996 Carrera can someone shed some light?

Hey guys, I am one day away from picking up what may be my first Porsche ever. I have one more stop for a PPI at speciality Porsche mechanic at 8:30 am tomorrow to have everything checked out before I hand over the check to finalize. I am purchasing a 6spd 2000 911 Carrera coupe with 72k miles for the price of 22k. It is a one owner and very well maintained with service records so to cut to the point I wanted to know your honest opinion on a couple things... - While the car does have service records the previous owner has no history of ever doing the IMS or RMS so with that being said do you find this a good deal still or could I do better? - Does the mileage throw a red flag in anyway since it hasn't been driven much and since this will be my daily driver? Any other input would be awesome and I would be very grateful. This has been my dream car since they came out and can't believe I am so close to owning a P car. I just want some reassurance I am getting a good deal and make sure I am not missing anything. Cheers

If the PPI comes back clean......I would not fret over the IMS/RMS. Just compare prices with equivalent Porsche's with similar miles.....only you can determine if you are getting a good deal.

Thanks for the input. I planned on changing them out anyways as a wear part when the clutch needs fixed, Would just really be awful to have it go considering it is sold "AS IS" and I can afford to replace wear parts and maintain the car but will not be in the shape to purchase a new engine right away after this purchase I saved for lol.

Can't*

I cannot accurately comment on the price as I don't follow these that closely anymore. I suspect that it's possible to do a bit better price-wise, but if this is the car you want, and if it has had good maintenance, and if the PPI does not show any expensive needs, then you should be happy with the car at the price. Think about those three "ifs" though and make sure of them. Mileage seems just right to me. Not garage queen low, and not so high as to be thoroughly worn. If the RMS is not leaking, don't sweat it. It is not highly likely to start leaking now, and it may very well have been changed when the car was very new. Replacing the IMS is another whole topic that we probably don't want to get into again. Plenty of threads to research and read about the issue from every point of view ad nauseum. IMO, 996s are getting to the age where the specific model and the car's condition are the most important determination of value.

^ Agree 100% with everything brother Spokayman just said.

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Awesome thanks for this. I apologize for bringing up the IMS topic again as I know everyone is beyond sick of it... It is the first thing that comes up when looking to purchase on the web though haha. You helped put my mind at ease more. One thing I did notice was a buckle on the passenger side directly under the seat that looks as though it's for a track seat belt which has me wondering if it has been used as a track car unless I'm missing something and that is supposed to be there.

Is it the exact color you want? Exact int you want? Exact options? Is this your 'dream' car for a first time P owner? For $22k, in a common coupe, with a common color, with a bit below average miles, I would say the price is on the high side. One-owner with documentation adds a bit, but like you said, no IMSB service. If it's what you really, really want I wouldn't sweat a few thou over market. For the life of the car, paying a bit more is a drop in the bucket. I just got what I really wanted for $6k less money. 99 coupe in red/tan with sport options and aero. I would have paid over $20k for the deal but maybe I got lucky. Frankly, I'd keep looking. Right now the winter prices are out, but that limits the variety. Come late March you'll have more to choose from and prices will be about the same.

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You got a killer deal congrats on that! Yea it's exactly the one I want and I have looked at a bunch of them. This one I am probBly going to purchase drives the best by far out of all of them I've tested. So why do you say late March? There are more cars available in the spring?

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More cars available in spring due to most living in snowy areas won't list due to less than ideal driving conditions. If you live in the south then the market will most likely stay the same. Also prices trend up during spring/summer and trend down fall/winter.

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In spring, a young man's fancy turns to -- cars. For the NE, it makes a difference because so many put their cars up for the winter. Come end of March, a few warm days and they'll go out and get it ready for the coming year. A few will say 'screw it, I can't keep doing this' and they'll put it up for sale after a decent cleaning. Or - they'll trade it in for a new shiny bauble, and the trade in will be avail on a car lot.

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Haha ok makes sense l but I'm in Southern Cali I don't think spring helps me too much... :/

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv...378769345.html I'm an evil, horrible little man. muuuuaahahhahhahahhhahhahaaaa! enjoy your 996, and best of luck.

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Ha ha ha ha ha..... I saw that on mine and thought the exact same thing - a crotch strap, right? It's an official part of the original equipment. Specifically for securing a child safety seat. It's shown in the owner's manual if you are lucky enough to get one. If you notice the wire on it, that defeats the airbag on that side as a safety precaution.

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Hahaha!!! Ok so that's good news and I know Im not crazy. That one had me real confused. Thanks

Being from SoCal, you already know we really do not have true winters here so buying now or later really does not apply. If this car sings to you, buy it if it passes PPI (ask the shop to check for type II overrevs). Best of luck.

So just got the car back after the PPI and they said all looks good except it needs a new clutch and flywheel since it's popping out in 2nd gear... I told the dealer to come down on the price cause the Indy said its a 3k job. What do you guys think? Still go ahead or no?

"So just got the car back after the PPI and they said all looks good except it needs a new clutch and flywheel since it's popping out in 2nd gear... I told the dealer to come down on the price cause the Indy said its a 3k job. What do you guys think? Still go ahead or no?" Do a search on "popping out of second gear" and then think about finding another shop... Good luck

will dealer come down on price? If yes, GO. If not, NO. P.S. If/when the clutch is done, IMS upgraded too (your cost of course)?

Popping out of gear doesn't mean needs new clutch and flywheel. YMMV, items in mirror, contents have settled, and may cause **** leakage.

The clutch has nothing to do with 2nd gear popping out... If the clutch is slipping in 3ed and 4th when under power then its time for a new clutch. I would make sure what my PPI is saying to me first then go in with some good info. By the way if it is the standard issue with the common 2nd gear pop out problem then this info should be all you need to fix it yourself: http://www.gboxweb.com/detent.html https://rennlist.com/forums/996-turb...insurance.html http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarti...Detent_Pin.htm

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Ok thanks for the info. Yea the shop says the entire everything with the clutch needs to be replaced. Unfortunately I don't have the workspace to do repairs living here in the city of LA. Word for word from the Indy : "Clutch engagement point is high causing 2nd gear to not engage at times. Complete clutch and flywheel will need to be replaced."

You might want to check out sites like Kelly Blue Book. http://www.kbb.com/porsche/911/2000/...etype=trade-in Or other sites to see its value.

Engagement point high...? I think they might be high! LOL! The clutch system is hydraulic. If it was me I would have the clutch slave bleed at the rear just over the rear wheel... its real pain to get to so a shop with a small lift would be great... If they take the bait on the price drop and you get the car you want and she get squared away to your liking then go for it!

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I did. Out here in LA everything is always stupid and more expensive especially for these cars with reasonable mileage. I found a few that had 120k + miles for around 15k so considering this has had one owner and reasonable mileage at 71k I feel 19 is a fair price. I'll post pics shortly.

Buy it.....

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hmmmmm. not sure if that is a clutch problem. The only way to know for sure is to drop the tranny Don't know who did the PPI, I would be a little wary about that diagnosis. 2nd There are several great indy's in the LA area Tony Callas in Torrance. he is not cheap, but one of the best anywhere HRG in Lake Forrest is a top shop as well

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Euro Tech in Culver City is who did the PPI. I had the dealer wait until today to let me give them my final say. I paid 240.00 for the PPI which I felt was a little high. They are a very reputable shop but I had to ask if they checked the IMS bearing for leakage. The main reason I took it to them is because the said they have a snake camera to thoroughly inspect the outside of it for leakage or residue. When they handed me my final paperwork there was no mention of inspecting it they were more focused on the clutch and I asked if there were any signs that it had been changed or if it was leaking and the guy said let me go ask the mechanic. He came back and said yea its fine its not leaking so I am wondering if it really got checked. This whole thing is really just stressing me out to be honest lol. Also from some of the posts on here about the clutch is concerning since it doesn't seem to make sense.

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Even a PPI won't remove all of your concerns about the IMS stuff so don't buy it if you will continue to worry about when it will break on you. Alternatively, just go ahead and replace the clutch along with the IMS bearing immediately after you own it ... then drive it like you stole it thereafter!

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Dude, what several of us have tried to tell you is this... The transmission popping out of second gear is a well known issue. #1 - It usually has NOTHING to do with the clutch or where it engages. #2 - If the shop who did the PPI a) doesn't know this, and (b) is trying to bang you for a clutch AND a flywheel (AND the commensurate labor), you should find another shop immediately... Once again, Good Luck

^In Addition^, This is just a hunch on my part, but I think to a certain extent, PPI's (especially on cars such as the 996 that have a reputation [deserved or not] for catastrophic type failures) have become an easy way for shops to do little, to nothing for $200 - $250, and then pad their bottom line further by suggesting expensive fixes for problems that don't necessarily even exist...

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Ok that makes sense because with something that only takes 2 hours there is only so much you can find... At the end of the day I guess nothing could be less reliable than my 08 535i lol Also for the 2nd gear pop out is the repair significantly less (if that is what it is)?

The 2nd gear fix is under $100... and you can do it yourself... it will take you longer to jack the car up properly and get a wheel off than what it should take you to change the 2nd gear detent out. http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarti...Detent_Pin.htm

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ding,ding,ding. I contacted an indy shop for a specific set of tests I wanted done on a 996. The shop went off on some 'exclusive 110 point inspection process'. I told them I wasn't interested in all that cosmetic stuff, I wanted them to take the oil out, the filter out, and drop the oil pan. That's it. Look for metal in the pan, and then button it up. they just went on and on about how I needed all this other shilt, blah blah blah. Happened twice. I'm sick of it.

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Sorry to hear about your BMW I really don't like to "paint all shops with the same brush" so to speak, as there are clearly shops out there that do great work, including PPI's. But... In this case, it just sort of screams "rip-off" (IMO). There are certainly plenty of problems that can be picked up by putting the car up on a lift and giving it a good going over for an hour or two. The big caveat(s) comes with the engine and the transmission, both of which need serious experience/diagnostic skills (and tools) to be accurate. Had they said something on the order of "the transmission pops out of second gear on occasion, it could be a problem with the tranny or the clutch, we'll have to investigate further if you decide you want the car" etc...It just would have seemed more honest to me...

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Yea first and last on BMW for me which is why I have been so cautious to not walk into another nightmare with a 996... It wasn't very assuring with the PPI. I called them back and they said it is a common problem on the 996 so I'm now thinking it's the common issue that everyone mentioned on here they just are trying to get me for a clutch/flywheel. It did get the dealer down another 2k though lol.

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Wow... No wonder they are trying to charge me for a full assembly... Pop in a 100 dollar part and boom they are done.

While I certainly think a well maintained 911 is worth $22k. The "market" doesn't feel the same. I know you could do better on price. But if it is a one owner with all the service records, the color and options you want, then go for it and enjoy.

Keep in mind you could also easily pick up a Boxster for half what you are about to pay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Porsche-Boxs...m=301787098141 Sure it's not a 911, but if it's your first Porsche not a bad place to start.

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Oh now, don't go throwing stuff like this out... Yes, a Boxster is even more of a bargain than a 996. But a 996 is a real 911. It drives and feels different than a Boxster, usually has better performance numbers, and will always hold a higher resale value than a Boxster. I understand the desire to own a 996. Been there, done that. And it was a good experience. And I would not talk anyone out of buying a 996. ...However I did return to the mid-engined dark side by selling my 996 for a much newer Boxster to go along with my Cayman.

I looked everyday for 6 mo's before I bought mine a couple of months back and the $20k they're asking now doesn't seem out of line at all. Sure you'll find the occasional one for $13-$14k but there's usually something fishy going on or the mileage is 120,000+. There's a couple on ebay right now for $9k & $10k but have salvaged title and damage isn't even repaired. The PPI I had done was a bit of a joke also but I ended up buying it anyway and don't regret it at all. Except the more I spend time here the more freaked out I get about the IMS issue. I figure if it happens, it happens. There's been other things I've lost more money on that didn't give me the enjoyment this car has given me in the 2 mo's of ownership.