Looking at a 996 C4 Cab

I'm a long time Porsche enthusiast and I'm currently shopping for a 996 C4 Cab. I've come across a wide array of cars -- mostly looking at Porsche dealers' used car inventories. Is there anything I should be wary of in shopping for an '01 vs. an '02 (996.2) model...or newer? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, -Eric

There were a number of substantial upgrades from '01 to '02 such as moving from a plastic rear window to a glass rear window, adding a cup holder, adding a glove box, adding about 20 hp, etc. If you stick with a dealer, you are going to pay a hefty markup. Try giving Phil Cracco a call over at Weissach Autohaus (google him). He specializes in selling used Porsche's, is extremely knowledgable and is fair priced and if he doesnt' have what you are looking for, he can help you find it. He also has some great articles on his website. As for a PPI, there are a number of good places to go, depending where in CT you are. I myself purchased ann '02 911 C4 cab from him not too long ago and couldn't be happier. Last but not least, stay away from Porsche of Fairfield as they are extremely overpriced. Good luck!

Rpolin turned me on to Phil as well and Phil is a great guy and a wealth of information. Hopefully he can find me a 02 or newer 996 non cab, Sue what dealers are you looking at, do they have any coupes moderately priced?

Thanks for the heads-up on Fairfield and Phil! I also live in Fairfield County so I reached out to Porsche of Fairfield about a couple of cars on their website. I'm not committed to buying from a dealer specifically. I'd just like to be able to find some comfort behind the sale -- buying from a business that knows Porsches (like Weissach) strikes me as being marginally safer than looking to Craigslist, eBay or your typical classified section in terms of knowing what you're getting. I know there's no "sure thing" when it comes to buying a used car but I'm hoping that a business selling on its reputation might bring a little more to the table in this area. That said, I'm admittedly new to used car sales which is why I'm posting for advice here. I really appreciate the heads up. Any suggestions on a place for PPI in the area would definitely be appreciated as well! -Eric P.S. I haven't yet ventured to the dealers yet -- my search has been online only so far. I just started calling around the other day and my focus has been on C4 Cabs so I haven't really noticed any pricing on coupes. I'll keep my eyes open though.

As for Porsche of Fairfield being expense, just to give you an idea. They had an '01 911 C4 Cab originally listed for $38k, where they swore they had multiple bidders on and i think now its down to $31k and still sittting on their lot. The interior looks pretty worn and I think it still is a few thousand dollars overpriced. Generally i have found them to be overpriced big time on their used cars and their used car warranty's (Non-CPO's) are not worth the cash. They are nice guys there but for the extra money you would spend at a dealer, you are just throwing good money away as you would still want to get a PPI done anyway. As for a PPI, if you are in Fairifield County, i happen to like the guys in Fairfield called Fairfield County Motorsport. They are right by the Fairfield Train Station. They may not come off as the most warm and fuzzy when you talk to them but they are excellent at what they do, really know their stuff and are reasonably priced, porsche speaking that is, if there is such a thing. They primarily work just on Porsche's as you will see if you ever go by their shop. There's also another shop up in Oxford, CT called Daniel Jacobs although i have not personally dealt with them and there's also Musante Motorsports up in South Windsor. Good luck and don't be afraid to test drive a lot before you make the final decision. I love mine and can't drive it enough. Here's to wishing for 12 months of sunny warm weather with the top down in CT

I bet that $31K car was the one I mentioned in my message! It looks great in the tiny pictures they've got on their site but they also have a comparably priced '02 C2 Cab which says a lot. The salesman I spoke to when I called was very nice but he did say that their '02 C2 Cab is in much better condition. I don't need or want a "well worn" car and while my heart wants something today, the fact is, I'm not in any rush. I'll take my time and wait for the right car. -Eric

Having spent the past few weekends driving to see 996 coupes for sale with a 150 mile radius of my area--I know well the tension between patience and prudence when it comes to Porsche buying! FYI: it is not unusual to find MY99/00/01 996s that have had their engines replaced with MY05 or newer 3.6L (a.k.a. "reman") m96. You wil want to make sure that you undertand the ramifications of a replaced motor.

Just curious but do you know if any of the Porsche or 911 specific sites maintain descriptions of the options/packages available each MY year? Edmunds and similar sites aren't very helpful. I've come across a number with the Technic Package and then some with an Adv. Technic Package. I'm just wondering what the differences are when I read through the options lists on all of the cars. -Eric