Possible to get a decent 996 under 20k?

I have been window shopping cars for a while and will probably purchase something in the next 1 year at least 3 years at most. I have been looking at c5/c6 corvettes but really like the idea of a 996, currently driving a 1994 Corvette. I had a few questions. One, I know there is such thing as a Corvette tax, is the Porsche tax considerably more? Like is 1k ish a year enough to budget for maintenance after thins like IMS are taken care of? Also it's kind of hard to judge the market, some 996 carrera s's are going for 15k while some are going for 40k. Is it possible to get a decent one under 20k? Also I do all the work myself to my corvette, is it even possible to do this with the 911? With the corvette the whole hood comes up and I can easily access anything and the opening for a 996's engine looks a lot smaller. This will be my daily driver also. Thank you for any answers.

I did. 40k will [hopefully] be a C4S which is basically a Turbo body with out the turbo motor or even a Turbo needing some work at that price. Under 20 will mostly be 996.1 [pre facelift] but can still find .2s and with records. I paid well under 15k for mine with 137k miles and all I've done in a year for maintenance is an oil change and a short throw shifter.

If you're patient, you can find a higher-mileage gem once in a while on craigslist. I managed to snag a one-owner 2003 C4S with 109k miles on it for 19k back in 2017. Guy was too old to get into the car anymore so his wife made him sell it. For the most part, the car's been reliable and I've taken a few road trips without worry, but I had a bunch of things hit me around the same time last summer -- brakes, tie rods, air oil separator, O2 sensors, diff leaks, serpentine belt -- I attribute it to a mix of it just being an older car and me doing a lazy job storing it over the winter. It's easy enough to do the simpler stuff myself, but just don't have the space/tools at my apartment to do major repairs.

It took me a year and a half to find mine, which finally turned up on local Craiglist. There were quite a few I saw during my search that were in good shape and under $20k...I would've had to factor in $1000 for shipping or travel though. Very well documented 2003 Targa with 80k miles for $18,500 with a bunch of extras (exhaust, GT3 parts, tuner, etc) and the previous owner had pretty much all failure items replaced (IMS/RMS, AOS, expansion tank, water pump, belts, hoses).

they are out there. I just grabbed an aerokit in great shape for $20k with 65k miles.

Got my 02 C2 with 42k miles for $19.2K.

I paid $15k for this. It needed some deferred maintenance and the paint was in not so great shape, but if you're willing to put in some time and elbow grease, your total investment can come in well under $20k.

I'm in a similar boat as you but my budget is more like $25k - $30k. The short answer is yes but remember the adage that there is nothing more expensive than a cheap Porsche. With that in mind I would budget some money for a PPI if you find a car that you might be serious about. Sounds like you're mechanically savvy so doing your own PPI might be a good first step and invest in an indy shop to go more in depth. As for Porsche tax I definitely think it's there and might be higher than an Corvette one. It's a German sports car and both of those descriptors tend to equal $$$. I'd definitely set aside some money for when stuff goes wrong. Hopefully a PPI should prevent any big ticket items and as you put money away that should help cover those as they come. At $20k you might be looking at cars close to 100k miles on the clock or over. Not to say you might not get lucky but I don't see decently maintained 996's getting much lower than that. Sure there will be some but higher miles and dodgy records.

I bought an 02 C4S with 71k miles (from a BMW dealer no less) for $21k last year. Had to ship it from CO to CA but still a smoking deal. It�s now sitting at Jake Raby�s shop getting a 4.0L (elective, I had no issues with the car), so it�s no longer a $21k car but we�ve seen stock 996s go for $41k on BaT recently so I�m now in that ballpark. But it�s not about the money, it�s about having the smiles per hour. That said, try not to focus on price. Take your time. Test drive a lot of cars, get a PPI and buy the one that checks out ok. A $20k 996 can very quickly become a $30k or $40k 996 if you pick the wrong one.

FYI prices on these cars have gone up considerably in the last 4-6 months which will make your search harder, so I would throw out anyone's post here that didn't buy a car in 2020. If a "decent" example comes up for sale for under 20k, they already have about a dozen calls or emails in the first day. This is thanks to decent non aero kit cars going for 25k+ on BAT and Aero Kit cars going for 31-35k.

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Bought mine in April. I think the deals are still out there, just maybe less of them and/or they go really quickly.

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You basically have to refresh the sites everyday and if the car comes up for sale you need to get it within the first day if its really clean/priced well. There are also now flippers who have figured out that these cars can command 25-35k on BaT so they will buy them, slap some more lipstick on them then put them up for sale for 5-10k more. I just picked up a 1 owner C2 with 35k miles and a factory aero kit car for a very low number but it took alot of luck(they declined the same offer on the first day of the listing from a guy who showed up with a backpack full of cash and they could tell he wanted to flip it but gave me the same price after I negotiated a bit in the end).

Define "Decent". I found an 02 with a blown motor at 124K miles. Paid $4K and then found a good factory replaced motor (50K miles) from a part out for $6K. Did all the work myself with the help of Rennlist and Pelican parts tech section. I'm not a mechanic and have never done this kind of work ever. The car was in great shape other than a little paint fade on the rear bumper. I see them all over the country for under $20K... I've been laughing for two years and smiling every time I start it for a drive. It's my daily driver. Have you driven one yet? And BAT is last place to buy one unless you set your budget and stick to it, you might get lucky!

Last month I bought a 03 C2 with 95k miles for $17,500 it had deferred maintenance and few records but is in decent condition. For peace of mind I had a local Porsche shop perform a major service plus flush all fluids, change the IMS, replace clutch, RMS, and perform a general inspection it cost me $5k. If I did the work myself U would have been well under the $20K mark for a great car. Any way it can be done but can take time looking.

Everyone has a different opinion of what decent is. If you can settle for a cab then sub 20k should be no problem. Coupes generally go for more so you might have to find one with some more miles than a comparable cab might have. I picked up my 99 cab for $18k and four months later put $4300 into it to take care of major services that I had no record of, IMS, RMS, AOS, clutch, and flywheel. In the time since then, over a year, everything I have done has been routine and I have spent under $500 bucks on that stuff DIY. There are some rock chips and a few door dings but overall it's in good shape for a 21-year-old vehicle. I think with a new top it will look even better.

Try looking here: https://firstflatsix.com/ and pca.org

Good advice above. I started out looking at a salvaged coupe for under $15k which I passed on, and am now looking at cabriolets in the low 20s. They are out there, in fact there are a ton, but be patient and find the right one.

Bought my 2002 C4 Cab w/90k miles on it a year ago (almost to the day) for $15k (plus tax & reg fees). Clean title purchased on consignment from a dealer & IMS was done. It was in excellent shape cosmetically and mechancially but still required about $5k in work to fix/service/upgrade/change a variety of things to sort it out to my satisfaction. So, total cost into the car is $20k which is what KBB says that it's worth from a dealer and about $2k more than in a private sale.

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If you are planning on taking the car to the shop the number I throw out is $2,500/yr, use it or save it. The first year I owned my car I didn't have a space to work on it and I paid close to $5k getting my car "right" at a shop. Tires, IMS, Clutch, fixing suspension components. Then the next two years I did 2x oil changes per year and that's it. Then stupid stuff like window regulators, engine mounts, that don't necessarily cost a lot but take up my time came in my third and fourth years - would easily be many hundreds at a shop if I had kept taking it there. So you can see some years you're gonna need it and some years you may not need it as much. Some years may be considerably more than $2,500 and you're gonna be happy you saved it. If you can work on the car yourself you'll save thousands over time. End of the day I think this kind of stuff just adds to the charm of being the caretaker of a classic Porsche.

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I'm looking at an 01 C4 Cab with 50k miles for around $20k, IMS still pending. Prices still rising it seems.

If you have considered a Corvette, then I would seriously consider a Boxster S instead. They are not lesser cars. I have a 996 because I have 2 kids that can sit in back, but I would go back to a Boxster S if I didn�t need the back seats. And yes, they are cheaper - you can easily find one for several thousand dollars than a 996. Not quite as fast, but close enough. The non-S not so much. Arguably better handling, and they have 2 trunks.

Be patient, keep your eyes peeled ,do your research. Got a good mechanically conditioned 103k mile 996 C2 for sub 15k, had the IMS, RMS, brakes, water pump, starter, etc all done within the last year - all documented and invoiced from the shop that did it - just needed some cosmetic love which I love doing, and I did my own oil change, replaced all the filters, new tires, and doing all of the paint refresh - I thought it was a great deal but I guess that's subjective to all. I think the main things are staying patient and trusting your gut, and staying in line with your expectations - don't expect a show car for under 20, but sweat equity goes along way - now back to claying the car Edit - one thing I would note, this is strictly a weekend car, I wouldn't suggest this as a daily driver, but maybe that's just me. I bought this purely as a good weather, good season fun weekend car. I have a wife and 2 small kids that can fit in the back for some fun, but I don't think this could be my daily, for under 15k I don't feel as confident relying on this for daily commuting - but maybe i'm just being mean to her

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I've been looking for a 6th car for awhile and keep coming back to C5/6 Corvettes because they are plentiful and relatively cheap. Don't know how much the Corvette "tax" is but it can't imagine that it's more than the Porsche "tax". For routine maintenance, $1k/yr should be more than enough for either car BUT, depending on the age/condition of the car, sh*t happens and a "simple repair on a 911 can easily cost you $1-2k (I already know this from experience w/mine) and just a couple of those can easily run up your expenses for the car in a year to $5k. One thing (among a variety of things) that I like about Vettes (especially if they are older) is that just about any shop (not that I'd take one to just any shop) can work on a Vette. 911's not so much.

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i love this guy !!!!!

There are good buys if you are patient and know what you want. I had been looking for a sub $20K coupe for a while. I was not in a hurry and I expected to have to travel to another state to find what I wanted. But in checking CL every week via tempest search kept me apprised what they were typically going for. I wanted a coupe with a manual transmission in good shape. In that price range, I expected mileage to be north of 100K. But then in early March I noticed a car just 40 miles away that looked very good for less than $20K. I spoke to the guy extensively about his time with the car, he is a certified aircraft mechanic.Although it was not perfect, it was quite good and had 59K miles. I bought it for $16 including 2 extra sets of rims. I have done some maintenance and checked the engine over pretty well. (dropped the sump, put on a non-bypass oil filter, had the water system pressure checked....) I have put over 2K miles on it so far and no issues. Love the car and I am pretty happy with my purchase! So if you are patient, you can find what you are looking for!

I bought my 996.2 (MT, clear bra, Aerokit front bumper, Fabspeed mufflers) in Sept 2017 with 54K miles for $20K. It needed a new windshield and a control arm. (but the PO thought it needed an entire suspension which had been quoted at $3K) Mine is my daily driver. (Pre-COVID ~ 1000 miles/month) I do all my own work except mounting tires on wheels, windshield R&R, and alignments. Since 2017 I've spent the following on: Repairs : 1st year: $846 (Sept 20, 2017 - Sept 19, 2018) 2nd year: $336 (Sept 20, 2018 - Sept 19, 2019) 3rd year: $608.90 (Sept 20, 2019 - YTD) Year 1 Windshield $633 (Safelite) Appointment scheduled for 10/6/17 rescheduled for 10/20/17 Rescheduled for 10/27/17 Control Arm $68 (Saved hundreds over Porsche OEM) 11/2017 Headlight Switch $145 6/2018 Year 2 Passenger side window regulator $107 9/2018 GBox 2nd gear popout detent $216 10/2018 Defroster Button $13 4/2019 Possibly a battery too. Need to check when purchased. Year 3 2 x control arms $173.38 10/2019 2 x EPS control arm link(Front) $148.98 10/2019 2 x Swaybar bushings $29 10/2019 Visor Mirror Flap $99.96 10/2019 Motor Mounts $157.58 10/2019 AOS - Coolant T-connector $15.99 (Uro) Preventative Maintenance: 1st year: $275.31 (Sept 20, 2017 - Sept 19, 2018) 2nd year: $2091.23 (Sept 20, 2018 - Sept 19, 2019) 3rd year: $1068.24 (Sept 20, 2019 - YTD) --Need to add items below Year 1 Oil Change 10/22/2017 55,847 miles $129.49 Oil(DT40) + Free Filter (Provided by Previous Owner) Oil Change 5/28/2018 59,794 miles $138.93(DT40) + $6.89 Filter Year 2 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S Tires 9/2018 $1,361.48 https://www.michelinman.com/tire/mic...pilot-sport-4s Oil Change 11/1/2018 64,704 miles $138.93(DT40) + $6.89 Filter Porsche Water Pump 1/2019 $417.5 Conti Serpentine Belt 1/2019 $27.50 Oil Change 5/18/2019 68,974 miles $138.93(DT40) + $6.89 Filter (Oil & Filter already Purchased) Brake pads F&R 7/2019 (cheap Brembo pads sucked!) Year 3 Oil Change 9/27/2019 74,658 miles $137.89(DT40) + $6.89 Filter (Filter already Purchased) Akebono Brake pads/Pagid Rotors 1/2020 $341.58 (Brembo pads sucked, Akebonos rule!) Oil Change 3/9/2020 79,702 miles $137.89(DT40) + $8.99 Filter UAOS & Hoses $435 + extra hoses and vacuum hardline 4/2020 https://rennlist.com/forums/market/1182063 Michellin Pilot Sport 4S Rear Tires $630.00 8/2020 Oil Change ??/2020 --Probably in early September ---Need to look up when I bought new battery---somehow it didn't make it into my document --The year to date figures are probably wrong, I need to do some work on my document. Mods are a different list, and much MUCH more than I've spent here!

I�m comparison, I bought my 99 C2 cab Dec 2016 for $17,600 and spent $15k in 3.5 years.

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Love you to brother! None of this could have happened when it did without you! Thanks again! Patience and timing is everything...

OP you should buy this one https://rennlist.com/forums/market/1208886