Used 911? NPOCP?

"Racescort666" (Racescort666) 10/14/2014 at 19:45 • Filed to: None

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I have no idea if this is a good deal. I'm not even remotely familiar with what 911s should cost. I assumed that the mid-late 90s would be the cheapest ones since they were the first water cooled and least likely to have a sentimental status but !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! $18,990? That's less than I paid for my Audi. Granted, it's 10 years older than my Audi too.

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K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Racescort666 10/14/2014 at 19:47

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That's dirt cheap for a 996. They're at the lowest point of their depreciation curve and they could get even lower; just getting any 996 in good condition for under $20k is an NP.

whoarder is tellurium > Racescort666 10/14/2014 at 19:53

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Spoiler fault detected via warning lights on the dash... guessing its due to the hideous aftermarket one. I'd be worried about maintenance history (IMS bearing) and if anything is leaking oil, weird noises or smells... etc. Its also got 997 wheels too I see, but that hard top does look snazzy.

Racescort666 > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 10/14/2014 at 19:53

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Done, I'm driving there tonight. Fuck, I have work to do...

TexMex > Racescort666 10/14/2014 at 19:53

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Damn, that looks like an awesome buy, but be careful . The 996 is notorious for having problems with a critical bearing in the engine (IMS bearing? somebody help me out here). If that bearing goes, you basically need a new engine. There's a retrofit fix available though, and *most* of the 996s around have had it done. Still, a little diligence pays off, as is the case with any used car.

And as someone who bought a much older 911 for much less, trust me, there is no such thing as a cheap Porsche (...but buy it anyway!).

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 10/14/2014 at 19:54

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Agreed...I've noticed some very nice examples for under $20k lately. Not too sure about this particular example though - the non-standard hardtop (and it being a vert, if that's not your thing), looks like wheels from a newer model, aero kit, not much more info about what else has been done to it.

Having a well documented history and more of an original look would be a safer bet, I'd say. Just saw this ad today in my area, I'd say its a much better bet and value for money -

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto/470277…

Manuél Ferrari > Racescort666 10/14/2014 at 19:54

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Step 1: buy it

Step 2: drive until engine blows up

Step 3: install LS V8

Step 4: drive forever

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Racescort666 10/14/2014 at 19:57

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Actually?

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Manuél Ferrari 10/14/2014 at 20:01

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Step 3: install LS V8

What was that? I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you over the sound of death of the last person who suggested that..

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > ZHP Sparky, the 5th 10/14/2014 at 20:03

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You think he'd trade that for a FoST, and deliver that to Michigan?

Manuél Ferrari > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 10/14/2014 at 20:03

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haha

ok ok, he can install the (much better) 996 GT3 engine designed by a living God

but it will be very expensive...

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Manuél Ferrari 10/14/2014 at 20:06

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But it will be better.

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 10/14/2014 at 20:10

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Ha, or you could wire me the money, I'll buy it for you and keep it in good running condition until you can find the time to come pick it up. No rush!

I'd seriously be tempted to buy it given how clean it looks if I had more of a maintenance budget.

Manuél Ferrari > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 10/14/2014 at 20:10

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it will be MOAR GERMAN for sure

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > ZHP Sparky, the 5th 10/14/2014 at 20:11

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I'd sell the FoST for that right now if I was in the area, but then I'd have to use the money to pay off the FoST, leaving me with, naut! -_-

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > Manuél Ferrari 10/14/2014 at 20:11

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YES

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 10/14/2014 at 20:13

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ha, you have no idea how many times I go through the exact same thought process and end up with that very same face.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > ZHP Sparky, the 5th 10/14/2014 at 20:13

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Damn you world finance! -__-

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > Racescort666 10/14/2014 at 20:39

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Bear a little warning. Some cars have had this repaired with a newly designed part already. Be very careful about the car if you think you want to buy it. Make sure you can prove the IMS trouble has been corrected. If not, either take a pass or like other said, install the LS2...

Actually, the LS2 doesn't actually weight that much more than the 3.4, believe it or not. The LS swapped cars make pretty good cars. Some creative exhaust tuning and it wouldn't sound like a muscle car.

http://www.total911.com/porsche-996997…

Matt Hardigree > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 10/14/2014 at 20:55

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AWESOME

Steve in Manhattan > Racescort666 10/14/2014 at 21:14

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Nice to see someone actually putting miles on the car. I'd want to see a service history, but it's probably NP. Love the interior color.

Biapilotaceman > whoarder is tellurium 10/14/2014 at 21:36

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The spoiler fault light stays on until 5 mph, but yeah everything else...yeah. Definitely be wary for anything unusual.

Stef Schrader > Racescort666 10/15/2014 at 01:28

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Rare hardtop definitely makes it a NP.

The "let's experiment with watercooling!" years have some other issues that make them less desirable—intermediate shaft bearing issues, for one. Not as bad as the Boxster's engine, but still something to watch out for.

Also, those headlamps and the interior design are a love it or hate it kind of thing.

If you love it, get it inspected, and it's mechanically sound, NP. Enjoy.

Too many M's > Racescort666 10/15/2014 at 04:35

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The lobster claw wheels look pretty good, I'd check to see if the Aero-kit is OEM. The hardtop is a nice addition to have. Make sure the regular top works though.

fritzo > Racescort666 10/15/2014 at 09:28

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That's the low end of the going rate on a 996, but you have a few factors to consider:

1- they're the least desirable 911 due to their ugly "fried egg" headlights and awkward design.
2- These cars had around a 5% failure rate for their IMS (intermediate shaft), and that number is growing as the design ages. The IMS bearings that support the intermediate shaft was poorly designed and prone to failure. There is little warning when it fails and it destroys the engine, which is a $10K-$12K job. The failure seems to be linked to storing the car without running it for a few months, allowing the bearings to corrode and fail (and a lot of Porsches are garage queens).

This design was shared with the 986 Boxster and shares the same issues. It's the main reason I wouldn't buy a Porsche from that era. Porsche lost a lawsuit and was fixing these problems for free until about 2008 or so. There are aftermarket IMS replacements that fix the issue as well, but it's a complicated replacement and can run as high as $800 if you do it yourself due to the special tools needed.

As a life long Porsche lover, I'd recommend against a 996. For about $5000 more, find yourself a 2007 or higher Porsche Cayman. It looks better, the IMS issue is MOSTLY gone (there's still a small number of occurrences. They didn't totally fix it until 2009 models), and the handling is a LOT better.

RightFootDown > Racescort666 10/15/2014 at 12:56

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I would buy a 996 however I would immediately update the IMS with the LNE solution as soon as I take delivery. It's about a 6-8 hour job that'll run about $4k if you do a new clutch at the same time (and you might as well since you're in there). After that, giddy up!

factsaboutrats > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 10/15/2014 at 17:40

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6 months ago I passed on a 2000 with 75k and a new IMS for $15500 fucking dummy me. I'm regretting it every day so far...

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > factsaboutrats 10/15/2014 at 20:01

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I would too.