Looking into buying an early 996

Getting right to it, I kind of smoothly slipped the "I wish the day would come when I own a 911" phrase to my wife, and she reluctantly agreed that whatever will make me stop talking about getting a 911 will make her happy. Looks like the only real 911 I could possibly afford is an early 996 (1999-2001) because I really don't like the front facia of the later 996's. So my question is this: I've never heard good things about 996's, especially from 911 junkies, in your opinion(s), what are the tradeoffs, things to look out for, and problems with the early 996's? Any input is much appreciated, because if it turns out this isn't the best route, I will probably go for a Honda S2000 instead. Thanks!

An S2000 over a 911. What did your wife smack you in the head with a frying pan. Why not just get a mazda miata and call it a day. There is no better joy than being behind the wheel of a 911. The only potential issue that i have heard of is the IMS but if its not that big a deal and if you are really concerned, you can get the retrofit and never worry about it but seriously, you are comparing an S2000 to a 911.

Don't get your panties in a wad there chief, I didn't compare the S2000 to a 911. I simply said if the 996 isn't the best route, then I will go for an S2000 instead. It's basically the next best thing that I would like to drive. The real concern for me is reliability and ultimately, affordability. So I guess the real question is this, are the early 996's any less of a 911 than most other versions (ie. build quality, ride quality, reliability, etc.)?

A watercooled 911 is VERY different from an aircooled 911, in just about everyway possible. If you've never experienced an aircooler, thats fine. In many ways (effective HVAC, Powersteering) a 996 will be like a nicely upgraded 944. Modern, comfortable and way faster though As mentioned, IMS is a big issue. Other issues of early motors were "d chunking" of cylinders, Coolant tank failures, ignition switches too. No "worse" than what a typical 944 owner would be used to. Some also say that buying a "low miles" example will be more troublesome. Something about when the cars are used everyday, they seem to have lower rates of failure. Internet conjecture to be sure, but I think an item used everyday would have fewer issues than one used 1-4 times/month for instance. Most "early" cars have already failed by this time. That said, should you need a replacement 3.4, I am told they are getting a bit more expensive. I'd figure maybe $4-8K used, installed up to maybe $15K for a new one. Hmm.. another similarity to a 944.. sometimes replacing a broken component is equal to the value of the actual car. D'oh! Go for it!

I'm curious why you think the only "real" 911 is a 996. No big deal, it's just the opposite of what most people think. Anyway, I'd definitely go for a later ('02 or later) 996. You may not prefer the look, but the improvements are significant: bigger motor, more power, broader torque curve, improved exhaust, a glovebox, cup holders, better-quality interior, more advanced Variocam, less aerodynamic lift, stiffer body, lighter wheels...

I said it's the only real 911 I can afford. Other 911's in good condition are too expensive. Good advice on the improvements.

Good luck on your future purchase of a 911, and if you make sure and get a good PPI, I think you will be pleasantly surprised with the performance of the early model 996s . I have a 2000 996 C4 and I look forward to jumping into it and just driving . I've driven the S2000 and it is very light and very fast, but lacks that power feeling that you get when you drive any 911 .

Thanks Sparky. That's the thing, I love both cars, but you said it, there's nothing like a 911. Would you recommend getting a PPI from the dealer? Even the low end torque of my 944 was a great change from the rest of the cars I've owned. I would love a classic 911 or an SC, 964 or a 993, but the right cars are hard to find for the right price.

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Check with other 996 owners in your area and I am sure that they can point you in the right direction for a good PPI. The PPI runs about $200, but well worth it. Good luck and post some pictures

I for 1 agree with your logic as I drove many 996's & Boxsters & rented a Honda 2000S before purchasing the best of both worlds a 2000 Boxster S which is my daily driver. I also thought of the Honda as being the "sensible safer" choice but as many owners discover it is not a good daily driver since it requires nonstop shifting & zero storage space. I consider the Boxster S to be funner to drive & your money goes much further over the 996 route although the 996 is the sweet spot of 911 priceing vs features.

Great AC in 996. Poor AC in 993. Also, IMS early failure detection devise coming out next month from Flat6 Innovations. I predict this device to help in resale value of 996 in the future. But who knows.

To the OP, what is your "price point" and how will you use the car? (DD? Weekend car etc).

Thanks for the info guys! Racer, my price point, has to be under $20k for sure and it would mostly be used as a weekend driver and the additional week night joy rides.

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Hi Jeff, I just bought my 996 a couple of months ago, after shopping for about 6 or 7 months. I had several PPIs which I feel I benefited from. I was in the process of getting the money together for a 2000 C4 up in the Seattle area when I found this C4 just around the corner from my office for $15K. There are many nice cars in your price range and don't be afraid to ask for advice here at RL

$20K will find a well sorted 911SC, 3.2 Carrera and maybe even a 964 as well as some 996's. Your best tools are time, patience, willingness to learn, take LOTS of test drives to get a baseline of what feels "good" vs not good etc. Spring/summer brings out lots of sellers.. Fall/Winter bring out motivated sellers.

Find yourself a clean 996 with engine trouble, then call renegade hybrids for their new LS3 engine swap kit. Then you will have a very fast great handling 996

$20K should be plenty for a nice early 996. I would get a 1 or 2 owner car with a good history of maintenance. I used Carfax in finding mine. It doesn't provide everything you might want to know about the car but it is informative. I took a chance with no PPI. I got lucky I guess. A PPI is the logical thing to do.

Just bought an 01 C2 Cab. Love it so far. Have had a Boxster and 944. The 996 is a really comfortable car on long drives. Has great performance (can pass anytime/anywhere). Is a very refined car. Lots of creature comforts in a very sporty package. There are a lot of suspension upgrades available and the car is actually pretty easy to work on overall. Test drive one and you'll probably love it. A lot of bang for the buck. Just find a good car with service history and you should be pretty safe.

I purchased a 1999 996 the past week. In excellent 2 owner condition for under $17k. I am basically a Corvette nut and have an '03 Z06 and a '66 coupe but have always wanted to own a Porsche. The Porsche is a blast to drive! Like you, I cannot afford a 2012 model and had to resort to something in my price range. I read likes/dislikes about the model and took all into consideration but in the end I did what I wanted to do which was to purchase.

I bought a 1999 996 last year for $20K . It was loaded and had about 50000 mi. I sold it several months later and bought a 993 with about 100000 on it for less. I like the 993 better .It feels older but better put together. The 996 and Boxster IMS issue was unknown to me when I bought the 996. You should investigate IMS failure before jumping in. Also consider the 996 is still depreciating while the 993 and 964 are probably slowly rising.

if you can stay close to the 2001 996 if you don't take pleasure in the face-lift version. The 2001 will sport that much need power gain and will not lighter than those manufactured later, stay away from the 99 if you can, the interior was changed out in 00 and later.

The IMS issue is an unknown really,.. there are a lot of cars out there that have experienced the issue but there are no concrete numbers to point to. Could be hundreds, could be thousands,.. out of hundreds of thousands of cars. No PPI will catch this issue. It DOES seem to affect cars that are not driven much. The issue involved the sealed bearing that is on the clutch/tranny side of the engine, supporting the Intermediate shaft. After a while, the seals (being plastic) tend to become brittle,.. and the grease comes out, leaving it (the IMS Bearing) unlubricated. There are a number of fixes for this,.. one being removing the seals completely so that engine oil constantly washes across the bearing, another being replacing the bearing with an improved factory part. The third, and gaining popularity is replacing the bearing with a ceramic/alloy bearing from a place called L&N Engineering. This is something in any case that would run you 1500-2500 (parts and time) if done at a shop. It is also something you can do in your driveway without dropping the engine (as so many things at Porsche ask you to!). What you want to look for on your PPI is oil leakage between the Engine and tranny... look for "clean" areas as Oil leakage tends to clean grit and all off wherever it is dripping down. Seepage will accumulate dirt/grit. Cleaner oil may point to a Rear Main Seal (RMS). Dirty oil tends to point to an IMS issue. Most tend to replace both the RMS and IMS when they have a clutch job done as the IMS only adds about an hour of time, and parts. Most shops will automatically replace the RMS with the newer upgraded part from Porsche whenever a clutch job is done. The cars are amazing. I have a 2000 C2 Cabrio that I purchased from a great friend in excellent condition. It had 86k miles and runs as new. Things you will want to change depending on importance to you? 1. Stereo - Oh. My. God. Change it. NOW. Horrific reception and crummy sound. sell yours on ebay... they fetch a fair amount of $$... why? no idea. 2. Shifter. While the one is there is very good,.. if you enjoy a more connected feeling with your car, purchase a 997 shifter. Not as notchy as a SSK, but shortens the throws. Makes the car feel better overall. 3. Exhaust. While I LOVE the turbine whine of the car.. sometimes you want to have a little more "growl". Go with Fister D exhausts. They just send you a modified set of mufflers and you send them yours back. Plug and play and just modded for a sound all the Porsche guys say is the way these cars SHOULD sound. Inexpensive. That's it other than one thing you will find... anything that is marketed for Porsche is EXPENSIVE!!!!! Case in point... I have a '97 BMW M3... I thought that was expensive. Cat-back exhaust ran me about $700. Similar SS Cat-Back for a porsche? try 1800... then continue up through the $15k price range and more. Get used to people giving you attitude as they automatically assume Porsches mean you have tons of disposable income even though your car may have cost less than a Honda. Also get used to a lot of "Thumbs Up" and attention on the road. While not rare by any stretch of the imagination,.. you just don't seem to see a lot of these on the roads. Also,.. please don't let people give you the "It's not a real Porsche" atitude. Porsche made a conscious decision that air cooling was no longer in their future with the 911. They might as well have kicked out a Stained Glass window at the Vatican. I like all Porsches... some people are troglodytes though. Meh. Well,.. that's my brain dump for now,.. going outside to put in my 997 shifter

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really?!?! Since when? I have two 993's and both blow ice cold AC with no work / upgrades. Anyway.... maybe someone should point out that a 996 looks exactly like a boxster coming at you.... impossible to tell the two apart head on. I would go for that upgraded headlight kit, that's for sure. cheers!

I know I will be strongly considering getting a 996 early next year and I've been reading that lower mileage Porsches have a higher probability of having issues since they haven't been run regularly, that being the case; about what would be considered a good mileage car vs one that has too many miles on it if I'm considering an early model (00-03). Will a good PPI catch the IMS issue that seems to be a worry on these cars? Like the OP, I would love to find an early model ride that is a little more than 20k but I know I would turn this into my DD, good idea or not recommended considering I average about 18k miles a year. Right now (and I'm NOT trying to compare the 2); but I drive a Infiniti G35 6MT coupe and that car has been really good...minimal maintenance other than going through tires every 20-22k miles (14mo) bc of the staggered setup and the negative camber those cars are set to; so this leads to my next (stupid) question, is this car a 'maintenance whore'-- I understand the whole 'if you have to ask, it's probably not for you' BUT I'm just trying to get some legit answers (no flaming please -- after adding a new clutch...after new tires and misc maintenance; I've put more than 9k in a little more than 3.5 years in my current ride)

I just bought a used 2 owner 996 with 19,700 miles on her. What a car! This is my daily driver and I have no regrets.

I would avoid the 99's as there are issues with porous aluminum blocks and heads. Although cracked cylinder lines and head are not immune to other years. Budget $2500 for a new clutch and an IMSR when appropriate. 2002+ went to the 3.6L dual vario-cam. If you can find one of these and still fit in or close to your price range == go for it. Mike

When I first started shopping for my car, I had a budget of $20K. I wanted the newest car, with the least amount of miles, and needed to budget at least $3K for immediate routine repair. I had a good PPI done on several cars, and finally found the one I bought (2000 C4) for $15K. The PPI results were good, and most notably the car was virgin, ie no mods all original. This is the first all wheel drive car I've owned, and it is a fantastic driving car. The key to making a good purchase is "Due Dilligence".

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DaveBerry - I think you should have spent the money putting windows in your house, your wife must be pissed Great looking car and background

Come on now. The shack in the background is just that. Not mine, just a background. Sheesh! BTW The wife was not happy with my purchase, but she is gradually coming around.

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The 993 is the last of the air cooled Porsche cars. I think that it will continue to hold it's value for years to come. I've owned several 928s and was snubbed by several of the 911 crowd, claiming that "Real Porsche" are air cooled Well guess what, now they are all liquid cooled I love my 996, and it feels like it grabs the road better then the 993; although, I do have a Carrera 4

I'll re-post what I typed for another similar thread a week or two back: I have a 2000 996 with the 3.4 liter engine that is used as my daily driver AND fun car. I also happen to have an '84 Carrera, for reference. The 996 has been one of the most, if not THE most reliable car I've owned - ever. It has 125,000 miles and counting, of which 88,000 miles have been driven by me over the past five years, including at least six track days. I recently had the clutch replaced, and while he was "in there", I had him replace the Rear Main Seal (RMS) along with the Intermediate shaft bearing and support flange (IMS) for the re-engineered LN Engineering version, which is considered bomb-proof, and which essentially eliminates the IMS failure potential - giving me peace of mind. By the way, when my mechanic looked at the old one, it was perfect - no signs of adverse wear. Fyi. As far as I'm concerned, replacing the IMS bearing with the LN Engineering version should be done sooner than later - for peace of mind. It is a relatively cheap fix, is easily done by any competent Porsche mechanic, and eliminates the one major area of concern with these engines. I had one alternator fail on me about four years ago - which happens with any car, along with the Air/Oil (AOS), which I replaced on my own about six months ago. That item is considered a wear item, btw. The serpentine belt was replaced by me a couple of years ago - again, a normal periodic replacement item - and engine mounts have been replaced - super easy. Oil changes and brake pad replacement are stupid-easy to perform too. If you can, try to buy one with the full leather interior. It greatly improves the feel of quality in the cabin compared with the standard interior. The car has been robust, comfy, and FAST! I love it and will hang onto it for many more years.

I have a 99 car.... If you search my posts you will know I am die hard aircooled Porsche nut. That said, currently I own three watercooled cars and the only aircooled stuff I have is a 3.0 twin plugged turbo motor sitting in my garage...... The 99 I have is converted (almost) to a full race car. But, before the conversion I have to say I really enjoyed driving in on the street. It has 110,000 miles on it and it was still very tight. It really is a great car. I don't care for the updated 996 lights, in fact I hate them. I have owned over a dozen Porsches, 10 of which were aircooled, and I really like the watercooled cars. My Cayman S and Cayenne Turbo are our two daily drivers. I miss my 84 911 hot rod track car (dearly) but am pretty sure that the 996 once finished will make me miss it a whole lot less... Cheers