I am looking to buy a 996 style C4S or Turbo. I know very little about this car and would really appreciate some advise such as what year to buy, what to look for mechanically and what are some known problems to avoid when buying this car. My budget is around $40K..... thank you all very much in advance for your help.

 

Use the search on the site. Search IMS and RMS,this site is full of useful knowledge.

 

Trust documentation not word of mouth. Purchase with a warranty if at all possible. Choose a reputable facility to conduct a PPI on the vehicle of your choice. 996's are great cars. I am partial to Turbo's, but its all a matter of preference. Use this site to your advantage, and if you find a 996 post the info here. Chances are very good that someone here knows the car. Good Luck

 

Look for the newest Porsche you can within your budget. IMS (intermediate shaft) was a problem for 996 and 997 though 2008. The 2009 eliminated the IMS. I think the turbos did not have IMS issues because of the split-case engine design.

I would opt for the turbo because of the GT1 engine with a true dry-sump oil system. However, maintenance will cost more in general.

 

That is a very healthy budget for a C4S. A bit low for a no stories turbo. There is a very nice C4S for sale on Rennlist right now. Owner is upgrading to a GT3. The 996 board on Rennlist is more active than 6Speed's. The 996 Turbo board here is more active.

I would buy a car from a board member here. You know the car is well cared for. Good luck with your search.

 

get a 997S

 

thank you all very much for your advises.. appreciated!! will shop within this forum first.

 

for turbos ... search for 2nd gear pop out

for NA 996 search for IMS and RMS

 

Is 997 a much better choice than 996? What kind of potential problems do i need to watch out for in a 997 4S?

 

I recently purchased my first Porsche; decided on a 2004 C4S. My thoughts:

For used cars of this caliber, I think it's always a good rule of thumb to get the newest model car your budget can afford that is equipped with your "must have" requirements. The car will only be older when you go to sell it; and the newer models always have improvements over prior models. I wanted to keep the cash out the door to $40K.

Being said, my only real "must have" was All Wheel Drive (so this meant a Turbo or C4 or C4S); but I like the wide-body so I narrowed my search to the Turbo or C4S. This was going to be my daily driver, and being I live in Denver, I wanted the AWD to allow me to drive in the snow/winter as much as possible.

The 997's were a bit too expensive (unless I went with one with less than clean history); the 993's - although really awesome cars - felt to me a bit too "utilitarian" for a daily driver (if I had a cherry 993 right now I'd not want to drive it every day as that model is turning into a collector car pretty quickly!)

That left a 996 variant for me to target.

As I researched I found the typical IMS/RMS issues discussed on various message boards related to the 996 engine.

As I hunted cars, I looked for their service history that indicated a replaced RMS seal (seems like most cars I looked at had the RMS replaced).

The IMS didn't concern me really; keep the car full of oil and, if you're really worried, upgrade to the latest Porsche kit or grab an aftermarket replacement. (which I will probably do when it's time to change out the clutch, etc. Installed that's about $2K +/-).

In my searching I found my budget of $40K really didn't support a Turbo; as I researched more, I decided for a DD I didn't need the extra performance of the Turbo, nor did I want the higher maintenance costs or lower fuel economy. So, I set my sights on a 996 C4S.

Long story short, I landed on a 2004 (996 Mk II) C4S that was pretty well loaded with all the options I wanted. The later model year 996's (2002 and later) benefited from various tweaks and improvements compared to the early 996 Mark 1 cars. Again, see my first point, I believe the later the model year the better for this reason.

6-Speed, PCM/In-Dash Nav, Bose premium sound, Full (Black!) Leather, a few bits of carbon fibre and a paint color I liked (Seal Grey, hides the dirt/dust well!) The car had 38K miles, two owners and lived in NV and CO (good, dry climates).

Overall condition of the exterior and interior was cherry; there were some really (really!) light swirl marks in the clear coat and I will have the paint reconditioned fully in the spring and expect the result to give me an "as new" look. (Don't buy something you have to repaint -- first, it's expensive and second, it will deter future buyers.)

The RMS replacement on the car had been done and the service history looked solid - most done at P dealers so it showed up on the Carfax/Autocheck. IMS hadn't been replaced/upgraded, but I can do that later (if at all). Tires were close to new, so that was a nice bonus (remember, a set of rubber will cost you $1000 +/-) I paid $40K on the nose.

Immediately after purchase I had a major (60K) service done which included ALL fluids changed, serp belt, alignment and replaced plugs/coils. I wanted to start fresh with a "baseline". This cost about $2000 all-in, and even though I didn't need to do a major service until 60K miles, I could feel an immediate difference in how the car ran and am happy to know exactly what I'm starting with. I also replaced a window control unit and the front/trunk latch mechanism (I'm probably over picky, but both of these weren't operating as new, so I had that fixed during the service -- see below.)

I also had the Porsche tech give a thorough inspection of the entire car (I didn't do a PPI given the service records); so call it a PPI on steroids. Clean bill of health at the engine and mechanically other than the minor items noted above which I already knew about.

Since I purchased the car I've added a Dension iPod gateway that allows me to integrate my iPod into the PCM stereo; and I bought a storage cubbie that replaces the ashtray. I did also replace the stock gearshift with a 997 GT3 shift mechanism; ~$250 for the part and an hour's labor to install (gave a bit of a shorter and tighter throw). Those bits, the service and some fancy cleaning products I got from Griot's is all I have invested the car. I may opt for a sportier suspension in the spring; but we'll see how I feel after a few more months of driving. (Part of what I like about starting with a cheaper car is I feel better about paying a few bucks for add-ons/mods.)

So, if your budget is $40K and you are looking for a Daily Driver, my advice would be to target a 996.2 C4S since you've already mentioned this model in your post. You *might* find a 996 Turbo for this price, but don't hold your breath -- that's just too cheap for a decent 996 Turbo. You also *may* find an early MY 997.1; but only in a base "C2" model. If you want the AWD, the 997's will be out of your budget.

If you're after something less "practical" for daily use, and want a more "raw" Porsche experience I encourage you to look at the 993's -- for the C4S, you might be stretching your budget a bit. All about what you are looking for.

I believe the 996's have hit the bottom of their depreciation curve; so a well kept car should maintain it's value well -- at least not depreciate as quickly as a 997 would if you purchased used today. The 993's are almost going the other way; a well conditioned late model 993 C4S will likely cost you $45K+ right now dep on mileage and condition.

As far as specific mechanical items to look for with the 996.2 C4S; many cars had the RMS seal replaced as part of warranty work, so look for that in the service history. Some other nit items I've heard about and/or found with mine:

The window control units (window motors) sometimes go-out after 5-7 years (about $400 total parts/labor to have your P dealer replace); if the windows don't drop ~1/4 inch when opening your doors you might have to replace.

The ignition switch assembly on 996 cars can sometimes get plaid out; if the key is hard to remove and sticks you may be close to having to replace that (note, this mechanism is always "hard" feeling even when new - you want it to feel really solid, but not like a loose tooth - sorry, that's the best analogy I can offer!)

The latching mechanism on the front luggage compartment (trunk) can get really sticky/finicky with age -- again, this latch is always a bit "tight", but with age it can become annoyingly so and cause you to have to press down too hard on the hood to close. Simple fix, but if really sticky plan on about $200 for the part (mechanism) and an hour's labor to replace.

Those are some items unique to the 996; from there you'll want to do you best to assess the mechanicals (PPI is always the best way) and normal items you'd check on a used car purchase. On the VIN check, I find that Autocheck is more thorough that Carfax. You can get a month's worth of access for about $30 if I remember correctly -- definitely worth the cost if you're looking at a number of cars. Also, here's a helpful link that will show you the options on your car based on the VIN that shows you a bunch of detail related to the options your car is equipped with: http://www.autoatlanta.com/life/vin/vin.php

Hope this helps - remember, at $40K, your investment is minimal for the quality of car you're getting. Having had my 996 for a few months, part of my enjoyment is based on the fact I paid LESS for this car than the last NEW car I bought back in 2001 (A SAAB 9-3 Viggen Turbo Coupe). Keep your "price paid to quality of car" expectations in check as you look around at potential deals. $40K is not a lot to spend, but you should be able to find a really nice deal on a p-car for this budget.

As others have mentioned, keep on eye on this board as well as rennlist. Great deals from guys who likely have taken good care of their rides. Also, if you find a car at a dealer or somewhere else, you can use this board to help you find the right price to haggle. If you have questions once you spot a potential buy, be sure to ask here.

Good luck with your search! I think the 996's are among the best value in used, premium sports cars you can find!

Howard in Denver

 

Howard,
Thank you very much for your detailed advises. I feel much more connected to 996.2 than 997 now. Like you, the must have are Wide Body and 4 Wheel Drive, and I do prefer the headlights on the 996 over the 997. In any case i will be sure to look into AutoCheck and other sites you recommended. Again. thank you and everyone that helped... David

 

look at sports trend)one word when you google them, in van nuys calif. they will have the best price i guarantee it. you will save so much that the shipping will be considered free. they deal in lease returns and very clean cars. i have bought two from them and still a very happy customer.. i visit them often, would be more then happy to spot check the car for you, i drive by there on a weekly basis... ask for shawhim(sp?P) you'll not regret their price and their product.. tell him that mike with the 04 996tt sent you their way