1st Porsche - Supercharged 996??

[DCgearhead]

Accidentally posted this in the supercharger & turbo section

Hi everyone, I just stumbled across this forum and I have to say, its a great wealth of info and I'll be back often. Until I'm up to speed I was hoping for a few suggestions on what to look for when I go test drive a 2002 911 w a SC.

It has 50K miles and seems to be in pretty good condition with impeccable service records. Is there anything in particular I need to check for or be aware of? Certain questions to ask to make sure that everything is in good working order?

I'm somewhat hesitant of buying a Porsche that a previous owner had SC'ed since I know so of the 50K were hard miles...but I figure if I arm myself with enough knowledge I might be able to pick up a pretty incredible car.

Thanks

[aigel]

Well, this forum pertains to air cooled 911s and there is a 996 section you should try instead. That said, I am sure you can get some general wisdom here.

I would recommend you find out when the SC was installed. If the car has 50k miles it does not mean it has been modified from day one. It would also be interesting to know why the car is being sold.

What is absolutely necessary is that you invest in a pre-purchase inpection (PPI) at a shop of your choice (not the seller's shop) that runs the car through a careful check including body and drivetrain. Especially on a forced induction car it is very important that you check compression to make sure the powerplant is okay.

On a final note, and this in more personal opinion than technical info, I would stay away from a 996 unless it was real inexpensive. They don't have the best rep for durability and their depreciation has been pretty awful too. If you can get this car for under $20k and that's play money to you, then by all means consider it after a thorough PPI. If it blows up, you'll at least have the SC to part out on Ebay.

Good Luck!

George

[DCgearhead]

I'll figure out the correct forum sooner or later

[Dan J]

run forest run. The 02 996 is a great car but with a supercharger not so much. Buy one without ,they're great and there's plenty for sale

[kinein]

there are a few of us on here who have sc setups i am building one right now.......but not on a 996 there is a fellow pelicanite on here who has a sc on a boxster, you will get alot of negative feedback on the sc setup itself even if it is on a 911 air cooled......if it has impeccable service record, but what about the supercharger has it been serviced? what type of blower is it paxton, whipple etc.....

[Oh Haha]

Originally Posted by DCgearhead

I'll figure out the correct forum sooner or later

No biggie. I saw your post in the other forumlast night but have no experience with a SC on a 996 so I didn't reply.

The important thing is to take the advice you get from the forum to heart. While the car in question may be a great deal, run like a raped ape, etc., the reliability factor could be a real headache if it wasn't maintained properly.

When you make the decision to consider it seriously get a PPI but you may also want to contact a local(to the car) Pelican and get another opinion.

[DCgearhead]

Anyone know what the Carrera R indicates? I've googled "Carrera R" but nothing is coming up. Here is the listing....

2002 Porsche 911

[Noah930]

Not that I'm a 996 expert, but I wasn't aware of any special "R" designation. Is that just something invented by the PO who installed the supercharger?

With all the clean cars on the market (if you're looking for a 996), why go with a modified one as your first Porsche? Why not pick up something clean, low miles, original, and oh yeah, cheap, too? Fewer potential shade-tree mechanic headaches if you go original (and dealer-kept) as opposed to some supercharger installed by god-knows-who. If you're buying from a dealer, it's unlikely you'll get a chance to size up the PO and/or maintenance records. And unless you've got a fair amount of track experience under your belt, it's not likely you'll drive a modern 911 and think you need scads more power for the street.

[Oh Haha]

Sorry, but I would question anyone that put an "R" on the back of a car.

There is no such animal from Porsche for that year, either.


Again, that doesn't mean that the car isn't a good one. (The "R" should be able to be removed quickly if you buy the car.)

A PPI from an independent shop will tell you all you need to know, of course.


Find out who installed the supercharger and get some pics of the engine bay. The ad says locally owned so maybe some of the local Pelicans will recognize it and be able to give you more info.