Buy a 996?

Hi Guys I am interested in buying a 1999 model 996 C4. The car has done 37000 miles, has a full service history by the agents and come with a 7 month warranty. I have never owned a Porsche. I drove this one and I really liked it. The questions is, would it be stupid to buy a 9 year old car and expect it to remain relatively trouble free? Should I expect big repair bills? Thanks very much Any thoughts would be appreciated Etienne

:welcome: To 911uk Etienne. Can I be rude and ask the price of the car, and the full spec inc. colour, extra's.. ? I would say 37,000 miles is nice.. But I would check all the invoices not just the service book, check what has been done along with the standard service's. 996's are great cars, and you'll be happy if you buy the right car. There are a few members on here who have done over 150,000 miles in there, and still going strong. The reason I ask about colour and spec, with so many around come re-sale, the one you buy will need to be a nice colour and trim. Black, Silver and dark blue are the top three. You'll read about the engine failures, but these make up around 2.3% (so I read) of the 996's. The other thing you'll read about is RMS (Rear Main oil Seal), this again is nothing to worry about. Get a PPI (pre purchase inspection) before you place any money down on a 911 (PARR/JZM/Northway/Fearnsport to name a few who can check the car out). Keep us up to date on how your getting on. Dan - :bye:

Depends on the car! Some are no problem, but there may be the odd thing that needs attention as with any car. The warranty is good, but you need to make sure it covers things like Rear Main Seal failure, or the engine letting go which does happen very occasionally. Have you driven a few to get a feel for different cars?

Hi Dan Thanks very much for your reply. The car is silver with full black leather interior. No extras really. The car is selling for the 32000 pounds. Basically on the upper side of the going rate for these cars locally. Import duties etc tend to make them possibly more expensive over here (South Africa) than in the UK. Thank again Etienne

Thanks Robert No, this is the first one I have driven. The car is "Porsche Approved" as far as the warranty is concerned so hopefully that should cover most eventualities although it is only valid for another 7 months... Take care Etienne

I'm sure you've done your homework with regards the value vs similar cars in South Africa! We cant be much help there... If its Porsche Approved- is it coming from an official Porsche dealer, or a private sale? If its a Porsche dealer, I'm sure you'll be fine- good luck and let us know what happens.

Thanks for your reply Robert Yes, coming from an official Porsche dealer. At what sort of mileage should one start planning engine rebuilds and stuff like that? Take care Etienne

37K for a 99 car is very low. £32K for a 99 car is very high. It is very very easy to alter the digital odometer reading. Dont completely trust the stamps in the service book. If it is fully porsche serviced ask to see the records. ie what has been done and charged for since new Any enthusiast owner will have other documentation (receipts etc) to validate the mileage. If no proof - buy one that does have proof Buy with your head not your heart!

Not for a long time hopefully for major work (well over 150,000 miles probably), but it will need things like coil packs, radiator headers, maybe radiators. The rear main seal (RMS) may well weep a little oil, but it is not a problem, especially if its passed the Porsche inspection. And the usual stuff really, Warm it up carefully before driving hard, get the servicing done on time by specialists and run with the best oils and fuel.

Hi Guys Thanks very much for all the advice. I went ahead and bought the car. Drove it back home from the dealer which was a 1,100 mile journey. Still trying to get the stupid grin of my face Thanks again Etienne

Hi Guys Thanks very much for all the advice. I went ahead and bought the car. Drove it back home from the dealer which was a 1,100 mile journey. Still trying to get the stupid grin of my face Thanks again Etienne

at that price, at least we all know where to go to offload our pride and joy!! maybe we can club together and fill a container ship now there's a new biz opp.....

true £32k for a 996 is very high in UK for a 99 model, but is that the case in South Africa necessarily (I dont know, just asking?) They have far fewer imported so may keep higher resale values, and cost more new... Just a thought

Yes, all imported cars are rather expensive over here due to import taxes. Worth every penny though :thumbs: