is falling in his lap.

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Pete - have I relinquished my position as a poster on the 996 forum? In buying a TT, do I become a 996 poser? You guys are sooooo fickle. larry

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You know your welcome here anytime. Just dishin'..........

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Pete - Certainly I know that. larry

In my quest to buy a 996, a year and a half ago, I realized that private dealerships usually want to make about $3-4k per car. They usually mark them up $4-5k then you talk them down and feel like you got a deal. Just my two cents.

How exactly do we define what is "low" or "high" mileage for a 996? My 02 had 42K when I bought it last year. I considered that to be low mileage. This fall the car will be 10 years old (sale date, not model year) and probably have a little over 50K. That is only 5,000 miles per year. Average US mileage is around 15-17K/year. Dealers usually deduct for mileage over 12K /year. As a specialty car, Porsches obviously would be lower. I have often heard 7-8K/year as a good number. I would argue that any 02 or earlier car with less than 50K miles in 2011 is a low-mileage car.

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keep bashing the 99's and the answer will be "YES" dont make us pull out the dirt and get mean !!

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Thanks for the clarification - - - I will try to be kinder to the early members of the 996 club. larry

you know we just having fun..... you're OK - this place need differant opinions, if we all said the same thing - most of us wouldnt be needed ..... differant is good (sometimes!)

The search continues... I did not make it out to look at the '00 this weekend, however, the longer it sits unsold the more negotiable the stealer may be.

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Hey Hyper: There is a limit to how negotiable the Stealer will be on a car that is sitting on their lot. When I bought my 04 Targa, they originally had it priced at $39.9K. After 30 days on their lot, they dropped the price to $31.9K to push it off the lot (and into my eagerly waiting hands.) But they weren't willing to go below that. Like any business where they are discounting to sell, they are always working against what they bought the car for - or what they gave for it as a trade-in. That number might be a little soft, but in conjunction with what they feel that they can get for it at auction, they will only be willing to drop a certain amount. Considering how active the auction market has become over the past few years, they will sooner send it off to them rather than sell it to you at a "loss." You many never really know what that ultimate low price is. You can certainly low ball them, or you can toss a reasonably low price in their direction. But how far they will go is already pre-determined. larry

@larry47us - Thanks for the intel. I have been around the block a few times with new and used car purchases and I completely agree. Even if you think you pushed them to their limit they are still making money. It all boils down to what they have in the vehicle and how much margin they have to clear. For buyers, it helps to have friends with access to Manheim auction pricing b/c it gives you a realistic value of the auction market. kbb, nada, etc. are usually a bit off when compared to Manheim.

Thanks to everyone for all of the excellent feedback! I broadened my horizons and I believe that i have found my 996! 2003 Guards Red on Black Leather 6Spd 96k on the odometer. New tires, Clutch 1 Owner Immaculate Paint.

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Hey Ed - I'm just curious why you think $27K is WAY overpriced for the 2000 with 30K miles? Retail Blue Book on that car with the options in the ad is $28,300.

$22.5 for an '02 C4S w/ 99k miles. Thoughts?

These cars are expensive to maintain. As a result, and as with any car, the greater the mileage, the greater the number of components that have started to wear and need replacing. Hence the reason for the lower price of higher mileage cars. It's kind of like, when do you want to pay - when you buy the car, and pay less for maintenance? Or when you get the car serviced, and pay less for it when you buy it? Pay me now, or pay me later. There is no free lunch. Me, I would rather pay a bit more now, and buy a car with lower mileage. I have the feeling that I am driving a "nearly new" car, the interior isn't as worn, and I have the lower maintenance costs. But it's your call of what you want to do. larry

I think $22.5 is a nice, nice number for a widebody. What's the maintenance history look like?

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I agree, however, the carfax concerns me. The original owner was a 36 month lease who racked up 36k miles in 24 months. It lived in northern ohio during that time and I get the feeling it saw it's fair share of salt and winter weather. The present owner lives in northern VA and does not have a garage. I totally understand that my budget is only going to allow me to be but so selective. The search continues. Thanks to everyone for the excellent feedback.

You live in NC ? You don't need 4wd. More things to go wrong. Heavier car. Stick with a C2.

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I have 2 4WD cars rides already. I like the look of the C4S a bit more than the C2, but I agree the C2 will be less expensive both up front and on the maintenance end.

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Yeah, I went through this same debate. Living in Michigan, the 4WD would have been nice, but I've gotten by just fine with RWD BMWs until now, and I kept seeing DIYs for 4WD cars that seemed to have 10 extra steps in them over the C2s. South of the Mason-Dixon line, I'd agree that a C2 gives a better ROI. Those widebodies do look awfully good, though, and I wouldn't necessarily be scared off by that history. My M3 has been a rust-belt car for nearly all its life, and it's still a pleasure to work on. It all depends on how well it was taken care of. PPI, as always, will tell all. I just looked over this post and realized that it contains no useful information whatsoever.

First make the choice you are hunting for a 911. Then load the barrel with your money. Start looking down the barrel to you get a good sight. Preload the trigger squeezing while looking at cars and fire away when you see what you like. You might as well buy a new GT3 if you want something you wont regret.

Ok, I'm going to ask the same question as OP. I have a very high mileage NA 944 and I'm looking to make the 911 jump. Saw this car, and getting into it tomorrow to drive it: http://showroom.auction123.com/princ...21S621308.html Relatively stock 996 C4 with a few cosmetic upgrades (turbo rims with flared rocker panels). The C4 is a relative "must," otherwise I'd keep the 944. I'm Mid-Atlantic, and like staying on the road in snow, in a straight line (the 944 lives in the garage all winter). The price is ok, meets Excellence standards given the low mileage of 35K however I'm worried about a garage queen that needs belts, pumps and timing work as soon as I drive it home. So, any thoughts on (a) that price? (b) the low mileage and what I'm in for during year one? Records and Carfax suggest two owners, the last of whom had the car for a year. Car just dropped $2K in price, so I'd bet its sat for a bit, plus it's winter time here. (Un)fortunately I have no evidence that RMS or IMS were a problem, so they could still go at any time, plus the usual fun stuff for an '01 996 with AWD. Thanks.