2001 911 C4?

quick question to the group. Looking at purchasing a 2001 911 C4, 58k miles, grey exterior/interior. Here is some of the listing: Excellent condition. Loaded with additional factory installed features: Comfort Package, Wheel Caps with Colored Crest, Porsche Crest in Headrest, 3 Spoke Leather Steering, Rear Window Wiper, Advanced Technic Package, Supple Leather Front & Rear, Carbon Package, Brake/Shifter Carbon Aluminum, Full Aero Kit, Custom Car Cover (refer to Porsche CoA). Clean Car Fax available. Car Fax notes car is worth over blue book value due to extras! Title in hand. Motivated seller! Always garaged and covered. 2nd owner for past 7 years. All scheduled maintenance including 60,000 mile service completed. Tires less than 5,000 miles wear. Rear: Falken 275/30 ZR19 96Y. Front: Falken 245/35 ZR19 93Y. New battery. Looks and drives great! Very few paint chips in front, minor and small paint bubbles on rear spoiler. No accidents. Very clean interior and exterior. asking $26,995. Probably will go to $26k for the car. I am doing a PPI tomorrow. Assuming PPI comes in clean, is this too much $ for the car? I test drove it and it was a fantastic ride! Interior was ok; not showroom quality, but good for a 2001. Should add that this is my first Porsche! so any advice would be helpful. Once i get my 911 I definitely will be a contributor to this forum. thanks!

Not crazy high, but he'll have that car a long time if he's not willing to go below $26k. I would say $22k is more market value. No mention of IMSB upgrade, so there's a negotiation point right there. Sounds like a very nice car though. I would respectfully offer $22k, and if he doesn't take it then take solace in knowing there are many, many others out there. $26k puts you in C4S territory.

Oh, and definitely get a PPI. That will likely give you a lot more negotiation ammo.

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I know which car you are referring to. It has been listed for quite sometimes. I want to say at least a few months. It looks like a nice car and I am surprised it is still available. Perhaps the price is bit high as the previous poster stated. As a point of reference, I paid 24k for 2002 Targa earlier this year. Original sticker lists it at 97k. Did you ask the owner whether IMS and RMS have been taken care of? If not, and if that is something you want it done, consider adding 3k in the budget.

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I am not sure if c4s can be had at 26k here in SF bay area.

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Thanks for info. Will definitely hope the PPI gives me more ammo.

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Did ask, doesn't sound like it was done. I'm gonna talk to mechanic during PPI tomorrow and mention IMS and RMS. Thanks for info

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Agreed. Doing research over past couple of months, and this '01 seems to be somewhat in range here in Bay...

In your other thread, I posted that you buy the car that sings to you after it passes PPI. If this is the car, offer $24K (which I highly doubt the seller will accept...he has decided to sit on the car and stick with his asking/list price). Cali weather is warming up, this 01 is a cab...GIT R DONE.

Here is my buying advice. Make sure it is the car you want with the options you want. Make sure of the PPI and condition. At $26K your options are almost unlimited for a 996. Have you had a 996 before? If not spend a lot of time on the forums asking questions and looking at cars. Make sure it has the options you want, for example, never thought about Litronics until after I got the car. What radio, etc. An OK interior can cost to bring it up to your liking. Spend a lot of time just sitting in the car and looking and make sure you can live with the wear. It is where you will spend most of the time. Don't rush. I would pay $26K for "the" car I wanted. If it passed my inspection and a PPI.

For reference I sold my 2001 C4 recently for $22K. It was in ex condition inside and out with the IMS/RMS done. I had a very similar build except no carbon package and I had 73K miles. I would say this car is worth $23K.

Pd 19k for my 01 C4 in Dec 13 w/ 83k--new tires, front axles & complete brakes Bob -------------------------------- 01 C4 31 Ford cp chp & ch, 302/350 40 ******, 302/350 38 Ford cp, 327/350 57 Belair 62 356B --long ago

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I do remember that advice! I appreciate it.

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Yep - I have been doing a lot of reading about the 996. I have not owned one, this will be my first Porsche! The ext is excellent and engine sounded great. Int wasn't overly impressive, but not sure I was expecting that with an '01 car. Part of me also doesn't want everything in the car initially..kinda want to make it mine know what I mean? But at $26k, should the int be immaculate?.. I'll also ask local mechanic doing PPI to give me a recommendation. I'm a little nervous about rms and IMS to be honest. I'm guessing reading on boards that this should be done. Then there's others that say these issues effect only a small % of the cars... Either way, I'm excited to get into Porsche family!

From what you've said, it does not sound as though the seller is very motivated to sell. If they were trading it in, the option list would have very little impact on the price that they received. Private sellers try to hike the price due to the options installed.

I got bit by the IMS to the tune of $11,000 so it is a concern. But it would not stop me from buying another one. Just me, but I would check the oil, make sure it is black, used a little and not a fresh change. Then in the PPI I would pay for an oil change and examine the oil and filter. If no metal I would not worry. As far as the interior, 14 year old car is going to show wear. As long as you can live with it I would not worry. Again, if this is THE car, the price is not unreasonable, but if you just want a 911 you could find one cheaper.

looked for a C4 and ended up getting a 2001 c2 Cabriolet with tip Tronic with 34,000 miles on it. It was an excellent condition and passed a ppi nicely. I paid 26 five with a hardtop. Now I am thinking I should've gotten a C4 from 2002 forward that has cupholders and the glove compartment and the new facelift. Try to try to at least get a 2002.

thanks everyone for their input. very helpful. I ended up passing on the car after inspection. Not too clean, maybe a C grade. Seller wouldn't go lower so passed. See attached estimate from PPI. high level: need coolant & brake fluid renewal (even though 60k service was recently completed!), front hood shocks, rear shocks (passenger side rear had pretty big leak), all wheels we bent in inside, rear wheel bearings (lots of noise), shaky suspension when driving on highway, large scratch on front windshield, and of course IMS+RMS work. Total esimate $7,500. Mechanic said he would buy car for $18-20k.. disappointing, but hey I'm glad I did this. well, the search continues! Like you all had mentioned - be patient and wait for that right car!

I ended up passing on the car after inspection. This car wasn't meant to be and the right car is out there waiting for you to find. Have fun in your continued search!

enjoy the seach. That year, that price rage, you options are limitless

If it's real clean optioned the way you like I don't think $26k is out of line. Tell the seller you're concerned about the IMSB not being upgraded as yet and you'll be planning on getting it done ASAP. That should allow you to knock $2k off his asking price. But really once you've looked at 6-8 cars of similar years and price ranges you should begin to get a good feel what a fair price is. I'd rather pay a little more up front and get a car that is optioned the way I like and is in excellent nick in and out.

The car shouldn't need a coolant flush. Either he has a leaky tank or there is some other problem. If the tank is yellow it needs replacing. The hood and engine lid shocks are minor and will need replacing on any 10+ year old car. The suspension should not be that bad. It's an old car so it's going to need to be replaced, but it shouldn't be leaking and should be drivable without any sounds. Bent rims are no good and should not be on the car. The wheel bearings go at this age, but many of these are things that a diligent owner should be replacing as they go. I would have passed too.

Again you all are making me feel much better about my decision... Not sure if it's charma or not..but the seller had a tire blow out on freeway halfway through his drive home from PPI. I definitely feel bad for the guy..but also felt like this car definitely was not meant to be for me.

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No wonder it has been on market for quite some time. Given that information, I agree with $18-20K range.