Your right on the C5. Hmm. I just remember hearing that years ago. Maybe I am a year off, but still doesn't make sense. It must have mostly applied to C2 Vettes. If I remember correctly, the 1964 vettes don't bring very good money. Maybe it was '64 and '84. Like I said, maybe Im a year off - Rule of 5's ('65 -05). Most likely, I just don't know what Im talking about

 

Only one I've heard on Vettes was issues with the C3, first-year model run. Quality issues that got worked out.

Good luck on the TT, and of course pics are required when the time comes.

 

Get the car with the lowest mileage...less mileage equals to less failures...Mechanicaly they are exactly the same...

 

DEFINITELY 84. First year of the C4 and crossfire injection...That guy should have been shot in 83 when that idea was hatched....

 

Only the very early 01's had bumper warts. Also the early 01's did not come through with hollow spokes. Porsche's OEM supplier was late in getting their wheels approved so the hollow spokes showed up after the initial roll out. 02's have a better sound system and a glove box. 01's are fine, chose the best car.

 

Mine is an 01 and it's been the best sportscar I've ever owned... I wouldn't say "stay away from it". As there are newer models that have shown more problems... it's just a case by case thing in my opinion...

Mike

 

First of all, I own a 2001 TT so take everything I'm about to say with a grain of salt since I love my car.

If I were in the market right now, knowing what I know now, I wouldn't settle for anything short of a 2002 model. Here is why.

1. According to Excellence Magazine, there are quite a few 'under the skin' upgrades made between 01 and 02, including additional chassis bracing. I didn't know that.
2. The lack of a glovebox, although certainly not a huge deal, has had me wishing I had a traditional glovebox on at least a few occasions.
3. Cupholders would be nice, and I haven't found a good solution yet.
4. Front bumper warts...not an issue for me since I have an aftermarket GT2 front bumper, but I wouldn't want those and it would be additional cost to deal with them.
5. Solid spoke wheels on early to mid-year 2001s. Not an issue on my car since I purchased it with aftermarket wheels, but I wouldn't want solid spoke wheels.
6. No X50 upgrade package available (K24 turbos plus bigger ICs)
7. No PCCB upgrade package available

All that being said, I love my 2001 model...but if I were in the market again would probably search longer and buy a 2002 X50 with PCCBs.

Best wishes!

 

I found what I wanted in my 01; She has 41k plus trouble free miles. I have no regrets and would purchase the same car in a heartbeat.

 

I have been following the X50 market for several months now. If you waited for a nice example of an X50 with PCCBs you'd HAVE to search longer, probably much longer. I haven't seen more than one car in all of this time with the PCCBs. From what I've seen they are very rare.

 

Good feedback for other potential buyers Tall T. I have no doubt that the magical X50 + PCCB package would have ultimately been far beyond my own budget too!

 

There was an '01 with hollow spokes and no warts in my immediate family a few years ago. Awesome car! It must have been a later built one because of what I already mentioned.

That said, having no glovebox was not a problem as the car's books fit in a shelf under the steering wheel and there is plenty of room in the door pockets and center console. The cupholders this '01 had were fine even though the one on the '02s and newer allow the cups to hang lower with less chance of falling off the holders - but this is not something that would deter me if there is a much better deal on an '01 as compared to a newer model. The switches are shiny in the '01 and matte on the later ones but I prefer shiny all the time than having a matte one peel off and look worn (I don't know if this can happen but it's a thought nonetheless).

Another thing is that the '01 did not have MOST and this was kind of a plus since I owned a 2004 C4S at the time and I had frequent problems with the Bose audio system not sounding at all and having to replace amplifiers... not that this is a result from the MOST but the earlier car's system seemed to be simpler and probably less problematic - again, this is based on experience which might not be the same for others.

The car was fantastic in every way possible! 1st generation PCCBs don't have the greatest reputation and I really don't care much for them. Now, an X50 car would! But, since this cannot be done as a retrofit (maybe because the X50 includes a beefier transmission) I wouldn't use this as a comparison with a later car because the option to retrofit a factory X50 is not available for those later cars to begin with. What I mean is that, apples to apples, there isn't much if any drawbacks buying a 2001 if it is a better buy. The one thing I am looking at is the better chassis bracing in the '02s and newer that someone else wrote about in this thread... hummm. That has gotten me thinking but only if I were to mod for a lot more power or to take it to the track.

 

Oh, come on...I think there are guys here that have SERIOUSLY modded 01 TTs, and their frames are not falling apart, I'm sure. And I have not seen a single 01 TT with a cracked chassis due to excessive torque or track racing...
I don't think the chassis bracing is that relevant..maybe for crash tests.

 

If you're looking to mod it, all the issues Steve mentions above get cancelled out...

And PCCBs? At $5K to R&R, I'll pass...

My car does have cup holders...

mike

 

As far as I know, my post was exalting the positives of a 2001 996 Turbo. Where did I write anything negative about it? I only spoke about the chassis bracing as maybe something relevant if I were to mod or track it but nowhere on my post did I write about chassis cracking due to power mods at all or by tracking... I only speculated about that being something to ponder about, as a potential advantage, on those 2 particular circumstances but, pondering about chassis bracing advantages in those situations is not the same as saying there are problems due to a lack of such bracing.