Sub $20,000 996's

I'm looking to get into a 996 but can only afford one 20,000 and under. There are quite a few examples across the country for 13k-25k. Other than the typical IMS RMS and cracked cylinder heads and other scare mongering stuff, would you guy purchase one of these earlier 966 with 80-130K mi. KBB lists 99' C2 Values from around 12-15k 13-16 for a C4 Nada lists 99' C2 values from 14-22k in different conditions and C4 about the same. I went to look at one yesterday and was immediately turned off by it. One i didnt like the dealer ship really small place with lots of luxury cars Porsche, Benz, Infiniti, Land Rover, Hummer, Cadillac at a buy here pay here place looking to get people with high interest on a previously expensive car. Id be paying cash so thats a wash but the car ran rough. Sounded like a Muscle Car at idle and hesitated through the revs and on decel back to idle the revs would float around and variate a couple hundred rpm before settling. Something I would expect again of an old muscle car not a smooth P-Car. I have two cars now for sale for about 18.5 total and some other cash specifically for a car/repairs/tags/fees. Honestly would you guys go for these older 996's at these prices? My other options are a C5 Corvette Base or Z06, 987 Boxster S, E46 M3, 04-06 Cayenne, 03-04 S430 AMG, 03-04 S55 AMG, CLS500, BMW 335i. My top three are the 996 911, Vette, and Boxster S Thats all that I like when cross comparing perfomance, mpg, and price. I am coming from a 2001 Mustang GT and 2000 Ford SVT Lightning, looking for something with more luxury same power, better mpgs. I get 10-14mpg in the city with both the mustang being because of some mods.

If you take your time you can find a pretty nice 996 for 20k. Possibly even not very high mileage. The main thing is get a PPI done and check for service records, previous owners, any accidents ect. Here is an example. It took me a year and a half of heavy searching to find a good one. But they are out there. GL. http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...standard=false

IMHO, if you are looking in that price range, you better have $2-$3k in cash ready for repairs that pop up in the first 90 days.

I found a nice '99 locally that they were selling because they'd just replaced it with a much newer cabriolet. The car had been beautifully taken care of and was in great shape. Yes, I did replace the clutch in the first few months but other than that it really hasn't needed anything. Look around, you never know what you'll find. Buying a less expensive one just means you've got a budget for a few tasteful mod's.

Quotes source post: 9245372

Quite true for just about any one you get, sub 30's. Even higher if you start reading all the mod threads in this post..

There's a reason (obvious or not) that those cars are priced cheap. If you're good with wrenching and have "disposable" funds on standby, then I say go for it. Best of luck.

Quotes source post: 9245695

Depreciation? I wouldnt think that all of these cars (hundreds maybe thousands) have some hidden agenda waiting for the next owner. I am good at wrenching but id rather not unless im being paid for it. Ill test some out closer to the 20k range preferrably a low mileage 4 or 4s.

Quotes source post: 9245372

OP, Contrary to many opinions on this site, you're in the right ballpark for a 99-01 996. Get a PPI done and good luck. But, as Hal says below, be prepared to make some initial investment into the vehicle. Not to be discouraging, but repairs can be expensive. It doesn't have much to do with the price range you're looking at - they're by nature 8+ year old cars. I think 996's are more reliable than some will have you believe, but the parts still add up quicker than some other 20k vehicles.

If you are stretching your finances to pick one up at 20k you might find yourself in trouble if/when it comes time for some maintenance or repairs. I know it sucks to hear but it is reality. If you don't have the funds now just make sure you can find them later because you will need them

Quotes source post: 9245858

Nope not stretching it at 20k. 20k is just my budget for what I want to pay for a different car just the car though. Not including mods, ppi, repairs, title, tags, fees, gas, insurance. Just looking for the best luxury sport car 20k and under.

I would spend 15-17k for a perfect condition 986 S and have money left over for fun mods rather than buy a 996 that is questionable. Its hard to find a well sorted 996 for under 20k regardless what KBB or NADA says. I was in the same dilemma as you last fall, looked at 996's, M3's, E39 M5's and S4's...I ended up with a private, 2 owner 986 S with 64k and a bunch of recent work, and honestly the 996's I drove did not feel any faster, but a 996 MKII will probably be my next car due to it having a rear seat.

Quotes source post: 9245876

I agree that there at a lot more Boxster S' in the price range, i have yet to really see the straight line performance comparision (im open to hear it), but there are certain things im looking for in my next car. One of them is a backseat. The mustang has one and its sometimes useful. The Lightning doesnt have a backseat but it has a 6.5' bed which is useful too. Coming from 350 ft/lb of torque in the GT and 500 ft/lbs in the Lightning to what 200 in the boxster s would be different but im up for the challenge. I REALLY like the looks of the hard top 996 C2 or C2 with a fixed wing and a turbo or GTx front bumper cover. I dont tend to keep cars longer than a year, usually 6 months. I may get into a Box S or 996 then to a Cayenne or Range Rover before winter. The only reason i put the corvette on the list is because nice examples come in under 15k. Straight line acceraltion is nice and repairs are cheap. /End late night rant Current rides

+1 on 996 if you want "best luxury sport car 20k and under" with a back seat bought mine 2 1/2y ago for $25 with 16k odo. only repairs to date have been preventative replacement of coolant expansion tank (and it has been tracked 2-3x/mo. for the last 2y!). For under $20k, you will obviously need to find one with higher miles, but if you take your time you can find a clean car. Good Luck!

Quotes source post: 9245922

Ive had several Mustangs (a 91GT and a 96 GT), the Box S (the base is a dog) is surprisingly quick, it will pull in 6th from 2k RPM's without effort, of course you are not going to buy a P-car for straight line speeds, if that is all you are concerned with I would get a Vette. BUT I would put a 996 3.4 or Boxster S up agains all but the fastest cars, they are both low 5's in the 0-60 and mid to high 13's in the 1/4 with the edge going to the 996 but the 986 not too far behind and with a decent driver the difference in negligible. a 996 will be an easier car to sell down the road if you are not planning on keeping it for long, they hold their values a bit better and appeal to a wider buying audience than the 986's. good luck!

That's a nice Mustang. You may have trouble with the 4S. "Low mileage," "4S," and "20K" don't go together. You'll find that a low mileage 4S starts at 23-25K, and inches up to 40K not infrequently (specifically at a dealer). Take a look at Excellence's last 996 assessment (usually September if memory serves me right). In the 2011 issue, you'll find the 2002 C4S at a low of 23.5K and a high of 31.5K. You have to assume that the low end requires work, or at least money aside, and is high mileage. If you look at a 2S, you're probably in better shape, unless for some reason you require a 4. You're not getting more power for the S trim, but you're getting a neat-looking car. If you're looking to spend 20K, there's really no reason you can't find a good, mid-mileage 1999-2000 or slightly newer Carrera for that kind of money. Since you've got some cash aside (figure about $2000-4000 "stashed away" for a disaster) you'll be fine, and I'd bet you'll find a great car if you look at private sales specifically. I agree that for a luxury sports car, you've found it. I'm surprised you found the engine noise to be like a "muscle car" as you said; I find this car to be much more subtle. It's designed to be driven, mind you, but I've been stopped before (startled, actually) by people tapping on my window to say, "I just want you to know, I heard you turn that car over and it was awesome!" I'm curious though; of your other choices in this range, there's certainly a vast range of types of cars. I for example was never in the range for an American muscle car, including the Corvette, and wanted a German car. Why the comparison across what would seem to be very different automobiles? I'm curious, so please teach me.

Quotes source post: 9247464

I was just looking for a widebody, the only reason for a 4 or 4s and maybe aided traction if I kept it through winter. The 996 I drove sounded sickly. I've heard other 911's turn over and they sounded good but not like this one. Sounded as if it has a big cam lope and the exhaust was shaking. Didnt sound healthy for the V6. When looking for a new car the country of origin didnt really matter. Main critera. 300+ Bhp, RWD or AWD, Leather, prefferably a coupe. The corvette is a cheap and fast perfomance car. The C5 makes great power stock, can be modded to 400+ cheap and fast, handles great (especially the Z06) and looks good. 996, 335i meet the above. The Cayenne S is a nice quick SUV the only other SUV id choose is the 400+ AWD Jeep SRT8. The Mercedes arent coupes but quick and nice looking sedans. Thanks for the compliment on the Mustang ill miss it. Edit: in other news my Amazon Seller Account was terminated permantley today for unspecified reasons and $1,000 being held in limbo for 97 days until they feel like releasing it. Read up on it company problem thousands of seller complaints with good feedback no claims. I was undercutting Amazons in hour prizes making a killing and now im out of a store and my money from items shipped for three months. Very big brother ish... There is/was a class action law suit against Amazon for this on the grounds of anti-trust I thought, im pissed right now but I digress.

Quotes source post: 9247796

These cars don't have V6s and won't sound like V6's, they have flat 6's and their sound is more throbbing building to warble at high rev's. Sport exhaust (porsche original) makes them sound quite different at low revs. Engines also rock a little at idle (nothing you can see, but you can feel it if you have a sensitive behind). Drive a few examples to learn what is normal and what isn't. What you desribe doesn't sound normal, but the Flat 6 sound and vibrations are different to other cars/engines, especially since it originates at the back.

Quotes source post: 9248134

flat 6*** but it didnt sound like the other carreras ive driven or heard at dealerships or with private owners. If you look at the post it also had an RPM fluctation at idle. The "muscle car" vibration, lope, loud stuff doesnt bother me as thats what I drive now , but this particular example didn't sound or run very good.

I'd recommend getting a Corvette. It sounds like you're really not a P-car guy, yet. Any of the other cars listed, and Porsche's as well can have very expensive repair issues as they age. To find the right Porsche may take months. My previous 996 took 15 months, my current one over 10 months. It's best to look at as many cars as necessary across the country, find the one, do a PPI and assess the results. Pass = fly out to check and drive the car and purchase if you love it. Fail = start over. This process can be expensive and take time. As these cars age, the dogs will become more common, and the gems will be fewer and increasingly difficult to find. What you have to remember with an older 996 is you are still buying a $100k automobile or one that was slightly less. My '99 came in with a msrp of over $95k. When repairs are needed, think of fixing a $100k car, not a $15k one. It will be possible to find an exceptional example in your price range, but it may take several months of looking and the headache of shopping cross country. Most that want a P-car understand that the rewards are in proportion to the conquest and will do most anything to find the one that talks to them. The searching can be and often is relentless. Are you ready for this? If so, welcome! If not, there are a lot of Corvettes out there, most likely where you live. .

You can disregard my previous post, but I left it there to give you a perspective of what some of us go thru to find a nice car. I read through this thread and now realize you only may keep a car for 6 months. I don't know if I could find what I wanted in a Porsche in that time. You have a list of cars that will fill your need. Just pick anything, in the next 3-4 years you'll have owned them all. GL with the hunt.

A Boxster is described by the Top Gear hosts as a car for someone who has "almost made it" Get the 996 or better. I am still putting $ into my sub 20k 996 C4 tip, and wouldn't trade for a new Boxster

I'm not sure that $20K will get you a 987s (but if you've found one at that price, let me know, as I'm on it). $20K will get you a 02-04 986s and that's a fantastic car. I think that for $20k you can find a 996 that has been well sorted out. I'd look for one that already has the IMS upgrade and lots of updates.

Quotes source post: 9248782

Oh, maybe I didn't understand the OP. If you are buying a car as a status symbol, then sure, definitely get a 911 (or hell, get a hummer or a escalade or something like that). But if you are buying the car TO DRIVE IT, then the Boxster is a brilliant car, with handling dynamics that are in many ways superior to a 911. I've owned two 911s and I could afford to buy a good used 997. But I'm in the market for a 986 or a 987 because I want a car to drive, not one to prove whether or not I have "made it." Perhaps if that concerns you, you could instead get the car that you want to drive and then put a sign on it that shows how rich you are... Apologies for my sarcasm but I just don't get the idea of deciding what car you want to buy based on what it communicates to other people about how much money you've made. People who buy Porsches for these reasons are the ones who tempt me NOT to buy a Porsche.

Quotes source post: 9248782

Hahahaha, the irony here is amazing. Good joke!

"IMHO, if you are looking in that price range, you better have $2-$3k in cash ready for repairs that pop up in the first 90 days." It's these kinds of statements that make me wonder why PPIs are so important. $2-$3K in repairs in the first 3 months? What would a good PPI miss that would cost that much to fix? I know it's always good to have money set aside for repairs, but I'd save the $300 for teh PPI and put in the repair fund if thats the "Norm". "You'll find that a low mileage 4S starts at 23-25K, and inches up to 40K not infrequently (specifically at a dealer). Take a look at Excellence's last 996 assessment (usually September if memory serves me right). In the 2011 issue, you'll find the 2002 C4S at a low of 23.5K and a high of 31.5K. You have to assume that the low end requires work, or at least money aside, and is high mileage." Where can I get a 2002 C4S for $23500? And if this is the type of car you are going to put $2-$3K into in the first 90 days then aren't we really talking $25,500- $26,500? What is "high mileage"? It seems people don't really drive these cars like they would your "everyday car" mileage wise. You see 1999 996s with 115,000 miles on them; thats 8900 miles a year. Is that considered high mileage? I thought the avg mileage was 12-15K a year. I haven't seen one listed for less than $30K and I've scoured every car selling site for 2 months. I know these questions sound resistent, but some things written here seem somewhat contradictory. Just looking for clarification.

IDK if it's been mentioned already, but a sub $20K 996's that are generally advertised FS, will pry need an interior "refresh". usually the seats are a little ( or alot) worn, dash may have some peeling or warping issues. interior door panels, steering wheel , shiifter, ebrake, etc. Exterior paint may be hard to find in excellent condition, or resprayed. Take into account that the seller is not willing to put any more money into the car to try and thus have it advertised it sub $20K. if the car has some upcoming maintenance items that will need attention, the seller should let you know if it would be due for clutch, brakes, coolant flush, radiators, etc. for the same reasons stated above. The car you test drive may feel fine, but unless the seller can provide last time the service was done, it pry hasn't been done in a timely manner. If you happen to find a local seller that hasn't advertised their 996 for sale, those are usually your best bets for getting a great deal on one. my .02

I bought my 2000 C4 about a year ago, and paid $15K. Spent another $3K on a new clutch, CV joints and a replacement of all fluids and filters. Another two grand on wheels and tires and now I have the car I wanted I mean there is always something I want to do or buy for my cars, but that is part of my psycological illness for which I am receiving treatment

If there's a question about the Excellence numbers, take a look at them in the 2011 September issue, where a "low" C4S starts at $23.5K for an earliest model, and gets above $40K for a "newer" model. If a private seller is selling the car, expect to pay less; if a dealer is selling the car, expect to pay more. You are correct; it is very hard to find a C4S for under $30K, but that doesn't make it impossible. Take a look at the posts above, and you'll find that a C4 is simply cheaper than a 4S, by sometimes as much as $10K. I have no opinion on whether that's worth it, it's simply an observation. We're talking the price of the car at purchase. No one can tell whether you will spend another few thousand dollars within three months. I didn't. So, perhaps you will not either. But since something could implode, you should have a few dollars handy, just in case. And no, a PPI is neither perfect nor useless; it gives you a good sense of major problems but no PPI is going to tell you whether your IMS is about to go kaput, or whether your radio button is about to get sticky, or whether your LCD screen on your AC console is about to "sundown." I agree; people don't seem to drive these like a typical car. However if you drive the car every day as a daily driver then I'm sure you can put 12-15K on a car/year. If you lease a car, that's what the man in the suit will tell you. But since many of us (a) have another car; (b) don't drive it every day; it's not uncommon to see "low mileage" cars at 8 years of age with 30-45K on the odometer. A car with 115,000 miles on it seems to me to be high mileage, since relatively speaking there are plenty of cars with 30, 45 or 75K on them. In fact, I recently saw a car with 15K miles on it (2004), for a silly price. I wouldn't buy that. However since this isn't a Toyota or a Honda, I wouldn't expect "average" mileage.

I have not seen ANY 996's regardless of year for sale for less than 20k (well there is one with a rebuilt title for like 17 or something) in my neck of the woods. If anyone is putting down a 986 S then they have obviously never drove one, but I can understand the need for a rear seat. I would not buy a 996 as a status symbol anyway, if that is what you are concerned with there are plenty of other flashy cars (vette's, maserati's, etc)

I paid a bit extra at the dealer for my 40th AE, but it came with 2 year CPO, and had 12,000 miles on it. 2 pervious owners with all paperwork - previous owners had bought several 911's from this dealer over the years and the salesman knew him well. The car was mint - not a scratch on it, and the interior was perfect except a missing Bose logo on the driver's side speaker which I decided to fix. $16 bucks for that little plastic piece! The only issue I had during my 2 year CPO was the light switch was bad - the fog light functions did not work as they were supposed to - they put a new one in and it was fine. They also had to put a new battery in it 2 weeks after I bought it. I had a foot injury in late 2010 towards the winter, so I could not start my car up in storage much, and that brand new battery died (OEM). I don't have power in my storage unit for battery tenders. I ended up getting an Interstate battery, which is 5X better than the stock OEM battery IMO. In 2009 I paid $46,000 for it - all 40th AE in my area were all selling for $44-49K at the time before the depreciation started getting worse several months after buying it, but I am happy with my purchase. I paid a premium and got a premium condition car owned by a Porsche lover who took great car of my future car when it was in his hands.

IMHO, if you are looking in that price range, you better have $2-$3k in cash ready for repairs that pop up in the first 90 days.

Lots of people to reply to lots of valid points and some off the wall but I'll try to address them all. I never stated that I wanted to buy a Porsche as a status car that "I made it". I have listed my two cars for sale (2001 Mustang GT 300hp/350tq 2000 Ford SVT Lightning 405hp/493tq). I currently pay full coverage insurance for two cars, gas, maintence, repairs, mods so all that stuff isnt factored into my 20k budget for a new car. Only one car has a backseat and thats the Mustang. Its nice to put people or things in the back when I need to but no where near a necessity. No kids, none on the way, none planned, I live alone... just a bachelor looking for a sports car. Im not planning on keeping the next car for longer than a year at the most. The longest time Ive owned a car was 4 years that was the 01 Mustang (my second) Ive owned four other cars during that period inclduing a Jaguar and one Bike a Kawasaki dual sport. I am looking for a sports car/truck. 300+ flywheel HP, RWD or AWD. Miles dont scare me 50,000-120,000 is ok with me. Ive put 20,000mi on the Mustang in 4 years. 12,000 on the Lightning in 6 Months. Its fast in a straight line..4600lbs 13.2 @ 101 mph in the 1/4 on street tires, but boring to drive as it has a 4spd auto (shift points tuned). Its ok to look at looks like a suped-up F150 that you see everyday, and is terrible in the snow because of the high gear ratio and torque. I drove it through the snow and bad storms with tire chains but it wasnt fun but no problems. A quick search of ebay, autotrader, or craigslist brings back hundreds of 996's from $11k-$25k. All different colors or options. Wear on the seat doesnt bother me as I drive my cars and hard. Theyre used and I understand that.. if i wanted a brand new car id put a sizable downpayment on a sports car or buy some beige toyota right off the lot with zero miles. The only thing that worries me would be catastrophic engine failure and $10k-$15k in repairs for a 996. That would make me keep the car for a nice while. The oringal motor threw a rod in my Mustang in 2009 and I got a new motor, more power, all that stuff $5k later and it wasnt fun. I wouldnt buy a Hummer or an Escalde while that may be a symbol for some, its just a nice looks box on wheels that does nothing for me. Terrible MPGs <12mpg and a terrible driving experience at that. Id get a big block Chevy drag car if that was the case. The vehicles I cross referenced in my search are BMW 335i, E46 M3, S430 AMG, S55 AMG, Porsche Cayenne S, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, C5 Corvette. All drivers cars in their own rights. I do live in an area that sees snow so a sporty 4x4 or plush sedan with a power plant wouldnt be too bad. The rest are cars that are in direct comepetition with 996 Carreras in price and on the track. I was just looking for insight on these now depreciated and affordable (for me) cars (996s). Maintenance and repairs are higher which is a given but a few people posted that they bought their 996 around this price range and are happy with it so thanks for those posts. Maybe someone else who is in the same position will run across the thread and it'll sway them into a new (to them) 996.

have you looked into Mercedes AMG's? (C32/C55, CLK55) those are both well north of 300HP

Quotes source post: 9251371

Yeah i have I mentioned te S430 and S55 AMG a few times in this thread, the E55 AMG and CLS500 are also nice not really into the CLK.

I don't own a Porsche, but I'm here lurking for the same reason. ...to plan my next car purchase, hopefully a 996. For all of the desired characteristics that you mentioned, I really think you should, at the very least, test drive a BMW E46 M3, a 135i, and maybe a 335d. The 135 and 335d will be more around 30k, but power mods and insurance should be cheaper. I personally drive a BMW E36 M3 sedan (240hp, 236ft-lb, 26mpg combined) and an E90 335 diesel (265hp, 460ft-lb). Last weekend, I drove from Phoenix to Las Vegas in the 335d. For about 100 miles I was driving between 80 and 120mph, and I still averaged 37mpg. For day to day driving, (50/50 highway/city) I consistently average 32mpg. Anyway... just a thought.

I'll try to add a little bit to this discussion as a guy that just recently purchased a sub-$20k 996. I began looking for something to replace the BMW 850i that I had been driving for the last 6-7 years... and over 50k miles. I wanted something (fairly) practical for daily driving duties that would also be fun ... all for under $20k. Also, I was looking for a 6-speed since I had been driving an auto for quite a while... good change of pace. Lets be honest here, its a buyers market out there ... so I started my hunt and had little trouble finding suitable cars. I stumbled upon a '99 C4 with 95k on the clock about an hour away from where I work. After about 2 months of back and forth with the owner, I was able to purchase it for $15,250 (October 2011). The previous owner had only driven it about 10k miles in 6 years and had limited service records... brakes, AOS, tires, etc. There was no mention of larger dollar repairs such as IMS, RMS, clutch, etc ... but I figured that I had purchased the car cheap enough where I could afford to put some money in if the need arose. I've driven it all winter (thanks to the beautiful NJ weather this year) and the clock now reads just under 100k miles. The CEL has come on a couple of times and I simple remove, clean, and replace the MAF sensor to get it to go off... the car came with a K&N intake! I honestly don't plan to do much to the car right now because it needs nothing and I just want to drive it. Cars with high mileage don't scare me... in fact, with the 996's it seems that they are less prone to the catastrophic engine problems then lower mileage cars. The (blue) interior is in great condition with very minor seat wear. The (silver) body has some scratches and a bunch of rock chips on the front bumper... but its a driver... and I plan to drive it! I think that sub-$20k 996's are very realistic as long as you aren't looking for a garage queen, show car, or turbo. -JRW

Quotes source post: 9250869

I have a turn key. https://rennlist.com/forums/9221298-post6.html

I sent an email to a 996 Cab today on my local Clist. Actually it was over $20k but it seemed like a good deal for the year/model/mileage. The reply email says it all into why some cars are cheaper than others: "Hello, the only thing about this car is that it has a salvage title. It had a fender bender and the insurance company salvage it, the car was repaired very well. I don't know how many owners it had because I bought it from the dealer. Let me know if your still interested"

^ NEXT

Quotes source post: 9252259

Pmed you @JRW-910 thats the type of expeirence I was looking for, really motivating. I test drove a 2001 Corvette today with 60,000 Miles. It wasnt very well taken car of for the mileage. Lots of small things broken in the interior. The car was a rocket though on the top end 110mpg in 3rd gear was nothing. I didnt even touch 5th or 6th gear. Felt really planted to the road but it sqeaked and creaked like an 89 honda accord. The wanted 15,000 Ill pass. Both of my vechiles are for sale so once they are gone Ill be jumping on the next 996, Vette, or Cayenne S.