5 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCH996 runabout
Leading reported evidence
Replace bearing
Suggestion or failed attempt
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
There also seems to be little you can do to reduce the risk except perhaps change the bearing when the clutch is done but that's still a four figure bill all together.
Leading evidence: 'Replace bearing' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Replace bearing' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
These are separate views of the same evidence. Frequency alone does not establish a fix, and these counts must not be added together.
Replace bearing
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
There also seems to be little you can do to reduce the risk except perhaps change the bearing when the clutch is done but that's still a four figure bill all together.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
5 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Porsche Club GB: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261026T074343Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
Hi All
With 996 prices being what they are, I'm toying with the idea of getting one as a runabout and keeping my 968 for best. I'm just a little concerned about the horror stories I'm hearing about intermediate shaft failure - is there much truth in it?
Cheers
Paul
Not really, in the three years I have been following the community on various forums I've only actually seen one confirmed failure.
There have been other engine issues though.
The 996 could work as a 'runaround', the cost would be equivilant to that of say an M3 or similar. 2k a year should see you through servicing and tyres (depending on mileage you do you may need to spend more if you do over average mileage).Parts are comparible to a premium sports saloon.
Mileage is good, If I cruise I can return the same as my daily driver (30ish at cruise). Although the reality is that you will open it up a few times a journey if it's a long-ish commute. I blew the cobwebs out of mine yesterday on the commute, 65 miles cost me nearly £20.00.
Insurance is also pretty good if you shop around, fully comp and 12k a year (which I never get anywhere near) and with 6 years of my no claims allocated I get around £480.00 per year.
Cheers,
That's the million dollar question.
I've been looking at 996s for a while and whilst IMS failures aren't common they do seem fairly indiscriminate. Threads on PH aren't that uncommon stating failed engines.
So it may be a 100K 996 or a 30k boxster. One thing that is for certain is that your 12k 996 won't seem such a bargain after an 8k engine rebuild or a 12K+ engine from OPC
There also seems to be little you can do to reduce the risk except perhaps change the bearing when the clutch is done but that's still a four figure bill all together. 3.4, 3.6 or 3.8 it doesn't seem to make much difference.
Since I have a 944, and a moderately tuned 944T will give similar performance I don't think I would risk a NA 996. Equally when turbos and some 996c4s are similar prices it seems daft to consider at least the more expensive NA cars.
I have had my 996 for 9 years now just driven it to classic Le mans and even after all these years it gives me great pleasure. I can get loads of things in it including my 2 kids and of cause the wife, such a practical sports car. I think if you get a very good one with good service history maybe allow in your budget for the bearing to be replaced for a bit of piece of mind if this is a big concern.
I have looked at replacing mine with a newer 996 or 997 or even going Classic route but can't bring my self to it mainly cost wise, but find it difficult as my car is so well sorted.
Get a good one and your have a lot of pleasure.
Cheers Phil
