Would you buy this 996?

2002 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 S Coupe Pre-Owned Gasoline � Arctic Silver Metallic � Black � 52,741 mi � 3 previous owners $49,900 IMS bearing done (will get written documentation) new tires new brakes

Nice! Get an invasive PPI and if it is good, go for it!

Quotes source post: 19831282

For me, the answer is NO. At $50K, you're into 996 Turbo money. At that price tag I would get the 996 turbo and the bullet proof Mezger engine. Here's a quick example I found that looks like the C4S you're considering. Yes, it's manual. Same color, same wide body, same interior features, but more powerful, more reliable, and will hold it's value better.

Quotes source post: 19831461

Excellent call. I would do the same! (just never thought about it until I read this post) edit: less miles too!

Get a turbo it’s by far a greater drive

Agree with the above. That's close to Turbo money.

If you are budgeting that kind of money, the Turbo will be a far, far better deal. Just remember to keep money reserved in a slush fund for repairs. No matter how well something checks out, these are 20+ year old cars and things break. When they do it will be more expensive than you imagine. Good luck with the search.

Quotes source post: 19831282

let�s talk options! It�s the details that set apart models. Just two silver 996s from what I can see. One turbo one a c4s. A base turbo with zero options can be pretty dull and not as collectible as a turbo with all the options and good service records. I don�t think we have enough data on these cars to compare. I�m not a big fan of the reflex � get a turbo � response when someone proposes a really well sorted, optioned out, well maintained single owner car. ( I have no idea on this particular case but just for argument sake) for a turbo with same color but multiple owners, basic interior, no options and no maintenance records ? the NA engine sounds better than the turbo. Some don�t want that power of a turbo because it�s a street car that simply is too fast for some. It all depends on what you want. The c4s if it�s a top spec and well maintained is a great driver and rewarding.

Please post a sub 100k mi turbo at 50k Unicorn are rare Please

You could do so much more for $50K. So, so much more. Buying something like this from a dealer? Come on guys. Go private.

Quotes source post: 19831875

Took me 5 minutes on AutoTrader. See post #3.

I like the Turbo over C4S recommendation..... or even a 997 for that money. It also depends on your use case. I just picked up a 2002 C4S 6MT with 127K miles for $25k. it needs tires and a refresh on the rear suspension top hats, but came with a down-to-metal respray, updated audio, sprint booster, intake and wheels. My use case is daily driver and it will be parked outside. I plan to put the miles on it and see if I can achieve million mile 996 status. I used autotempest and jumped over to the Craigslist search results. This was the second 996 C4s that I found on CL that I strongly considered buying during my ~1 month search. Both in the ~100k mile range at < $28k price point. Deals can be had, if you have the patience. Good luck shopping.

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Quotes source post: 19831282

This is for sale at Isringhausen. My experience with them was outstanding. They 100% know the 996. I have reviewed the Carfax for this one and the service record is excellent. The past owner spent a small fortune maintaining the car until August 2021, so my question is where has the car been for the last 3+ years. From the milage, it was not driven since then. My experience is with Joe Isringhausen. These guys charge a premium for the 996s, but they also (as far as I know) won't sell one that hasn't had the IMS bearing addressed, and I think on the basis that they know this generation and the issues, they feel they can charge more. I don't disagree. Just an observation. As for buying the car, the comments about a turbo are fine. On the other hand, it's hard to judge from a picture. My sister-in-law just bought a well-cared for '02 C4 Cab for $39K from Paul Miller in NJ and it's a Category 1. I've never seen one that looked like it was new. If this is in that category, $49.9K isn't out of the question. The other advantage of buying from these guys is that they may be able to finance it for you and since your credit rating is based on how much you owe and who you owe money to, having Porsche Financial Services listed as your creditor could improve your score.

Just going to chime in from left field here - Never once has identifying what car I wanted, then staying patient on private fs ads let me down. I just found my brother an original owner 2005 e46 m3 carbon bleu on cinnamon, manual, 196K entirely serviced at the dealership with records to prove, listed for $13k but they shook on 10. Paid next to nothing on sales tax because the owner wrote a "favorable" bill of sale. Nice guy, going into retirement. 10-12k per year. When my brother got there the owner said there were already 3 other guys in line. The Craigslist ad was posted day of. It has gotten more difficult, but when you are buying something like this, you always, always, always go private. If you're financing a 20+ year old car, you are going thru a mid-life crisis and nothing else. Identify the car. Build. Color. Your must have's and the "I'm ok withs" There will be someone, somewhere that will post it for sale. And it'll go quick, so jump on it. OP if you want a silver 996 turbo (edit, sorry C4s), make it a habit to check fs forums and sites at least twice a day. One will pop up, I guarantee you. And the same car listed here will be listed for $35k and you'll shake on 32. No lot fees or other BS. All that is needed is patience, especially if you want a good deal.

Quotes source post: 19832020

Yep, found one. My point is 50k for a low mile well maintained 996T is rare. Very very rare. But, I do want to say thanks for playing the RL games

I think the 50k 996TT ship has sailed for well maintained cars. More like 60-70k at least. That said, I'm currently selling my TT after two years of ownership because I found it just too fast on normal roads. The only place where it really shines is the Autobahn, and while I've been lucky enough to drive it there a few times I don't live in Germany, so I always had to restrain myself in order to not lose my license. So maybe, a C4S has a better use case. I'm replacing my TT with a 993.

If it's sold at that price point, by a dealer with excellent knowledge of 996s, I would ask what warranty they're willing to throw in the deal, and would want to see bore pictures, know what IMS they put, and see evidence of what's been done and to the car and when. This is not a particularly well-optioned example, some boxes certainly were ticked when configured, but nothing out of the ordinary. Sports exhaust would have been nice to have, as these cars a bit muted at low revs without it.

What is a PPI?

Most folks don't think about the $10k in engine refresh parts they will need to do, the $8-10k in suspension refresh and $8-10k in exhaust refresh. That doesn't count the exterior and interior enhancements everyone wants to make. if you find a 996 with bores that are proven to be in great shape (invasive PPI) and has been completely refreshed, it's worth it for $49k, because you are saving alot of money. But if the car still needs to be refreshed with the above items, and has unproven bores, then it may make sense to look elsewhere.

I share the same opinion as some others here. I'd rather find a Turbo for that money. My personal research and just tracking these over years, the turbo might be better in other ways as well. If they did the IMS, brakes and tires, that is a very good thing though. Asking prices are all over the place these days and some dealers happen to be the worst when it comes to high prices. I walked away from a used Miata at a dealer a few months ago. It was super clean, low miles, but about $6k higher than I'd ever pay for one that year. I was a bit taken back by how much (24,998) they were asking. The saleswoman who showed it to me was nice enough but I told her it was way overpriced. I'd seen them privately around for under 20. I got an email from her the next day, they lowered dropped the price by a whopping $500. I declined. It was still on the lot the day after Christmas, but sold the following weekend - to an employee.

The Turbo, C4S, C4 and C2 are completely different driving experiences. Not one is better than the other, just different. Comes down to what the prospective buyer is looking for. But here is the kicker, if you buy a $50k 996 Turbo, you better put the same $25-30k in a slush fund account for refresh items. So your $50k turbo will cost you $75k at the end of the day. Just like your $25k C2 or $35k C4S will cost you $50-60k in total to sort it out. Hope is not a strategy when it pertains to buying and owning a 20-25 year old Porsche, Mezger or not.

Quotes source post: 19833342

Pre-purchase inspection. Paid for by the buyer and done at a garage selected by the buyer. Search PPI here for more info. Lots of threads to learn from. It also means post-purchase inspection but that's not recommended.