I found a 996 in my price range and figured i'd bring it to this board for advice. Please review the the C4 Cab in this link and give your opinion. I've been approved for financing and warranty, but i have some reservations about the high miles and the k&n air intake which has been modded on.

I'm interested in

1. what to look for on the test drive
2. what to expect from a 996 with miles in this range
3. any other caveats
4. if it just looks to be a bad deal

also

1. how much would a porsche dealer charge to review the car prior to purchase.
2. is there any way to find out if the rear main oil seal has been replaced. I see that that is a problem for the 1999s.
3. and, honestly, i rake in only 52k a year (no kids or wife, don't plan on either)... will this thing destroy me? I've looked into boxsters and i'm nervous about the mid-engine, i think it'd be more of a problem than a 996. and the insurance cost difference is negligable between the two.

any info helps.

 

Depends on the dealership in terms of PPI. Some dealerships are more thorough and include a DME scan, while others have a shorter checklist. The one w/ the DME scan printout along w/ the same inspections they do "if they were buying the car" can cost ~$320 or so IIRC. This was at Auto Gallery in LA.

You should just call your local dealership to find out that point.

I'm not familiar w/ the 996 to suggest anything further.

Good luck!

 

Gotta wonder what shape the soft top is in. Odd to have so many photos of a cab with hard top on. No doubt that horse has been well ridden. I wonder what the KBB value is. It doesn't seem like a "blow out" at first read, but I really have no idea.

 

good point, you are right but my range is 15-25K... i'm looking for the best deal. this one is rather sketchy, that why i want to let a dealer ship review it. but over all i'm green... i test drove a 996 a few weeks ago and almost cried. i must have one but i don't want to set myself up for failure.

i just noticed that i posted this under the *997* thread. oops. How do i move it?

 

I'm not sure why the mid-engine of the Boxster is a concern. It's a proven design, an excellent handling car, and you're more likely to find a better one in your price range. I will caution that none of these cars are inexpensive to maintain. They are very well built, designed with maintenance and repair in mind, but pricey for parts and labor. It's a roll of the dice on any of these (particularly older) cars that you'll see a non-trivial service item of some type.

 

Listen to Verde. You can get a low mileage 5-7 yr. old Boxster for this price: they're great little cars and a lot less likely to kill you with a major problem.

 

thanks, I called a dealership and asked about the PPI. i was told it'd be $280. the service mentioned an engine compression test.... what does that test do?

 

That's a good price if it includes a DME scan and compression test. Normally, a compression test isn't part of the PPI at Porsche dealerships that I inquired with (I definitely wouldn't complain if they did). Compression test will give you a readout for each cylinder and they should all be within a certain range of each other. I don't know what that range would be on the 997, but it will give you a good idea on the health of the engine.

Read up on it here.

http://www.aa1car.com/library/compression.htm

 

[quote][and, honestly, i rake in only 52k a year (no kids or wife, don't plan on either)... will this thing destroy me?/QUOTE]

The 1999 car will be the biggest financial blunder you can make . The risk given the lack of a financial backup can turn a fun thing into a money pit .
52 K a year --unless you have savings backing it -- can account for 10 percent towards a car. 20 percent if you are an enthusiast . That's 10 grand max and just brakes , clutch , tires and /or labor ro fix it or rent a car can add up .
Reliabilty is crucial and the quickest way to lose a job is being absent with a Porsche .. no boss or co worker will empathize.

Realistically --the intitial fun will become old .
I believe that a used CPO Cayman or Boxter might be attainable but using the Suze Orman formula .. you need an 8 month security blanket and savings .

I applaud you for not getting married or having kids . It;s very overrated IMO.
You will have a Porsche .. just not that one .

 

Wow. I have to disagree with you on this one Larry... The thrill of the Porsche wears off much faster than the thrill of having kids... (evidence: how short you keep your Porsches). Of course when the kids get older, you might want to trade them for an old, high mileage Porsche... ...less headaches.

 

We should collectively punish him for that by talking him into buying GT3 in addition to his current cars. And then start discussing what a great car GT2 is.

 

One extra afternoon watching a football game at home with my kids (now 23,21,19) or owning a Ford GT? The car loses every time.
Other than that, I completely agree with your advice. Even the (insufferable) Susie part.

[QUOTE=yrralis1;2562821]

 

I never ompared having kids to a car in any manner. I simply applauded him for choosing not to have them and that would be the case if he buys a Porsche or rides a bicycle .

For every precious moment a child gives there are a 1000 reasons not to have them . By choosing to have them one has turned his own life upside down --finances, marriage, sex life, social life ,wife's appearance .. and then there's the teenage years .

Verde's post where his kids are now in their 20's shows even more that the happiest part of the process is 1) before they are born and 2) after they are grown and flown the nest.

I think most people have them because they either have an unrealistic and idealistic idea of what parenting is about, or because "it;s the right thing to do"

I think the simple truth is that most people really don't like being parents much of the time but they won't admit it to themselves .

At leas the OP has given it thought . Most people don't.

 

So, I know you and I dont' know each other well Larry, but I can't help but asking...what if your parents had decided not to have kids? How would you feel about that? What if everyone decided not to have kids? Seems like the end of Porsche to me if that happens! No one to design of build them when we all retire!

 

I never asked to be born . Had I not been born there would be no questions. One can't request a testimonial from a non existent being regading his absence from the universe.