996 purchase

LOVEHZ · 06-13-2016, 06:43 AM

Hi all, I am looking to add another Porsche along with my '86 911 and was thinking of a 996 turbo. Can anyone tell me what to look for as far as options, problems and history go? Thanks in advance.

wolds · wolds's Garage

We're a little slow in this group so I'll jump in. So you already have an 86. Same rule of thumb with the future purchase. Request service records to get a sense of how its been taken care of. Consider a PPI. I recently purchased an 03 C4S coupe which was a long distance purchase. He was in Charlotte NC I'm in Columbus Ohio. In my case the seller was a Pelican. like you and I and for me that relationship has value that you won't get buying off Ebay or other sites. This has value for me. The turbo car doesn't suffer from IMS issues so you don't need to worry about that. Do you have a car in mind? If so how about sharing pictures with us? Maybe someone else can jump in with other suggestions.

996TWINS · 06-16-2016, 03:18 PM

Check out 6Speed. There are a "few" threads on this subject.

LOVEHZ · 06-16-2016, 05:50 PM

Thanks for the replies. Nothing picked out yet, I was interested in anything that should watch for and any options that would be considered desirable. I have found a few cars on Ebay so will post a link if I find something to get serious about. Will definitely have a PPI done.

tonythetarga · 06-17-2016, 06:53 AM

The cooling systems metal to metal fittings that are glued together. They have failed and will dump coolant. The fix is to have them welded but to get to all the fittings, the engine has to be removed. That is a question you want to ask about the car.
Service records are the only way to know the history, so I concur with that advice.

opOH · 07-14-2016, 05:40 PM

Hey LoveHZ. Not sure if you have pursued this any further. I have a 2004 Porsche Turbo tiptronic, balsalt black metallic and black leather in excellent condition with low mileage. I have not listed it for sale yet, but planning on letting it go. Let me know if you are interested and I will forward details.

As far as problems, I have not really heard in all of the forums any major recurring issues with the 996 turbos. I have read about electrical issues with rear spoiler motors. Of course, I focused on my model year when reading the forums. Problems seem to be mainly a function of care and maintenance.

There are so many options available, I would suggest typing in 996 turbo options listings on google. What is most desirable for you will depend on what styling you are looking for. I wanted a comfortable touring version, so I opted for a cabriolet, supple leather seating, dark wood interior and a tiptronic. You may want something entirely different.

I agree with the others that nothing replaces a good PPI.