Ben75 Posted 13April, 2012 Report Share Posted 13April, 2012 Hi All, Am in the market for a second hand Porsche as a semi regular ride (weekend touring) but researching it has become mind boggling. My philosophy has been to purchase the newest model I can realistically afford without finance which brings me to the later run of 996 and around that 75-90K market. I seam to be drawn in towards the 996 Carrara 4 / 4S in the 2003-4 era. As much as I would like a turbo version its unlikely I’ll be hitting the track so style and presence its probably higher on the agenda. I hear when Porsche went from air cooled to water cooled in the 996 there were some other problems with rear seals and RMS etc which sounds expensive. I note a lot of cars are being offloaded around the 80-110 k odo reading. What sort of life expectancy can one expect for a well maintained vehicle? Last but not least getting a PPI done on a vehicle such as this can anyone recommend a place that could do this in the Newcastle area or alternatively northern burbs of Sydney. Would really appreciate the advice of the members here after all most of you own one and have first hand experience right.. Thanks Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustJames Posted 14April, 2012 Report Share Posted 14April, 2012 Hi Ben You raise many points...I fear this may grow to a mammoth post, but here goes. Cars being sold at 80-110K km. At a guess, this is most likely the age at which a person who has the luxury of buying their cars new will think of selling. Whether it's a Holden Barina or a GT3, some people would rather buy a new car and live with the certainty of depreciation than the uncertainty of unscheduled maintenance and repair. My view is that - GT2 aside - the Turbo is more of a continent-cruising tourer than a track car. More importantly, the Turbo (and the GT3 models) has a rather different engine than the normally aspirated non-GT cars. That engine is referred to as the Mezger engine after the man who designed it. The Mezger engine is widely regarded as a much tougher and more durable engine than the 'regular' M96 engine as used in the rest of the 996 range. Rear main seal (RMS) problems are really largely cosmetic, in the form of a drop of oil on the ground from time to time. More serious are potential intermediate main shaft (IMS) bearing failures. Everything I've read says that IMS failures develop over time, rather than being a sudden catastrophic failure. And there is a fix for both of these issues. Replace the RMS and upgrade the IMS bearing when doing a clutch replacement. You're right to be concerned about these issues, but bear in mind some points: Many people write internet posts from a position of knowledge that they do not really possess. The internet lets people share experiences when things go wrong, but nobody posts to say "Hey, I drove my 996 today, and the engine didn't fall out!" The truth is that while everybody acknowledges that there are design weaknesses in the M96 engines, nobody knows what percentage of engines are affected. If a 996 Carrera 4/4S is your choice, then go for it, but don't discount other routes into Porsche ownership. If you want an up-to date car, don't discount a Boxster or Cayman. Your budget would have you in a very tidy 987 Boxster or Cayman S. As you don't want the car for an everyday driver, it may even be worth considering an older car. (There, that's two cans of worms opened in one short paragraph!) Autohaus Hamilton in Dee Why can certainly carry out a PPI for you. Call Tim on (02) 9905 1455. Disclaimer, just in case you hadn't spotted it already: I work at Autohaus Hamilton. Another disclaimer: I am not any kind of technical whizz. I talk to people who know more than I do, read stuff on the web and try to sort the info from the BS. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben75 Posted 14April, 2012 Author Report Share Posted 14April, 2012 Morning James, Many thanks for your insights. Yes understand such a post is a can or worms. Just so many options................Will keep you in mind when organising a PPI. Chs Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teknostar Posted 15April, 2012 Report Share Posted 15April, 2012 I have been watching the market quite a bit over the past few months, and have recently bought myself. I reckon that you still need to spend $100k + for a good 996 Turbo at the moment. Resale wise, this is probably the best choice if you get a clean well maintained example. If you can stretch your budget slightly to $100k you will get into a 997 C2S. You will obviously easily buy a 996 C4S for $70 - $90k. As James says above, a 987 Boxster / S or Cayman S could be a good option for $60 - $70k. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben75 Posted 23April, 2012 Author Report Share Posted 23April, 2012 Thanks Teknostar for your advice. Yes alot of options out there. Just need to be comfortable with my final decision. I have been looking more into the 996 turbo that yourself and FUCHer have mentioned.... Chs Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest vas930 Posted 24April, 2012 Report Share Posted 24April, 2012 Ben, have you thought about a 993 Carerra? If you want a car that maintains value, is fun, fast and a great drivers car, its worth a look. Its a car you can use and yet get a good pice on when you sell. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben75 Posted 15May, 2012 Author Report Share Posted 15May, 2012 Well the decision was made last week to proceed with the 996 turbo. Its currently parked at your work James. The Lapis Blue unit that should be in your workshop tomorrow. Thanks to those that responded with the advice, i ended up buying something different from my original choice so its appreciated....... Will upload pics shortly on my new ride...... Chs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustJames Posted 15May, 2012 Report Share Posted 15May, 2012 Well done Chris! Yes, I've seen the car. Lovely colour, and great presence. I am sure you will enjoy it immensely, and well done again! James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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