Buying a High Mileage 996. Good idea?

Bought my first 2000 996 C2 in April. I researched high mileage, low mileage, flood cars and garage queens. I decided on a high mileage car with 116k miles that had been well cared for ($37k in maintenance and upgrades), only two prior owners, garage kept and used as a daily driver. I�m enjoying the car, engine and transmission are strong but the car has had a LOT of issues and it�s become a bit of a money pit. But it�s a pleasure to own and fun to drive. If you are considering a high miler, here are some things I have learned that you may benefit from. 1) Coolant system issues with cracked plastic couplers and aging hoses can be a problem 2) Your suspension will undoubtedly need a refresh 3) Your AC condensers may need to be swapped out 4) In my case some shoddy work on IMS replacement caused a failure of the oil feeder line to the new IMS and a leaky rear main seal 5) Shifter cables become loose at the the transmission causing possible shifting issues and eventually they fall off. 6) Oil leaks, some minor some not. To fix them all will be $$$, so Indy says �keep your eye on it and check your oil level frequently. I�m not sure a PPI will find all of this stuff. If it does it�s likely you will pass on the purchase. My point is a well cared for, high miler is no walk in the park. It will have aging and usage issues that you will need to repair $$$. So I�m curious now if lower mileage 996 cars may be a better value even if they are lightly used? Less shifts, less wear and tear on components. But I have read the stories about lightly used 996�s as well and they seem to have a different set of issues. Whatever you buy, a thorough PPI on a lift where all issues can be identified is mandatory. At $150 per hour it might cost a lot but will be worth it. Does anyone have thoughts on this subject?

TB, the issue with the 996 independent of if it's high mileage or low is that the car is 20+ years old and the plastic amd rubber bits deteriorate and need to be replaced. Probably more so if the car is higher mileage because it's going to have more wear. I got a 2002 w/ 59k miles on it. Just went thru my 2nd 10 year refresh of replacing bits and things. Car runs like a dream. Always has, because I proactively replace the parts. Some say don't do it until you have too. Some say do it proactively. Regardless how you do it, it will cost you. But I like to know that when I get in my car and drive it on the street or the track, that I won't have something break on me. It's my preference. Yours may be different.

I drove a handful of examples before buying mine for it's color combo and recent maintenance (water pump, clutch, IMS) despite having 104k. What I found was some lower mileage cars that felt like the bottom was going to fall out and some higher mileage cars that drove amazing. Yes sometimes there's no substitute for a crisp low mileage example, but how well a car was treated and maintained is equally important after two decades of use. Judge each car on its own merits.

I put $9,000 into mine the first three months of ownership. Tires, Air condenser's, water pump, thermostat, serpentine belt, alternator, oil fill tube, frunk latch, back up switch, radiator hose, second key, oil, filters, battery, coolant tank, license plate light housings, rear lifts. and a few other items like new floor matts. It does not take long to add up. Some of it I expected, some of it a surprise. Most of it done at home, some of it by an Indy. Its coming up on a year and going strong. Their is always something that could be done.. Plugs, coils, brakes, AOS, come to mind. Trick is to budget. Address the got to's, and set some $ aside for the need to's. In my case I hope it will be in the family for years to come. It's the old adage, live within your means, but 996's IMHO are a supercar that a regular joe can work on and enjoy something that most people won't have the opportunity to.

Maintenance is the key look at the motor and see if things were changed or newer looking I bought my car with 97k and I just replaced everything I could because I want peace of mind and performance upgrades but im into it about $12k with many upgrades some I wanted and others while your in there anyway just do it good luck

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I bought a 48k-mile �99 that did not have a long list of repairs. The car now has 69k-miles, and I had to spend about $7k on tensioner pads and 2 failed solenoids with a fried DME. The reason for the high cost was I had to do the work twice (thanks to an Indy that I stopped trusting because they made too made mistakes chasing an issue). Otherwise, aside from some nice-to-have upgrades, a few track-day costs, a new $2k top, the car has been no-drama. The thing about a long history of receipts on any car is this: how do you know all that money spent was due to preventative maintenance, an owner who wants perfection, or a car that was a basket case? I would buy a high mileage car if I knew for sure all those miles were highway miles. If they are city miles, the car has probably been through too much by 100k or 150k miles for me.

I got a 30k 2000 and I�m sure it�s going to need something that has dried out to some point.

When was the IMS replaced? I would think that all the oil leaking issues are related to a poor job in reassembling the case.

I tend not to look at mileage as much as other potential buyers seem to look at it. For me it's much more about the way a car has been treated. How many owners has it had? What sort of service records are available and what the story do they tell? And so on. But then I buy cars to drive them, not look at them while they sit in a garage. Knowing how my brain works I am certain I would enjoy a low mileage car much less than I do my collection of 'drivers'.

I'm looking at a 99 with 65xxx miles on it. Hoping it's decent but then again it's not like it's a $100k car! I know things will need to be messed with and replaced I just hope it's not $10K worth...LOL

If you go in thinking the worst you can only be surprised if it’s not so bad but really a PPI is essential

A car can lots of services and money put into it and can still be a car someone thrashed. A car with low miles that�s 22k old can driven gently and have its issues. Not so much a crap shoot but more of know what your sighing up for when becoming a owner of one of these cars. PPI can help with a lot but as they say things happen. Problem I�m noticing is these 996 cars are going up in price fast. What was once a 19 or $21,000 996 in needed $6000 to make it happy, is now a $26,000 car and needs 6K to be happy, it starts to get a little wonky

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You can always buy a 997... oh wait never mind. You can always buy a 993... oh wait. My point being, it's still a 911. And if you decide to pay the 993/997 premium, guess what, it is still going to need $6K to make it happy. As I said earlier -- I buy them to drive them. I'm fine with getting a real, honest-to-bob Porsche Nine Eleven at 996 prices. Thrilled in fact.

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I wasn�t focusing my comment on any you made my friend. Just stating something I�ve noticed. I�ve owned a relic 930 and feel this car is every bit in its lineage. My statement, or focus on the statement merely be careful what you buy because the bargain cheap Porsche is never going to be a cheap Porsche. It could have high miles or low miles and it could take a lot of money to bring it back up to prominence. I just don�t think high mileage that�s low money is a safe buy nor is a low mile one. So maybe to summarize spending less money for a high mileage car does not make it as sound of investment by a 75,000 mile car for 30,000 in comparison to 150,000 mile car for 22,000 it�s gonna take $6000 to make it happy

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Didn't think you had. Apologies that you did.

No question a 996 is wonderful thing to own. But in order to win the sale and get a good car what can you do? Assuming $6k is a given, as a buyer how far can you go to confirm if your 996 is sound? - A PPI to include compression test, coolant system and suspension inspection. But who wants to spend $1000 and then walk? Nobody. - Drive the car 100 miles and see if she passes the smell test gut test? - Get under the car and take pictures of everything you can. Look for leaks and wear? - Don�t buy a car sight unseen or far away. Focus on a local car that you can drive and inspect. - Demand to view all maintenance records. In my case I didn�t do any of the above. I violated every one of my new rules. Next time I will know better. But when you are excited to buy a 996 there is a tendency to just buy it and hope for the best.

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i had so many I was gonna buy sight unseen but felt with car like this was just not a solid idea. Hey we could I try our hand at a 928. Was told could put small country in the red if got wrong one

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I guarantee you it will be at least 10k. My 100k mile example had had about 14000 on top of the purchase price in labor and parts. And it's not near complete. Just refreshing the suspension will cost you a big chunk of change. Don't buy a porsche thinking a low purchase price equals low cost of ownership. These are 23 years old now....I don't regret my purchase.

Yep, unless the previous owner did it for you.

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I bought my 99 sight unseen with 90k miles. I really educated myself in these cars internet, you tube etc. I didn�t do a ppi. What I liked about the car was that it was an early car and 42- out of 43 Service records at porsche dealerships. After 11k driven miles most of my money has been spent in performance upgrades. I found a great mechanic and we have become friends. I constantly recommend him, so I�m kind of sort of his brand ambassador. He�s real reasonable when I have to get work done on my car. The 996 coupe I drove it home 1300 miles so I knew right away I had a great driver in my hands. Since this car was sold by a dealership in the state of Wisconsin before I had to sign the paperwork there was an independent mechanic kind of ppi. Oil leak, passenger side window not going all the way down, sunroof issue, clockwork not returning after turn . Got me a $500 discount, also the dealer gave me $500 to go pick up the car. The oil leak was they didn�t put the $2 crush washer, the radio I bought a used amplifier Nokia, and got the code, works great. The window was not set up properly, all has been fixed. So in my opinion it depends on what are paying for the car, what are the issues and if you do or not have a great mechanic to work with. Now if you are buying a project that�s a different story. If you want to work in the car as a hobby that has some additional value to it. Parts are not cheap, come on is a porsche, but you can always shop. Again I bought my 03 turbo sight unseen in April. Great car , in awesome shape, owner had it for 14 years drove it 9k miles. Will I buy another unseen car sure, it depends on all the info I can find about it. I know I have the right mechanic to put it up to date. Now the selling price has to be a deal in my mind, as a few people I have met that pay $15-16k for a higher mileage car and then turn around and spent $16-$18k on them that�s not me. Right now if I sell my car I�ll make money on it. I didn�t bought it to sell it, just to drive and enjoy.

Pay now or pay later. I�ll gladly pay for a car that is tight, rust free, had preventive maintenance and a passionate, knowledgeable seller. Easier to pay up front then explain to significant other the new car needs 5k in work.

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Aside from working on the motor I�m rather surprised how many of those 20 year old bits and pieces I can fix (well, replace) myself. I�m not fast, but I work cheap. This forum, and that accursed YouTube are simply wonderful. You need three things to own and maintain a 996. Time, money and another car.

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@Dagsvik For some I guess... My only car is my 996, if it breaks, it breaks, and I get a rental or use uber. If it REALLY breaks, which is highly unllkely given my UOA and oil change habits, and the engine has to be shipped somewhere for a rebuild, then maybe I would buy another car, but then again, with everything delivered these days and no commute, meh. I don't want to spend money on a 2nd car that could go into the restoration. Which as others in the thread have pointed out, is both extensive and expensive. Anyone who claims otherwise is in denial. The problem with a large # of 996s is that when they were cheap, people bought them and drove them into the ground and then flipped them. So it is a good idea to be picky I think, and spend more on the frontend on a car that you know was garaged and well maintained, and preferably a southern car. The wiring loom issues caused by the chemical makeup of the insulation that was forced on Porsche in the 90s/2000s well, they don't care how careful you were with the car, age is age. OR so I hear

I have two a '99 C4 Tip purchased for 16k at 119k miles and a '99 C2 6 spd purchased for 12k at 144k miles. Both have cost me some $$, but the higher mileage car has cost me less. Maintenance history is part of it, but some of it is bad luck. My C4 is doing its 5th track day this weekend with PCA at Sonoma. What not talked about enough is a new 911 is $120k. That is $2k a month for 5 years. Are they better and faster, yes. In only one month, I have spent $2k (full IMS, RMS on the C4) My cars weigh 3000 lbs and are great to drive. I could still sell them for what I purchased them for. Fried eggs and too much plastic never bother me at 110 mph on the straight away at Laguna or 80 mph on Skyline after a magnificent run up Kings Mountain Road. You could pay a great local mechanic (BR Racing) or the car loan. Get a PPI, know that you will spend money to repair what breaks and PLEASE rent a new BMW from SIXT to remind you that new cars are faster, but have no feel. My 2 cents

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When 3 months turn in to 8.5 years

Happy to see I�m not the only one using a spreadsheet to track costs on my vehicles 😁

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you know In a different thread the 996 prices i was referring to you and your car as a perfect example of a higher mileage well sorted car. I was just guessing but one of my comments was that you had put a ton of money on the car and the selling price of your car in my opinion wasn�t leaving a lot of money to you for what you had spent. Thanks for sharing.

That’s an investment, just think of your list at todays prices!

Yes I love the spread sheet but you left out the price of all the sh*t eating grin you had driving it like me today😎🔥

I paid $30k for a 100k miles well sorted 996.2. I’ve owned multiple 911 air cooled (5)/996 (1)/944 (2)/951 (2)/928 (1)/914 (1) over a lot of years. This 996 replaces my ex-drive-to-the-track e36 M3. When I looked at this car and added up just the cost of the after-market parts... they added up to almost what I paid for the car. Guards limited slip, Accusump, PSS 10’s, every suspension piece you could think of, third radiator, headers, x-pipe, 200 cell cats, deep oil pan, 2 extra sets of rims and tires with individual tire covers (perfect condition), a wall rack for the tires, 2 car covers and much more ...well, you get the picture. I flew in and drove her 1200 miles home. She has about 104k miles on her now. First track weekend is coming up!

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It was the Holiday season of 2020, when I decided to prepare for a sale. The wind was going out of the sail . Investing money in hopes of getting a really good price for the car. Clutch, Water pump, coolant tank etc. Even getting the Oil service at the Porsche Dealership, upgrading to Porsche Classic oil and having Porsche wipers installed at a cost $400 The timing of the listing I think affected the outcome alittle. There was a Black Aero ended shortly before mine, then the Yellow goddess was listed 24 hours before mine ended. But you never really know. I am still getting more items and parts ready to sell, about half have been sold in the last couple weeks.

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Awesome @3/98 911 coupe I love a happy story

@GC996 is another great example of a well-sorted car. Not high mileage, but very well taken care of and driven hard, hard.

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Niko's detail price doubled!

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Thanks Mike. You got a great one as well. Yeah, the 996 likes to be driven. Shift before 6500. Be smooth with all your inputs. Change the oil every 600 miles. And keep all the important stuff such as coils, plugs, fuel injectors, maf fresh and under 5 years old. Car will be a dream to drive and will answer when you call on it. Mike's 996.1 and my 996.2 just hanging out.

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when do we change the oil? Every 600? Or 6000

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Hah. I have changed it over the last 20 years on average every 600 miles. After every track day, before winter and in the spring. Don't like to go longer than 1000 miles on the street. But I am a nut and firmly believe without any solid evidence other than my engine, that the true cause if bore scoring is not changing the oil enough. But a good rule of thumb imho is to at least change it before winter and in the spring. If you are in a warm climate my recomendation would be 2x a year. But i am not an engineer. Just a guy that wants to keep his 996 in top form.

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I change mine once a year when the mileage is low (only 2,000 miles last year), but I should probably do it more often. When I accumulate a lot of miles, more like every 5,000. Or if tracking, fresh oil for track day, and then again after track day. Never longer than a year no matter what of course. Brake fluid every track event before and after or every 2 years minimum.

[Bought 2000 911 996 for 19K with 98k miles. Replaced RMS, IMS, clutch, flywheel, serpentine belt replaced at 86k. 2 new tires. Now has 110k miles. Oil change every 5k miles. Drive 300 highway miles a week, 5 days. Runs like a dream in Georgia. Plugs next. Need right front shock will replace both fronts. Small things repaced. Hope I'm done for a while. Owned 9 months.