Looking at a 2001 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet

Hello Everyone, I have been reading the various threads on this forum for some time now and have learned a lot. I wanted to pose a question to all of you in hopes to get some advice. I have been a fan of Porsche for some time now, but never thought I would be able to own one. I came across one that sparked my interest that I wanted to share with all of you to see what you all think. The link to the car is listed below... http://choiceautosalesonline.com/200...8/Details.aspx I know everyone advises to get all the maintenance records prior to making a purchase (not sure if it is possible with a car this old) and to, if going the used route, try and purchase a CPO, but unfortunately for me, the cost would be more than I feel comfortable paying as the car is really intended for weekend and summer driving, so I thought a car with less than 50K miles on it for $23K was not a bad deal, but I am not the most knowledgable when it comes to buy cars. Any help from all of you would be greatly appreciated. Thanks In Advance, Kal

Nice options on this and an original MSRP just over $100K. You won't be able to get a warranty of any kind on a car of this age IMO. Budget for some repairs no matter what you learn from a PPI or service records.

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Although in the fine print, the dealer says "most cars are available with a 48 month warranty..." Best bet - get a PPI done a an Indy and have them inspect the oil pan and filter if possible. That's what I would have done with mine, had I known then what I do now.

Hi Jim, thanks for the reply. Do you think the price is fair for the miles on the car. Also, I do not think the IMS replacement has been done. I think, just for peace of mind, I would want to get that done. I am wondering if I can use that to negotiate a lower price. Any idea how much an IMS replacement costs? A local dealer here who sells a decent amount of Porsches, BMWs, Mercs, and Audis said about $1,200, but some articles I have read said something like $4,000. That is a big difference.

I would not trust a 'budget' IMS replacement that does not involve removing the motor. A typical price around me is $3000 - $4000.

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I didn't even know such a thing existed. How do you do it without dropping the motor?

Actually, i think model years 2005 to 2008 would need the whole engine dropped. Prior models, and I could be wrong, didn't need to have the whole engine dropped. The below youtube video is very helpful. You Tube

You can replace the bearing in an '01 without dropping the motor. I don't think you can replace the IMS without dropping the motor - but I suspect that's not what was meant. From the Pelican DIY: "While it is a tight fit doing this with the engine in the car, it is doable if you take your time." There is a very vocal "drop the motor" camp; I am of the opinion that dropping the motor increases the likelihood of breaking more stuff than you intended to replace.

I did the IMSB myself so can't help on what it would cost to have done. I have read others use numbers in the $2000 - $4000 range depending on their location (labor rate) and which bearing they had installed. The FSI IMS Solution would be at the top end of this range. No reason not to try to use it as a bargaining chip since it such a well known potential failure.

Hi Kal. Looks like a very nice P-car. Low mileage, but the tip transmission probably brings the price down somewhat. I think you will find the same thing when it comes time for you to sell. The tiptronic is less in demand than the manual. But hey, if that's the transmission you want go for it. A PPI at a respected P-car indie is highly recommended. Ask for recommendations if you don't know of one in your area. As for the cost of the IMSB - you can budget about $2000. But, if you do the other "while you're in there" items (clutch, possible pressure plate, AOS, waterpump, other?) the cost will be significantly more. I paid about $4500 for the upgraded LNE IMSB, RMS, clutch, and flywheel right after I bought mine.

Looks like a decent deal, but as Triple B says, most want a manual, so the Tips usually sell for less than a similar manual. I would think that a cab is also less desirable to most than a coupe. I agree with TB's other comments too. I bet you can get them to drop at least another $1k on the price, maybe as much as 3K. The low miles is what is allowing them to up the asking price.

Kal, Since it seems you are not particularly familiar with 996s, find someone who is and take him with you for an on-site inspection. Many (most?) P-car owners keep mntce. records. If no records available, skip it and keep looking. Mail order brides seldom work out well. relinuca

It's a very nice car. Love the color! Seems to be fairly priced, assuming no metal in the oil and all the electronics work. Ask how many keys/remotes you get with the car. (they aren't cheap). Have you been 911 shopping long? From the sound of things, you happened to see the car and are now reacting to the realization that the car is (unexpectedly) within financial reach and this might be classified as somewhat of an impulse buy. As others have mentioned... it's a Tiptronic, so might not be as easy to sell in the future as the manual tranny cars tend to be more sought after. Also, I think the emphasis on mileage should be secondary to service history, depending on your attitude towards "scratching the 911 itch" for the short term or if this is intended to be a long-term keeper car that you want to drive without having to worry about racking up the miles and killing resale. If long term ownership is the focus, I'd go higher miles and try to buy a car from an enthusiast who has done all the right things for servicing with long-term ownership in mind. The 2001 is very likely to have single row IMSB (most prone for issues) and that mileage is smack dab in the danger zone of being one of those garage queens that seem to be the subject of many "just bought low miles car and lost the engine" threads. 1999's and early 2000's are virtually guaranteed to have the more robust double-row IMSB. As others have stated, at minimum you're going to want to see the condition of the oil and filter as part of you pre-purchase inspection. Even better, while you're at it, collect an oil sample to send off for an oil analysis. If it is obvious that the oil has been changed recently, that should raise suspicions. Especially if previous shopper had it done and did not buy the car. You will want to go for long, long test drive before that oil gets dropped. If all comes back as being on the up and up, then offer to buy the car if they install the IMS Guardian first... or negotiate down an amount so you can take delivery of the car and drive it straight to a shop to have that addressed. Much to consider.

Lacking the original wheels will also hurt resell speed. The twists are cheap to get, though. I think the car is one of the nicest color and options combinations I have seen on a 996 (except for me not wanting tiptronic). The seats and interior look like the previous owner was a careful person. The curb rash says otherwise but the wheels are a no-brainer to replace and fixing an interior would be very hard. I think you should harass them about the IMSB as indicated by the other posters. Also be aware that this is the last year before the facelift and the facelift did improve some things. Again, this can hurt your resale speed.

Even with the single row IMS bearing (also referred to as an "IMSB"), with that many miles and a tiptronic transmission, I don't know that replacing the IMSB is an absolute must. With almost 50,000 miles, I wouldn't call that car a garage queen. Plus, although I do not have statistics to substantiate it, I have heard from a friend who is a Porsche executive and seen it elsewhere here on Rennlist that the tiptronic transmission cars don't have as high of an IMSB failure rate as the 6-speed cars. That being said, I would change the IMSB next time the car needs a significant service, such as the Air-Oil Separator (AOS), as you'll likely have some savings in labor that is common to both repairs. A pre-purchase inspection (PPI) with removal of the sump plate and oil filter to check for debris is a must with any small car lot purchase - I would recommend it even with a private party purchase, but doubly so when buying from a small car lot. Love the colors. Honestly not a big fan of those wheels, though. November, Pennsylvania (cold weather state), convertible, tiptronic: I think right price for that car is around $19,000, even with the low(ish) miles. Don't get in a hurry. You've got almost another 3 months of prime buyers' market time left before you start to see prices rise for the tax refund season (mid-February). The search is half the fun.

What everybody else said about a PPI inspection. I bought my 2001 Cab for about what they are asking for yours. Mine had 53k on the odometer. Partial service records, but the last owner had the car serviced by a mechanic I know and trust. Mine is a 6 speed. Otherwise close to identical. What condition is the top in? Mine came with a brand new top. Something to consider.

I purchased this same model about 3 years ago. I actually looked for a triptonic model so that either myself or my wife could drive it. Yes, it is best to get a PPI done. Mine had higher miles (95000) but it had complete records. I replaced the IMS just to be safe, but the one I replaced was in perfect shape. Yes, the motor has to be removed if you have a tiptronic. I send the oil out to be analyzed with every oil change (every 5,000 miles) and the motor shows no abnormal wear. Porsche mechanics tell me that with proper maintenance you can get 180,000 miles out of this engine. At the rate we drive this car, I will be long gone from this planet before it hits the 180 mark.

Another quick point: someone else asked about the top condition. Some of the early cars had plastic back windows which wear and discolor. One of the reasons I bought my car is because the top was replaced with the newer heated glass back window. This can cost thousands of dollars. Mine also came with the removable hardtop which I like but many people could care less.

Hello Everyone, Thank you so much for all the responses, I greatly appreciate it. Yes, I was going to get a PPI done before committing to buy this car...just for peace of mind. Also, any potential for an IMS problem scares the heck out of me. I mean the car is not new, but I $20k is still a lot of money. Just a little about myself as some had thought that this may be a spur of the moment kind of purchase. I have actually been looking for a weekend/summer car for quite some time. I was looking at an SLK, SL55, Z4, and a few others. I did have a feeling that a 996 would fit my budget only because the IMS issue has kept the prices down. As far as the automatic transmission goes, I know, unfortunately, I do not know how to drive stick...just never learned. After doing some investigating, I found out that the car has been in an accident back in 2001. I do not know the severity of the accident or if there was any damage, but it is something to think about. I am going to look at the carfax to see what else I can find out, but fortunately, I am not in a rush to make a purchase as the purpose of the car is for long-term fun, not daily driving. I will keep you all posted on what happens. Quick question, you can get the oil analyzed? How long does that take? I found a place that can do the PPI and am wondering if this is something that they can do. They sell a considerable amount of Porsche along with other Premium German cars.

Great color! Starting with 2002 you get glass rear window, 3.6L engine, and updated tiptronic. I love the tiptronic on my 03 C2 cab Tip. I would keep looking unless you can get price down to at least $20K. Good luck.

If you have any transmission issues, be sure and check the gear shifter linkage before replacing the entire transmission