First Porsche - 996 Cabriolet - Advice Please

Hi all, I've just joined the forum and am getting close to hopefully buying my first ever porsche. I went for my first test drive last week and was one of the most exciting things I've ever done!

I'm confident that I can go out and buy the right car but thought the opinion of those more experienced than myself would be very helpful if you don't mind ...

I'm 30 and want to buy a post 2002 996 Cabriolet for £25-30k with a full Porsche service history and manual gears to be used as my sole car for 5,000 miles annually. I want a low miles (15-30,000 miles), great condition car that will not throw up too many running costs. How likely is it to hope to find one like this from a good independent garage with a Warranty for my budget?

I've spoken to a few garages and they don't have much stock I like, they say the Spring will have more, albeit it at a 10% higher price than now.

I assumed a C2 is the best bet as the 4WD seems more expensive, I'm not going to really appreciate the 4WD or PSM, and the S, Turbo etc are out of my budget and too fast.

Other questions:

1. Services - I see major services are around £550 and minor are £400. These would be best through an OPC to protect the resale value?

2. Track racing - I've never been but want to try! If I do a few days a year what costs/damage am I risking? I assumed having to replace break pads (£100 each) and tyres (£750 a set) once a year.

3. Cutting Insurance costs - Would fitting a tracker (for £350?) in addition to the existing factory immobilizer reduce my premiums?

4. PCM - Is the Satnav likely to be up to date from a 2003 car or do I need to install new software or get new disks? Is this easy?

I've had a dream of driving round Europe in a convertible since I was a teenager. Now I'm close to realizing it. Very exciting!

Many thanks for any help and please bear with me, I'm new to most of this!

Oliver

PM sent,

olivergray said:

Hi all, I've just joined the forum and am getting close to hopefully buying my first ever porsche. I went for my first test drive last week and was one of the most exciting things I've ever done!

Welcome aboard.

I'm confident that I can go out and buy the right car but thought the opinion of those more experienced than myself would be very helpful if you don't mind ...

I'm 30 and want to buy a post 2002 996 Cabriolet for £25-30k with a full Porsche service history and manual gears to be used as my sole car for 5,000 miles annually. I want a low miles (15-30,000 miles), great condition car that will not throw up too many running costs. How likely is it to hope to find one like this from a good independent garage with a Warranty for my budget?

There's loads of 996.2s around and with that budget you should stick out for the very best but I doubt if you'll find many with less than 30k miles as most people spending £65k+ on a new Porsche do so with the intention of getting a lot of trouble free miles for the hit they take in depreciation.

I've spoken to a few garages and they don't have much stock I like, they say the Spring will have more, albeit it at a 10% higher price than now.

A lot of people will have put their Cabs on the market as soon as the weather changed and prices will be lower at this time of year. Keep searching but it may be right that there'll be a better choice in the spring.


I assumed a C2 is the best bet as the 4WD seems more expensive, I'm not going to really appreciate the 4WD or PSM, and the S, Turbo etc are out of my budget and too fast.

C4s aren't generally any more expensive than C2s. If you're new to 911s and feel that the Turbo is too fast then a C4 would probably suit you better. NB the C4S is no faster than the standard C2 or C4 but will be more expensive to buy..

Other questions:

1. Services - I see major services are around £550 and minor are £400. These would be best through an OPC to protect the resale value?

An OPC stamp in the book is seen by many as more desirable but any recognised specialist stamps would certainly be ok and not affect resale values.

2. Track racing - I've never been but want to try! If I do a few days a year what costs/damage am I risking? I assumed having to replace break pads (£100 each) and tyres (£750 a set) once a year.

I'm no expert on track days but imo a few full track days would take a lot more out of tyres and brakes ( DISCS and pads) than that.

3. Cutting Insurance costs - Would fitting a tracker (for £350?) in addition to the existing factory immobilizer reduce my premiums?

It might take acouple of years to recoup your investment.

4. PCM - Is the Satnav likely to be up to date from a 2003 car or do I need to install new software or get new disks? Is this easy?

imo Porsche Sat Nav from the early 00's were pretty poor and a very expensive option. Update discs are also very expensive. I certainly wouldn't turn a car down if it wasn't fitted.

I've had a dream of driving round Europe in a convertible since I was a teenager. Now I'm close to realizing it. Very exciting!

Many thanks for any help and please bear with me, I'm new to most of this!

Oliver

Click to expand...

Happy hunting.

Bought it!

Hi Pete and T- thanks for your replies ...

I just bought a car!

http://www.bramleyweb.co.uk/carsales/details/Porsche/(996)-911-Carrera-Cabriolet---6-Speed-Manual/2877.htm

What do you think? I love it.

The dealer provides a 1 year warranty. He's offering a second year for £600.

I don't know if I need a warranty after the first year. If I do, would getting one from a specialist Porsche independent garage be a better bet as the garage I bought it from does all sorts of marques?

Thanks again

Oliver

LOL, posts on Sunday asking for advice and bought a car by Wednesday - fair play to you, sir!!

Looks nice that; Carrera spoiler and sideskirts, looks well in black. :thumb:

PCM will be good for resale, and are those hard-backed sports seats? Can't tell if it's got PSE (Porsche Sports Exhaust) either, can't zoom in on the interior photos enough to spot the button on the dash, and although you've got the exhaust tips that might not equal PSE - do you know if it has PSE fitted (if so your ears are in for a treat)?

Very low mileage too; looks like a nice find overall, enjoy and welcome to the club!!! :bye:

Oh, warranty - use the search on here, LOADS of opinions on warranties, Porsche or otherwise. For an OPC (Porsche) warranty your car must be 100% standard, even down to having a Porsche battery and approved tyres, for them to honour any claims, think it will set you back about £1300 a year.

Personally I don't have one, I 'self-warranty' (throw some money in a Bank account each month to cover any eventualities), might as well live life on the edge, eh? :grin:

Doesn't seem to have PSE
Has:

BOSE
Hard-backed Sports Seats
Aluminium (white dials)
PCM
CD Trays
Alluminum Pack

Oliver,
Welcome to the forum
I have had a look at your car and would be interested to know how much it was, and also have a look at your rear spoiler, which looks like something I would fancy. I have a black 03 996 and would love to compaer them.
Have you collected it yet?
Where are you?
Pete

Hi Oliver,

I am also a Cab 996 man. I was interested in the 996 4 and 2 models. On driving both I found the 4 to feel slightly sluggish against the 2. I have a mate with a Cab 997 Sport. He also was surprised that my 996 Cab kept pace with his newer spec, higher powered, 997. According to the stats this is indeed correct. I guess the 997 4 is heavier.

The official specs for Carrera 4 versus 2 are 0-60: 5.2 secs versus 4.8 secs. Those more experienced than me can confirm or deny this, but the proof is in the drive. The 4 is an awesome all round supercar, with exceptional grip in all conditions. The 2 is a more jittery, go hell for leather experience, that will sit up and bite you as swiftly in the ass as you overcook it.. When you lose it in the 2 you get a warning, lose it in the 4 and you're already in the ditch.

Suffice it to say, I am a 2 man all the way..

The car you have bought is no longer available on the web - perhaps you could post some pics?

I have had the good fortune to drive the car on various 911 Fairmile pub meets, and Maxie's Cannonball 1 around the home counties. As the owner of a Cab 911 one sometimes get the impression (albeit tacitly) that the Cab is not everyone's cup of tea. Some purists out there feel it is sacrilege to cut off and affect such an iconic roof. I can see their point, but I am afraid as much as I love the Coupe nothing compares to the experience of a 996 with sports exhausts and the top down. If it aint raining, my top will be down, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. I have a nice Saab 9.5 Estate tank at home for the wife to drive. I'll leave her top on, mine is coming off!

Get an early night on Friday and go out on Sat at 5am to a good A or B road and blast the pants off it, top down, heating up, hat on and grin pasted from ear to ear.

On reading some of the posts about lateral rigidity on the Cab versus Coupe I might suggest you try for yourself. You might feel the diff if traveling at 170mph around a corner, but I cannot report any major discrepancies in the response and immediacy of the Cab driving experience. I can certainly report no issues in keeping up with the Top Gun 911Ukers' Coupes. Just be prepared to sit in a corner by yourself whilst all the purist coupe heads talk in muted tones across the other side of the pub (..JOKE! They don't do quiet..)!

I started a thread on 996 Cab versus coupe - here is the link:

http://911uk.com/viewtopic.php?t=57037

Regarding potential pitfalls of the 996 model there are a couple of obvious ones - make sure the clutch and flywheel assembly is in good nick. The rear main seal (RMS) is also known. If there are any signs of oil seepage underneath the car get it checked. This issue left unchecked can lead to failure of the Intermediate Shaft and bearing. If this goes, you've had yer chips for a while mate, as you'll be looking at a full engine rebuild for something like 12k.

Hartech do an excellent lifetime service plan where they check the car thoroughly, then once it passes, will service and maintain the car for FREE each year. All you pay is a small amount each month (?£70?) to them as donation to the kitty. It is certainly an option for me. I am too busy enjoying myself, though, to stop and worry about all the things that go wrong - here is the link to another thread that I posted about the IMS failure potential.

http://911uk.com/viewtopic.php?t=57635&highlight=intermediate

My advice: ENJOY IT!

Henry

ps Regarding the drive around Europe I will be posting something in the coming weeks about driving around Europe next Spring, followed by a trip the Nurburgring. keep your eyes open for the thread called 'Nurburg 1'.

:thumbs:

Henry

Google 'Bramley cars' and you'll get to the garage he's bought it from. Loads of pics and unbelievable less than 15k miles on a 7 year old car.

Nice one Oliver :thumb:

T8996C4 said:

Henry

Google 'Bramley cars' and you'll get to the garage he's bought it from. Loads of pics and unbelievable less than 15k miles on a 7 year old car.

Nice one Oliver :thumb:

Click to expand...

A very pretty car - and I LIKE that spoiler (for once).. If you find out what it is could you PM me? I would like one of those too and of course it will make me go faster....

:thumbs:

Hi guys ... yes just paid £27,000 for this car. As soon as I saw it I fell in love ... I didn't want to wait around as a 2003 car with 15,000 miles on the clock is pretty rare.

Specs:

BOSE Stereo with 6 CD Changer
PCM
Hard-backed Sports Seats
Aluminum gear lever and handbrake
White instrument dials
Carrera spoiler and sideskirts
Porsche Sports Exhaust

I also tried a C4S but found it relatively dull compared to the C2 with a noisy exhaust. Every time I turn the key in this car I smile. Can't beat that feeling.

I thought I'd take the offered 12 month warranty but not extend it, and just have it serviced by the local official porsche centre in Chiswick, West London.

Glad you like the look of it, I didn't really want a spoiler but it's growing on me ...

Oliver