Advice on buying our first 996

My wife and I were discussing possibly buying a 996. A quick look in our Florida edition of Autotrader has found many 1999 996s with Aero packages that look really sharp, in the mid to low 30's range. I know there have been issues with RMS leaks in the 996s and there have been some changes made to later model years that would make them more desirable. Would like any tips on what to look for in a 996. We tend to keep our cars for awhile and enjoy them. I do all maintenance work on our cars. Any 996 models that would hold their value better than others? GT3s and TTs a bit out of our price range, at least at the moment. Really not into Cabs either. And has Porsche finally come up with a real cure for RMS problems? Thanks in advance, Constantine

Constantine, Depending on your budget I would really try to get a 2002+ model. There were numerous changes to the interior and exterior that I believe make the car more desirable. Also, really get a PPI done on the car, and if possible buy from a dealer if you're not a savvy about what to look for in a private party sale. Good luck!! Robert

A 99 with aero for 30's sound like a great price to me. As Riad had mentioned the 02's had significant changes, but at the same time will be pricier. Yes, RMS seals have been improved over time, but it is a trivial issue that should'nt be a big factor in deciding which model year to buy. The 99's have depreciated a lot and therefore may NOT depriciate much more, so that will be the best choice as far as holding value. No, Porsche has'nt found a real cure for our motor. Do a PPI before any purschase, other than that there is nothing specific that comes to mind. Good luck.

I agree, PPI is a must and worth the peace of mind. There are loads of 996's out there in the low $30's. Don't buy the high price pristine car, buy the one with a few extra miles and maybe a small ding. You can discount more for those and you will enjoy driving your car more. It's easy to get **** with these cars and you can find yourself not wanting to drive it because it's raining or a bad neighborhood or crummy parking or the miles are destroying the value and on and on. A not quite perfect car will change your mind set and you will want to drive it alot, so what, the value won't go down much. If you store your car for 1/2 the year it is more palatable to have a smaller investment sitting there waiting for spring. Caution: These cars can become addictive, Beware

I agree with Robert get a 02+ and have a PPI done. Missmy993 also makes an excellent point. The P-car was made to be DRIVEN!

PPI is good advice. Also look for full service history, paint work that can't be explained with documents and a color/options you want. I have '99 996s and I'm very happy. I disagree on getting 02+ but I will admit I'm biased. An 02+ didn't make sense for me from a value point of view and depreciation is hitting those very hard because of the 997 (which by the way is also becoming available used). 996 was sold in Europe from late 1997 onwards so by the time they got to the States (in late 1998 as a 1999 model), the first updates had already been done. RMS leaks are an issue for all 996s (including 02+) and chances are the cars you look at will have RMS replaced at least once. RMS has negatively effected the reputation on 996s but compared to 993s and 964s which had more serious issues (valve guides and headleaks respectively), an RMS is cheap to do ($1000 vs triple that for 993/964 problems). Good luck, take your time in finding the right car for you.

get a 99 and upgrade the fenders, bumper and headlight to a 02-04 cost you about 5K for the upgrade and the rest interiorwise is about the same....okay so you don't have a glove compartment ( I don't wear gloves anyway) and there might be a couple of modifications (steeringwheel etc) BUT an 02 will also be around 50K....

Thanks everyone! Good information from a group that seems to be really into these cars. A little surprised at the responses for the 99 996s, so we will keep them on our list. Will be looking forward to joining the 996 group soon. Constantine

Constantine, I think the best thing you can do is to spend some time reading this forum. The guys here are generally very smart, knowledgable and nice. Take lots of test drives as well. In addition to getting PPI, get an extended warranty and join PCA for discounts on parts. I got a 7year 72k extended warranty on my 01 c2 for $1,800 from carmax. I did end up paying more for the car, but ended up with some peace of mind.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the 99's. The model year much maligned for really no reason and does not deserve the bad reputation. You just have to know that there are some significant differences from even the 00-01 cars. Interior, e-gas, the ability to have PSM and some others. My thoughts on buying a used Porsche are somewhat different than some of the advice you have received here. Obviously whatever you decide to buy get it inspected by a qualified mechanic/shop and be thorough with what you want them to inspect prior to the inspection and the cost for such an inspection. While cost and price are very important to me (which is one reason I have always bought used Porsches) I don�t like to price shop for a Porsche. I have found you get what you pay for. You need to determine what is important to you and how you will drive the car. I also don�t think low mileage necessarily equates to a better car nor a better taken care of car. Prioritize the options and the model year want (within reason considering your budget). Then look for the car with what you want and then negotiate the best deal on the car you want. If you look at cars based on price first I think you will end up either getting a car that does have what you want on it or getting a car that may not be in the best condition. Pay particular attention to possible expensive maintenance items that have been delayed or are looming in the near future (tire condition, brakes, major services, etc.). Good luck in your search.

Thank you for your thoughts Rayng and Brian! Currently on the prowl and from the responses above I am more comfortable with getting a 996. I have been haunting this list for awhile and have gleaned a lot of information. Time to really dig in and get to know what I'm after. Thanks again, Constantine

I agree. I have a 02 996TT and was looking for a track car or something for DE. I recently picked up a 99 C2 and could not be happier with it. Could not see the extra value of the 02 for the big increase in price. From a pure value standpoint it's hard to beat the 99's.

I have a MY99 and love it. Best value for the buck out there if you do a bit of research and buy a well inspected car.

I bought a '99 996 in 2003 and it has been great. Just check for the usual problems...RMS, Coolant Tank, Seat Belt/ABS light trigger.

Run a Carfax and make sure they are clean. Check for all the decals on the doors, door jams, bumpers and especially the options decal under the trunk lid. Make sure it has the books and service records. It should have 2 keys with remotes and an emergency key. These are the basics. There is no point in going further to look at the mechnical condition if the history is not good to start with. If they don't have the books, keys or records; then why not and where are they? Always walk away from cars the dealers talk about how great the car drives, but are reluctant to have you drive.

my 99 c2 has had only minor problems - the irritating airbag light/seat buckle issue being the most expensive and oddly not covered by Porsche extended warrentee. I researched extensively prior to purchase (and my neighbors own 993 and 964s) and I came to conclusion that 99 was underpriced relative to market (and overly maligned). If reliability is an issue in your purchase decison, 996 (or 997) is your car. Our 98 camry has cost more in repairs! If you can afford an 02, defintely go for it, but if you can only afford a 99, do not be overly concerned. Good luck, whatever your decision.

I bought a '99 C4 cab with 47k last November. I drove it through a Chicago winter (with blizzaks) and have put 10,000 trouble-free miles on it so far. I bought it on the condition of a clean PPI and couldn't be any happier. I am happy to use my 100th post telling you that it dosen't burn or drip a drop of oil. I like the '02 improvements, but you cannot beat a '99 for the price. Jeff

Great to hear about all this good news about the 1999s! I'm wondering if this is even surprising to some on this forum. Has anyone dealt with Custom Motors of South Florida? They have some really nice looking 996s for sale and they say they are the wholesalers for Champion. Really tempting 996s and from my limited conversation with them they put on factory aero kits in house and also go through the car and replace the RMS before they are sold. Will also replace the brake pads if they are worn more than 50%. Sounds pretty good! Constantine

I have a stupid noob question. Why does it have to have 2 keys? I have had keys break or come apart in the past.

Me too! I bought a 99 C4 with 48k on it a couple of months ago. It is a lot of car for the money. No problems and it is a daily driver for me. Just make sure you take your time and buy a good one. The only problem I have is why I didn�t get one sooner.

I also have a 99 Carrera 4 and I looove it Ciao, Adrian.

Adrian drives a 996!!! Since when?

slooowwly but surely we're conquering the 993 crowd!

There is an outfit in FL flooding the market with 99 and 00 996's with their piece by piece non factory aero kits, mix and match, and knock off wheels. Be careful, you get what you pay for. Not all aeros are the same. Have a Porsche shop inspect. Beware of the fresh paint etc. Real full aero cars that have not been whacked go for a lot more than low to mid $30k's. A good aero will cost $40k and up. Good luck.

Since I bought one Ciao, Adrian. PS: I have never owned a 993.

Was PSM available in MY99? If not when did it become available as an option and/or as a standard feature?

Yes, but an option. Ciao, Adrian.

Not to hijack someone else's thread, but... I'm also in the market for a '99. This will be my first P-car, and I intend it to be a daily driver, and to last a good long while. Aside from the RMS, coolant tank, seat belt/ABS light trigger issues, how reliable are the 99s? Is a PPI best done by a Porsche dealer, or is there an alternate source that folks out there would recommend (I'm in Chicago)?

Constantine, I am in the same boat as you were, or maybe still are... Looking for a nice 996. If you haven't bought already, you should know that for the 2000 model year the 996 got a new engine (M96/04), still a 3.4 litre but majorly revised. For the 2002 model year the N/A cars received their 3.6 litre with a mild increase in power and torque. Major noticeable difference though is the headlight assemblies. But if you know your Porsche racing history you'd recognize that the short-lived but winning 904 race car is where Posche got the idea for the original 996 headlights. The main reason for the 02 headlights was to help distinguish the front end from the Boxster. But the 02 headlights have no racing heritage. Last I checked, Porsche was a race car company that also sells road cars.

You should be aware that a Porsche is basically a striped car and everything is an option. Make sure that you understand what options you want on the car as you shop. Some can be added later, but some can't. Not sure what was available on the '99, but some items like PSM can't be added later; Litronics can, but not with the factory self leveling feature. From the sales '02 brochure: ...headlight system derived from the 911 Turbo. More discreet is the careful reshaping of the front and rear fenders, bumpers and air dam. The result is 25% less lift in the front and 40% less lift at the rear for improved high speed stability.... Reinforcements to the body structure have resulted in a 25% increase in torsional rigidity for crisper response and enhanced agility. The standard 17" wheels weigh almost eight pounds less than the previous design, while the optional 18" wheels are lighter by over 24 pounds. The front air ducts have been reshaped to increase the flow of cooling air to the radiators by 15%" You also get 20 more HP, a glove box, better cup holders and a glass rear window in the cab. I test drove a number of cars and spent a few $$ more for an '02. You could definitely tell the difference when you drive them back to back

I would like to know if early Carrera 98 or 99 have the Traction control as standard, or even that was an extra. I know that PSM was an optional during the whole life of 996 Carrera and 996 Targa. Carrera 4 had PSM as standard since first day it was produced Who can tell it to me?

I researched the 996s for nearly 2 years which included 15 months of looking. I bought a '99 nearly 4 years ago, knowing about the potential issues of early cars and all the improvements and differences in all the 996 line. I stick by my decision, love my '99 and would do it again. In many ways I perfer the '99, such as light weight, mechanical throttle, quick reving motor with great throttle response. I do all my own work as well and get to know all my vehicles. Good luck

I love the way the 99 looks with the aerokit. It can be argued that it looks better than an '02+ narrowbody with aero bits.

Traction control was not standard for '98 and '99. And don't you have to have egas (2000 and later) before you can have PSM?

Good Luck in your search! There are many good responses already, but here's my experience- I agree with bet- the 99's are much maligned, for whatever reason. Ignore it; do your own research. Take your time, read up on this list and others, and you'll know the right car when you find it. Make use of the search feature; there's a wealth of information here, and many very knowledgeable owners. A PPI is a must, of course. Complete service records should carry a LOT of weight in your decision. I spent over a year researching my first Porsche purchase, and bought a 99 996. It's an awesome car. Turns out the previous owner is also a Rennlister. You'll read many "horror stories" on the RMS issue, and some of the 996's from all the model years have had that particular problem. That doesn't mean you can't find one that doesn't have RMS issues. I have a friend who has a 99 with 68K on it, and he has not had any RMS issues either. I bought mine with 46.5K on it, and it's still bone dry. You will have to eventually replace the coolant expansion tank, if it hasn't been done already- that a when, not an if. The market values of 996's are currently too good to ignore, IMHO. I originally was looking for a 3.2 G50 Carrera, and ended up with a 996. Why? Comfort, reliability, , age, price (bang for the buck), and horsepower. I found my coupe for well under 30K. There's a bunch of them out there!

I too love my 99 996. I am at 70k miles and other than needing to replace my tiptronic tranny because the fluid level was way underfilled by an independent tech, the car has been great. From the records I have, the only work on the car appears to be the tranny, and a couple 02 sensors a few years back. Oh yeah, I too had to replace the coolant tank (diy for about $200). One bit of advice: drive a lot of different cars. I found that there was a vast difference in how car drove and "felt," even when they had comporable features and mileage. You can definately tell the ones that have not been babied. There are good ones out there, and you really can't beat the price point for a 99. Good luck.

I have a 99 C2 with 82,000 miles on it now and no problems. Never had a RMS issue, but the seatbelt sensor and coolant tank were replaced under warranty. I would not hesitate to buy my car again, especially at the deflated prices that seem to be in place now. I toyed with the idea of trading mine in, but trade in prices are so low, it just doesn't make any sense. Now is the time to buy a 99, prices will most likely not go much lower very fast.

1999 model year cars were available with the combination of #220 locking differential, #224 active brake differential, and #222 traction control system. I believe that later model cars did not offer all three. My car has them. For sale on autotrader: http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...ice=&cardist=2

Had to say hello, Adrian. I'm an 82SC owner and have your "911SC " book, which i've read and found very helpful. I'm also looking at an 01 996 C4 right now--low miles and dealer certified--they've replaced the RMS. Hope that isn't a bad omen. SCs and 996s are apples and oranges...so to speak. The 996 would be more of an everyday car.