996's - Is there another model worth owning besides the TT?
 

Looking at 996's. Not a crowd favorite (styling, IMS/RMS, etc). but I do like the 4Oth Anniversary and/or 4S models, 2002 and on. 4S is turbo lite, 40th is special. More aggressive styling and not the ordinary 996.

The TT is the best of the lot and probably worth saving for, but are the others worth owning given the rapid rise of TT prices? Not looking for Air Cooled appreciation, just another fun car to drive with my wife with a little more comfort than my 1985 Targa. Something fair priced that will at a minimum hold value - with better performance.

P.S. I drove the 997 S, great car, but not a fan of silver hard plastic interior - while fast, not enough wow factor.

Nope

I would buy a 4S. I think its great bang for the buck. Any of them are really a decent value for a sporty DD. It was the same line of thinking that led me to buy a 986 a few months back. I almost bought a 996 4S Cab, but it was twice the money and I just didn't see the added value. My priority was top down motoring versus a Carrara coupe. I've got an AC 911 for that.

For 2-3 times the money.

I can buy a $20k 996 and invest $40k or I can buy a 996 GT3. Which has a greater financial upside?

You can buy a 20k 996 and drop another 15k when the engine lunches itself and you will still have a 20k car. 28k or so for a C4S. Both feel slow today.

The GT3 isn't (IMO) going to lose value.
But to drive on the road I'd pick - and did - a TT.

Depends what you invest in.
Might actually be a fun theoretical exercise - come back in a year and see how you did vs the GT3.

Buy or finance a Turbo. Even though chances are you won't have a IMS failure on the NA, if it happens it will cost you $20k or so for a new engine.

4S...still has great lines...

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1463540510.jpg

I never invest in the market for only a year. That's not investing. I also never buy a car for just a year.

996s are great deals. With some preventative engine work, they are so fun!

You can still find reasonably priced, higher mileage turbos.

There are a few well known issues with those cars so if you find a 100k+ miles car where they were fixed or preventatively taken care of by a good owner you might get a decent deal.

I drove a low mileage '00 C2 last summer and thought it was a great car, don't listen to all the 996 hate. There's a reason the press praised it as the best 911 ever when it debuted.

Ok be pedantic. Make it 5 or 10 or whatever. Same idea.

996 are great fun car... 997 is almost the same w/ a few more option buttons :D

I really enjoyed my 01 c4. It felt like a more neutral driving car, but I would get another for the right price, no doubt about it.

Sorry that I let doing such a test realistically get in the way.

The underlying point is I don't think 996 GT3s will go up much more in the next few years. You might be able to drive one for "free" for a few years if you offset operating costs to price gains.

I'm seeing 15-20k for a 996 engine. I can get one for $5-8k. If I popped the engine in my Boxster I wouldn't rebuild it. I'd just buy a used 3.4 for half the price or sell the car off unrepaired.

Doesn't make sense NOT to step up to the TT. For the difference in money (although the spread is increasing) you get 400 HP easily taken to 575+, with a bulletproof engine.

Thanks to aggressive marketing, many people are convinced that buying an aftermarket IMS bearing solves the achilles heel problem of the n/a 996 engine. I am not one of those people. I suspect failure rates for the aftermarket kit are higher than the Porsche-engineered parts. Having had a friend suffer catastrophic engine failure in an 03 C4S, it's more than just statistics.

When the aftermarket IMSb manufacturers offer a 3-5 year warranty covering consequential damages, I'd consider recommending an n/a 996.

I will say that I believe most of the IMSbs that are going to fail have done so by now. And the failure rates were, I believe, 8% in the pre-05 models; 4% in post-05.

Damn that's higher than I expected. I've heard the horror stories. I do like the looks of C4S.

Problem is IMS is just ONE failure point. There are many in the engine. That said, if they are addressed they are solid engines even for the track. I agree stepping up to the TT makes sense, unless you are like me and are pretty much done with turbo engines and have fallen in love with NA.

Choices....
 

About two years ago I was at the point you are in the hunt for my next Porsche. Looking back at the choices that included: 996C4, Cayman S, Boxster S and 996TT as options, I'm very happy I chose to buy at the top of the group and get the Turbo.

They are as close as most of us will ever get in performance and pedigree to owning 959 and at a fraction of the cost. $45-50K will buy a low mile, great condition Turbo. $50-55K will buy a gem, possibly a '05S.

I agree with TW as well. Mezger Turbo, AWD, modern interior, great lines and solid value.

'03, 996TT, X50, PCCB and Sport Seats (32K miles)
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1463599634.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1463599573.jpg

No, they are not. Of the five 996's consistently running with POC over the past 12 months there have been 7 engine failures, none with more than 30 hours.

Top to bottom the 996 is not a very stout platform (tranny, engine, interior, cooling, looks, etc). Once I replace the bottom end of the m96 motor I just blew up this weekend the only thing 996 left on the race car will be the VIN

I think it depends on who builds motor. How many of those failures were vision race engines? Problem with tt on track are running costs.

They're fairly fast, but I can't stand the ugly ass interior, along with the inferior leather of my girlfriends 996 Cab, compared to my 993 cab. I would have never advised her to buy it if we weren't capable of dealing with all of the problem areas ourselves. As soon as I we brought it home and went for a spirited drive, the water pump failed, and that's about the most minor thing that happens. I don't believe the plain Jane 996's will ever appreciate, and will continue to depreciate. The used market is flooded with hundreds of them for sale in the Bay Area.

I agree on interior... that's why stripping them is great!

I have a 00 c2 cab, it's great fun. I autocross it. I run it HARD. It's the best 20 grand I've ever spent. That said I'll get a TT soon and shed the c2. I might shed a tear also. Might.

A double rear booster - nice!!!

There's a 0% chance the 996TT will hold value if you drive them as planned.

If it's already a high mileage car though it might. Agree that 60k miles is a discount to 30k, I don't think 130k is a discount to 100k.

Sounds like you should at least drive one, tt or not. I wonder how many of the 996 detractors have substantial seat time? Sure, it's not a track car, but for a 'fun car to drive with your wife' seems like any 996 would fit the bill. People seem to forget that most Porsche engines have weaknesses... the old ones just appear more reliable today because people have already spent the money to repair the trouble spots.

Look for one with the full-leather interior, and that will make your view out the window much, much nicer!

Saw a C4S yesterday - 50k miles for $28k. Plenty of power, but not lose your license power. Looking at a TT - $10k more with nearly 80k miles.

When should I be concerned about TT mileage 80k, 100k, 120k for a driver quality car? Assuming good cosmetic condition and solid service history. Thoughts (other than buy the best car you can afford!)

That continues to be the subject of much debate on rennlist. In my view if the car has been taken very good care of, mileage isn't a big deal. Unfortunately that's a very big if. Many if not most 996tts were defaced with tacky mods and aggressive tunes and run hard and put away wet when the big ticket maintenance became due. So provenance and care history are paramount with those cars.
If it's an auction car at a strip mall dealer that peddles 2002 buicks and cars like that, run. If it's a one or two owner car with a stack of receipts, it might be a good deal.

For reference,.last year on panorama there was a piece on a couple that did 500k miles on their 996tt.

Just an FYI, I have a 99 996 Carrera 6 - speed with 200,000 miles and the car runs fantastic. Good luck with your search.

The TT in question fits the bill. Receipts, original sticker, manuals, 2 owner car, stock, well taken care of from the pictures. Rear spoiler fixed.