First Time Buyer - New to Porsche!

Hello all - posted this in 997 forum as well so let me know if I need to remove�I�m new to the Porsche buying process and overwhelmed with the inspection/decision process. I�m aiming to buy a manual transmission 996 or 997 in the $35-$45k range. My goal is to put big miles on the car as a daily driver or at a minimum weekend driver and coffee car. Ideally a 996 C4S or a 997.1 S - probably with 50-60k+ miles. Please feel free to share suggestions on what I need to be asking/looking for. A few things I�ve learned so far (feel free to correct). - 996/997s (3-5%) struggle with IMS issues/bore scoring so many have recommended getting this scoped/DME tests done prior to purchasing these vehicles. - DME isn�t a tell all, as mid-shifts happen and isn�t a deal killer as long as it happened long ago (and very very briefly) and no engine issues have arise. - Make sure to get service history and read through CarFax to find anything notable. What else should I be asking dealerships/sellers. I found a 997.1 S and 996.2 4S on Porsche finder in my budget, do I need to bore scope buying from a dealer? Thanks all, excited to learn more from you all.

Prior to buying mine, I pretty much watched all youtube videos about purchasing a used 996. At the very minimum, perform a PPI from a reputable Porsche independent shop.

Whole forests have been harvested to produce the paper needed to document all the issues with a 20+ year old 996. The IMS bearing and bore scoring are unrelated issues. First, the bearing. If it has been replaced with the LN Engineering (LNE) Solution, that's a huge plus because it solves the problem forever. The LNE Retrofit is second best but still good, depending on how near it is to its next service and not having either should knock some value off the car. The bore scoring issue can be seen with a scope and as it progresses, it can be heard. Many people suggest checking for bore scoring before purchase, but many sellers don't want to go there because its potential bad news for them. Then there is all the old plastic and rubber that ages. My best advice is to focus on cars where you have a complete service history showing the car was well cared for and hasn't had more than three previous owners. I've seen dealers trying to find a 10th owner for a 996. That's a car that no one ever loved. Even better, find someone who knows the car and have them review cars with you.

Awesome, great advice all around. Can definitely see that on the 5-7+ owner range where cars look way older than their mileage. I�ve been checking VINs on LN�s website, a lot haven�t been replaced but if I find one that it, that�s good news. Top top contender is at a dealership and contemplating doing a bore scope because the PPI they did seems to check all boxes - rear tires will need to be replaced sooner than later and front shocks could use attention sooner than later as well (which doesn�t seem to be a huge deal).

First of all, enjoy the hunt! Very few people experience the fun of shopping for a Porsche 911. My first 911 was a 2002 C4S coupe 6MT. It was a daily driver for me, and I put well over 100K miles on it. I drove it in all conditions with a dedicated set of winter wheels and tires for the colder months. It performed well for me. The 996 generation of cars can be a good choice for a daily driver, but you need to be realistic with your expectations. The newest 996.2 car is now 20 years old. Porsches are no different than other cars when it comes to wear and age. Things wear, seals become old and brittle, things break. There will be repairs necessary every year to keep your Porsche performing at a high level. As mentioned above, a PPI from a qualified Porsche mechanic is a must. You need to understand what issues need to be addressed before you complete your purchase. Once that is done, then you can focus on ongoing maintenance. If you can find a car with full service records then that’s definitely a bonus. Personally, I’d want to buy a car that has had the IMS bearing addressed. Often this is done when the clutch is replaced, so you’ll sometimes find cars that have had both of these expensive repairs made. You’ll need to budget for ongoing maintenance on an older car. My C4S required most of the common repairs that you read about on these forums. I had to replace my window regulators, ignition coils, front CV boot (multiple times), motor mounts, sunroof seal (twice), lower control arm & bushings, water pump, cooling fans and resistors, battery replacement (multiple times), and a host of other small repairs. My largest unexpected repair was having the front differential rebuilt by an independent shop. Speaking of independent shops, they can be a lifesaver when compared to Porsche service centers. I’ll use the front differential as an example. When I originally had an issue with the front differential, my local Porsche dealer said that the part was sealed and needed to be replaced as opposed to being rebuilt. The part alone cost over $7K. A local independent shop was able to fully rebuild it for less than $4K. My advice is to go into the process wirh your eyes wide open. Be realistic about what you want, and be patient. You’ll find the right car. Have fun!

OP - Also, don’t discount looking at vehicles with a rebuilt or replaced engine. Depending on who did the work and how comprehensive the build was, there can be value and peace of mind there. For a private party, if the owner can tell you everything about the car, that’s a big plus. Good hunting!

Quotes source post: 19871388

I�m the 8th owner of my 996 haha Bought it from a Porsche dealership with 0 maintenance records. You can tell a lot about a car by the interior. That�s why I�d never buy one without seeing it in person. Just my 2 cents. Get a proper PPI and buy the best one you can You Tube

Quotes source post: 19871535

I like this idea of looking closely at the interior as a substitute for records.

Quotes source post: 19871543

That�s definitely not what I�m saying. But dealerships are famous for tossing out records and sometimes there are none. I bought my 996 in the early COVID days when a manual .1 C2 was 20K from a Porsche dealer with fresh brake pads, an oil change and 4 new Michelins. Took the 5 hour drive to check it out. Had a basic PPI done and� it still smelled like a Porsche should You Tube

I just picked up my 2002 996 C4S with 95k miles. IMS was done along with other items so it can definitely be found for a great price.

I would appreciate thoughts on the below: a 996.2 C4S from a dealership. Again would need to fly out and drive it back from California. I�m sure dealer cleans it up to look good, so just want to ask the right questions to qualify - or see if I need a third party to do a PPI. https://www.porschebeverlyhills.com/...AA29952S623376

Here something closer to you with less miles and maybe easier to negotiate? https://www.pcarmarket.com/auction/d...-carrera-4s-3/

Quotes source post: 19871707

Sketchy service history though.

Theres this one on PCA https://mart.pca.org/ads/73570

Quotes source post: 19871769

Will look at this one as well. Are you saying sketchy from all the owners or just lack of records? Thanks!

Quotes source post: 19871800

Reading the Carfax, there are few records of actual service.

Quotes source post: 19871786

Joined PCA and messaged seller!

Quotes source post: 19871786

I looked up the IMS bearing on this one and it was installed in 2018 and has a service life of six years. Now is year seven. The ad says the bearing was installed at 29K miles and it has 36K now so it was only driven 1K miles a year for the last seven. Could be a real cream puff. The Sport seats are a real plus. I have them on mine. Makes a bigger difference than you would think. The seller may know six-year replacement cycle and just doesn't want to deal with it. Might be a good negotiating point for you. Here is what it says in the LN registry: IMSS / IMSR Serial #29304 Production Date Jul-Aug 2018 Bearing Type Single Row Pro IMS Retrofit Service interval: Replace 6 years or 75k miles after installation. If installation date / mileage is unknown, replace 6 years after the production date.

Quotes source post: 19871682

It is well appointed, but seems overpriced for the current market.

Good luck with the search! Absolutely pay for a PPI and be sure to clarify what the PPI actually includes. Highly recommend paying the extra for a borescope if not routinely included. Service records can be important, but nothing beats having an experienced tech look through the car. I had to pass on the first car I was seriously considering - they found bearing shavings in the oil filter suggestive of impending main bearing failure. Probably dodged a bullet with that one. Next PPI found a bunch of deferred maintenance and helped me negotiate a significant discount on the price. Spent ~1200 Canadian pesos for the two PPIs, but they ended up saving me a lot more than that in the end. Also, drive as many examples as you can. I was shocked at the difference between the c2 and c4s under full throttle.

Quotes source post: 19872125

If it is at a Porsche dealer, would you pay for an independent PPI. They said Bore Scope would be $1000 through them.

I would absolutely insist on a PPI from a reputable indy. Lots of resources online for recommendations in different areas. Best to have a second opinion especially when a Porsche dealer is involved. If they decline to allow an independent PPI, you're buying at your own risk unless the dealer is offering some kind of warranty. Of course if you're travelling to make the purchase, that warranty won't be worth much since they would make you ship the car back to do any warranty coverage.

Thanks, good thoughts. I�ll look up some in the area. Think an additional set of eyes would be good. Gotta be extra sure buying remote haha

While you are going to pay more buying it from a dealer, if you are buying your first one, it can be a smart choice. I mean they know about these cars, and they do have a "reputation" to protect. They can very often finance it for you.

Sounds like you know what you are doing.......imo the 997 is in the sweet spot for value as the older air-cooled models are overpriced and the newer models are very expensive....I you sure you want a 4 ??? I didn't .........so that is why I am asking......