Can't Believe it!

I had a buyer for my 996 C4S and he said noway once I told him Porsche replaced the engine due to the Master Shaft bearing Issue. He said, "I feel that it would impact the long term value of the car..." I responded "if you are looking for long term collector value, buy a 993."

That's BS. I guess you could have kept that bit of information to yourself. Would that have made your buyer happier in the end?

Quotes source post: 8064931

Your buyer should be happy knowing your engine has been replaced, not dissapointed. He thinks your Porsche is tainted due to the replaced motor.

Quotes source post: 8064931

The prospective buyer is quite mis-informed but his loss will be someone else's gain. Maintaining original engine number integrity for these mass produced cars is simply not a concern. The car's condition, price, should come before anything else. I'd take a good car with a replacement engine any day over an 'original' engine'd car in poor shape. Keep at it. Remember for the saying "there's always another car" for someone seeking to buy a car there's the seller's corollary "there's an a**hole for every seat". Happy selling! Sincerely, Macster.

We do live in a 'numbers matching world' though. I paid a ridiculously low $ number because of it. Better ask Porsche for diminished value. If it wasn't for their stubbornness, there would be no need for 'non numbers matching' engines. Seems that for 90% of the cars we hear about the case was repairable/rebuildable. My understanding is if you have the replacement engine the IMS shaft bearing is not serviceable without splitting the case.

If one is knowledgeable about these cars one with a replacement engine should be worth more than one with the original engine.

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I agree (intrinsically worth, not necessarily monetarily worth) and that is why I own one now.

My engine was replaced 500 miles before I purchased it. Talk about bonus! That buyer must be crazy...I would have paid a bit extra for a new engine vs. one with 40k on it. Make sure you include the statement about a new engine in your sales ad - a real enthusiast will understand.

Quotes source post: 8065106

If as a prospective buyer you can convince the seller his car's non-matching numbers negatively affect the resale value of the car and get him to accept a lower price because of it then well your purchase of the car and his selling of the car makes your case. If I were the owner of a car with a replacement engine, non-matching engine number -- and I would never not disclose or hide from the buyer the engine or any other major item had been replaced -- I'd argue the replacement engine's presence warrants a higher price cause the car is essentially a newer car. I mean by example my 02 Boxster with 236K miles is in good shape. The engine (fortunately) and the rest of the car. Sure the car has some patina from the miles but the car when washed/waxed still elicts favorable comments. It rides, steers, brakes, and runs good and all systems work just fine. My point is that as long as the rest of the car is in good shape a newer engine can only enhance the car's value over that of a comparable car with the orignal engine, even if the original engine was still strong, robust and exhibiting no signs of any distress from the miles. Now a caveat is if one has an engine replaced it is important to collect all paperwork that shows the engine was replaced due to a manufacturing fault and not because the engine was abused, neglected, or improperly serviced, etc. There is no shame I believe in having a car with an engine replacement as long as the engine was replaced due to an engine defect. The installation of a new engine resurrects an otherwise rather worthless non-functioning car and in restoring the car's function with a new powerplant is quite the equivalent of an automotive fountain of youth. Sincerely, Macster.

+1 I'd go back to the guy and ask if he's still interested, and say that if he's interested that it's still available for a price that is $1000+ higher than what you had it listed as.

I suppose he wants the 10 year old stock tires still on the car he is looking for too?? maybe the factory oil and other fluids.... real original, you know, collectors car dude musta read too many Ferrari magazines and wants a museum piece to rub his tally whacker on glad you didnt sell it to him, your car would have felt like Phils old car - suicidal !!

Quotes source post: 8065667

I feel sorry for the lost buyer. He should have done more research on Porsche before looking for one.

Matching numbers 996...... Premiun $.....

Good thing I kept the oil from the first oil change in a coffee can in the garage. I'm just sorry I actually used the wiper fluid that the factory put in.

As others have said, that potential buyer did not do his 996 homework.

I guess if you have a 996 with original engine that lasts 50 years of moderate driving without exploding - then yes you *may* have a collectable! Other then that I intend to treat mine as a deprecating asset that after it bottoms out value wise and is still running ok, might rise against the next annual Porsche maintenance disaster of some other newer models or future Porsche types! Maybe my 996 will look ‘good’ against some future ‘new’ boxster type built by Audi and marketed as a Porsche that leaves a trail of oil or cam chains (fill in your future defect here) behind on the roadways of the next decade!

Id say if you had a 996 with original engine in 50 years it wouldn't just be a bloody miracle, It would be the only one too.

Anyone else concerned about the ability of a dealer to do an engine swap without futzing up 50 other things in the process? Anyone who has had a swap have any issues?

Sounds like this buyer did not do his homework on the car or knows anything about Porsche brand and their cars. You should have refered him to join Rennlist or any other Porsche forum and do his homework before saying no. BTW... how many miles on the new engine?

An engine swap is a very straightforward thing to do on a modern car. I'd much rather a dealer replace an engine on my car than try to fix something internal. It was a one day affair to swap an engine in/out of a 944 turbo, and that was rather complicated compared to a 996. Also, I really don't think you guys are being fair to the 996, they have great longevity... Sure I'd rather get an updated engine but it's really not that big a deal.

My car had its engine swapped and it was the major reason why I bought the car with high milage. The comfort I had knowing that the engine was recently swapped made my decesion easy. Good luck with the sale.