High mileage 996 Turbo

Would you be put off by high mileage 996 turbo manuals? Talking 110-130k roughly? There’s a few around the £30k mark that I’d be happy spending, but £40k+ on such an old car isn’t something I’m considering.

I’m guessing it all comes down to how much money has been invested in them in replacing parts. High mileage doesn’t make it a bad car as long as it’s been well maintained

Forgot to mention and I am biased but find a good one and they are great cars

I wouldn't be put off if it's been well maintained , that's the key. For a 20yr old car that's only 6.5k/yr , not much really , it always comes down to condition and that's not just the condition of the bodywork , more importantly I'd say is what's going on underneath so get a PPI by someone good. £30k is a lot of money but buy the wrong one and you'll be spending much more.

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Mileage is key when it comes to values so make sure you don't spend too much. It's mad that a well maintained 130k mile car is worth less than a 'so-so' lower mileage car but that's a fact in 911 world (especially regarding turbo cars). There's some bargains out there for those that buy carefully. Happy Hunting.

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I do find a lack of logic in the car world that makes me want to comment on forums and frequently be controversial, this is definitely one of them. I agree with the above, it's mad, but in the automotive world it depends on a lot of factors that might not make sense. I'd be put off because one day I might want to sell it and it's going to be a horrible experience trying to sell a high mileage 911, unless it's crazy cheap.

True but you’re buying it cheap Mileage pricing is the same for all cars/motorbikes/generators/diggers etc etc It’s a sign of how much “work” the machine has done and indicative of what the general condition and wear will be like and what to expect when you go to view something. Mechanical parts can all be replaced relatively easily at cost but cosmetics and with cars in particular in the UK , one that’s been used as a daily for 15yrs is going to probably have corrosion issues in places you can’t see unless you get it thoroughly inspected , that’s when it starts to get really expensive. Buying a garage queen does have its benefits, I’ve personally bought 2 and both are/were like new cars and selling one was so easy and in this case , my Cayman , I made money on it. I’ve also bought a 98 C2 with 110k and yes it’s cosmetically challenged, but I’m working through the mechanical stuff , welded a tiny area of corrosion but it was cheap to buy so I’m fine with that and it’ll be a great little car when done Here’s my Cayman

I’ve got a garage queen and that won’t sell either…Challenger Hellcat Redeye. Ideally I’d sell that and get a 991.2 Turbo S but it’s just not shifting so I’m looking at lower end, useable 996 that I don’t have to be too precious about but realise it will also probably be hard to sell.

Something really important here that I didn’t mention above If you’re able to work on your car yourself/friends then buying a high mileage car can be rewarding and much much cheaper to fix but as I mentioned before , rusty sills , wheel arches and rotten jacking points are not fun and terribly expensive.

Everything you guys say makes complete sense - except it's rarely my experience.... My Cayman was a very low mileage garage queen - and it took ages to sell and I lost quite a lot on that one. My 996 C4 cab just over 100K miles sold really quickly - for a tad more than I paid, but didn't cover the £££ I spent on suspensions, brakes, cooling system etc etc etc. But that's to be expected. I dread to think what I would get for my current 996 in the current market - probably have to give away with a pack of Frosties looking at how these cars are selling currently... But, I drove down to my new job yesterday in it. Hour and half each way at it was wonderful. Always fun and engaging to drive and you hardly see any of them about now. So not too worried about having to sell just yet. As Uncle Monty says - if you can work on them a bit yourself, then they are not too expensive to keep going. I spend about 2K a year - and that's often doing stuff that's not actually needed, just keeps the car in tip top condition. Buy the right car and you won't regret. A Turbo especially - my mate has one and they are rocket ships!

I can only echo the good points made above. Basically, if it's in good condition, don't let the mileage put you off. The metzger engine is a super reliable and durable beast of an engine. Uncle Monty & corneg1 made a couple of good points, the 996 platform is quite easy to work on - even without being blessed with a full-on workshop and a lifetime of "spannering". Provided it's not a rusty mess..... Just replacing/upgrading worn out parts is quite doable by anyone, helps keep the costs down and can be quite enjoyable. I bought a high mileage (180,000 km) 996 Turbo that had just been treated to oil and filter services for the previous 8 years, not a basket case by any means but I spent the next year replacing all the suspension, plugs and coilpacks etc etc

Just had a quick look on eBay and under 100k seems to be £45k ball park and over 100k £30k. Simple maths tells me, whichever you buy, when you come to sell, they'll have cost you exactly the same. This has always been the case on most genuine 996s. The question for me would be can I afford to spend £45k in one dollop.......or do you spend £30k and then trickle another £15k over ownership. I went for the buy cheap, spend over time option as I knew exactly what I was buying and also couldn't afford the bigger bill at the time. If you buy cheap you get a car that needs spending on - that's virtually fact. If you buy expensive, you can still end up with a cheap car that needs spending on. Too many out there that are f***ed but rolled in glitter, with an inflated price tag.

Is a manual critical? You can save c20% by going for an equivalent Tiptronic.

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This is a good point as you could save heaps on cost if you buy a tipper and get one with more reasonable miles on the clock. And for me the turbo is well suited to the tip box

Agreed..when it hits 4000rpm you really don't feel like taking a hand off the wheel to change gear.