What have I done!!!

Well, I've done it. After only six months of Porsche ownership, I'm chopping my beloved 99T 2.5 Boxster for a MY01 996 C2 Tiptronic in Basault Black with full black leather, only 35,000, FSH and about 6k of factory fit extras. I'm very sad in a way because I love my Boxster to bits but I can't keep them both. I needed four seats by September and this was an offer too good to miss. Somebody PLEASE tell me I've done the right thing!!! Chrono (anxious)

You're gonna love it - still remember my first 996 - they're superb motors. Just make sure you buy a warranty [ ] Then sit back and enjoy [ ] Philip

IMHO you have done the right thing. Especially if it makes you happy [ ]. I did much the same and have not regretted the move from Boxster to 911 cabriolet. Just for the record, BOTH are proper Porsches!!

Welcome to the 996 Forum! You HAVE done the right thing! The Boxster is a great car, but there is a lot of difference between a 2.5 Boxster and a 3.4 996. You'll love it.

Thanks for your reassuring comments guys. It's made me feel a whole lot better. [ ] It's about time I finally joined the PCGB too! As for warranty, I've bought it from Inchcape which supplies a one year "prestige" warranty (it is actually being purchased from a Lexus dealership) which probably isn't worth the paper it's written on but I suppose it's something.

If I was you I would ask them to forget that crap warranty and get them to put the money towards an OPC one. The inspection is 200 ish and the warranty 895. I would not buy without both inspection or warranty! You will love the car however.

There is not an OPC in Norfolk. Would someone travel from Cambridge to Norwich for a £200 inspection? How can I work this?

I doubt if they would do an OPC check off-site, and you would probably have to take the car to Cambridge. Might be worth calling them though. Gary Sorrell is the Assistant 996 Register Secretary, and I believe he is the after-sales manager at Cambridge. (Another good reason to join PCGB, perhaps?).

Personally I would agree to buy the car (leave a deposit to show your serious) and get the car sent/diven to the nearest OPC for the inspection. Once it passes or the work needed for it to passis done the pay for the car and get the warranty.

Someone like Inchcape will have around £250 to £300 for their own warranty product in the deal - so try and get them to knock that off the purchase price and as someone else has posted - have the car transported to an OPC for the 111 point inspection and ultimate warranty. You'll be left with an £800 additional bill - but as several people on here and other boards have reported - a failed RMS can cost five times that much to sort out! Philip

Phillip I've told you at least a million times - don't exaggerate! [ ][ ]

I'm definitely going for the OPC inspection and warranty. I was told by Cambs that the inspection was free if purchased with a warranty, so its a no-brainer. Problem is, I'll have to buy it first then take it straight over to the OPC and get the inspection and warranty slapped on it then. In the mean time, the sellers warranty is still attached to the car and I suppose I've got my rights under the Sale of Goods Act if the inspection brings up any nasties (merchantable quality etc etc) as recourse to the seller if they won't fix the nasties under their warranty. It's the RMS I'm particularly concerned about, but I've asked their Lexus engineers to have a damn good look for any oil seepages or potential problems. They have said they'll replace anything that their "service" brings up with Porsche parts including brake pads and discs. Some comfort I suppose. I guess I'm just over-precautious with 30k at stake. Apart from that the car is a beauty. Looks like it's hardly been used and it has a service book full of OPC stamps (including a 24k and 48k major service even though it's only done 35k.) It doesn't "seem" too much of a gamble for a fifty under £30k. Most I've seen around have been more than that with higher mileage and less goodies. (famous last words [&:])

[&:] Richard - I'm only up to 999,990 [ ] With the 'old girls' you don't have to worry about the RM Seal - you worry about ALL the seals! Seriously - 99.9% of them are fine - wise decision on having the OPC inspect it - at least you'll have complete piece of mind - and a snappy priced 996 [ ] You'll love it [ ] Philip

Having got my first porsche just over a week ago, I did the following ... told the supplying dealer that I didn't want their warrantee - and got some money off their price. Then agreed with them to put down a 1,000 GBP deposit, refundable if the car didn't pass the Porsche inspection. They then drove the car to Colchester and their driver waited during the inspection (I paid for the inspection). The car passed, so I paid sorted out the remaining things (insurance etc), paid the balance and got the warrantee to be valid from the day I picked the 996 up. Some advice I was given was to be present at the inspection. That was really good - the mechanic showed me all under the car, the diagnostics and took me on the test drive too. Hope you have similar success with yours.

Crikey! The garage I'm buying mine from are not interested in doing any of that! However, they are replacing brake pads all round, which is saving me a few quid. I'm driving it next day to an OPC for the inspection and warranty. This is the best I'm managing to achieve. The car was so keenly price they know they would be able to sell it in a flash if I backed out anyway.

Good good. When are you collecting it?

I have been a PCGB member since 1993 and have had 7 cars over the years .I have just purchased a 2001 996 Carrera 4 Cab Tip in Basalt /Black interior with 21k mls full OPC history Litronic ,uprated sound, mem /heat seats, and just had the big 48k service done in Sept .I like the other guys put it through the 111 point check and it now has a full years OPC warranty total cost £1036 which I paid so at least I have peace of mind for the next 12 months,looking forward to getting it in a few days. Brian

Was this the case. I have just had an inspection and warranty where I paid for the warranty but the seller paid for the inspection.....have I been had over!

Philip - Just read the 911&PW article about your 911S. What a little charmer! I'm so pleased to see you USE it - so many of them end up in mothballs.

Thanks Richard - I don't do mothballs [ ] I'm the same with my 2.7RS - when I went to Classic Le Mans last year, I kept getting "it must be a replica? No one would drive a REAL RS all that way?!?" [ ] The factory made 'em to be used - they just need to be cared for but the one's that aren't used drive like a bag of wotsit anyway [ ] Philip

Hopefully tomorrow and then it's in to Cambs Saturday morn. I've told the garage selling it that I'm going to the OPC on Saturday. With info like that, they won't dare put anything other than genuine Porsche pads on![ ]

Yay! Picking up car today. Turns out that they resurfaced the pads (they were OK - sounds to me like a money saving ploy) but changed the front discs. Obviously if they're telling porkies the OPC in Cambs will pick it up straight away on Saturday. I'm sooo excited! [&:] Beware an imminent change of avatar... [ ]

Well, I've got the car and it's a real beauty. Took it to OPC Cambs on Saturday and they (thankfully) gave it mostly a clean bill of health. The worse thing wrong with it was it needed a new battery because one of the cells had gone. Apart from that he said the RMS was "damp" but no cause for concern. I had a good look under the car and the technician was very descriptive and helpful. He showed me where all the common problems would occur and commented in great detail about my car. He then plugged in the computer and all the management systems came back fine. He said the only comment he'd make is that the car had probably been sitting around for too long unused. I took that as a good enough excuse to get it on the road daily and use it! You may think I'm barmy but after carefully comparing my Inchcape "Premium" warranty against the Porsche one I chose not to spend the £800 odd extra quid becasue they looked too similar. In fact the Inchcape one included the clutch whereas the Porsche one did not! Also, particularly when it's due for a service in May I'll go to Autowerke, the Porsche specialist in Norwich which would've probably invalidated my warranty anyway. A Porsche dealership is opening up in Norwich this summer so next year I'll do the 111 point check again and probably put the Porsche warranty on then. Overall a very pleasing morning. I made the right choice of car, the technician was very pleased with the cars condition and I had a couple of hours drinking their coffee and sitting in/drooling over their showroom motors. Also, the 111 point check was only £125 + VAT not the £200 I was expecting. [ ]

Well done, and it sounds like a good result to me! Welcome to the wonderful world of 996 ownership. What are your first impressions on the difference in feel between the two cars?

Thanks Richard. I love my Boxster to bits. I couldn't have wanted a more thrilling drive when I bought it. I thought we'd be partners for life... ...but the difference is MASSIVE! The 996's 3.4 unit is a huge step up from my Boxsters 2.5. The power is smooth and on kick down really pushes you into the back of your seat - something I never really risked with the Boxster or experienced. The Tiptronic box is amazing compared to the Boxsters manual (some would say it takes the fun out of driving, but I'm loving it just now). They are very similar inside but the 996 feels a lot more solid or stiff probably due to it being a coupe not a convertible. The only downside I can see is that the fuel guage tends to move towards the floor a lot quicker (ouch!). I'll post some pics as soon as. [ ]