7 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCH996 - 3.4 - which year is best ?
Leading reported evidence
Use 996s
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
My tip is to get as many goodies in the spec as possible - especially satnav - as this makes it easier to resell, typical market for used 996s that you may be selling this car on to in the future is people trading up from lesser marques eg BMW / Audi and used to electric everything.
Leading evidence: 'Use 996s' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'later the better' (1 discussions; 0 report identifying it and 1 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Use 996s' (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.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that suspect a cause
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
These are separate views of the same evidence. Frequency alone does not establish a fix, and these counts must not be added together.
Use 996s
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
My tip is to get as many goodies in the spec as possible - especially satnav - as this makes it easier to resell, typical market for used 996s that you may be selling this car on to in the future is people trading up from lesser marques eg BMW / Audi and used to electric everything.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
7 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Porsche Club GB: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261026T200546Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
having had 15 faithfull years with my '86 carrera - have finally sold her with a view to buying a 996
can only afford 'mid 30's' - so is there a particular model year which is considered 'best
NOT
to buy' ie problems/upgrades etc
any advice appreciated !!!
mark giddings
Probably the later the better. Quite a lot of minor improvements had been made by 2000, (although not the infamous main seals).
Obviously, the major milestone was the second generation 996 (Facelift/3.6/2002MY>). At the moment these are £45k plus.
However, there are some very nice 3.4s for under £40k. If you do your homework and search for a car with the right credentials (history, mileage, specification), you should find a really good example.
I have had no trouble with a Nov 97 car, now on 62k miles, much less maintenance than the 993 that preceded it. You will get a younger car for your money buying private, but apart from the facelift - which may be outside your price bracket - not much to differentiate. My tip is to get as many goodies in the spec as possible - especially satnav - as this makes it easier to resell, typical market for used 996s that you may be selling this car on to in the future is people trading up from lesser marques eg BMW / Audi and used to electric everything. Good luck !
If it was my £35k I'd go for a 99MY C4, for the 99 MY Porsche introduced POSIPS side impact protection as standard, the cars also came with the clear front & rear lights (to further distance itself from the Boxter) & various other tweeks including a slightly louder exhaust system. The C4 was also the first 996 to feature Porsches fantastic PSM system (with upgraded engine management & electronic throttle) & this wasn't available on the C2 until later, which may be out your budget. C4's aren't much more than C2's at this age & you should find a decent specced model at your price privately.
You can tell the model year by looking at the 10th digit of the VIN number.....
W-98
X-99
Y-00 etc
Let us know if you need any other info.
Regards
Grant
Grant
Err, I think the years are a little awry -
Aug 1998 - March 1999 = S (the first 'split' year if I recall)
Mar 99 to Aug 99 = T
Aug 99 to Mar 00 = V
Mar 00 to Aug 00 = W
and so on
(may be out by a month, but I think it was Aug the switch happened)
The clear lenses / etc 99 MY were from late 99 - i.e latter S reg onwards.
Tony
