Pre facelift 996 with GT3 kit, or plain facelift 996?

I am getting (slowly)closer to my dream of owning a 996... I have increased my budget to a max of £33k.... For this money I could get a nice pre-facelift 996 with the factory GT3 kit etc.....this is the car I most like in terms of look, although I realise the kit is not to everyones taste... .......................................OR........................................ I could get a 2001 facelift 996, which is also quite appealing as it does look a little fresher and newer, and the car itself is likely to be about 3 years newer...... I'm not sure which one to go for....I like both! I guess the main factor which will determine which one I get will be ease of resale/resiuals, and I am assuming that the 'winner' will be the post facelift car... Any opinions please folk!?

Facelift everytime !! Pre face, looks great with aerokit, but as you say, facelift version looks fresher. The extra power will be noticable aswell, and resale will much favour the newer car. Ontop of this, you can buy the newer Aerokit for the facelift car at a later dat if you wanted.

What you trying to say Glenn[ ][ ] Turboman, I've scanned 3 different car sites Top Marques, Autotrader etc and haven't found a post facelift 996 for £33k. Nearest was £36k but with new engine. If you pay rock bottom prices for a 996 then you will probably (certainly) have to be shelling out for tyres, brake pads, major service, extended warranty, high insurance, heavy petrol, high mileage more mechanical issues. I paid a little extra by going to the OPC, and it has been very worthwhile, because i had virtually All of the above sorted within the price. Probably sound just like your missus!!![ ] If you're going to buy a Porker then expect to spend a lot of money over 3 years. Good luck though.[ ]

Always try to buy the best example you can for your budget, getting as close as possible to the following criteria: * Best possible condition * As late as possible * As low a mileage as possible * Low no. of previous owners * As high a spec. as possible * UK OPC supplied and maintained * Warranty, if possible Your budget should give you the choice of some nice c.2000 MY 3.4 cars, but I can't see you getting a decent 2002 MY 3.6 'facelift' for under £40k.

turboman786, it took me 1 year before i found the 996 i wanted and i have had it for 5 weeks now... its fantastic!!! i ended up getting a black Facelift 996 (nov 2001) with the following spec: - aerokit - sat nav/phone - cd autochanger - lith. headlights - sunroof - carrera alloys - warranty - only 15k miles (i think the only think it doesnt have as an extra is a PSE) i bought the car from an independent but had it checked out by JZM (well worth spending £130) who commented and told me it was emaculate and a VERY good example. They found a couple of things wrong: - a stone chip - a small leak from the power steering resvoir - a crack number plate bracket So things that dont stop me driving it! Unfortunately, it was not anywhere near your £33k (more of the wrong side of £40k). Good luck with your search though and take your time it will be worth it in the end!

Thanks for the replies so far folks.... I guess I am being a little optimistic about post facelift cars for £33k, maybe my budget in itself will determine the issue for me! On a side note, can you guys give me an indicator on the following points please: 1. How much and often are services from an OPC, and how much from the average independent? 2. Does an OPC warranty become nullfied if you use an independent to service it? 3. If I was to get say for example, a T plate 1999 3.4 C2 with GT3 kit/low miles /fsh etc, for about £33k, how much could I expect to lose in depreciation over a year? Thanks!

1. Typically the car will have been serviced once a year, plus any other attention it may have required. Although the Service Book will have been stamped, you should ask for copies of all the past invoices so you can see exactly what has been done and the costs. 2. Porsche Warranty should not be invalidated by using an independent, so long as it has been serviced in accordance with the manufacturer's schedule, using oe parts. However, most people who extend the Warranty would continue to use an OPC. The OPC Service History is also useful if you have an out of warranty 'goodwill' claim. 3. Impossible to predict. If you buy a really good, lowish mileage example, look after it and keep the mileage sensible, then it will remain desirable. If you allow 15% pa you should be ok.

This is not what OPC Reading said when I asked them specifically about this point just last month. To keep the warranty valid you must stick to OPC servicing.

Minor service at OPC Reading with PCGB Card (10% discount) £260 Major Service £650 with PCGB card. Some OPC's don't give discounts (ie Guildford) They will call you if there are to be any additions (They usually do their best to find something that's wobbling or worn). Then ring around the Independants and get part changed at £65per hour labour. Si[ ]

Guildford will let you supply your own oil though - OPC's charge £11.50 + vat per litre!!!

My opc in Cambridge give 25% off labour rate for the car being over 5 years plus you get 10% off parts for being a member of the club and on oil you get 25%. When i first took it there i forgot to mention that i was a club member and they still gave me 10% as they noticed the club sticker in my windscreen. So far i take my hat off to them. Phil

FYR. Wrightune in Wallingford, Oxon - Independent Porsche specialist (>27 years specialising on Porkers) £35/hour + VAT - now that good value[ ]. Also Servicing at very competitive 'menu' fixed prices. I think you can supply your own oil - if you believe all that, IMHO, tosh about only using certain oils - i.e. standard production motorbikes are now revving to 15k which whilst it is double the red line of a porker has far more than 2 fold mechanical tolerance/wear/heat implications and there is none of the pre-occupation (elitist?!) concerns over oil.[ ] Keith

[ ][ ][ ] Nice one.... I'm assuming you are joking!! [ ][ ] If you paid £55k for your car would you nip down to yer local Murco and stuff in a couple of litres of Murco Souper at £2.99 a gallon then hoon round Spa??? Well you can if you want to but as I am off to Lemans next week I shall pop in the local Johnny foreigner Supermarket and get myself a couple of gallons of Mobil 1 at £20 a pop and hand it to OPC next time I go in for my service.... Nothing elitist about using high quality synthetic oil and saving myself about 95 quid. Check what people put in their bikes. You may find they all use fully synthetics as well.....

....and can you get me some Evian Spring Water for my window washer as it's cheaper out there in French france. I don't want to use all that English hard water on my lurvely Porsche windscreen. I'll give it to the mechanic and save a bob or too.[ ][ ]

Good grief!! Another possible daily driver?? Don't tell me you actually take your car out in all weathers..... Good Boy!... or are you just pretending??? How did we get off thread???[:-]

Back to topic.... I traded my 1998 C4 with aerokit, sports suspenders, strut braces, sports designs, brand new tyres, recent service, week old mot, 9 months tax, newish discs and pads, a service history folder with every single purchase down to the lightbulbs, Mobil 1 in the engine as well even! Whoever bought that got a bargain I hope, as it was going like a sweet song and was advertised at £35k.... Heavy petrol??? Wot is he on about???

At the risk of upsetting some, I say "keep it real". The aerokit looks good & certainly Tim's kitted C4, with sports suspension was VERY stable at high speed, so I guess it's far from just cosmetic. However, if you want a GT3 buy one - Just my £0.02

Depends whether you want to pay the extra for a GT3 or just love the looks over a base 996. From my point of view I needed the rear seats so there was no decision to make (plus I didn't have an extra £10k)

Can anyone direct me to a site where I can compare a 996 without body kit and one with ?

Hey Turboman, I remembered your post on this subject before and have just found a facelift model 996 for £33,995! Do a search on Autotrader, and hopefully you'll find it. It's black with full OPC history thats done 63k miles. Good luck!

Hasan, many thanks for keeping an eye out ! Ive found the one you mention...looks good.....need to make further enquiries...

Ask them why its going so cheap? An OPC would give £35k for a car like this. Check Used Buyer Guide, so why is it being sold privately at less.Something wrong.[8|] Friend of mine just parted with his Merc for a knock down price and the bankers draft was forged. Lost everything.