996 c4s vs 997.1 c4s and COVID-19 impact on 997 prices

[Carpe_Diem_7]

New potential owner here, and newbie in the world of Porsche too.

Looking to buy: 996c4s or 997.1 c4s
Budget: 30-33k euros

While I have done my fair bit of research thus far, I have not yet decided between 996 c4s or 997.1 c4s. 997 will cost me 6.000 euros more than the 996. I have driven both (996 being a tip cab and 997 being a manual coupe), along with a few other 996.1 and 997.1 S (in order to get the driving feeling so to be able to compare), and I gathered the below facts and questions (please correct me if I got something wrong):

Facts:
- 997.1 is faster, more technologically advanced, and perhaps more enjoyable to drive. Quality of parts seems better as well (with few exceptions like screen buttons)
- Convenience on the road might be at par between the two, since 996 has the 18 inch wheels with more rubber.
- 997.1 horror stories of bore scoring is a deterrent factor. Same applies for the 996 IMS horror stories.
- 996 c4s is a more distinctive car, due to the rear reflector and turbo look body kit. Their prices might have stabilized due to this perception.
-997.1 is considered a more "common" 911, hence perhaps prices will continue to slide for some time.

Questions:
1) How much of an issue is bore scoring for 997? Is it inevitable for all 997.1? please consider that here in Cyprus we do not have Porsche Insurance or companies like Hartech which provides Insurance in the case something pops up.
2) What will be the impact of COVID-19 on Porsche 911 prices do you think? Could it be worthy to wait a few months before buying one?

Any direction will be appreciated.

Greetings from sunny Cyprus.

 

[C4Silver]

Personally...... I'd wait a few months, And all cars are susceptible to bore scoring not just Porsche's.

This includes the 996 especially the the tiptronic !

The bore scoring issue in general is much more of an issue for those who want to buy a 911, I've got one and honestly I couldn't give a monkeys if the inside of the piston liners looked like the copper fruit bowl I made in school in 1987, What's more of an issue getting into the used 911 market is finances, if you've got £33k and try and get a £37k car for less what you get with that is a car which could have inherrant problems. And these cost thousands not hundreds.

Me personally, 997.1 manual, low miles and low owners with full history !
PPI'd and negotiate back from there.

 

[Carpe_Diem_7]

Thank you for your reply C4Silver! Recommendations noted

 

[piero66]

kalispera karpe diem, and welcome to the forum!
I am a recent owner of a 997 mk1 4S: the car is beautiful!
Unfortunately for both the 997 and the 996 there are risk margins: the only thing you can do is buying a well-maintained car, with a clear history and making a serious PPI ... and don't think about bore scoring and IMS anymore but only to enjoy the car!!
Regarding the post-covid price, perhaps it is better to wait a few months even if, personally, I don't think that prices will drop much!
Take care!
piero

 

[Lukec4s]

For me when I bought my 996 C4S a few years ago there was no question. Still to this day the best rear end of any 996 or 997. And I say that even though now I have a 997TT. I could have bought the 997.1 at the time but the rear reflector if the 996 just has something special about it. A retro feel of sorts. The 997.2 did pull that back, albeit slimmer.

I think you can't go wrong with a 996 c4s manual coupe. Ideally with the ims changed although mine never had and I never had any issues.
.

Either car ... it will be great. Enjoy.

 

[Carpe_Diem_7]

kalispera karpe diem, and welcome to the forum!
I am a recent owner of a 997 mk1 4S: the car is beautiful!
Unfortunately for both the 997 and the 996 there are risk margins: the only thing you can do is buying a well-maintained car, with a clear history and making a serious PPI ... and don't think about bore scoring and IMS anymore but only to enjoy the car!!
Regarding the post-covid price, perhaps it is better to wait a few months even if, personally, I don't think that prices will drop much!
Take care!
piero

Buongiorno Pierro

Yes, both the 997.1 4s and 996 4s I found are well maintained and clear history cars (perhaps the 997 has a better history with only two owners so far). Thank you for replying.

 

[Carpe_Diem_7]

Hi LucasC4s,

Indeed both cars drive great. I guess it all boils down to personal preference on one hand and what the market consensus is on the other. Thanks for sharing your experience!

 

[nikos525]

καλησπερα Carpe Diem,

For me personally the 997 interior blows the 996's out of the water. Sure it all depends on what you want but a reason I didn't buy a 996 was because the interior looked to 80's.

As for Hartech, I had my engine rebuilt by Hartech, if you need to, you can ship it to them the will do their magic and then send it back to you, with all the warranty that they offer all of their customers.

1.5 years after my rebuild my water pump started to leak, called them up, a new genuine Porsche one was sent to me at no charge to myself with no questions asked except for a couple of pics of the leaking pump!

Top quality service and since the rebuild over 7 years ago, my car hasn't missed a beat and burns virtually no oil.

Ultimately it depends on what you want and which design appeals to you more :thumb:

 

[Alfaian]

It's crazy to think that, when talking about Porsche 911's it's like talking about something that's precious but brittle. When in fact the opposite is synonymous with Porsche :lol:

Had my 997 C2S over six years now and it's been superb.

Had it scoped on a major 3 years ago ( with plugs being changed ) and 4 & 6 had marks on cylinders. Blind panic set in and I was a nervous wreck until my specialist called me after sending pics to an engine specialist who said it was normal wear. 6k later and the car is still good. It doesn't use any oil at alll using the new millers nanotechnology 10w50 +.

Getting a ppi is good advice but, it isn't foolproof.

These cars are incredibly robust machines.

Treat it like a dirty secret and it will reward you. Treat it too well and it will cost you a fortune. 996 or 997.

It's an experience you won't find owning another car.

Good luck whichever you choose. :thumb:

 

[msaif996]

Definitely the 996 C4S is the most stunning visually. I owned one and then years later owned a 997.1 Turbo. Both black, both manual. At the time I had a 996 C4S I was loaned a 997.1 for a 24-hour test drive. I much preferred my C4S at the time. I've since sold the 997.1 Turbo and between the two, the 996 C4S was definitely the more enjoyable on UK roads. The turbo lag just wasn't for me, power too ferocious although it always had a sense of occasion knowing you're driving a flagship model. If I had the choice now I'd go for the 996 C4S and I still keep an eye out for my old car. Good luck whichever way you go and let us know what you end up with. And just buy what you want and enjoy it, there's always a reason to wait if you overthink it.

 

[tom_nieto]

I had a similar choice back in 2017, although my budget was for a 997 2S and I was after a manual convertible. I ended up with the 997 and stretching the budget to that. I'm glad that I did. Prices were already starting to overlap in 2017 and while I still absolutely love the 996 C4S looks, everything else about the 997 is better in my mind. A couple of the C4S examples that I looked at were ropey and speculatively high priced. There were far more good examples of the 997 when I was looking. A 996 will always be older than a 997 (duh) and as such will have more wear and tear. Both cars share the same weak points, although the IMS of post 2006 cars is in theory solid. The M96 isn't immune to bore scoring. If you plan to keep either variety long term you will likely need an engine rebuild of some sort eventually. This would be the same for any high performance engine.

Buy a 996 if you absolutely have to have the looks of a C4S and nothing else will do. Otherwise buy a 997.

I think values of good examples of all non GT Porsches will fall post covid. Prices of 996 and 997s will continue to overlap. Even early Gen 2 cars have massively come down in price. You'll suffer equally with either car in my opinion. Neither car is depreciation proof. I would anticipate prices falling as people come off furlough schemes and the impact of the impending global recession really begins to bite.

Both cars are great to drive and well put together. This will not change despite market values changing over time. Good luck with the search!

 

[Carpe_Diem_7]

καλησπερα Carpe Diem,

For me personally the 997 interior blows the 996's out of the water. Sure it all depends on what you want but a reason I didn't buy a 996 was because the interior looked to 80's.

As for Hartech, I had my engine rebuilt by Hartech, if you need to, you can ship it to them the will do their magic and then send it back to you, with all the warranty that they offer all of their customers.

1.5 years after my rebuild my water pump started to leak, called them up, a new genuine Porsche one was sent to me at no charge to myself with no questions asked except for a couple of pics of the leaking pump!

Top quality service and since the rebuild over 7 years ago, my car hasn't missed a beat and burns virtually no oil.

Ultimately it depends on what you want and which design appeals to you more :thumb:

Thanks Nico, happy to hear that Hartech can serve overseas customers, if need be. May I ask what was the culprit for your rebuild?

 

[Carpe_Diem_7]

It's crazy to think that, when talking about Porsche 911's it's like talking about something that's precious but brittle. When in fact the opposite is synonymous with Porsche :lol:

Had my 997 C2S over six years now and it's been superb.

Had it scoped on a major 3 years ago ( with plugs being changed ) and 4 & 6 had marks on cylinders. Blind panic set in and I was a nervous wreck until my specialist called me after sending pics to an engine specialist who said it was normal wear. 6k later and the car is still good. It doesn't use any oil at alll using the new millers nanotechnology 10w50 +.

Getting a ppi is good advice but, it isn't foolproof.

These cars are incredibly robust machines.

Treat it like a dirty secret and it will reward you. Treat it too well and it will cost you a fortune. 996 or 997.

It's an experience you won't find owning another car.

Good luck whichever you choose. :thumb:

Hi mate, interesting experience. So what is the difference between "normal wear" and bore scoring? And what is the fine line where mild bore scoring becomes an issue to be urgently addressed? is there an engine test (e.g. compression test or something) that can give a definite outcome on the health status of the engine? I am not mechanically inclined hence the questions.

 

[Carpe_Diem_7]

Definitely the 996 C4S is the most stunning visually. I owned one and then years later owned a 997.1 Turbo. Both black, both manual. At the time I had a 996 C4S I was loaned a 997.1 for a 24-hour test drive. I much preferred my C4S at the time. I've since sold the 997.1 Turbo and between the two, the 996 C4S was definitely the more enjoyable on UK roads. The turbo lag just wasn't for me, power too ferocious although it always had a sense of occasion knowing you're driving a flagship model. If I had the choice now I'd go for the 996 C4S and I still keep an eye out for my old car. Good luck whichever way you go and let us know what you end up with. And just buy what you want and enjoy it, there's always a reason to wait if you overthink it.

Thank you for your input sir.

 

[Carpe_Diem_7]

Both cars are great to drive and well put together. This will not change despite market values changing over time. Good luck with the search!

It seems that eventually this is the epitome of buying and owning a Porsche