Shopping dilemma - hoping for some sage advise

I've searched, read, watched endless videos and scour through technical documents. If I missed threads I should catch up on, please do inform me. I'm always ready to learn. tl;dr - Torn between a high mileage (120k) 996.2 and a low mileage (50k) 996.2 with similar purchase price of ~ 20k after negotiation. Higher mileage has maintenance record from day 1 and lower mileage has more worn interior and only records from 2017. Benefit of lower mileage is IMS bearing has been done. PPI done on both cars and higher mileage has minor RMS leak while lower mileage has no major mechanical problems but lots of random worn parts (CV boots, sway bar link, etc.). What would you pick? Longer version - I've been shopping for a weekend car for the past 3 months, scouring the web for your usual suspect of Boxster, Cayman, E46 M3 etc. I've had lots of experience with BMWs and over the last 20 yrs owned E30, E46, E24, E23, and now E61. I'm no stranger to weekend wrenching on BMWs and have over time built a pretty decent knowledge about what goes wrong with Bimmers and have a decent network of mechanic I trust in the NorCal area. I was set on pulling the trigger on a mint E46 M3 until I came upon a 911 and gone down a deep rabbit hole on learning 996s for the past 3 months. I think I'm pretty ready to buy and have found 2 996s the same year in my area. I've had PPI done on both vehicles and negotiated the price of both cars to where I think is fair. Here comes the dilemma - Car #1 is a 2003 996.2 with immaculate interior and well documented record from day 1. Great seller with PCA membership that seems to lead with transparency. The car has 120k and PPI showed it has a minor RMS leak otherwise a no major mechanical problems. Record shows a long list of repairs and replacement done over the past 18 years, new water pump, new CV, engine mounts, suspension, muffler update etc, work done at home or indy shops and oil analysis done the last few years. The only problem is IMS is not done. Car #2 - 2002 996.2 with only 50k on odometer and with maintenance records just from last 3 years of ownership. Almost all work done at local Porsche dealer. Interior has all the usual plastic peeling and button sticking issues, seats appears to be in great condition however. IMS bearing was updated 25k miles ago. PPI showed series of small issues such as worn headlight washers, CV boots, AOS replacement, etc. Nothing that scares me in wrenching as an amateur. Car #2 is about $2000 more expensive given the low miles. My dilemma - The traditional car purchase advise seems to be buy the newest and lowest miles version and best maintained car you can afford. In reading this forum, the views from hardcore Porsche guru seems to be maintenance record trumps low miles and that higher miles would have more failed item addressed. This make a bit of sense in my feeble BMW brain but not having any experience in Porsches, it's really hard for me to tell which way to lean. Both car drives pretty similarly so no real strong signals there. I have a daily driver which is the last of the dying breed of wagons from BMW that I love and wrench. I see the 996 being used as weekend backroad carver and roadtrips to visit families down in LA and Arizona (with some canyon carving thrown in). I anticipate my yearly mileage to be 5-8k and maybe 1 HPDS or autocross event but probably mostly just rallies and solo driving of the gorgeous back roads here in NorCal. Any sage advice from the experts? What would you pick? Looking up IMS replacement in the Bay Area seems to land in the range of $4-6k, which is a pretty significant expense to start a relationships. I also can't help but think about the resale value of higher mileage 996s, if/when I'm ready to upgrade to another 911, would I be stuck holding the bag of taking significant losses due to people's fear of higher mileage cars? Sorry for the rant, thanks in advance for any words of wisdom.

Based on what you are saying I would definitely go with the #2 low mileage car.... IMS will cost you at least $2k on #1 whereas the #2 car has simple stuff to fix. Frankly the 120k mile car to meet is way over priced from my perspective no matter the condition.

My .02 is that you buy Porsche the same as BMW. You do not buy the car but the condition and history. But in this case, the cost delta does not really match the mileage difference. Question is, if you buy the lower mileage car for 2K more, how much more will be spent to get it into good order. You could easily increase that cost delta to 6k or so. Resale, you are correct, the higher mileage will not bring the money. You have some room on the mileage of the 2nd car before it become a resale issue. That said, I bought my 03 1.5 yr ago with 97k miles and great records. Very happy with the car, some small items over this period of ownership but a great experience to date. Good luck with your choice. Sounds like you have done your homework.

Seems like you've done your homework pretty well! It looks like the car is something that you plan to enjoy and then move on to something different or newer, if I understand you correctly. If that's the case then the lower mileage car does make sense if resale is important to you. Having said that these cars do well over time when used and driven. It looks like the higher mileage car owner has taken a bit of a gamble with the IMS but also looks like he has done all the right things over the last 18 years to ensure things don't go south quickly. Yes, there are no guarantees here but it just goes to show that not all IMS bearings will fail if the car is driven and proper maintenance at proper intervals is done. $4k-$6k seems like a whole lot for the IMS replacement. Does that include the "while we're in there" things like AOS, clutch, RMS? Perhaps that's just Bay Area pricing but I've seen this job done for about $2k - $3k, but again this may differ by where you live. Given the price difference I'd also lean towards the lower mileage car but if it's something you plan keeping long term I wouldn't discount the higher mileage car. I'm not sure how much you knocked off the price on it and if there are any significant or important to you option differences but it may be worth trying to knock off a bit more in a transparent and respectful manner with the owner and explain your situation. For every car there is the right buyer that is focusing on different things and it sounds like both of these cars will sell. Some people value low miles and some records. Just take a look at the 996 high mileage thread!

So incredible helpful. Thanks for the replies, it definitely confirms some of my instincts. Out of curiosity, how big of a problem is RMS leaks? Looking at DIYs, it definitely looks like a job outside of my garage, but opinion seems split on severity and it also seems like 996 generally suffers from RMS leak regardless.

IMHO I don't think working on these cars is as hard as you may have read or been told. Especially if you've been wrenching before on other German cars, like BMW. A lot of it will come down to space and the right tools. They are mechanical devices with limited electronics so if you have or can get a lift, the right tools for the job and follow directions it's not a huge deal. RMS will leak for most cars at some point. That can lead to other problems down the road and it's just plain not good to be leaking any fluid. Usually people address this while doing a clutch and/or IMS. If the shop is straight forward and honest they shouldn't charge you much of extra labor to replace the RMS if they are doing other work in there. I had an IMS quoted at a specialty shop and was told that if I want to do the clutch and RMS it would be just the cost of the parts since they need to remove the clutch already and with the right tools the RMS swap is a simple affair.

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The rate for IMS does include �while we are in there� by default is my understanding. I know in the bmw world, if you�re doing rod bearing, you�d be silly to not change engine mounts and a series of other wear items. I think this was assumed in the IMS job too. However the lowest rate I�ve heard seems to hover at $4k regardless. Maybe other Bay Area owners have better contacts, I literally just called around Porsche shops that shows up on Yelp, which isn�t how I�d typically approach mechanic shop selections.

Reiterating what I said on another thread: Here's my advice as a relatively new owner. Listen to the people here. They are (mostly) all here to help you and (mostly) all correct in their statements Find the nicest car you can afford. Repairs are not cheap, so factor that into your selection. For example, there's a nice car with a blown engine near me for $10k, or you can find a nice low mile car for $24k. Same math, at the end of the day. My preference is to find a 1-2 owner car, with documented history, in the most expensive zipcode, with no excuses but enough flaws that I can afford it. That's what I bought. Don't be married to one particular car. There are A LOT of 996 out there, and the one you want (or a better one) will come along. Don't compromise on point 2 above. Think about what you really want. A stick sounds great, until you realize that the clutch is heavy and you are in LA traffic daily. Or a convertible sounds nice, but your wife hates the wind and is always cold, so you should have bought a hardtop. Search these forums, look at youtube videos, learn, learn, learn. I'm far from an expert but a few months in, I know a lot more than I did at the get-go. Since you are in the Bay Area, I'll add: be choosy about who does your PPI. I went to a highly recommended shop and they missed a couple of important things. When doing IMS, you might as well do RMS, clutch too. $4-5k is about right. Walnut Creek Porsche quoted me $3500 just for the IMS job with an LN bearing which for a dealer is not terrible. I'm not in the market for one so if you want my advice on a particular local car, happy to help you brainstorm.

I agree with Lowpue, I'd lean more toward the lower mileage with the IMSB having been done...if it was done within the last 3 or 4 years. (Not done REAL recently though unless it underwent a documented pre-qualification) If the IMSB was replaced with The IMS Solution then time doesn't matter...any other IMS bearing eventually "expires."

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What he said...+1

All else being equal (and the IMS not being done makes the highest mileage car not equal), buy the lower mileage car. 50K isn't all that low, I am wary of cars with 20K or less, but 50K shows some use. These cars like to be driven. Neither of these cars are "walk away" candidates. Not having done the IMS on the higher-mileage one, I'd be slightly concerned about whether it has started to go out. Make sure you've checked for metal in the oil. I wouldn't worry about the maintenance records on the lower mileage too much, but that means you'll need to catch up or check in on some stuff like water pump, motor mounts (maybe), plugs and coils.

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What this guy said! +2

Grammar nut: advice = noun, advise = verb.

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Based on this info, I'd pick the higher mileage 996. I'd pass on Car #2 (the lower mileage 996) based on the worn interior alone AND based on the additional items that also need to be replaced, which is evidence IMO of the "poor" manner in which the car has been cared for, especially since you only have 3 years of service info. If you still decide to go w/Car #2, I'd discount the offer from the asking price based on the estimated cost of repairing all of the worn items at a shop. IMO you should never discount any offer for a used car based on the cost of parts only because you think that you can DIY. FWIW, I've long gotten over the bias of buying (and paying more) for lower mileage cars. I bought my BMW w/80k, MB w/95k and 996 w/90k miles on them and they have not caused me any problems (beyond normal wear/tear) that I didn't cause myself. So, IMO, as long as the condition of car (and service records if any) indicate that it has been well cared for an not abused, which seems to be the case w/Car #1 (the higher mileage 996). The seller of Car #1 should be well aware of the IMS concern and should be willing to negotiate the price based on the replacement. $3.5k for the IMS should be a good estimate of the cost of replacement. So, assuming that Car #2 is already priced $2k higher and the asking price of Car #1 already reflects a discount for the excess mileage (and they are otherwise of equal value), I'd offer the seller of Car #1 $2k less to take into account the cost of replacing the IMS (and be willing to agree to $1.5k less as a backup position). Just my 2 cents on the matter . . . good luck making the decision that works best for you.

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thanks for the PSA , will commit to memory.

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I find your analysis fascinating. Though all my BMWs were problematic in various stages of their lives, the lowest mile one was the only one that had catastrophic failure, it�s probably pure coincidence but the old saying of judging the seller vs the car might have some truths to it. I think that�s why I�m somewhat enamored by the idea that car # 2 had records from day one. I�m beginning to see IMS/RMS as sort of analogous to subframe or rod bearing issues of M cars - something I�d be concerned and use as bargaining chip to fix. In reality, seller for car #2 already lowered his price by $1500 so I�m a bit reluctant to keep bargaining. We�ll see what happens. as someone mentioned above, it may be a situation where I need to not be too attached to any given cars as more will come.

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The lowest mileage BMW I bought I just traded in with 216k miles, only repairs across 200k of that was valve cover gasket, oil filter housing gasket, starter, battery, brakes, and tires. Routine maintenance. I knew nothing of prior ownership, no repair receipts, bought it and drove it. Everyone's experience is different. The only thing I looked for with the 996 was documented repair history, as this was a different purchase. Did some PM's right away (IMS, AOS, clutch, etic.) and never thought twice after the fact.

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I'm not making a "hard case" for buying Car #1 (the higher mileage 996) but, based on what you said, it seemed like the better car to buy to me, assuming that you can get it for a "fair price" that takes into account the need to replace the IMS and the excess mileage. Of course, some people will argue that, if the IMS has not gone out after 120k miles, it probably doesn't need to be replaced at all because ,if it were bad, it would have failed already. But that shouldn't stop you from using it as a negotiating point to lower the price. However, as already suggested, there are lots of 996's for sale out there and, unless you are really "in love" one of these 2 cars, there's no reason not to "keep looking" if the condition/price of the cars doesn't seem just "right" to you. Good luck!

I know this is probably off topic so apologies. # 1 - higher mileage is S4 vs S2 of the lower mileage. I know it�s a preference and purist thing but I couldn�t tell much difference in driving dynamics between the two, is that generally the case with folks that�s driven both? Admittedly it�s a bit tough to drive too hard with the owner next to you so I may not have pushed through freeway exists as hard as I would usually.

#1 - It's C4/C2 (S4 is Audi...)... Anyway, 120k for a 16-18 yr old car is not "high mileage"... If the service records are complete I'd be super comfortable with that car - especially if it's in great condition... speaks volumes. %0k miles for the same age car is on the low usage side (car sat around a lot) who know how often it was serviced... How many owners? This also makes a big difference as people who sell cars tend to pass on the problems to the next unknowing buyer... Caveat Emptor...

After awhile I got tired of looking at all that was available. I found something reasonably close that fit my needs. I wanted convertible and automatic so to share with family. I can drive a stick, but this was to be enjoyed by all. I found one in NJ that we could drive down and pick up, had some service history, had moderate miles in a color I liked. I went into this knowing that these could have trouble as any car might at almost 20yrs old. It lost the alternator 20 miles from where I bought it, so I wasn't disappointed... That said, I replaced the alternator and battery for a reasonable amount of money and it's been good mechanically ever since. I replaced two rear original tires that were worn down. That's been the immediate items of need. I have chosen to replace the water pump, thermostat and coolant because not knowing the history, it was time. Coils and plugs were done for the same reason. It takes some time and patience, but not terribly difficult to do. Next year I will replace other mechanical items known to be trouble, IMS, RMS and AOS, with various aftermarket and OEM stuff as needed. I'm enjoying the car so far.

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omg, that�s spacey of me. Of course, C2/4. Great call on passing on the problem though. I think they�re both 4 owners, which feels pretty normal for these kinds of cars. I�ve also been impressed with this community�s willingness to engage with my dumb questions. Strangely it�s one of the things I worry a bit about - in terms of strength of 996 specific content given this forum covers all porsches. Thanks for the help so far, it�s provided a lot of needed clarity for me.

I think if you have the money, resources and time, it's great. The inspections are worthwhile. I went with my gut (ok gambled a bit) and have been rewarded so far. That's not to say it's to be that way long term. I'm keeping track of invoices and when and what I've done so down the road, if I sell, I have something to show the next owner. Not that I'm in any hurry, but the extra effort will be worth it.