Buying a 1998-2001 996

I've been looking at 996.1 cars and the prices and I'm seeing cars in the $10-$15k range. Some appear to be in great cosmetic condition. Does anyone have any advice on the cars. I'm aware of the IMS issues, and that the pre 2000 cars have the dual row bearing which is more reliable. Is waiting for a 2002-2004 car (with the 3.6 and the 3 chain drive engine) worth it? Would love to hear more from current owners on their experiences of buying or owning the cars.

https://rennlist.com/forums/996-forum/809409-list-of-common-faq-fixes-issues-etc.html

https://rennlist.com/forums/996-forum/530215-the-new-official-things-you-didnt-know-about-your-996-thread.html

When planning on buying a 18-20 year old car, especially a hi-po car like a Porsche, mntce documentation (written, not verbal claims) and a professional PPI are essential determinants. No records, no deal. relinuca

Experiences vary. I bought a Craigslist "bring a trailer" 99 (March 98 build). It had a bad ground that ruined the alternator. I spent some money and time tinkering with it and it has been a great car. I have owned it for a year. Paperwork on the car was good, but not a lot of maintenance was needed, or done, on the car. I think it has the original clutch, AOS, etc. I have no regrets. The 996s are still quite inexpensive, even if you figure in some of the typical maintenance items.

That price point seems low. If you get one that cheap, plan on some larger expenses to bring it up to near $17-$20k all-in. I think the 996.1s are cheaper to buy and could be cheaper to run if they have a double-row bearing (that bearing doesn�t necessarily need to be replaced as often). Remember, the 996.2 has all sorts of improvements that I consider �features,� and therefore, command a higher price (larger, more powerful engine, glovebox, steering wheel, rear glass in the cabs, etc). I never wanted to pay more money for those features and wanted an older car that might have been in better condition (mine had 48k miles on it).

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True statement about the price. Pay now or pay later. The only time that is not true is if you buy one that is mis-represented. Some sellers and most dealers lie. You can end up paying now AND paying later. I bought mine inexpensively, but I will have about 18k in it after I do the maintenance and mods that haven't been done yet.

"When planning on buying a 18-20 year old car, especially a hi-po car like a Porsche, mntce documentation (written, not verbal claims) and a professional PPI are essential determinants. No records, no deal." That's probably really good advice. I would have followed it too, if I wasn't one of those instant gratification types. Me? Professional independent PPI? Written maintenance documentation? Hah! No records = better initial acquisition deal. Mine came without an owner's manual, only one key, and mismatched tire brands front to back. I'm building documentation as I go and enjoying the heck out of the car. Can you take the Alfred E. Neuman approach?

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PM me if you're interested in a 99 C2.

Bought a 2001 C2 with 58000 mi and basically no records from a reputable dealer in Atlanta. New top, clean CARFAX, new seat covers, good tires, excellent paint (given year), needed a clutch $20k. For peace of mind, I had the IMSB and RMS replaced with the clutch. Upon inspection, the IMSB looked great...and now looks great on my computer. Radio stinks...heat controls sort of work...drives like a demon! I plan on upgrading to a 997.2 next year, but love my 996. Good Luck in your search.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm in the early stages of looking. Most of the 99-00 cars I find have had around 3-5 previous owners are in the 100k range. Those cars seem older in that they have a mechanical throttle among other things. The 03-04 cars which seem to be a fair bit more modern are in the $25k range which is outside my budget. I should mention that this is not going to be a daily driver, and it will probably be street parked (lack of parking), and that I am also looking at Boxsters (which in my opinion have a charm of their own)

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The only reason I sold my Boxster S and have a 911 is because of the rear seats (my kids). Otherwise, the Boxster is preferred because it�s smaller, lighter, mid-engined, has 2 trunks, and costs less. See if you can find a 2000 S and test drive it.

Just a heads up, I have a 2001 12/00 built date which has a dual row bearing, so don't rule out all 2001s.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I don't really need the rear seats, so from that perspective your suggestion to go with a Boxster may make more sense. In the meantime I'll keep reading up on the M96 motors, the IMS bearing, and things to watch for when looking for a 986 or 996

Found a clean looking 996 locally. It's a 1999 with around 80k miles, a few previous owners, but the last owner had the car for a few years and really looked after it and has most of the service history. Cosmetically, it's clean. Not much leather on the drivers seat, and only one dimple on the bodywork. I'm debating whether to have a PPI performed, or whether I should walk away. Any thoughts and suggestions?

A responsible prior owner is important with these cars. I bought one that was at the end of a 3rd party warranty, 10yr owner with consistent service & have been happy. The cars drive great, so find one with a healthy drivetrain and enjoy it.

It sounds good, on the surface. A PPI from a qualified shop is the best money you will spend.

My 2001 C2 had a dual row IMS...replaced at 90K mile and showed no play or wear......at 105K miles now and the car has been very reliable...

I bought a 2001 996 Coupe Tip a year ago and it's been a great daily driver. That said, I did have to spend about $7k in old-age related updates/fix-its and repairs to make it reliable (including IMS/RMS). And now I'm moving on towards nice-but-not-necessary performance upgrades such as a double-din radio and air intake systems. If you go for this model, and you purchase one below $15k, I'd budget a lot for repair work. Old rubber, old hoses, old joints all add up to potentially expensive work. Find a reliable technician or learn to do it yourself - either way, I love tinkering and playing with the car to make it my own, so every piece of work done has been enjoyable. Fingers crossed on your end.

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You don't mention whether you'll be doing your own work or not... It'll make a BIG difference in your maintenance costs. I'm not trying to scare you but, these are things you should take into account. Just one example - and I've been pretty fortunate. I bought my car (my '99) with 135,000 mi. on it. It was a well cared for daily driver with 3 previous owners (the last owner only had it for 8 months and roughly 4000 mi.). My car never broke down, so I wasn't forced into doing any mechanical work . This being said, so far (over the last 3.5 years) I've done...1) suspension - about $2200 in parts - I did the work, as is the case with all the following as well. Center Radiator, low temp thermostat - $650 in parts. IMS Solution, cam chains and pads, water-pump, new serpentine belt, a few cooling hoses, AOS, Clutch, manual trans. oil, associated hardware etc... approx $4k parts, tools etc... Brakes - Rotors and pads, new parking brake cables - approx. $600. Totally elective work - Numeric shifter and cables - approx $ 900. There are lots of other little things including but not limited to: wheel center caps ($200) assorted tools (electrical connector removal tools, various connectors, non-marring plastic rivet removal tools, etc... - none of these things are crazy expensive, but they're necessary and everything adds up). Wheels re-finished - $approx - $800. Add in 4 oil changes at approx $150 ea. and I'm right around $10k - averages out to around $3k per year not counting labor (I like to look at this as I'm paying myself the labor ) - I figure if someone else was doing the work, it would be at least 2X as much and most likely more, as all mechanics either A) break stuff while they're working which you wind up paying for to fix or B) Up sell with things the you may as well fix "while I'm in here"... Good luck, and make sure you go into this with your eyes open... PPI ! Oops, forgot tires...throw another $900 (Michelin PSS 18") on there...

I'm also searching for a 911, I initially wanted a 996.2, why this model? They redesign the varioCam to the Plus which deleted the chain pad. If this pad gets warned out, you have to tear your motor apart to replace them. In addition, this model has glove box, better looking steering wheels, some upgraded interior, headlights and the big 3.6L engine is a HUGE plus. Yes they have smaller IMS bearing but I think all 996 should have them replace just for peace of mind. IMO the Boxster are ugly and they are the lesser Porsche. Why not get the flagship 911 if you can?

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Why walk away? These are the cars to look for. If the previous owner had it a few years and did a good job on maintenance it will save you quickly 4-6k$ in future maintenance bills. I don�t care much for the Mk1 versus Mk2 debate. In engine power there is not much of a difference and the Mk1 compensate the extra 20HP with less weight. As with every iteration of a German car, each is a bit better then the previous but honestly I don�t see much difference between an early 996 until Mk1 997. They are all great cars. A buddy of mine came over the other day with his C4S, looked at my car and really liked it, even the headlights. So there it is, get a great car that you will enjoy! If you are debating buying a 15k or an 18k car, walk away from a 911. Or buy a 8k Boxter so you have 10k in your pocket to spend on maintenance if needed.