Looking to buy 996

I presently have a 964 Carrera 4 but am looking to change to a 996 within the next year. Are there any good books or websites that folks can recommend that I read before I take the plunge? I've already driven two or three cars to get a feel of them but are there any well known problems / faults that I should look for? I'd prefer to buy from a private enthusiast than a dealer but again am open to suggestions and advice. Thanks! Colin

Hi. If that's Washington in Sussex where you live then I'd suggest popping along to Harbour Cars near Chichester. I didn't buy from them as they had just sold the car I went to see but they appeared to know their stuff. I live near Littlehampton and have a tiny bit of knowledge so happy to meet up anytime. Mark

Hi Mark - no, that's Washington, Tyne & Wear... up north! Would be grateful for any advice though! Thanks!

Hi Colin, and welcome to the "Dark Side"! Take a look at the FAQ and Technical Articles for the Buyer's Checklist and Model History, etc. Ian Wallwork has a nice facelift 3.6 for sale here, which looks like a good price to me: http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=275404 . As you have no doubt found, there is plenty of choice and there are some nice cars at reasonable prices out there. Good luck with your search, and feel free to post any questions. There are loads of newbies and oldbies here, and we LOVE to offer our 2p's worth!

Thanks for your reply Richard. I'm probably looking at spending up to around £27K so although the 996 you mentioned looks terrific, it's a little more than I have to spend. I drove a 996 the other day - with a GT3 kit on it and I loved the car. It was an R plate - so one of the early ones...(?) - but it felt so much easier to drive than the 964 I have presently. The 964 is a great car and I do love it but I am fancying something newer and smoother than the car I have at the moment. Ideally I would like a car with the GT3 kit on it and probably Tiptronic... again just a fancy. FSH would be nice too. Rather buy privately from an enthusiast than put money into a dealer's pocket who is just looking to turn a quick buck. Maybe I am being too optimistic... although I am determined to enjoy the luxury of looking at potential cars!

I just (1 month ago) bought a 2000 model, W-Reg within your budget, I would certainnly recommend them. Mine was 47,000 miles, full history in silver / black, manual. Think you'll find the tiptronics are generally a bit cheaper. Re advice / guides, worth getting Peter Morgan's book about the 996. Found it very useful to understand all the range options and what to look out for when buying. I got mine from a non-porsche main dealer, so had a good buying experience, with no risks associated with buying privately - and a much better price than porsche specialists would charge. Whether buying privately or via specialist, I'd recommend getting an OPC to do their 111 point check (about 130 GBP all in) and, assuming it passes, you can get a Porsche warrantee for 895pa. That is, up to its 9th birthday. Hence why 1998 models are dropping off in price as you'll only be able to get warrantee until it is 10 years old. Alternatively a specialist like Hartech will do a service / warrantee package that looks good value for older models. Hope that helps - btw; mine took 18 months to find, but I was fussy on spec and colour and service history etc.

Hi colin its worth trying silverlink specialist cars (used to be bedlington motor co) although i didn't buy the porsche from them i previously bought 2 tvrs and Paul was really helpful. He sourced the second one for me, They are now specialising in porsche and you can usually work a pretty good deal with them. Definitely worth a look and judge for yourself Julie

Hi Colin, I spent 12 months looking for my 996 C4S. Spent many an hour on the road looking around the country at private "deals" and was disappointed. The experiences ranged from no V5 documents to seeing one vehical in Telford which looked like the owner had ploughed a field with it. In the end I, on the off chance, went to my local OPC and there she was. However would like to say the pre work they did was amazing. Overall several thousands were spent on getting her up to pristine condition. Warranty on her so piece of mind. I think I probably spent circa £5,000 more than I would have privately but this was made up with the prep work and the excellent customer service I have recieved over the last 14 months of ownership. All swings and roundabouts I guess. But definately if you buy privately need the 111 point check. Happy hunting. Regards Alan.

I have a 996 for sale - "s" reg C2 zenith blue, black interior, FPSH, porsch warrenty until dec 07, just had major service, taxed, MOT,ed. Private plate, new rear tyres. currently for sale at £21,995.00

Would you like a Job, working for me, as you obviously do not want to be paid !! I used to have a similar opinion, but now would much prefer to deal with a dealer that a private seller,,, Yes, he has to make a profit on the sale, that's how he make his living, and so know's the current market value of a vehicle, whereas a lot of private people think their car is worth much more that it really is,,and always describes them over the phone as excellent condition, but another story when you view them !! You also have some comeback with a dealer, (clear title,warranty,part exchange,etc.) with private, is buyer beware !!, No thanks , not for me again

Can't believe nobody has recommended Peter Morgan's book. My car arrives next week, as a complete novice I found it invaluable.

Diesel did in post #6. The 911 and Porsche World buyers guides are quite useful, but there are one or two innacuracies.

Can't believe nobody reads me posts ... oh yes, Richard did