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Quandry, 996 or 997?

Hertsdriver

Well-known member
Joined
12 Nov 2018
Messages
644
Hi all,

In a bit of a quandry... have been looking at 996's for a while, been to see and drive a few and they seem to be a bit in limbo price wise between early cars which start at 10k and are rough, to 'nice' cars and some C4s which are around 18/19k, and then there are also early 3.6 and 3.8 997's in that end of the market...

So I guess I'm after a bit of advise as to whether a say £18k 100k miles 997.1 is a better or worse proposition than a late 996 in VGC? For me the 997 is far better looking, and has a much nice interior, but if its a 3.6 it is affected by the same issues as a later 996.2..

examples, both from dealers with (limited) warranties...

996.2, 2002, 90k, IMS sorted £19k
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201811212626967?atmobcid=soc5

997.1, 2005, 113k, IMS sorted, £19k
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201901174025089?atmobcid=soc5

WWYD and why?

Thanks!

:thumb:

Edited to fix links...
 
You've posted on the 997 forum, I can predict the answers......
 
At that price point I'd go for the car that offers the best likelihood of trouble free motoring. Of those two the rebuilt 996 looks the safer bet.

Good Luck :thumb:
 
I know someone who bought a Cat D 997.1 recently for £14k. Depends, is it a keeper? Is a weekend car or daily driver?

Can you live with a 996? I find them awful looking and dated, while a 997 is a classic already, great looking cars. Can you squeeze the budget up to £22k ish?
 
I don't mind the looks of the 996 at all but the interior hasn't aged well and that's the deal breaker for me.

Either way its a 911 so you can't go far wrong :thumb:
 
My 2p's worth ,when I was after a Porsche I started looking at the 996 C4s and ended up with a 997 C2S .I wish I had stuck with my original choice not because of any issues with the 997 but the 996 C4s is IMO a bit more of a niche car .
Take the point on the interior's, 997 much nicer place to be .
 
996 all day long, the rump on the 997 just looks wrong...

But then I would say that :)
 
resigner said:
This for example

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PORSCHE-...h=item468d120392:g:qsMAAOSwmtBbPcdj:rk:4:pf:0

Cat C and D is fine if its been fixed properly, so worth getting it checked properly, but that car is probably £24k ish if not Cat C.

Hi, thanks I am not averse to a Cat C or D car if its at least 25% off the asking price of an unmolested example. but I cant see why the one you linked is better than the silver one I linked?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201901174025089?atmobcid=soc5

Is it the mileage? is a 70k cat C car really worth the same as an uncrashed 113k (but rebuilt engine) car? Specs are similar other than highbacks and ones a C4 unless ive missed something?
 
...drive them both and see which you prefer as whether the interior is dated or not or your feelings concerning the cars styling are irrelevant if one drives better than the other to you?

Oh and given my experience I would not buy a 996/997 without either it having had a comprehensive engine rebuild (not simply an ims swap) or I had at least £10k sat doing nothing...
 
...Oh and I find the comments concerning the 996 looks and interior interesting...I enjoy the fact that it is interesting and quirky , dated as it gives it a charm and originality rather lacking to these eyes the rather anodyne and universal 997 interior styling ; the same applies to the exterior styling; think about this ...the 996 is uniquely penned lending it interest if you appreciate idiosyncracy ....however, I appreciate the subjective nature of preference...
 
Late 996 and early 997 are both potential headaches due to bore-scoring. I'd only touch one with a full Hartech rebuild........or just role the dice if you're that way inclined.

Pay a tad more and get something like this: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201901174026353

It'll be worth it and hold its value more.
 
I've recently been looking at 997s and to be honest there's so many things I don't like about them I'll probably just keep my 996. To list a few (in comparison to the 996):

Hardback seats (in fact all the seat in general)
External door handles
C4S shape around the rear arches
Dashboard (looks like a ford mondeo instead of the sexy curvy 996 dash)
Internal door cards
Rear spoiler
Front boot lid
Clock layout (vs. Gen 1 996. Gen 2 is also an abomination)

Everything with the 997 just seems too symmetrical and boxy........like a volvo.
 
They have nicer headlights though.......and that's about it.
 
Hertsdriver said:
resigner said:
This for example

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PORSCHE-...h=item468d120392:g:qsMAAOSwmtBbPcdj:rk:4:pf:0

Cat C and D is fine if its been fixed properly, so worth getting it checked properly, but that car is probably £24k ish if not Cat C.

Hi, thanks I am not averse to a Cat C or D car if its at least 25% off the asking price of an unmolested example. but I cant see why the one you linked is better than the silver one I linked?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201901174025089?atmobcid=soc5

Is it the mileage? is a 70k cat C car really worth the same as an uncrashed 113k (but rebuilt engine) car? Specs are similar other than highbacks and ones a C4 unless ive missed something?

The one you linked to has over 110k miles, this one has 70k. This also is a manual C4S with Sports Chrono. Its a high spec car with the right options, though personally I like a C2S. Some people will tell youa 997 will need rebuilding when it gets to 100k miles, but my Indy disagrees. He has customers with 180k miles and I've seen 250k on here I think?

So, if you are keeping it, I would go the Cat C/D route, and that car is high spec lower mileage.

if you do go the 110k miler, then it needs to be checked out thoroughly, Borescoped, the works.

Be aware of the 2005 and before (engine number) IMS problem, but a lot of those cars will of had the new IMS fitted.

It's about condition at the end of the day. A 30k mile car can still have serious problems with bore scoring, but only about 5% (we think!) will have bore scoring.

Just bear in mind that a sub £20k 997 is sub £20k for a reason.......
 

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