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YOUR RESEARCHConsidering a 996.2 C4S
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Check on the 996 c4ss
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Suggestion · Original poster
Still checking on the 996 C4Ss but with high mileage 997.2 C2Ss creeping under $40K I am thinking it would be best to wait for one of those.
Leading evidence: 'Check on the 996 c4ss' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Check on the 996 c4ss' (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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Suggestion
I bought a C4s for low mileage garage queen Mk1 money -- it's super clean car that was well looked after, just found it in a rural area and it needed a bit of maintenance.
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Suggestion
I bought a high-mile C4S with rebuilt engine at a good price (I thought) but all in all, ended up spending quite a bit on suspension and replacing old components and other necessary repairs that were discovered made it an almost-40k car at the end of the day.
Run around it's probably me -- i haven't seen another
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Suggestion
I too am in Nash, so if you see a silver 996 C4s running around it's probably me -- i haven't seen another with Davidson tags ever.
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Suggestion
I bought a C4s for low mileage garage queen Mk1 money -- it's super clean car that was well looked after, just found it in a rural area and it needed a bit of maintenance.
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Suggestion
I bought a high-mile C4S with rebuilt engine at a good price (I thought) but all in all, ended up spending quite a bit on suspension and replacing old components and other necessary repairs that were discovered made it an almost-40k car at the end of the day.
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21 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
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Hi all!
I have been looking to enter the P Club for some time and feel the C4S would be a good entry point. My current ride is a VW GTI. The plan is to start with a 996 and trade up to a 997.2 C2/4S then 997 GTS at some point. Unless I find an insanely low priced 997.2 the 996.2 appeals to me most. Not much of a fan of the 997.1 for some reason. It's just a bit boring to me and doesn't have PDK which I really want in a daily driver. The 996 would be my second car. I'm 32 years old so guess there is time for some patience heh.
Any beginner tips? Recommended threads. Is the C4S less prone to issues that the other non-Turbo/non-GT models are prone to?
Thanks everyone!
Things don't always work out the way you plan them. You have to start somewhere. A C4S is a great start, fun car, eats rear tires but you begin to enjoy sooner rather than later.
I say go for it. I just picked up my 03 C4S a couple weeks ago and I already prefer how it drives over the 06 997 C2S I used to have. It�s just a bit more raw and feels more special to me when I�m driving it. Each new iteration seems to get faster but also softer and less raw. This can be a good thing for some but maybe not for others. I plan to start a thread to share my thoughts between these two but haven�t had time to sit down yet.
I dont think there is anything wrong with trying out new cars and upgrading every few years, as long as you have the means to do so. There are so many unique and different vehicles out there, it�s great if you have the chance to try a few out. You can gain a lot of experience along the way as well.
Best of luck!
Hey Abe, with all that sausage you've been selling over the years, I woulda thought you'd be a bigger spender by now. You don't become the Sausage King doing small numbers....
Anywho, there's not much of a premium from a mk1 to mk2 in the 996, so I'm with Chris on that end. If you're willing to hunt and you're able to work on cars yourself, the C4s isn't that far off either. I see low mileage garage queens with huge asking prices, but doubt those are moving quickly. They made a lot of these cars, so there's a very broad range of asking prices. I bought a C4s for low mileage garage queen Mk1 money -- it's super clean car that was well looked after, just found it in a rural area and it needed a bit of maintenance.
RE: issue prone, all NA 996's are virtually the same. It's possible for any of them to succumb to IMS failure or any of the other 28 modes of failure. Additionally, things like brakes and suspension are actually more costly to service on the 996 c4s because they are off the 996 Turbo.
I too am in Nash, so if you see a silver 996 C4s running around it's probably me -- i haven't seen another with Davidson tags ever.
Haha. That is my conundrum. The real solution is just to make more money! I bought my first house 18 months ago which, with Nashville real estate prices, was a fantastic investment but put off my car life. My GTI is paid off but boring the heck out of me.
My neighbor bought a 997.1 Carrera S 6MT with sport seats and several nice options for $25K last December. It has a 2 year warranty too! It was a dealer trade in by the PCA president (in Minneapolis I believe).
Not expecting that type of deal but the goal is to buy at the right price and not pay too much over the cost of ownership.
I say go for the 996 C4S...its a great car, it looks great particularly from behind. I have a a 997 C4S and no question it is a fantastic all around car in all weather. But my 996 is still my favorite car in my stable. The values are pretty much at their lowest and so you can modify them and it won't effect its price. Great car to start with and frankly a great car at any point... Again, if you find a nice one, you will be happy.
Thanks for the input! Your 09 C4S PDK is exactly what I would want as opposed to a 996. Call me a stickler but that rear light bar does something for me.
One member here got a higher mileage 997.2 C4S launch edition for like $38,000. So with a price delta of $10-12K I just feel stuck.. but 997.2 values are all over the place these days.
Hey lljphan.. I too, am in Davidson county. I’ve got a dark gray c4s. In fact, looks like I may be having to sell my toy. I’ve got another kid on the way and mama wants a new house... so we all know how this ends up.
2003 c4s 93,000 6sp. IMS done at Porsche of Nashville.
I am 32 as well and just bought a 2002 C4S (I think you commented on my thread). I used to have a GTI when I was 16, it was a 2002 with the 1.8T. That car was awesome and the 996 is like the GTI on steroids in every way. I only test drove one 911 before searching for what I ended up getting. It was another C4S 996.
I think it makes sense to work your way up in the car world, each new car is a checkpoint and an opportunity to see if the next level up is something you're interested in or not. A Huracan owner that still is in love with his 996? That should probably count for something. On the other hand you don't want to settle and always wonder what if.
Drive each of the cars you are interested in and search for the one you like most. If the one you like most is out of your budget, get the one that is in your budget and upgrade down the road. At 32 you have lots of time to buy and own a lot of cars you're interested in.
Hey Tom, nice to hear I'm not alone (didn't figure i was, just don't see these old girls here in a city where vettes and stangs reign supreme). Sorry to hear that, congrats, and oh boy (in no particular order)!
Perhaps you and "Abe" should be in touch should mama persist in her quest to vanquish your toy
I'm in your exact same boat. Wanted a 997.2, but wasn't sure about the true functionality of a Porsche as a main vehicle, so opted to try an '03 C4S instead. Not disappointed, and plan to upgrade to a 997.2 C2S in a few years. But the 996 C4S is a fantastic vehicle, and I have no buyer's remorse about 'starting' with this model. I think you'll love it, and there are plenty of good, affordable models so if it happens to not be your 'thing' you probably won't take a bath on the resale as people like the C4S a lot and IMO the best looking of the 996 series. Go for it!
Thanks for all the great responses! Saw a few 996 C4S's at the local PCA Concours this past weekend. For some reason, not sure what. the 964 and 997 coupes really "hit me" visually. Still checking on the 996 C4Ss but with high mileage 997.2 C2Ss creeping under $40K I am thinking it would be best to wait for one of those. Esp since I am a sucker for the unloved colors Cream White, Macadamia Metallic and Porsche Racing Green. Thoughts?
Porsche owners are a fun bunch if sometimes a tad irrational haha. One guy was saying I should buy a 964 Tip Cabriolet (which he conveniently had for sale). I told him that sounds like a nice car but I like the 964 C4. Then gave me a hard time saying they are too heavy (although I would venture to say a Tip Cab weighs more than the C4 coupe).
I bought a high-mile C4S with rebuilt engine at a good price (I thought) but all in all, ended up spending quite a bit on suspension and replacing old components and other necessary repairs that were discovered made it an almost-40k car at the end of the day. As they say, you pay now, or you pay later, with Porsches. Given how old these cars are, there is a fair amount of work to be done, even on well-cared car & relatively low miles, so consider those as part of purchase price, and at that point 997 may not be much more expensive.
If you are shopping in the $40K plus range, start looking at turbos. The C4S is a turbo chassis and running gear without the powertrain to back it up...
And yes, it is heavy (heavier) than a 2 wheel drive Carerra coupe. You just need to pick your poison and have the cash to make it happen.
Getting back to your first post about potential C4S issues, they all came with the small single row IMS bearing. You will want to figure in several thousand to replace it if the car you are looking at doesn't have clear documentation that it was done.
