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Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCH2001 C4S with 134,000 miles. What would you do?
Leading reported evidence
Replace six years ago
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
The car was hit at slow speed in the rear and had the bumper replaced six years ago.
Leading evidence: 'Replace six years ago' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Check debris and scope the bores' (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.
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
Solution is permanent, Retro will most definitely need to be replaced with 50k miles on it.
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Suggestion
Important: Start with testing the oil and then drop oil pan, check for debris and scope the bores.
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.
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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.
23 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.
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Generation: 20261026T105141Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
I could really use a sanity check from you guys. I�m looking at a very, very well cared for, two owner C4S Tiptronic that�s for sale. After two 6 speed 996 C2s in a row I�m ready for the simplicity of driving a Tiptronic.
The car has new tires, lots of maintenance records, has been with the current owner for ten years and 100,000 miles, IMS was done 50k miles ago, and he�s gotten all the work done at a Porsche dealer and a Porsche specialty shop. The car was hit at slow speed in the rear and had the bumper replaced six years ago.
so ball park. What�s it worth if a PPI comes back clean?
Have you ever driven a triptonic?? This is not a modern efficient transmission, ie not a pdk. Anyway assuming the car drives ok, because ding in the car fax, high mileage, triptonic I would pay Max $25k for this car. Let�s see what others say. Good luck.
MBH,
Imho, the price you should pay for it all depends on what service has been done to the car and when.
Assuming you are not a wrencher, and assuming the proper parts and service procedures havent been done, you are looking at $12-15k for a proper engine refresh which includes the cost of dropping the engine, parts and labor.
If everything has been done recently, then you won't have to spend the money to refresh, but instead, just normal maintenence as things occur. All should be taken into consideration for the price.
Remember, the most important thing in any car, especially the 996 is to make sure the 996 engine is good shape and has been properly cared for first, before you spend any money on the rest of the car. The last thing you want is a pretty paperweight sitting in your garage.
Below is quick Refresh list sample. Hopefully others add items I missed.
Important: Start with testing the oil and then drop oil pan, check for debris and scope the bores. If it passes, then proceed with refresh of parts below.
1. Is the IMSB the Solution or Retro. Solution is permanent, Retro will most definitely need to be replaced with 50k miles on it.
2. If needed, replace clutch and flywheel on manual car, automatic is NA. Either way, replace trans fluid.
3. RMS
4. Coil packs
5. Sparkplug
6. Fuel injectors
7. Oil cooler
8. AOS with UAOS
9. MAF, airfilter
10. Water Pump, coolant tank, hoses, check radiators
11. Engine/ trans mount
12. If it's a 996.1, you may need to consider chain tensioner and other relevant items. I have a 996.2 so I am not gc familiar with the quirks as much as 996.1 owners.
The refresh list above is pertaining to engine health. However, there are other refresh items that will eventually need to be addressed but do not have anything to do with keeping the engine running such as: suspension, brakes, exhaust, interior items, exterior items, etc., which will run you another 15-20k all in.
Here is the point, the more that the previous owner has done RECENTLY, the less you have to do in your refresh, assuming it was done right. Therefore the less you have to spend up front in refresh costs.
So, if you want to completely refresh the car all in, you are looking at $25-30k. Factor that into your purchase price.
The market is starting to factor all this in with bifurcation of prices, but not completely yet. You can still find cars that have been refreshed for $35-40k on BAT which are bargains in relation to paying $25k for a pretty one that has not been properly services and cared for that will eventually cost you $50-60k all in.
Sure, if you are a gifted wrencher, you can save half of that cost by eliminating labor costs of an indy. Any yes, you don't have to do any of this stuff, but I can assure you, you will spend alot of time on rennlist complaining about 996 issues as they occur. It's no fun having a car that keeps breaking down and you can't enjoy it. Believe me, a well sorted 996 is the most incredible driving experience you will ever have.
Just a few things to think about. Hope it helps.
yes. Just drove my first one yesterday (after having owned two manual 996s back to back) and I liked it. Living in Los Angeles I think the trade off will be a good one. At least for a couple of years. The asking price is $22,500.
Wow. If the PPI comes back clean or even clean-ish that is an attractive price. There will come a day when nobody asks about the mileage anymore, and in the meantime you will have a 996 C4S to enjoy.
We daily drive our Tiptronic on Los Angeles roads and it works great. 125k miles and transmission has been most reliable part of vehicle.
Not fast down shifts so must lose performance and control compared to a manual, but we aren't racers and wife couldn't drive our sweet 996 if it had a clutch.
I was going to say $25K, so $22.5K seems like a no-brainer. I'd offer him $20-21K with no PPI to save him the headache. Seems to be a good owner. The car's probably fine.
Price is more than fair, for a great looking car, go for it.
As an aside, I�m not saying don�t get a PPI, but the way people on here talk about looking for a used car, explains why a lot of owners are like screw it, I�ll take thousands of dollars less to not have to deal with the hassle of selling.
so I�m going to be fly in the punch bowl here - do a PPI - silly me didn�t on a 2001 C4 with 155k miles and let�s say I�m essentially rebuilding the engine, transmission, and more. Did I get a super good deal up front? Yup. Will the car be bullet proof and worth more than I have in it after I�m done because of all the high quality work I�m getting done? Yup. But as mentioned above, if you�re not working on the car yourself, be ready to spend $ - I was sent this recently and had a laugh - with a few tears in my eyes�.
