Whipit Posted 28May, 2014 Report Share Posted 28May, 2014 Hi all, thought I would drop by with an update on my Porsche ownership so far. I bought my 2002 996 S2 Carrera Cab tiptronic with 16,000 on the clock about 3 years ago. I was the third owner and picked it up for $88k. It was in absolutely mint condidion. Quite a few subtle factory options on it, like factory 911 rear badging instead of the regular Carrera plus a few other bits and pieces, mostly cosmetic. At I think about 30,000k's as some would know I got hit by the dreaded IMS failure, actually in my case it was a seized oil pump, that broke the timing chain, bent valves, yadi yada. Anyhow $15k and a total rebuild later here we are. Since then I have had no issues to speak of, I did have the ignition barrel get seized, but a quick google, and a $10 replacement of eBay, a bit of a gymnsatic act to fit it myself and all good to go. Apart from that nothing except fuel, tyres and servicing. As a daily, I drive it every single day and I never tire of driving it. To me it just has to be about the best daily driver a guy could want. The soft top makes it so much fun on a nice day, it is so easy to drive sedately, yet gets nice and busy if you gve it some welly. It's a real "feel good" car, its just a car that as soon as you drive, you just feel like your in something special. I recently loaned it for 3 days to my 23 year old daughter and boyfriend and they did the Great Ocean Road trip. They got a huge buzz out of "driving a Porche" and I have to say gave me the warm and fuzzies letting her. I actually have let quite a few people experience the pleasure of driving or riding in it, many of the people I know have never had the opportunity, without exception they walk away with new found repect for the 911. So the lease runs out in another year, I actually plan to just buy it outright and keep it. I really cant think of another car I could buy for the money that would give me the same pleasure. The fact the shape doesn't change much means the looks (I have the much nicer S2 front lights) means it holds its own in any car park. So all in all other than the engine unreliability problem, I love the car, really in a way the bad rep the 996's have means the costs are down to where guys like me can afford them as a daily, so I guess thats a bonus. For me anyway, the 2+2 capability of the 911 has come into its own time and time again. Sure the back seat isnt somewhere you want to spend any length of time, but the fact that its there is very useful. I recently won a silent auction for a few photos, here are a couple of the pics. Happy motoring Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.J. Posted 28May, 2014 Report Share Posted 28May, 2014 great writeup, digging that rear spoiler, i would just slam it if it was my car! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Posted 28May, 2014 Report Share Posted 28May, 2014 great writeup, digging that rear spoiler, i would just slam it if it was my car! JJ have you ever owned a car you havent slammed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red3.2 Posted 28May, 2014 Report Share Posted 28May, 2014 Good to hear your enjoying it after all the problems. Cheers Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whipit Posted 28May, 2014 Author Report Share Posted 28May, 2014 Looks like it sitting higher in the pics than real life. It scrapes at times now, so as a daily I will leave it as is. It is really more of a poser/cruiser than outright sports car anyway with the tiptronic. Having said that never had a car with such lovely feel and directness to the steering, certainly its handling capabilities far exceed mine. Once the lease is out I am going to start doing all the maintenance and servicing myself, I have a pretty well equiped home workshop and am fairly handy so then I will probably become a little more active on this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.J. Posted 28May, 2014 Report Share Posted 28May, 2014 JJ have you ever owned a car you havent slammed?ah no, all of them get the slammed look. you should see what i'm doing to my S15 daily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Posted 28May, 2014 Report Share Posted 28May, 2014 Looks like it sitting higher in the pics than real life. It scrapes at times now, so as a daily I will leave it as is. It is really more of a poser/cruiser than outright sports car anyway with the tiptronic. Having said that never had a car with such lovely feel and directness to the steering, certainly its handling capabilities far exceed mine. Once the lease is out I am going to start doing all the maintenance and servicing myself, I have a pretty well equiped home workshop and am fairly handy so then I will probably become a little more active on this forum. LoL nice understatement . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazzieman Posted 28May, 2014 Report Share Posted 28May, 2014 Once the lease is out I am going to start doing all the maintenance and servicing myself, I have a pretty well equiped home workshop and am fairly handy so then I will probably become a little more active on this forum. Helping others needing engine rebuilds? I'm sure Wayne Dempsey will put out a book on DIY 996/7 engines before too long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
withers Posted 31May, 2014 Report Share Posted 31May, 2014 That's fantastic news. We all felt your pain when you had your engine issues, I'm really thrilled that you are still loving the car. I think part of my delight is I kinda know that a 996 Cab will be the perfect P car for me when the time comes. So these stories warm my soul And your daughter took it? Wow she's a lucky girl and you are a super nice Dad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simonk Posted 13June, 2014 Report Share Posted 13June, 2014 So Whipit, I've just read the entire IMS thread and how you felt at the time your car went bang. I'm considering getting a 996 Tip as a daily driver so I'm wondering if it's still "the last Porsche you'll ever own" and whether you'd recommend getting one now that the bad taste in your mouth has subsided? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whipit Posted 13June, 2014 Author Report Share Posted 13June, 2014 Well, thats a very interesting question. I guess I would be lying if I said the whole ordeal (and it was) has not had some effect on me. Porsche make magnificant cars, of that there simply is no question in my mind. Driving my 911 is simply a wonderful experience, every time I do I smile and love it. On the long week end I went to my mates shack at Edithbugh. There was another couple there with an 18 y.o. son. I took him for a drive and truthfully to see the awe in his face was fabulous. He acted as though he was riding in automotive royalty. Which I guess he was, I never tire of the thrill of owning such a respected marque. But I think what I take out of what happened is that at the end of the day it is still a car. Designed and put together by humans. In all honesty (putting my flame suit on) imho a NA 996 and the other variants (boxsters etc) that share this design were not Porches best work. But as I said above, that means their value has come down where guys like me can use them as a daily. I truthfully would hesitate to recomend buying a NA 996 to someone, and I would not go out and buy another. I would fork out the extra money for the Metzner engined cars, or the later models when they got the issues sorted. That is simply just my honest opinion, take that for what its worth. But I love my car, and don't plan on selling it anyhtime soon, I am a weirdo I know, maybe that is what the Porsche mistique does to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simonk Posted 13June, 2014 Report Share Posted 13June, 2014 The way I see it, I have $40k to spend on a car. I can buy a brand new Holden SV6 or a 15 year old 996. In 4 years time the Holden will be worth $15k so I've blown $25k in depreciation. The value of the Porsche is only a guess but some believe they've bottomed out. Lets say it's worth $25k though. So I'm $10k up over the Commodore in 4 years time. But it's cost me more in maintenance over the 4 years, lets say $10k so after 4 years I'm even but instead of driving a Commodore, I got to own a beautiful 911. And if I'm lucky, and I don't have anything major happen to the Porsche, I'm financially better off. So if you consider you're going to have your car for a long time yet and depreciation has slowed dramatically, compare it to something like a BMW or Merc that depreciate all the way to worthless, $15k on a rebuild isn't so bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whipit Posted 18June, 2014 Author Report Share Posted 18June, 2014 I think thats a good way to look at it buddy, they are an aweful lot of car for th money, no doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike737 Posted 6July, 2014 Report Share Posted 6July, 2014 Great write up Whipit. I've only just recently bought a 996 gen 2 myself and was concerned about the IMS before I bought it. AOS went in the first month so I thought I would get the IMS retrofit done at the same time for peace of mind. How many KMs has the car done? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whipit Posted 22July, 2014 Author Report Share Posted 22July, 2014 Sorry, haven't been back on here for a while. My car is coming up to 100,000k's. I bought it with 16k on the clock. The lease runs out in a year, I am going to buy it out and keep it. From then on I am going to start doing all my own services. Can anyone recomend a good service manual if such a thing exists? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyS Posted 22July, 2014 Report Share Posted 22July, 2014 Hi Whipit, Great posts. I am probably more pleased than most to see you have had so much pleasure from your car. I am nearing 7 years with mine. Different situation though, not a daily driver and a manual, but I still get the same thrill when I drive it. For those reading the bts on the IMS I replaced mine a couple of years ago and it has helped me enjoy the car without some of the concerns I had prior (LN engineering ceramic bearing for those wondering). My 71 year old father is in his 8 th year as a Boxter owner, decided years ago not to do bearing and just roll the dice. Agree with most, not overly dear to buy + 2K for bearing upgrade = high quality motoring for moderate$. Andy S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike737 Posted 22July, 2014 Report Share Posted 22July, 2014 Whipit, I've heard that a good things about the bentley manual. Rennlist has a thread on it http://www.renntech.org/forums/topic/42866-bentley-porsche-911-carrera-service-manual-996-book-review/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whipit Posted 7August, 2014 Author Report Share Posted 7August, 2014 Whipit, I've heard that a good things about the bentley manual. Rennlist has a thread on it http://www.renntech.org/forums/topic/42866-bentley-porsche-911-carrera-service-manual-996-book-review/ Thanks very much for that, i just bought it, looks like exactly what i was after! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike737 Posted 7August, 2014 Report Share Posted 7August, 2014 Let us know how you go with it. I've been thinking about buying one for myself, but hesitant as I'm not a great spanner monkey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whipit Posted 7August, 2014 Author Report Share Posted 7August, 2014 Will do, I guess I have to put my hand up as a bit of a spanner monkey. I really enjoy it, I find it really relaxing The 911 I am sure will be a nice car to work on once the time comes. Hopefully that book helps. I just really want to be able to do regular routine mainetence. Certianly don't want to as extreme as my other car. I actually have just bought a 1960 split window Kombi to restore next anyway so I will have my hands full Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
withers Posted 8August, 2014 Report Share Posted 8August, 2014 Hi Whipit, Great posts. I am probably more pleased than most to see you have had so much pleasure from your car. I am nearing 7 years with mine. Different situation though, not a daily driver and a manual, but I still get the same thrill when I drive it. For those reading the bts on the IMS I replaced mine a couple of years ago and it has helped me enjoy the car without some of the concerns I had prior (LN engineering ceramic bearing for those wondering). My 71 year old father is in his 8 th year as a Boxter owner, decided years ago not to do bearing and just roll the dice. Agree with most, not overly dear to buy + 2K for bearing upgrade = high quality motoring for moderate$. Andy S Hey Andy, how many ks are on your Dads Boxster? To those that haven't seen AndyS car - she's a stunning machine and clearly well loved! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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