43 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHHow do I determine the value of a used 996?
Leading reported evidence
Check ims
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
He checked the IMS to be sure when he was the gearbox came out.
Leading evidence: 'Check ims' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Check ims' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
He replaced the clutch and checked the IMS bearing swap, etc.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
He replaced the clutch and checked the IMS bearing swap, etc.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
There are a lot of 996 owners out there that THINK they have taken great care of the car, but they dont even know about the IMS or borescoring, and have changed the oil with 0w-40 every 10k just like Porsche told them to, (which equates to every 18 months) and they drive it to the ice cream shop once every 3 weeks and it never even warms up, etc, etc....But they run it through the automatic car wash once a month and rotate the tires every 5k!
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
Also check the value through Hagerty and other sites (e.g.
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
A good PPI (~$500-$700) will tell you a lot of things, some good, mostly bad, or if not bad, just lots of $$$ parts need replacing or repair of some sort.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
43 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261026T120458Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
Hello, I am looking at a 1999 Porsche 911 (996.1) and would love to get some feedback on how to value it before I buy.
For context, my neighbor is a good family friend we’ve known for 10 years or so and he has worked on all of our cars for most of that time. He is a brilliant man and very caring.
I recently have taken up an interest in cars and he offered me the 911 that he had given his son during college. He says that it “needs no work” and that he’ll give it to me for $16.5k.
This model is just the Carrera, not the Carrera 4. It is a convertible with a hard top replacement. The soft top has a foot-long horizontal tear near the top of the rear vinyl window. Other than that, the car is in fantastic condition. The seat upholstery is cracked and may warrant replacing.
Hagerty puts the 911 996.1 at around a 15-20k valuation depending on mileage, and this car is at around 140k.
Is 16.5k worth it? It seems like a good price. I trust him when he says the car needs no work, and I know he’d help me out if there truly was something wrong. Would appreciate any advice on the situation. Thanks in advance!
EDIT:
From the comments, it seems like the price is right on the 'fair' line. Our neighbor is my dad's friend, and by proxy mine as I got older, and he is trustworthy. After reaching out to him he:
Showed me the IMS fix documentation
Showed me all the invoices for the work done on the car
Swapped in a new battery
Disclosed past work of
Adding CarPlay
Oil change a couple months ago
Performance exhaust
Disclosed the necessary work of
New perspex needed for the hard-top
New passenger seat belt needed
Given the car has been cared for, mechanically, under him, I think it's safe to make the assumption that it's probably not going to blow up a few months after buying it.
Regarding money, I have Nvidia stock I wanted to offload in my taxable brokerage account, and I am in a good spot for retirement, so I do not need to hold off. It's not a cheap car, but it's also not an expensive car. Most people in this thread have warned me against the hidden costs that come from negligence, but according to him that is not the case.
I appreciate all the constructive input! I will reply to this post once I've bought it!
Is it a manual or auto transmission? Also, it �needs nothing� except a new $3000 soft top.
I don�t know if I would buy this kind of car from a friend. Will you feel angry at this person if you spend $16.5k on the car and it blows up tomorrow, either requiring a $30k rebuild or just to sell it as a part out or a roller? Not that it�s necessarily likely, but if you want this car you need to get a very detailed list of what all work was done on it and when to determine whether this car will be a strong performer or just a bucket of expensive deferred maintenance.
Don�t do it. Not worth it. You can find clean low mileage coupe manual examples for not a whole lot more. Go look at cars and bids to see recent 996 auctions
I would avoid this car as the others said.
'Needs no work' at 27 years old and 140k miles should warrant a great collection of parts receipts for suspension, bushings, mounts, consistent fluid services, water pump, plugs, coils, cam dev, IMS/RMS/AOS. Not to mention wear items, clutch, tires. New upholstery can also run in the four figures along with replacement trim if needed. 996 values have risen a lot in recent years because they really are fantastic. Buy the well looked after car, not the 'needs some love' car for just a few grand less. Good luck!
Have a PPI done on the car (pre-purchase inspection). I disagree with the others and think the price is fair if the PPI is satisfactory. An automatic will be worth $3K - $5K less and not nearly as much fun to drive. I sold mine earlier this year. There is a ton of price history on the Bring-a-Trailer website. Also check the value through Hagerty and other sites (e.g. Cars and Bids). Get a carfax report and ask for maintenance documentation. Good luck. Report back.
@Ocean Blue
@Humble911
@Major Dash
@bmchan
Wow thank you guys for the helpful replies! I very much appreciate it.
It is a manual. I do see y'alls points. The wear and tear of the last 27 years will call for some maintenance and on a Porsche it isn't cheap. Not to mention the IMS/RMS/AOS stuff. However I can't seem to find a 911 996.1 at this price, they all exceed $23k.
Here's what my dad says: we know the car has been maintained well because it's been in our friend's care for a few years. However, I should still ask about sudden costs that will come up like the clutch needing to be replaced which could be a really unfortunate blow, and attempt to get some help with the car either initial price-wise or labor-wise.
I will be meeting up with him again soon and I can ask him more questions about the maintenance, and ask about the wear and tear as well as the big scary IMS/RMS/AOS stuff. I will ask to get a PPI as well, talk about the price, and will let y'all know what he says!
Thanks again!
Respectfully disagree.
Clean low mileage 996.1 manual coupes are twice the price of the one he�s looking at.
Of course our definition of clean, low mileage and �not a whole lot more� could be different.
OP, You�re looking at the wrong car if the cost of replacing the clutch would be a �really unfortunate blow�.
Buy an S2000 or Miata.
I just mean I don't want to spend excess money. However, everyone, good news. He replaced the clutch 3 months ago, the IMS work was done by the last owner (documentation included), and a ton of work has been put into this car. He checked the IMS to be sure when he was the gearbox came out. He also added CarPlay, the last owner did at least $50k of maintenance over the 18 years he had it, and it has a $4k performance exhaust.
He says it will need a new perspex for the hard top, and maybe the belt buckle needs to be replaced. Other than that he says it is in good condition.
At $16500, and nothing's leaking and sounds good I would go for it. Don't let armchair mechanics scare you. Funny how some people seem to think they know everything about 996's when 97% know nothing. I would recommend doing your due diligence. Is there anything leaking, any service history, take a look at the drivers side exhaust tip, is it sutty? Has it had a cam deviation done? IMS/RMS? how does it drive. Understand that the car has 140k on it and will need some maintenance no matter what the seller says....struts, bushings, etc. eventually, but knowing that going in you shouldn't be surprised. If you like the car buy it.....and enjoy it.
If the seats are shot and the top is torn, then it hasn't been maintained. Buyer a car where the owner has avoided high dollar repairs likely indicates that a bunch of not so obvious work will be needed. That being said, if bore scope comes back clean, $10-12k might give you more buffer
I happen to agree with EVERONE here, even the ones with opposite opinions.
What I think is that if wasting $25k will be upsetting/devastating to you, a 996 is the wrong car.
A car is not an investment, it is to get from point A to point B , but some can do that in VERY exciting and Fun ways !!!!!!! ........
His son is older now so he was moving and is setting up for a family, which is why he doesn't have it anymore. As for the seats, the upholstery is really not that bad. It's just surface-cracking a little bit, no deep gashes where you can see the foam. The mechanic father isn't one to care about vanity so he really just keeps the engine healthy. He replaced the clutch and checked the IMS bearing swap, etc. but he doesn't care about the existing tear in the rear window or seats that are a little cracked.
I think I will go ahead and buy the car. However, first, I'll talk to him in person a bit more to come to a more sure conclusion.
Only you know your comfort level with making this kind of purchase. If you like the car, the owner and feel good about it that's all you should need. Not talking about a lot of money for a porsche that seems to have been looked after.
There are a lot of 996 owners out there that THINK they have taken great care of the car, but they dont even know about the IMS or borescoring, and have changed the oil with 0w-40 every 10k just like Porsche told them to, (which equates to every 18 months) and they drive it to the ice cream shop once every 3 weeks and it never even warms up, etc, etc....But they run it through the automatic car wash once a month and rotate the tires every 5k!
If you have already made up your mind to buy it, no opinions or advice here count for anything.
If top is ripped, then you are basically getting a goofy looking coupe. Perhaps the top has not been raised in years, does it even work anymore? Cab hydraulics are complicated and expensive, big doses of both. A coupe totally avoids all of those issues and expenses. On IMS, depending on what it is, maybe good, or failing, who knows? Jake Raby says it goes either way, just chance.
A good PPI (~$500-$700) will tell you a lot of things, some good, mostly bad, or if not bad, just lots of $$$ parts need replacing or repair of some sort. Like replace front suspension pieces, coffin arms, links, etc. How about coolant tank? The 996.1 version is expensive and difficult to get out/in. Take off bumpers, clean rads, condensers, find emergency pulls, and so on. Tire ages? Brake rotors wear condition, close to limit? Nuts & bolts, it is not a Mona Lisa. Can you do any of these tasks?
Another possible issue if the car turns into a Giant Can of Worms, resentment against former owner, blah, blah, blah, and a prized friendship is gone. Something to think about. Just thoughts.
YMMV
It sounds like it might be a decent vehicle based on this info. However, you should still take it to a Porsche specialist to get a PPI before purchasing. It will give you a baseline of what, if anything, should be repaired and potentially a cost for those repairs.
Poor guy is going to have a sad entry to Porsche if he just goes and buys it.
make sure to check if these services were complete - spark plugs, coils, spark plug tubes, water pump, thermostat, coolant refresh, serp belt, motor mounts, trans mount, suspension bushings, fuel filter, trans oil, motor oil. Nice to have would be service of the RMS, IMS, AOS, clutch.
I would be more onboard for the price if the top wasn�t torn and interior was more pristine. But it�s not. And will be an additional expense along with the services required above (easily $10k in mechanical service alone.)
How much financial cushion do you have? I have a 99 that I recently picked up, even with only 36000 miles, there's still age-related issues to deal with. I knew this type of stuff going in, but some of the bigger items (IMS, Cam guides) had been replaced. Here's just a few examples
Headlights needed to be cleaned up, oops the whole insulation jacket crumbled - need to get new harnesses.
Windshield cowl can use a restore, the brittle retaining house broke off. Time to either superglue or buy a new part
I'm not saying don't do it. I took the leap, hopefully you can do most of the work yourself. Good luck
Keep in mind that if you don't work on cars yourself, it won't take much for a crusty $16k 996 to become a crusty $30k 996 (I assume your neighbor doesn't work for free). It really doesn't make any sense to buy a used-up money pit when a great, low-miles 996 costs less than a new Miata.
I sold a "Heavily Modified 930" to a friend. You could almost call it a 935, I did
Everything
I knew to that car - monster engine, suspension, 935 brakes, safety, wheels, tires, Le Mans stuff,, etc. He is/was a mechanical engineer, lotsa diplomas and smarts, as they say. He called me up and said it wouldn't start. OK, so I went over there and looked at the car. I checked this and that, looked at lights and so on. I told him to go get 2 gallons of gas and put it in the car. He did. Tried to strart car, it fired instantly. I said, pay attention to what the car tells you. Walked away.
End of story. He never called me again. A lost friendship, but it happens at times.
YMMV
Good luck with the purchase.
Start a 996 bank account. It will eventually cost you roughly $10-15k for engine/cooling/power steering refresh items, $8-10k for suspension, $8-10k for exhaust, and another $10k plus for interior and exterior refresh.
The 996 is definately worth it. Just go in with your eyes wide open. You can cut the cost in half if certain items have already been done and you are able to DIY.
Nothing better than a well sorted 996.
I think others said that before, but I think if you are doing DIY repairs yourself, it will be a good buy for sure. If you have to take it to Porsche for every single repair, it will bankrupt you. Good thing is there are plenty videos on youtube on how to do most of those repairs yourself.
Exactly my train of thought. The point of this car is to buy a nice car I can enjoy and keep
alive with my own two hands. Not send off to some Porsche mechanic nut to fix at a 1000% upcharge. I know the labor is no easy task but I like to think I�m competent enough to learn.
Bought my 2000 C2 TIP on BAT and owned it for 5 years. No PPI, no maintenance history with 50K miles. Did required maintenance only (oil etc.). Definitely fun cars but too fragile IMHO. I'm looking at BMW Z4's now. They don't have all of these break points that the 996 has. Go for it and good luck!
These cars are well built and serviceable, with great aftermarket and DIY/community support. Easier to work on than more contemporary options, and not much of a reliability/performance penalty vs anything older.
If you take pride and joy in in depth maintenance (and have the time to do so) they are a good option.
My background is as a VW/Audi guy that has built and raced a few BMWs and serviced my domestic trucks.
^^^THIS
The 996 is a very durable car and the M96 engine is a very strong and durable engine that is easy to bullet proof and service. Can't figure out why many owners choose not to do this.
Maybe some owners look at a porsche like its a toyota and choose not to properly service and maintain the car because it will cost them money. Its almost a badge of accomplishment to some not to spend any money on the car. Quite frankly I dont get it.
My guess is many have never truly "driven" the car to its limit to understand and appreciate its engineering and capabilities. Dunno.
But they are missing out on one of the greatest ownership and driving experiences.
Apologies for those who have been waiting to see the car, I've been busy with life in general lately. Anyways, I got the car and it's amazing. Of course, I have a couple problems but nothing too bad. Here she is!
no one mentioned options and how they might affect value or at the least desirability.. that has sport design wheels and Aerokit side sills and front bumper and some kind of baby rear spoiler that I�m unsure if it�s factory.. the label under the hood or in the owners manual will have a bunch of three letter/number codes that are the cars birth certificate so to speak.. you can search google and it will tell you your options .. then you know what you have.. I�m not a huge fan of a cab but I�d sport that one around it�s a good looking car.. is in plain black or metallic?
