Looking at a 2002 996 Carrera 4 Cab - Cup holder and ash try replaced?

I've stared shopping for a 996 Cab and I came across something I've never seen before in a Carfax report: 9 years ago @10,286 miles - this is reported: Recommended maintenance performed Engine/powertrain computer/module checked Cup holder replaced Washed/detailed Fuel pressure checked Body computer/module checked And then a few months later @ 10891 miles: Ash tray replaced Air filter replaced Engine/powertrain computer/module checked Body computer/module checked I've never seen that before on a carfax report - were the cup hoders and ash tray prone to failure? after that, the report is more typical, with stuff like this a month later: Engine cleaned Body computer/module checked Rear crankshaft oil seal replaced Transmission removed to complete repair Camshaft seal(s) replaced A/C compressor serviced Driveshaft seal replaced Looks like this one leaked a bit of oil early in its life and the RMS was replaced. A broken cup holder or ash tray wont keep me from looking at the car, but it seems like an odd thing to have both of those break. Of course, the car now has 73,000+ miles on it, so it seems to have overcome the early issues.

LOL, I don't know if you are serious..... 9 years ago car had cup-holder and ash tray replaced, you are asking if that was suspicious? Cup-holder is flimsy and can be easily broken, ashtray is a POS plastic with return spring that can break. Nothing suspicious. But, here is a Porsche Skeptic view to make this a balanced post: a broken cup holder prior to the broken ash tray suggest horrible future for this car; it also suggests that owner once used a drink while driving his Porsche, which places a curse on the car forever; broken ash tray suggests that owner might have smoked, which means your car will catch fire. Digits from service mileage of cup holder add up to 17, which means you car will spend 17 days in the shop each month. Digits from ash tray add up to 19 which means every 19 miles you wheels will fall off and you will have to walk home.

Sounds a lot like it could have been KrazyK's car... :-)

So... I was only slightly serious. I was trying to avoid making this one of those standard "should I buy this?" posts. That, and I was curious if its common to break those things. (Still - that's the first time I've seen a cup holder mentioned in a car fax report) I'm going to try to look at the car tomorrow (2002 C4 Cab, 6 spd, black/black, 73K mi, technic pkg, 18" whls, heated seats pkg) and then see what it will take to get this down a few thousand from the $29.9K asking price at the dealer. From what I can tell, at least in New England, I see lots of 996's advertised near $30K, but none of them seem to sell at those prices.

Well...... I wouldn't necessarily walk away if the price is right, but when it comes time to sell, without numbers-matching CH and AT you are going to really have a limited audience. There is a section in the back of Panorama magazine where you can advertise nationwide to see if anyone else has your old CH and AT. Just list what color it is and what your car's S/N is and if they're lying around a parts warehouse somewhere somebody just might take a look and ring you up. Or of course, you could go to Hershey every year and see if they turn up there. Personally, I'd just never feel right running what is probably not even a correct model-year AT and CH, much less original to the car. Sure, only somebody familiar with 911s would spot it, but I'D know, and that's all that matters. This car is probably best to just convert to a track car at this point...

Probably a picky owner getting a warranty replacement on the ash tray or cup holder for some very minor defect... Some ash tray lids I've seen don't close perfectly flush, and the 2002+ cup holders are a pretty intricate piece of engineering. I don't think they are prone to failure, but certainly enough things that could go wrong with them.

I don't know how they get certain things to be placed on Carfax. Mine had a Carfax line item" Washed and detailed."

Quotes source post: 10781822

Carfax will have maintenance records from servicing done by dealers ... Can be useful (for example, I know that my car had the ignition switch replaced about 10k miles ago), but can also be ridiculous. AFAICT, service by indie mechanics doesn't necessarily show up on Carfax. I recently traded a car that had been almost exclusively serviced by a local shop. The only "service record" it has on the Carfax is the one time I took it to the dealer for some warranty work.

No big deal. My Carfax has same for some under warranty dealer repairs.