'03 Carrera Cabriolet Purchase Advice

I'm in talks with a dealership where I currently lease an Infiniti SUV to trade in the SUV for a 2003 Carrera Cabriolet with 66K miles on it. The carfax and service records show regular dealer-performed service. The clutch, clutch assembly, driveshaft, and driveshaft seal were all replaced between 2006 and 2007. Since then, it's seen regular service, including a comprehensive 60k mile job. The car needs a few things done now - driver's seat won't move, 2nd gear is a little wonky. Dealer is going to have it serviced by a local Porsche dealer on Monday. I asked them to provide me a full report of the work completed and also asked them to check the IMS bearing. Price is $24,100. What do you folks think? Other than the above-mentioned issues, it felt and looked good for its age. Thanks!

You can't check the IMS. Post a link...not enough info for price.

Sounds like you are asking the dealer all the right questions. $24k for an '03 Cab that's in good shape is a good price. You'll save yourself some bank if you can validate that the IMS has been done. I have had my '03 Cab for 4 years and it's been a great car. Not inexpensive to maintain by any means but a lot of fun and worth the expense in my opinion. Especially when you take into account the original sticker of car was near 6 figures and you are paying a quarter of the original value of the car. IMHO the driving experience in a Cab with the top down is really hard to beat. You really feel connected to the car.

If the 2nd gear pop-out wasn't properly addressed, the car may or may not need a new transmission - so don't let the dealership downplay the "wonky" nature of the gearbox. The Porsche dealer cannot just "check" the IMS bearing. It's not really possible to know the condition of the bearing unless you're holding it in your hand. If the dealership comes back to you and tells you they inspected the bearing and it checked out, you are being misled - so that might be a way to gauge how honest the dealership is when you go back in to negotiate. The 60K mile isn't _that_ comprehensive. I'm still a fan of a pre-purchase inspection. In addition to finding mechanical issues, an astute mechanic can also spot things that may suggest a story. If the engine has been recently power-washed - or if there are areas that are conspicuously clean compared to everywhere else, you'd need to wonder why. I hope this is the car for you - but don't be hasty. There are PLENTY of 996's out there. A great 996 will be a dream. If you get the one that hasn't been maintained by a mechanic who knows the 996's foibles, you can inherit a pile of deferred maintenance items, which can suck. Also consider that the "new" clutch is already 8 years old, so it may or may not be close to being done. Good luck!

Suggestion: Call California Motorsports about the transmission thing. Owner (disclosure: personal friend) warned me about 2d gear going out on 996's, when I shopped mine early this year. Great stream of work for his Porsche transmission business. Others do this work too, but: My only suggestion that may help. Your $24,000 car is likely a very good deal: But, it won't be a $24,000 car.

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Any reason why you can't say what most likely is the cause instead of being vague and making a general comment about the price? Does the 2nd gear going out comment refer to a common, known problem? And the only fix is to replace the gear and/or rebuild the transmission? Thanks, Brad

Yes, there is a reason I can't state the likely cause: Because I'm an oncologist, not a Porsche mechanic. But I know that 2d gear in 996 six speeds occasionally take a dump, and sometimes requires rebuilding. I know this from talking to someone who IS an experienced transmission person, and has rebuilt perhaps 1000 Porsche boxes. Or more. Just trying to lend some assistance. Feel free to ignore or discount it.

Another dealing point for you is having the hard top for the cab. At least $1000. Check out that the cab top is operating correctly 100%. Another point, There should be no horn beep if the alarm is working correctly. Only the lights flashing two times to indicate the alarm is armed. The low price indicates there maybe something else wrong with the car other than the obvious. I suggest you read everything there is to know about the 03 cab in general at the top of this page. Hope you get a good ppi. You say the Porsche dealer is doing a SERVICE... nothing about the ppi. The service might be oil and filter change and brakes and rotor check which anyone can do. I wonder just why or how a drive shaft replacement was needed. Also why the 2nd gear is wonky. Bad driving????? These things do not happen in 60000 miles on a Porsche car if it is driven normally. Maybe the previous drivers were ******* to put it mildly. Banging a gear into place and dumping clutches is NOT the way to drive a car correctly but is a way to F*** up a drive shaft, clutch and gear box so be very wary of these things. . You have not asked me, but I would give the car a very wide berth and look elsewhere. Do not be tempted by the low ball price. The car should be around $30000 not $24000.

Hey Brad, I just bought a 2003 Cab this summer, so feel your stress. In my research I did come across this second gear thing. Google 996 second gear issues and I'm sure you will find lots of detail. I would be sure to insist on a pre purchase inspection by a qualified Porsche expert, particularly where you seem to have one in your area. Dealer should have no problem with having this done. Price wise, based on mine it seems to be in the ballpark. I paid a couple of $K less, but mine was private sale and had been in a minor accident early in its life. Check top closely. Make sure it opens and closes perfectly every time. I thought i had checked mine close but discovered that the side material wasnt sliding into the window slots perfectly after a week or so of ownership. A little needle and thread reattached the spring loaded strap and it now works perfect....oh aside from the front latch plastic bit which i haven't got round to fixing yet. Look at tire wear closely too, particularly inside edge of rears...pricy little devils those are and wear fast if misaligned. I'm madly in love with my car. Brings a smile just to sit in it or clean bugs off windshield (damn bugs don't seem to recognize that this is a Porsche! ��)

I really appreciate all of the feedback and advice. I've been circling the Porsche waters for quite some time now, and this would be my first official purchase. To clarify the second gear issue: it's not the traditional pop-out, which I've read up on, but more of an over-rev issue. I think the clutch and/or transmission need some work, as the pick up was very late. As for 2nd gear, maybe it was my lack of having rowed my own gears for a while, but it felt like it would over rev if I stayed in it for too long. Again, it did not pop out at any point during my test drive. The cabriolet seemed to be well sorted, as I tested it a couple of times. The car felt solid other than the above mentioned issue - and the broken drivers seat. I made it very, very clear that I'm not taking the car unless it is serviced by a certified Porsche mechanic. They are sending it to a well-known dealership for the service tomorrow. I am going to get a report on all the work performed, plus I'm going to call the dealer and speak to them about the car. On top of that I plan to get an independent PPI. Trying to cover all of the bases.

http://www.pcarshops.com/porsche-911...-pop-out-issue

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Perfect, thanks for the link and info.

This seems like a fair deal. I purchased my 2002 cab 6 speed with 58,000 miles two months ago for $23k from a private party. The IMS had not been addressed however the owner had the service records and performed 60k service among other things. Good luck, it is a fun car to drive.

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Hope it works out for you. The 996 will put a smile on your face every time you drive it - guaranteed! Good luck!

I'm going to be a fly in the ointment and say the transmission is a wild card that could make a $24,000 deal a bad deal--but you don't know. The comment from Hurdigurdiman that a hardtop adds a $1000 to of value is interesting. They are often advertised at that price but the feedback on this forum is that they can be bought for significantly less ($350-$500) if you keep an eye on craigslist. So if that increases the market value I would be on the lookout for a hard top at the time you want to sell. I have had one hanging in the garage for years because we have too many nice days in Texas to use it in the winter. I had it on the first August I bought my car but stopped after that as our nights are tolerable if not nice. My next point that at $24,000 you can find a low $30's 997 with twice the milage. ....which is still low. I have a car with 110,000 miles that has had about $1500-$2000 of repairs for year (very loose average). My guess is that a properly cared for 997 wouldn't be much different and you get 911 headlights. My thoughts

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An example of a 997 CAB for $33k. 2006 997 with only 37k miles on it. Brumos is a Rennlist sponsor as well. I wished I was closer to Florida..... https://rennlist.com/forums/vehicle-...-32-997-a.html Brad

Hi, As someone that is also looking to get back into p-cars I feel your pain. I also saw the 997 at Brumos and I have a trade to it would be a 13+ hour drive each way. Keep in mind, there is no such thing as a cheap Porsche. There can be inexpensive ones, but parts and the "slippery slope" of making the car yours gets expensive. I generally allocate $3k to $4k for all the things that catch your attention as soon as the car gets in the garage. So pop for the $400 to $500 PPI to get a good idea of the car. I was looking at an '04 C4S and the Porsche dealer near the MB dealer that had the car quoted me $400 for a CPO type inspection plus compression and bore scope exam of cylinders 4 & 6. But everyone will quote different price points, so choose well and enjoy.

$24k is not a bad price for the mileage - not great - but you will Never get "great " from a dealer. The fact that 60k done is a plus , as are the service records. If ims was not done - you might want to budget $2k or so to do it eventually (when you need clutch for example) - or for piece of mind / insurance right now. As others said , you can't inspect condition of ims without removing it - but is have dealer at least pull the oil filter, open up the pleats to inspect for debris - and send you a picture of that (no metal flakes). A few other things you can check (or dealer should provide you report on) ... Do windows drop when you open door handle ? Are all other electrics working (try every switch). Brand and condition of tires ? Remaining brake pad depth. Condition of hood and trunk struts (cheap) but do they hold hood/trunk open well. Does fuel door lock ? For transmission- what does "wonkey" mean ? Mine had "occasional" pop out of second gear - especially when coming hard off the throttle in second. I put in gbox fix (about $200) and that mostly fixed it - it still can pop occasionally - but much less - and so I don't worry about it ...if wonkey means something else - you will get more opionions here...