996 Newbie: What to look for?

Ok, folks. This forum is such a great resource. I'm considering a 2002 996.2 that I've found locally, and the basics (VIN, Carfax, inspection) check out. My concerns are this: 1) No IMSB issues, but high mileage. 2) high mileage (101K) I've gone through this forum pretty thoroughly, and I'm planning on a pre-purchase inspection by a certified Porsche mechanic that I know, but for those of you who own or have owned 996's of this vintage, what should I look for? What's the one thing you wish you'd known before you bought yours? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Is it a 6 speed or a tippy? If it's a 6 speed, just wait to swap out the IMSB until you have to do the clutch. Minimal expense then. If it's a tippy, then wait until you either have to drop the tranny or engine for some other reason before you do the IMSB, even if it is a long time. If you never have to drop either of them, then you'll likely be just fine with the original bearing. I have been told by a Porsche executive that the tiptronic transmissions have a much lower rate of IMSB failure than the manual transmission cars. I believe that others on here would corroborate that as well, although I doubt you will ever find any hard numbers to back it up. Jake might chime in and give his opinion based on his anecdotal evidence, which I think is as good an opinion as you'll find on the matter. As far as the mileage, I think it will affect price much more than it will affect actual performance or reliability. If it has been well cared for, then I wouldn't hesitate. In fact, getting a car that just broke 100k miles is a sweet spot in my opinion: you get a big break on the purchase price but the car still has tons of life left in it. And, you won't be watching the odometer and stressing over miles you are putting on the car. My '99 996 aero coupe had 133k miles on it when I bought it (about 70k less miles on the engine though due to non-IMSB related replacement) and I drove it everywhere in all kinds of weather. I sold it with 148k miles and it looked and drove great. My current car only had 47k on it when I bought it and now I don't drive it as much because I worry about putting too many miles on it. I freaking hate that, but if I'm driving 30 miles across town and then parking downtown for a court hearing and another 30 miles back home, I'll take the daily driver S430 with 193,000 miles on it because I don't worry about that car. So, high mileage can be very liberating and actually allow you to enjoy the car more. The one thing I wish I'd have known before I bought either of mine? Well, that's tough because both of them are/were great cars, purchase transaction was smooth in both, just not any real regrets. Maybe this: after owning a Mark I aero coupe and now a 996TT, it has made me appreciate the Mk I cars even more. I think the Mark I aero is the second best looking 996 next to the 996TT (and one of the best looking 911's of all time). The lack of a glove box and other interior improvements of the Mk II are a non-factor, especially in full leather cars. I came to really love the look of the GT1 headlights, especially with the aerokit - it just looks right. The power of the 996TT (especially with easy power mods) is fantastic, but it is rarely used. Although I absolutely love the 996TT, if I were doing it all over again, I would have sold my black '99 aerokit and found another '99 aerokit but in guards red over black. It has been said that a NA 996 is 90% of the experience for 50% of the price of a 996TT. Frankly, I'd say a '99 aerokit car is 98% of the experience for 40% of the price of a 996TT. Plus, the mindset of the NA 996 owners is a lot more fun.

if the car was driven in colder climates, I'd be more concerned with scored cylinders than a IMSB at that mileage. take a look at the exhaust tips. look for heavy black soot build up on any side. listen to the car idling. my car sounded exactly like this: Porsche 996/997 Engine Noise - YouTube cyl 4 & 6 were scored to hell.

Quotes source post: 12936925

I wish I had known a lot more about the M96 engine and its weak points. Also wish I knew more about retrofit solutions for the IMSB before I had mine replaced with an aftermarket ceramic bearing.

Quotes source post: 12936925

The only thing I wish I'd done differently when I purchased mine was to haggle a bit more - I overpaid a bit (I purchased mine from a dealership, but I think I still could have gotten the car for a thousand bucks less). Beyond that, nothing. I love the car, and it has been nothing except awesome since I purchased 3+ years ago. I already owned an M96-powered car (an '03 Boxster) and was familiar with the M96 issues (and the uproar surrounding some of them). Is there something about this car specifically you're in love with? While 100K isn't exactly a massive number, buckets of lower mileage 996's are out there. However, the mileage is a huge price factor (especially when pricing on KBB and similar sites), so you should be able to use the fact that there are plenty of 996's with fewer miles during negotiation. Check any upgrades (stereo, etc.) to verify that the wiring isn't crap...look in the from trunk and the battery area between the front trunk and the cabin for ratty wiring. While rewiring an aftermarket stereo isn't rocket science, the quality of any work that has been done on the car can be an indication of the previous owner's standard of care. My car came with no records, but it was evident from the quality of the parts and installation that the car had been very well cared for. You don't have a signature with info on where you're located - but that's another factor I'd consider. I'd far rather have a California or Arizona car, especially if it was driven during the winter months.

Quotes source post: 12936925

Honestly? Nothing. I spent months reading/researching and came up with a list of questions that mattered to me which the seller answered to my satisfaction. Then and only then did I finalize the deal. In case you missed this when you did your seach: https://rennlist.com/forums/911-foru...immermann.html

^^ I, on the other hand, saw my 996 online one night and bought it the next day at noon.

Quotes source post: 12936925

look first for the Tool kit. They can be costly if missing.

If I was a newbie and on Rennlist, I would read every page of the "Things you didn't know about your 996 thread." Then, I would read every page of the "Good Week in the 996 Forum Thread". That's all you will ever need to know...

Quotes source post: 12940620

+996 on the tool kit! Experienced that, luckily I got a good deal on a used one. On a manual make sure the clutch has some life left. If the pedal is hard it may need some attention. If you're absolutely seriously pedantic about originality check for the Mobil1 sticker under the deck lid, you can't buy a genuine original one as it's been superseded. May sound strange to some and it may not deter you from a purchase though!

Quotes source post: 12936925

While I haven't owned a 996 of that vintage I have owned a 2002 Boxster since new and a 2003 Turbo since 2009. What to look out for? Simple. Everything. The car you are looking at is just a used car. Give it a thorough used car check out. Start with a test ride then follow with a test drive. Route chosen should be around 15 miles and give the driver a chance to demo the car as you intend to drive it. Visit the car cold and with the A/C off turn on the key and verify all warning lights including the CEL come on and then go off. Start the engine and let it idle. The engine should relatively smoothly with no distinct ticks, knocks or other regular/periodic sounds. Let the engine ide a while while you walk around the car. Keep an ear on teh engine sounds though. Then take a test ride. Pay attention to how the car behaves under all conditions. Back at the starting point take the car out as the driver and cover the same route, drive the car the same way. You must spend time with the in its natural state with the engine running and the car being driven. After the above then verify all the subystems work. From A/C to wipers. From spoiler to fog lights. The 111 point check list the techs use to CPO one of these cars is a good list to work from. You can't do everything on the list but what you can do should go a long way to helping you become familiar with the car to the point you can make a good decision. If after this then if you still like the car have it PPI'd. Among other things this gets the car on a lift so a real thorough check can be made for any signs of problems. Every gasket, seal, o-ring, hose, hose fitting, hydraulic line and fitting needs to be checked for leak sign. The CV boots are checked to ensure they are intact. Brake rotor thickness and pad thickness are noted and an estimate given as to how long before these are due. Tire condition is checked. And so on. The cold start and idle and then test ride and test drive ensure the engine runs about an hour. This among other things gives any leaks a chance to become active, show themselves. You want to learn what services were done or are due so you can budget/factor the cost of these into your offer. You want to find any reason to reject the car if at all possible. You obviously want to avoid buying an unsuitable car. But you want to avoid having a PPI on car that ends up getting rejected. This saves you time and money. Leave the rose colored glasses at home. Leave your love home too. You want to fall in love *after* you have bought the right car, not before you buy the wrong car. Remember if you spot something that is a deal killer there is nothing wrong with walking away. An important thing to keep in mind when looking at a used car is there is always another car. The only thing I wished I'd known before I bought my first Porsche is now great the car was going to be so I would have bought one sooner instead of buying and owning just 4 months a 2001 Camara Z28.

RE: the tool kit: Why do people replace these? I don't get it. Mine's been sitting in the rafters of my garage (on top of the spare tire) for going on 4 years now. Macster, given your other car history you've shared here, I can only assume you were struck temporarily insane in 2001. 2001 was the year that GM decided - for reasons I cannot fathom - that all formerly bitchin' cars should be remade to look like Sebring Convertibles. The '01 Trans Am, the C5 Corvette, and the '01 Z28 all got meltified, and it was a damn shame. Now I love me a good Z28 - especially the '92 (AKA the most bitchin' car in the world)... it was sheer long-lined, hard-edged, mullet-wearing awesomeness...but then everything went all roundy. The '01 Z28 (AKA the Chevrolet Sebring T-Top Tribute) The '01 Trans Am - and people think the 996's front end was tragic? And the C5 Corvette circa 2001. Nice and round. Not a single straight edge was harmed during the design of this vehicle.

I may have drifted slightly off-topic.

^ Ya think?

Quotes source post: 12938480

That's how I buy cars. -Jason

I don't - I typically know what I'm going to buy and how much I'm going to spend on it well before I go to a dealership. I'll spend days and days reading reviews, long-term test results, reliability stats, etc. etc. But the 996 - oh, damn, it was just so good looking. I didn't want _a_ 996, I wanted THAT 996. While I was able to negotiate down from the asking price, I probably would have paid what they were asking. I could not stand the thought of leaving without it.

Quotes source post: 12941045

Pipe down, screwbird.

Quotes source post: 12941079

My wife found my 996 on the Internet at 7:00 on a Sunday morning. It was in my garage by 2:00pm. My 997 actually took two days. I had to negotiate a lot harder on that one.

Quotes source posts: 12938480, 12941079

That's how I buy PARTS.

Quotes source post: 12941392

And I don't mind that! -Jason

Quotes source post: 12941333

I would call myself almost a impulse buyer, but I still research the car a little bit or a mini refresh. I just want to get the car bought and get it home with no BS. Like 5CHN3LL I have a budget in mind, and I will go over a little if I need too. -Jason

Quotes source post: 12936925

Wish I had been more familiar with the aerokits. They look great, but IMHO not worth the price to add to my car. I might have held out for an aerokit car that the previous sucker, I mean owner, paid for.

If the mantra in Real Estate is "location, location, location", then the mantra for buying a P-car should be "condition, condition, condition". As reversing a bad location in Real Estate is just about impossible, then reversing a Porsche in poor condition back to nice condition is similarly very difficult...unless you have the luxury of an unlimited budget. relinuca

5chn3ll... the only reason I mentioned the tool kit is mine was missing when my wife bought the car. I rang the dealer and he replaced it. I have actually used parts of the kit (special tool for removing head lights) also (the tool for holding the wheels in place before studding them up). Not as though I would use them on the open road. I have AAA to deal with break downs. I have had a few punctures which the AAA sorted out for me. Also wrong with mine was the inside lights did not work and the petrol door did not lock. After a year of trying to solve the problem I discovered that the car was left in 'transport mode' and the Porsche Garage rectified that after I told them about it. They returned it to 'running mode' for $70. Gonzo11.. I can only second your great suggestion by saying. It depends on the year of your car on just what the vehicle is 'supposed' to do. If it is not doing that, then something is amiss that needs attention. Macster.. As always your posting is impeccable.

I need to dig mine out and see if the wheel mounting stud is in there - that's the one thing I might actually use...

If you are alone put the nose of the car close 5 feet or so to a wall, turn on the headlights and watch to see if they level up.