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YOUR RESEARCHI have waited a long time to post this thread BAD NEWS
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I have waited a long time to post this thread BAD NEWS
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That reality turned out to be a false one, but not unrealistic given the car's age.
I have waited a long time to post this thread BAD NEWS
Check codes and going
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
I do have a code reader so I checked the codes and going from memory because the battery is dead I believe it said something about the chain tensioners failing.
I have waited a long time to post this thread BAD NEWS
Replace those
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I have waited a long time to post this thread BAD NEWS
Use engine, install it, put original parts back
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
Used engine, install it, put original parts back on, then sell the car.
I have waited a long time to post this thread BAD NEWS
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
I do have a code reader so I checked the codes and going from memory because the battery is dead I believe it said something about the chain tensioners failing.
I have waited a long time to post this thread BAD NEWS
break even maybe slight increase
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1) Unfortunately (as others have mentioned) the mods you did add no value to the vehicle, with the exception of possibly the fister exhaust - that one is probably a break even maybe slight increase.
I have waited a long time to post this thread BAD NEWS
option
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if you have the skills to do it yourself, and a place to store the car during the process, that's probably the option that will get you the most money.
I have waited a long time to post this thread BAD NEWS
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There's a third option for this car besides selling as a roller and getting it fixed...
My beloved 996 engine failed last year after a minor accident. I hit a mailbox post and damaged the passenger side radiator. After having the repair done I shipped it to a Porsche dealership to have the radiator fluid done properly as it is a pressured system.
Well not to long after that the engine seized while driving on the highway. I have so much money in this car that I literally felt like jumping off a cliff. My insurance company denied the claim and now I am stuck with a beautiful cabriolet that does not run. I thought of starting a go fund me page because I simply cannot afford to repair this car out of pocket.
So after filling you in on these details I want to ask what you think it's worth now.
It has a bunch of upgrades. I will list them here so you can help me determine the value.
I still have all the factory parts but I did add a Fister exhaust ceramic,
coatedGT3 style front bumper
S style rear bumper
3 spoke Dallast steering wheel alcantara(with airbag)
Porsche factory racing pedals.
turbo exhaust tips
Carrera emblems
Atermarket stereo
Coco matsBrand new Z rated tiresThe car is polar gray and grey interior. The steering wheel and coco mats are black and red
Their is more I just can't think of it right now That's about $6500 in upgrades alone.
should I part it out or is it better to sell the whole car. I don't want you to think I am trying to sneak an ad for the car in because I am not. I want to determine a fair value to sell. I don't know what a car with these upgrades and the factory parts removed would sell for.
Please let me know your thoughts. I live north of Boston. If I had $15k I would repair the engine. If anyone has a nice car to trade I might even think about that just so long as it runs.
My life has sucked for a year. To top it off it occured on Easter Sunday 2021.
I can take some photos if you want. I just didn't want it to look like an advertisment. I really do want to figure an approximate value. My car does not have a salvage title. It is a clear title with 55,000 miles on it.
You can PM me if you want to.
I am sorry for confusing you. I am asking what it might be worth. Sympathy is not necessary. Thank you for responding. I just joined because I have decided to sell my car and I want to go where people know what a fair value is.
Have a nice day.
If you are serious about getting rid of it I would put everything back to stock, join rennlist, TheNYMT list the car and the upgrade parts separately.
Ask 12 for the car and take anything over 8.
My 2 cents: the car as a roller in current condition is worth 8-10k . Anyone interested already knows a " top quality engine rebuild " will be 20k plus . If you part it out you may make more but you go through the painful process of tearing it apart and shipping parts . Another option is keep an eye out for a used engine .
I have never done a go fund me page. It was kind of a joke to begin with. I thought they were for charity anyway. Honestly I'm am trying to get a fair value on the vehicle with all these parts and the seized engine. Again I will post an ad once I can get a fair market value. I am an enthusiast just like you guys. This incident put me into a deep depression. Now it's time to make a move to sell or trade it. I use Google for everything. It's a great search engine. This website turned up so I am asking for information from people who want to help me out. Here are some pictures.
Again thank you for all who have replied so far. I can take more pictures to. Please just ask.
Steering wheel is barely touched
you have two options in my opinion.
sell the upgrades separately, bring the car back to stock and sell it as a roller.
I'm no expert, but based on what I've seen in here, a roller with 55K miles in good shape can get you maybe 8K.
other option is to sell the whole car in parts. engine, transmission, body interior etc.
if you have the skills to do it yourself, and a place to store the car during the process, that's probably the option that will get you the most money.
I'd recommend installing the OEM parts back on the car and parting out the rest... some things will be hard to sell so keep that in mind. A stock looking roller will be a lot easier to offload.
Honestly most good Indies can keep it under that price... most people in the 996 world love to have their engines done by Jack or LN but a very small percentage do. Hell you can buy a long block from Porsche for less than $9k.
There have been gofundme pages for 911 repairs. I've seen at least one.
When my engine was declared dead 6 months ago the consensus was that a 996 roller is worth about $7k to $10K.
Best,
B13, sorry to hear about the engine. Any idea what happened to the engine? I see you have a 996.1.
Did it D-chunk, aos go with hydrolock, ims bearing go? Engine may not be worth anything depending on what happened.
I'm not a mechanic. Honestly I would prefer to sell the whole package. I was hopeful to get 15k for all of it. With that said it sounds like $10K is a bargain. Someone who knows how to fix these cars could sell all the parts including the bad motor as a core and make a profit.
Ebay might be good.
This will be the first car I will sell myself.
I would also trade for another toy.
Anyone in the 01844 is welcome to come see it.
I'm lost around $25,000 on this car. Tough to take but I have no choice but to accept it.
I was hopeful to have the money to do a V8 swap but it's not happening.
So if anyone is serious and wants to look at it let me know.
Thank you for all of your replies.
I do have a code reader so I checked the codes and going from memory because the battery is dead I believe it said something about the chain tensioners failing. I would guess it was the IMS. I really don't know.
If I could fit it in my living room I would keep it their just to look at. I love the car but I simply cannot afford to repair it. My daughter is getting married so it's just not possible.
I just remembered I have the factory steering wheel so I can remove the Dallas three spoke and sell it.
I also have a turbo shift **** for this car. I'm going to list some of these things on eBay today. I need to do something because looking at it every day is depressing.
This might sound funny but I was thinking about a raffle.
If I sold 120 tickets for $100 each I would get $12k and someone would get the car for $100.
Is that possible to do here?
I would ask a moderator to do the drawing.
Just an idea.
So, there seems to be a lot of missing details to the story - not that they particularly matter now. For one how do you get from a damaged radiator (that has been repaired) to a seized engine? What did the shop that did the repair have to say? How long after the repair did it seize? And on and on�The first thing I would do is pull the engine and tear it down to determine whether it might be a good core worth $3-4k, the ancillaries may also be good�Yeah, it�s a lot of work but if you�re trying to get the most out of it, you gotta bite the bullet� good luck
I am sorry to say this, but unless you know what's happened to the engine, I doubt you will get anywhere near 8k unless you can get all the oem body parts back on and prove that everything ex egine is in good shape; as well as what actually happened to the engine. Sure, there is always someone out there that may take a chance that has wrenching skills that wants a cab, and cabs are awesome, but they don't command the prices of a coupe.
It's easy to throw in the towel after such a "catastrophe". You said it yourself, it put you in a deep depression, so you are almost certainly not looking at this with a critical eye.
Cashing out might be the right thing, but it may not be—for you.
You had expected to own this and drive it with minimal expense. That reality turned out to be a false one, but not unrealistic given the car's age. Things break.
I would wait, gather information on divesting as well as on rebuilding before making any decisions. Get all the facts.
When the depression lifts
, and it will, you will have a much better informed opinion on what to do with your head on your shoulders than you do today.
I went through the same thing with my GT3, but in the end (more than a year later) fixing it was far cheaper than selling it as a roller and starting over.
I think a cabriolet will have a tough time fetching even $10k. And I say this as a person who got a 996 cab roller for next to nothing and put a 986 S 3.2 engine in it. Remember upgrades tend to be really personalized; especially as a package. Absolutely the best way to recoup you money would be to part out everything. If you want to drive your car for under $5k- you could go the route I went with the 986 S engine. Heck you could even try your hand at a used 3.4 engine for under $10k.
Fwiw, Marv and the guys make a very good point. You already have sunk costs in the car. You either need an engine rebuild or find an engine swap.
Euro got a factory short block, but he has wrenching skills. Others just save up and go to LNE and get a professional rebuild for 22k or go all the way with fsi at 40k.
If you can wait a few years, keep the car in a safe storage area, and build up cash for the rebuild, you will have a great car that will be ready for 20 more years of driving.
What all of us realize after awhile is that it's not the cost to buy the car that's expensive, it's the cost of keeping it running over time. Believe me, after 20 years of ownership, I get it. But I love the car, so I do everything I can to keep it running in top form.
I spent $15k in repair costs last year on my car for intermix and "while I was there" stuff. I'm not so mad about the $11,500k of actual repairs, but the $3,500 spent between the first two shops on misdiagnosis is what pisses me off. No real way to recover it. Disappointed because I had good work done at one of the shops in the past, and the other shop has good reviews online.
But... I have my car back and I enjoy every time I take it for a drive. If had spent that $15k on mods, I can only imagine how nice it would look and drive right now.
I understand your pain OP. Everyone's tolerance for this kind of financial pain is different. I wouldn't judge you for walking away from it.
In my opinion, I’d pay $7-$8K if it’s back to stock bumpers, or are at least they’re included and in good condition.
No stock front & rear bumper then I’d pay less money.
Not what you‘re hoping for, but enough to purchase a running Toyota or Honda which are cheaper to keep on the road.
In my opinion someone should stay away from 20 year old Porsches unless they have enough savings (or mechanical talent) for a $15K+ repair.
But hindsight is 20/20.
Thank you for responding. I will add more to this story by telling you this.
When the car was at the dealership bring serviced the tech indicated that debris was coming out of the coolant lines and the proper pressure could not be obtained. The tech asked the insurance adjuster about pulling the codes and going this was denied. I suppose I should have fought this with the insurance company but I didn't. I was intimidated and backed off. I might be to passive I don't know. It doesn't matter now because it's water under the bridge. For the $7 or $8k I would just as soon wait until I have time to swap out the parts for the factory parts.
If anyone should ever come across a totaled car with a good motor please let me know. I have the Bentley book and I would take the project on. I have the tools and I can follow directions. I'm not about to rebuild a motor but I would try to swap one out. I know some good people who are on this forum who are willing to guide people like me.
I will check back over time to see if anyone wants to buy this car but definitely not for less than $10k. I believe it's a good buy at that price. I know not everyone will agree with that and that's okay. Again I am open for a trade. I'd really like a nice BMW motorcycle.
Otherwise it can sit and age. Who knows maybe someday I will have the money for a V8 mod. That's what I really want.
Used engine, install it, put original parts back on, then sell the car. Sell because you don�t want to have a car that could, at any time, require a four or five figure repair again at some point.
First, I�m sorry that this happened.
But why was an insurance adjuster involved with a mechanical problem?
And the $6,500 on �upgrades� adds about $0 value to a 996 with a blown engine.
(Honestly they add very little value to a running 996)
So as others have said, put it back to stock and sell the parts.
I�d guess a cabriolet roller is worth about 8K tops if the body and interior are in good condition.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
My 996 brethren... I should work for the FBI. I knew I recognized this car, especially since the rear tag was showing.
This 1999 Cabriolet is owned by "Brian996"... That's his old Rennlist user name.
Here is the car when it was sold and BEFORE it was molested:
The day it arrived home OR the day he decided to start painting the calipers? Notice the lone red caliper on the passenger front wheel.
The day Brian decided to add his "special touch" to the car:
And now this...
I don't know Brian personally, but IMHO, it's a shame what was done to this car.
Brian, I'm not trying to throw rocks at you, but what in the world happened dude? It's going to be almost impossible to unload this on the next person. If I've know anything about Porsche buyers, I've learned that most desire an unmolested car.
Sorry. Not a fan of all the mods. I would have kept it like the day you drove it home. Then I would have put the money in making the engine last.
Cheers!
For reference:
https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...-for-it-2.html
https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...ce-needed.html
https://rennlist.com/forums/996-forum/1175719-an-imsb-question-for-1999-owners-past-and-present.html
https://rennlist.com/forums/996-forum/1135664-showing-off-my-be-steering-wheel.html
https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...-pictures.html
Decides to paint the wheels and calipers.
Porsche with a lil' glow...
Removed the original factory bumper. Maybe this is the image after hitting the mailbox? Notice what seems to be a leak from the passenger radiator.
Winter storage...
Taking the lady on the town, stopping to take a picture of the glow hovering effect. She doesn't seem as excited as Brian with the mod.
Sad Porsche made to park in the corner.
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Possibly didn't want to get called out on the previous stuff, but ultimately did anyways. Seems the car wasn't very well cared for in general. Situation sucks but throwing out a raffle idea or Go Fund Me were pretty interesting sentences to read this morning.
Bro you made me spit out my water... I love it.
Well I work in the defense industry so if you need some work references for you skills... I'm a pm away.
Here is the OEM factory part. Yes, the kit is crazy expensive.
https://www.suncoastparts.com/product/996REARW.html
Brian's spoiler is definitely a knock-off because if you look closely you'll notice it's missing the center brake light. The factory kit comes with a blank for covering the existing center brake light. Then you move the light to the new spoiler and redirect the center brake light wiring over.
The shape and design is much different too. Notice that Brian's spoiler is much wider and the mount is different compared to the OEM. Wonder if he gets a spoiler lift error light on the dash? I believe the OEM kits (like the GT3 kit) comes with a plugin module that plugs into the old wiring harness that eliminates the car trying to lift the original spoiler at high speeds.
This pretty much sums it up it one picture.
The existing center brake light is different than the one that fits in the wing. It's part # 996.631.980.00 (Hella part #2DA0074210170). About $80-$90 from the dealer. It was apparently used on some European travel trailers too. Also, you don't have to redirect any wiring, it's all plug and play. In fact, with the wing, you can have two center brake lights (but probably illegal).
In this pic it's a little hard to see, but both center brake lights are illuminated.
Ahh.. cool... Maybe the center brake light blank is available for those that don't want the dual center brake lights? Also, I guess your kit maybe a little different from the aero "taco" wing and optional GT3 OEM wing kit. It seems like I remember those guys adding a in-line adapter to trick the car in thinking the original spoiler was lifted? I guess it's integrated into your spoilers wiring? I know the GT3 spoiler is designed so that people behind you can still see the original brake light. (see ref below)
Yes, there's a different harness depending on whether you're using a fixed or retraceable wing. For the fixed wing, I used harness #996.612.070.04 and it makes it so the retraceable spoiler light is fooled. The harness for the fixed wing was $110.00 from Sunset back in 2017. Who knows what it's up to now.
I have two decklids that I change out as the mood strikes me. The original retraceable wing and the other has the Carrera fixed wing. It's just the four hinge bolts and a plug to swap them out. I originally had the blanking plate over the decklid 3rd brake light but with all the idiot drivers, I figured I'll take I'll the help I can get by having the 'extra' 3rd brake light.
Here's the complete parts list for the kit.
Guys like this are why the renny rules 1. prohibit multiple user names from the same person; and 2. prohibit for sale trolling ads from non-members. This guy should be banned.
I don't disagree. That being said, maybe this guy needs a bit of empathy too. I think he is genuinely in a bad spot. He has spent a significant amount of $$$ on making his car what he wanted. In so doing, he has also undermined the value of the car. Not necessarily a bad thing. It has become bad as now he is kind of stuck with it.
I echo what others have said, return it to stock as much as possible and sell or put as good an engine as he can afford: boxster, useds, FSI, LN.
I encourage anyone that can help this chap to do so.
I've hesitated to chime in, but what a train wreck. The OP would have to PAY ME to take that car off his hands. Even then, it would be headed to nearest scrap yard.
Why did you not go back to the dealership with the car it seems like you paid them to do the coolant for you but they must have done something wrong if your car seized, was it due to overheating?
That's a good point and I hope Brian comes back to address it.
Along with the aftermarket modifications, this hurts the value even as a roller. I believe the problems are totally unrelated. IMHO, he has an engine that is locked up and will need to be rebuilt and... a cooling system that it clogged with debris. This could be plastic impellers or metal from the accident.. or BOTH.
Either way, this car will be expensive to put back on the road. Given the mechanical damage and clogged cooling system that will need to be repaired, I would imagine this "roller" won't bring more than 7-8K. Too many unknowns mechanically speaking.
The old expression is true in this case "It's NOT what you put into it that matters, it what you can get out of it that counts."
I will tell you this and please don't trash me for it. I did sign in using Google as an option. The truth of the matter is that the old email address was hacked. With that said I could not reset my password. I wouldn't deny anything. I am telling you the truth. What's the point in bringing up this stuff anyway?
You guys can be pretty hard on a guy.
Anyway I got the information I needed and I appreciate the feedback thank you
Brian
A subsequent post seems to indicate that the dealership told him the coolant system wouldn't hold pressure, but he took the car back anyway? Clear as mud. I don't know how I would leave that sidemarker hanging there when that's a 30 minute fix IF its broken.
Honestly looked this whole thread over and there's a teaching moment. Don't be a dick to people on places like this because at some point you'll have to change your screen name and ask for help... only to be found out and not get any help at all.
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Wow. Lots going on here. I'm just going to address a few of the earlier questions and offer some advice.
1) Unfortunately (as others have mentioned) the mods you did add no value to the vehicle, with the exception of possibly the fister exhaust - that one is probably a break even maybe slight increase.
2) You mentioned you're not particularly mechanically inclined. Have you had a qualified shop take a look at your engine? If not, I would start there. There's a possibility there isn't anything seriously wrong.
Cheers
Charlie
The big house - but I was granted early parole for good behavior.
If you need a license plate or a shank, I can hook you up. Also, my pruno game is on-point...
