Thinking of upgrading to a 996...Thoughts?

So I currently have a 2006 987.1 Boxster Base. I have in my sights a 2000 996 Carrera with 75K on the clock. I of course know about the IMS ( and the inflated stories about failures). My main worry is that according to the Carfax, it has been driven 21K in 10 years, so a few questions: 1. Should I just stay away from it based on that? 2. Is it normal for these cars to not be driven hardly at all? 3. What should i be concerned about? The Carfax history is great up until the last 10 years. It has had 5 owners. Owner 4 drove it 1100 miles per year--had ot i think 4 years ( on average) and owner 5 maybe 900 per year and he has had it 5 years.... So should I be worried or not even worry about it? Thoughts?

Get a PPI done. Nothing to worry about being driven 21k in the past 10 years. That's actually a plus IMO as long as they have some service records from that time. What's the price? I'm guessing around $24

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1. No 2. It's not ideal but common 3. For your case, I would worry you would end up missing the better interior, additional room, refinement etc. of the 9x7 generation, which are still relatively modern cars. 9x6s are well into the youngtimer realm and drive / feel as such. You just gotta know what you want. 4. +1 on PPI

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yeah, it's 24,995. Has 75K on the clock. Carfax just has "vehicle serviced " on it which could mean anything....I'm going to see it next weekend so hopefully they *may* be able to answer some questions.

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Price wise it's an ideal fit. I'd love a 997 but at this point, I feel they are a bit overpriced. But that'll be in a few years. For now I am content with a 996...Get my feet wet in the 911 world and such!!

The IMS bearing isn't an inflated issue. It's a real issue, but one that can be solved. The issues with this car are that there are a number of other known issues with the 996, all of which are going to need to be addressed sooner or later. My concern with 5 previous owners is that the car may have been treated as a "hot potato." You don't want to be the one that has to solve all the known problems because otherwise, this is a $18K car with $7K+ in future repairs. Yes, you can pay $1000+ for a PPI, but if the results aren't good, you are now out $1000. I would not move forward with this unless you have evidence of the car spending the first 10 years of well documented service at a Porsche dealer or known indy tech, which would indicate that some of these issues have been addressed. Send us all a picture of the coolant filler cap part number and we will tell you if this has had anyone solve known issues. Do this before you spring for a PPI.

I would change the AOS to UAOS first thing. I bought a car with perfect records up tp the last two years, I'm the 3rd owner. AOS popped and took my engine with it. ( I had a full service done post purchase, all gear boxes, steering, brake fluid etc) The Aos let go about 4 months later.. Its too bad that to really be informed on these cars,, unless you find one with immaculate service records... A in depth PPI is kinda part of the game, I skipped it thought it had one turned out the seller had a relationship with the shop that did it..

My first Porsche about 6 years ago was a 987.1 Cayman S (2006). I really loved that car. It and the 987 Boxster are great all around cars. We wanted a roadster since many of our friends had Boxsters (and a few cabs). Got a low mileage 981 Boxster S. Love the car but it is a bit bigger and very different. As an addition (never having had a 911), I decided to buy a 996 with 65,000 miles and two long term owners and COMPLETE service records. The relevant information here is that over the past 8-9 years the car was driven between 1500- and 3000 miles per year. The owner had it services annually at a Porsche specialty shop and appears to have told them to do what ever was needed....plugs, coils, motor mounts, major service items like serpentine belt, plus usual fluid changes. I put a clutch in the car as the release bearing arm was making noise. But all is good. In terms of characteristics, as was said above, the car feels more "primitive" than my Cayman did....more like a 993. Skinny steering wheel, lighter weight, etc. Frankly, I love it. Definitely has a bit of vintage vibe in a modern car. Good luck in your search.

Just took mine for a 120 mile drive through the back roads of Devon and came back with a huge grin. Three years of ownership with less than 1000 a year following an owner who had it for 10 years and managed 3000 miles. Total is around 44k. Regularly serviced with annual oil change it runs beautifully and is a joy to own. Go for it!

I would have the camshaft deviation checked. I needed to replace the cam wear pads on my 2001 C2 with 58K miles due to age. They were pretty rough. There is some maintenance that needs to be done based on age as much as mileage. They are wonderful cars and will give you much enjoyment and reliability if properly maintained. The main issue with many low mileage cars is that they are not properly maintained. Oil should be changed no less than once a year ( and probably twice) regardless of mileage.

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Oil does not age significantly in a closed system without any external input. Even once a year with minimal use is probably a waste of money, but I still do it to pacify future owners.

Self-advertisement... Sorry. If you're looking for a sorted, low mileage, original paint, 996, with all the preventative maintenance done including the IMSB Solution, UAOS, new coolant tank, tranny service, etc, etc, then look at PCarMarket. My 996 Cab in Mirage Metallic with Tip is on the auction block and it ends at 2:00 p.m. today. It may end up costing more than the 70K mile 996 you're looking at, but you won't be shelling out another $10K or more to get all the maintenance up to date after you buy the car. Check it out.

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LOL oh no oil thread conversion... Run!!!

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It�s been a bit since there�s been a full-blown, octogon-worthy, no-quarter oil thread throw down. Brontosaurus, once a year? Hell, I�m spinning filters every 60 hours these days. Sounds cooler and more track rat than every 3000ish miles. Nyuck, nyuck, nyuck!

QUOTE: "Price wise it's an ideal fit. I'd love a 997 but at this point, I feel they are a bit overpriced. But that'll be in a few years. For now I am content with a 996...Get my feet wet in the 911 world and such!!" This is what most people think....start with the 996 because it's the cheapest. I'm here to say the 996 is one of the best 911's period. I have owned the following: 1987 911 1972 911 1976 911 1990 911 1997 C2S 2005 C2S 2007 GT3 964 c4 low miles My current 2 door Porsches: 996.1 Early build 996.1 C4 Aero Car 996.2 C2 991.2 GT3 Touring GT4 RS All my cars above were well maintained good examples of what a 911 / RS should be. But the (2) for me? 1) 991.2 GT3 Touring. This in my opinion is peak Porsche. The car has an air cooled soul. But pure Modern GT with a manual. 2) 996.1 Early build. Special car. The interior materials, the lightness, the throttle cable, the steering, the tightness etc. Mine has 106k miles, original paint and it looks like a 2 year old car, inside and out. So start with the 996 and upgrade down the road? Sure try them all and see what's the perfect fit for you, but, you might just find yourself coming back to the 996. In the end there is no bad 911, There is no other feeling like a 911. I joke and say my GT4 RS is the 27th best Porsche they make. It comes after all the 911 models

If you�re still in the market, my Cab did not make reserve. The market is down & interest rates are up so now is not a bad time to buy. PCarMarket listed it in the DealTank for $27500 Less than 43K miles, fantastic condition, everything works as it should, with new IMSB LN Solution, UAOS, Coils, Plug Sleeves, Coolant Tank, Water Pump, Oil Fill Tube, and a full Transmission Service. Keep the $5-$7K or more to get the deferred maintenance up to spec� it�s already done.