Low mileage 1999 911

I have come across a 1999 911 coupe for sale with less than 10,000 miles for just under $41K. I've been looking for a low mileage 1999 or 2000, and this obviously fits the bill. It appears to be in great shape, hasn't been involved in any accidents, and has has no RMS issues to date. Does the price seem fair given the current market conditions? If I pass up this car for sale, is it likely I'm come across many more in the next few months with less than 20K miles? Thanks in advance for your help

Sounds like a great deal. Are all the service records present?

Old low milage cars like the one you describe are time bombs because of their low mileage. Regular use like you will probably give it will cause seal failure in many places. If a car is not driven much, seals will dry out and crack. Then when it is actually driven, they will leak etc. You are better off with a good condition car that has 30-40K on it.

I agree w/ Gary - garage queens are not good deals, contrary to what many people think.

Have the car inspected by a trusted tech and if it passes, the history checks out and you fall in love with it, buy it. I have 1 1999 C2 and love it. I would buy a 1999 again before any later year model. Those that just blanketly state that a car with low miles that they no nothing about is going to have problems are misleading you and such statements should be discouraged on this board. Like I said, if you like it....go for it!

Why? OrientExpress' statement is fact. To think that low mileage cars are better is dellusional.

Why? OrientExpress' statement is fact. To think that low mileage cars are better is dellusional. _____________ I don't recall anyone saying that low mileage cars are better? Maybe you're confused with some other post.

Let's hear from some people that have purchased a "low" (let's say approx 6,000-10,000 miles for a 1999 or a 2000) and hear what problems they are having with their car. I agree that low mileage is not always good, but as long as the car has not been in storage and sitting for long periods of time, the seals should be fine... I wonder if some of you guys feel the same way about 996's that are put in storage for the winter??? Personally, I bought a 2000 Carrera Coupe in September that had 8,250 miles on the clock. Knock on wood, but we have not had any issues with our car other than some rattles...

I bought my 00 C2 sept of 03 w/ 11k on it. I have put 10k on it in little over a year and have only had a coolant cap leak (twice) and thats it. I have autocrossed it 9 times and took a 2 day driving school as well. Car is great and I only paid 50 k for it back then!!! It has some upgrades and was in mint condition and still is! I say buy the 99 with low miles and just purchase an extended warranty from Ge for 2 years just in case of a major problem.... Robert

i bought my 99 996 about 3 years ago with about 9 thousand kilometers on it. i've put about 3-4 thousand on it this year and way more on it in the previous years of ownership. driving style includes: drag racing, street abuse (because once in a while the civics just have to be put in their place) , some circuit lap days and daily driving in the summer. The car is put up on blocks for the winter and gets a tune up from either downtown fine cars or solaroli motorsports in the summer (trusted shops). so far have had no problems except for: and O2 sensor a pair of spark plugs my car is out of warenty and i doubt i'll be getting another one. if your not going to mod your car past intake/muffler/porsche factory power kits.... get the car, get the warenty and drive the **** out of it.

I don't believe sweeping generalizations provide much basis for decision-making. Specifc case examples help (& are more useful reads), but even those don't add up to a significant study. When you are considering a car, the particular example is the case that counts. Check it out in depth (test drives, owner backround, service & accident history, PPI) - that will tell you whether to buy that one.

I bet some of you guys (and gals) check out the porsche you are buying more than you do your significant other. Chill and enjoy the ride.

Personally speaking, I obtained a low mileage (25K) 1999 996 (late build). I bought mine in the low $30's. The car I purchased is concour. Not a single mark on her. They are out there with low mileage but, I would expect to pay under 40. Don't forget, when spring hits, there are going to be ALOT of these cars for sale. Deals are certainly out there. -C.

I know your first impulse is to say "buy it it only has 10K on it". Think about that for a minute. This is a five year old car (maybe six). Thats 2000 miles or less a year or less than 200 miles a month or maybe fifty miles a week or 7 miles a day. It takes my 99 4 or 5 miles just to get up to full temp. Sure sounds like this baby is a total queen. Has she had at least 5 oil changes (1 per year as P recommends for low driving miles)? What do the service records show? Just be careful. Its a good price for a low mileage 99...but the fact that it essentially has no miles should be a big red flag...so make sure you get a good pre-purchase inspection and know that this year like all years has its own unique set of "problems" that you may encounter later than the rest of us. Also make sure that the recalls that this year and model have been subject to have been performed by P. Good luck and make a smart choice with as much info at your finger tips. This is a good forum for exactly what you are asking. Jim

I bought a 1999 Cab (late 1998 delivery) about a year and a half ago with ~17K miles on the clock. Kept it for about 7 months. During that time it had an RMS failure, O2 sensor failure and seatbelt buckle failure. Other than that it ran great and I loved the car. However I always wondered if the low annual use played a factor. Ultimately, I decided to sell it and purchase a newer 996 under warranty. If there's some way you can get an extended warranty for it, I'd jump at it. But my guess is it would be tough getting a warranty for a '99 at this point.

I bought my 99 C4 Cab 3 months ago with 8000 miles on it. It now has 11000 miles (most of which was as a result of driving it back from NJ to FL) and the only issue so far was a part on the left side of the convertible top motor (about 400 for the parts and labor). I have not really opened it up real hard, but I have had it up to about 125-130 mph for a minute on the Courtney Campbell bridge. I always let it get up to temp before revving above 4k. Hoping I don'e get the RMS, but who knows. The car came from a PCA member who drove it to and from his country club during the warmer months. It sat during the winter months. It was, however, serviced every year, and I have all the records as well. Clean carfax and so far, I am happy. I say go for it, and just break it in as if it was a new car. Go easy for the first few miles, and then drive it as normal. But what do I know, I am just a fan, not a mechanic!

I got a 99 c2 cab about a year ago with 8200 miles on it, and have since put on 2000mi. No problems thus far; at this level of usage, it still looks and feels almost like a new car. Makes sense as the bazillion moving parts that make up the car never really got a chance to wear out. Thus, in my experience, the low mileage was worth a premium especially after somebody else took the depreciation hit.

If I had to buy a garage queen again I wouldn't do it. I bought a 95 993 Cabriolet in 1999 with approx. 17K on it. I didn't have any major problems but I did have various niggling problems that I think were a direct result of the car haven't not been initially broken in properly and/or sitting in the garage too much. 1) Persistent squeeling of breaks; I surmise they were never broken in properly. 2) Various rubber parts drying out. Again most likely from the car sitting too much. 3) No engine problems but the car did burn oil more then I liked. Again I think this was the result of the car not being driven hard enough to set the engine seals properly. On top of this I ended up driving the car a lot and losing the premium of a "garage queen" pretty fast. Next time I will be much more likely to buy a higher mileage, hard-driven car that has been broken in properly from day 1. Just my 2 cents worth from someone who's been there.

Alex: agreed on all counts. It is a common event to see 11s being driven at a pace slower than soccer moms' minivans. No wonder those cars leak and are sluggish, but then again they were bought as trophies for boulevard parading and their mileage must be kept low.

I sure would like to know the answer to this question definitively. Also, I wonder how many of these super low mileage 993s and 996s have had the odometers clipped, unhooked, replaced, or whatever. i just can't imagine cars 5 to 10 years old with less than 15k miles. How could anyone just let one of these cars sit in the garage? I hate to drive any of my non P-cars and only do when I have to haul something around that absolutely will not go in, no matter how I turn it or take it apart.

Whos to say a low mileage 99' 996 will eventually have the rms issue. There are people on this board that drives their 996 all the time and still get the rms issue. Its the luck of the draw in reality, if you like the car and it checks out fine then you should definitely bring her home. Good luck and post a pic of her if you decide on it.

Sounds like an interesting deal but keep in mind that you are paying a HUGE premium for low miles and the introduction of the 997 has further depreciated even the low mileage 99s. When you get into the $40 + range for a 1999, you should really evaluate the options for an 00 or even an 01. Even with slightly higher miles, most of the bugs were worked out in MY 00 (exc RMS) and it will have a slightly upgraded interior, e-gas and a few other minor things. Just my .02.

If you like the car, and like the deal, do it. I have purchased many low mileage cars over the years, and some high mileage cars as well. The important factor is how the car is taken care off, not what the odometer says. If you have a car that has sat for many years, it could be a problem. If you have a car with low mileage, that has been driven or started on a regular basis, and has had it's recommended annual service, it my be less of a problem than a car that has been driven hard and not maintained. General statements like some of the above are simply not credible. Personally, I purchased a Ferrari with 1K on it that was 3 years old. Zero problems other than charging the AC. I purchased a Lamborghini Diablo that was 6 years old with 1,200 miles on it. One small oil leak from one bank of cylinders; I did not have it fixed. I have owned many cars that I have only driven 1K miles per year; I currently have a 01 Turbo (purchased new) with 3K on it now. It runs fine. My best friend has a 89 Speedster with 4K miles on it. He bought it new; it starts and runs every time; zero oil leaks. The bottom line is how the car was taken care off is more important than the mileage imo. You should consider the fact that if you plan on driving the car a lot you will give up the normal depreciation in addition to any premium you pay. If the premium is important to you (it is to me), then buy it and enjoy it. I do suggest you always have the car checked out by a qualified 3rd party... Good luck Roy

RH0, I couldn't agree with you more. I wasn't too knowledgeable about cars before I bought my Porsche and blindly assumed that a low mileage car MUST be a safer buy. Now I know that these cars are meant to be driven ard and that buying a car that has been driven hard doesn't necessarily mean it's going to have problems; as long as it has been broken in and maintained properly. Of course, now, I know a bit better what danger signs to look for in a low-mileage car as well. Given that I put 10K miles or so on the car each year I owned it, I guess that the premium I paid for the car wasn't really worth it in the end. Alex

I bought a Silver/Grey 2001 C2 in August with 10,500 miles on it. It was a lease return from Atlanta, GA. Bought it in Texas and drove it back to LA. Still under warranty, but I'll be buying an extended one that will take it through 75K. I'm having a great time with it and just had an O2 sensor replacement.

One of the sadest things is to see a 996TT garage queen that has sat in the palace so long that rodents have taken up in it, seems mice have an affection for turbo fuel lines. I saw two of these last yr, a sad, pathetic site. The Porsche is made to be driven hard, it needs it, it wants it. In Germany, they laugh about the way many Americans park these in the garage. Before the GT3 was released to the US, several Porsche engineers lamented that these cars would go to waste in the US. Whatever you do, just drive it!

Just to chime in...it's not a 996, but I bought my '99 Boxster in March '03 with 12k on the clock. It's my daily driver and other than an airbag light coming on for a faulty seat belt latch (replaced under warranty) I've had no problems. So garage queens still CAN be good cars. However, I will add that I bought mine certified from a Porsche dealership and would NOT have made the purchase if it were a private seller. (..unless it were a REALLY good price.) Just my $.02

I just took delivery of my 2000 C4 with 11,500 miles last night. True I believe these cars were meant to be driven, but I feel the lower the mileage it has, the more life it has ahead of it. I got an aftermarket warranty with my C4 and would not feel comfortable without it. I would recommend one for peace of mind...