Looking to Get First Porsche

Hi, I’ve wanted a Porsche for years and I’m considering swapping my BMW M140i for a 996. Has anyone made a similar move, or have any advice for a potential first time 996 owner? I’ve seen a couple for sale at Phil Raby on the south coast. Anyone have any experience dealing with them? Thanks in advance

Hi and welcome mate, I remember the first Porsche I owned and that was a 996.1 having owned all sorts of cars, I went in with my eyes open that It's a fairly old car and will need bits doing and won't be as easy to live with but the feeling of owning a 911 was so exciting I didn't care! the feel and sound of a well sorted 911 is worth it. I came from a e90 M3 at the time. I've never used that dealer but by the look of his stock I doubt you could go wrong and to be honest a purchase from a specialist would be recommended for a little peace of mind, that said my first one was a private sale so had a pre purchase inspection. My advise is fairly basic and obvious but honestly a good service history is so important, regular Oil changes and the usual areas like AC/Radiators Discs and Pads and suspension components should have all had several upgrades by now, generally a good maintenance file like any car really and your good.

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Thanks very much for the reply. It’s that exact feeling of excitement at finally owning a 911 that I’m looking for! The couple of 996s that the dealer has for sale have about 80-90,000 miles, so I’m hoping a lot has been replaced on them but figuring they’ll take a fair bit more maintenance than my 5 year old BMW.

Get it inspected by a reputed specialist otherwise it will be a money pit! All the best!

As all will say - make sure to have the car inspected. I had an M140 after having a Cayman. The M140 is very competent but really wasn't my bag. It was a bit sterile... the 996's have a lot more character and are a more rewarding drive. Plan a budget for ongoing maintenance, unless you can find one with all the usual things already done. Loads of info on this forum regarding what things need doing. Happy hunting and make sure to drive a few before you buy.

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You must consider your use case and make sure it’ll suit your decision. The M140 is a very forgiving and competent vehicle, but if you’re only using it for Sunday morning blasts, I can see how it would be very boring after a couple of Sundays. How do you plan to use your car, over how many miles and what type of terrain? What’s your budget?

Get a good one thats had everything done you'll love it. A bad one will be money pit. Speak to Tom at 911 Virgin. TBH its worth paying extra for a minter from somewhere like Paragon Porsche or 911 Virgin. May be high mileage and wrong seats and wheels (a bonus) but this is the one I'd buy. I know its been looked after by fastidious last owner. Porsche 911 996 Carrera Manual - Friends Green Porsche www.friendsgreenporsche.com

This cab bloody gorgeous too. 996 Carrera Cabriolet Manual (1999) 996 C2 Cabriolet (Aerokit) 6-speed manual transmission. First registered 03/09/1999 V-Registration. Finished in Zenith Blue metallic with a Full Grey 911virgin.com as is this coupe 911 Carrera 2 (996 GEN ll) for sale at Paragon Porsche in East Sussex 911 Carrera 2 (996 GEN ll) for sale at Paragon Porsche in East Sussex www.paragongb.com

Welcome to the forum.. You seem to be starting well by tuning in here... (-: I have bought with rose tinted glasses in evidence, and paid the price in my early years. Emotions can run high when buying into the idea of a dream, and there are salesmen a plenty out there ready to cash in on your dreams... I would go with JM 30`s advice in terms of buying from a specialist dealership, ideally one specialising in Porsche as perhaps being a safer option. My thinking being that a specialist dealer seems likely to have accrued the skills relative to exactly where all the usual problems might lie, where and how to look/listen for them, and and will use that knowledge when buying in stock requiring minimal work to then sell on with minimal risk of comeback..? I suspect there are a few good dealers out there, some only dealing in low mileage older Porsches and priced accordingly, and others middle of the road perhaps. Might be a good idea to look around to educate yourself...? I have no association with and never bought a car from FGP but they seem to tell a good story, whether true or not... but perhaps worth a look...? For sure there are plenty of old Porsches out there that could cost more than their advertised price to turn into a reasonable running machine.. Wish you the best of luck in your search. Online Showroom - Friends Green Porsche

there are a lot of cars inc private where the IMS/RMS have been done

IMS & RMS are of little importance when buying a 20 odd year old 996. Condition of the rest of the car can be far more costly and takes priorty when choosing the right one.

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good point, in terms of cost, what areas would we rank in terms of the cost range to budget for

Suspension, rust removal/protection, aux stuff: anything that moves and not engine/drivetrain related. Engine/gearbox, interior, water ingress, service costs, petrol, speeding fines.

Speeding fines

The Cobalt Blue car at Phil Raby is mine - DM if you’d like to know more. Incidentally I also have an M140i!