Porsche 996 Carrera: Updated 2023 buying guide with KEY NEW POINTS
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Published 2022-08-12
One of my most popular video uploads of all time is my Porsche 996 buyer's guide from around five years ago.
However, now the Porsche 996 is 25 years old, the march of time means new issues and problems are being uncovered by specialists that you should know about – that's why this is THE MOST RELEVANT AND UP TO DATE Porsche 996 buyer's guide on the internet.
Remember, most cars of a similar vintage were scrapped years ago, so it's something of a miracle that so many examples still remain on the road today. The payoff to that however is that the list of things to look for when buying a 996 is long and exhaustive, and it is my mission to ensure you are well informed to buy the very best example you can find.
It's also worth pointing out the advice given here is relevant to the 986 and 987.1 Boxster, as well as the 997.1 911.
What do you think? Are there any other tips from your own experiences that you'd like to pass on to those on the hunt for a 996? Post them in the comments below.
Thanks to Chris at Wrightune for the insight during the making of this film: www.wrightune.co.uk/
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All Comments (21)
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Bought my 2004 996 cab with 75k miles sight unseen (before things went crazy) for $16k USD. Been driving it constantly with no issues for years now. An absolutely wonderful car and a total bargain!
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Just agreed to buy a lovely 996. Test drive was great and deal was agreed & deposit paid. So excited!
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Very good video. on mine - 123k 996 C2, I have the following jobs to do: - Brake lines - I'll run these over the gearbox. Apparently there's a way of fitting them without getting the box out - Brake discs - check for part numbers, no need OEM as you can save £ - IMS - I had the bearing checked and seal removed on the replacement one - original dual row bearing on 996.1.1 - RMS - not really an issue unless puddle on floor - condensers and radiators. Not expensive and do-able DYI job. I suggest fitting some mesh grilles behind the air intakes so that the leaves will stop there instead of lodging themselves between condensers and rads. Check the car's integrity and how it drives. Bring someone with you. I am not entirely sure that the mantra that buying the best example for the most money is the smartest idea. It can still fail and cost you. But yeah, these are now 25 year old cars. Keep them dry and use them and they'll be fine.
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I’m kinda surprised there was no mention of variocam wear pads on the.1’s.
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A lot of people just do not understand the effect of time, 25 years on things using rubber. It needs replacing. After, buying mine 2 years ago I have just finished over hauling shock absorbers, arms drop links etc. Changed clutch, IMS RMS and rear brake line all in one go. Engine mounts, now I would say a car which has been always kept in a garage is a must, for corrosion is a must. Servicing mechanical issues is easy in comparaison to rust, a nightmare. I think for the budget , depends if you can DIY or not, I gave the clutch RMS IMS brake line to a specialist. I also agree that oil changes for engine and gearbox should be more frequent. The cost is negligble if you DIY. If you buy a 25 year old car with no budget for maintenance or restoration, you are going to be dissapointed, personally every time I drive the car now, I know that money was well spent.
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Love the old school Fuch looking wheels ! Looks so good on that green car
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Surprised Chris didn’t mention that you don’t need to remove the gearbox to do the brake line over the gearbox, you can buy a flexi braided steel hose (or get one made up) that feeds over to save the labour cost (he should know, having done mine!)
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Great Video, have owned a 2002 C2 for 12 years, and have carried out work in many of the areas highlighted here. About to do rear suspension control arms. I enjoy and get as much pleasure driving it now as I did when I first bought it. Twenty years old and still a real joy to drive.
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Great video Lee, thanks for the update. I sometimes worry that the 2000 996 C4 I bought was a bad buy because of the lack of history prior to 2019 but at the time I bought it (Feb 2020) it was one of the lowest mileage 996s available and the previous owner (a dealer in Southampton who had it had is personal car) had spent around £6k on the engine (IMS, RMS, clutch, etc). I think I wanted to rescue it though, as the bodywork wasn't great and I've since spent approx. £10k on servicing, repairs and a full re-spray to get it properly sorted. I love it to bits, but most dealers or buyers don't want to touch it because of the lack of history, even though it has had the best part of £16k spent on it in the last 3 years. Needless to say I'm keeping mine, it's ace and I don't care what anyone else thinks.
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Very informative video Lee for both owners and potential ones.
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Another really helpful vid Lee 👍
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Love how your gen1 looks like. The colour/decals, the wheels. Awesome!
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Great video to inform us all about what to expect and look for as our cars age Lee. Thank you 😊
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well done overview of these great cars!
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Thanks a lot for this good (very good) content! Very appreciated... LIKE! I write this every comment I do on your vids... but your little green Irish is a real beauty, especially the Ducktail 🙂
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Excellent information! Well done by your shop mechanic too!
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Nice one Lee, cheers.
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Very useful, thank you.
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Good video, put my mind at rest regarding a few things. Well done 👍
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Great video. Thank you, and to Wright Tune. Next on the list to Google ;)
