Am I mad?

Author
Discussion

stugolf

Original Poster:

473 posts

202 months

Wednesday 18th January 2017
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996 911's

I quite fancy a C2 or C4 Manual 996 I would rather it be the 3.4 from a price point and a little bit less of a problem (so I'm told)

Will/can I get a decent one for 11/15k? They will all be approaching 100k or some even over 100k, is this a ticking timebomb or will I actually find a nice reliable car for this money?

When I looked a few years ago there were several clear dogs out there but these days it seems they all look quite presentable!

Any input is appreciated


mirandamilly

66 posts

152 months

Wednesday 18th January 2017
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I bought one 3 years ago, which had a Hartech rebuild. Used daily and problem free. Amazing value at £12,000.

stugolf

Original Poster:

473 posts

202 months

Wednesday 18th January 2017
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mirandamilly said:
I bought one 3 years ago, which had a Hartech rebuild. Used daily and problem free. Amazing value at £12,000.
I guess that's the issue, very few have had Hartech rebuilds (my old one did which I sold)

Having said that very few are for sale with rebuilds so they can't be that unreliable!

Searider

979 posts

254 months

Wednesday 18th January 2017
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Just bought a 1997 996 C2 in good order within your budget. 64k miles.
Had it inspected today - it needs a few bits and bobs and a service but basically sound.

edh

3,498 posts

268 months

Wednesday 18th January 2017
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I don't see why not

- my recent purchase, within your budget, 56k mile, very tidy MY99 C2 smile

skinny

5,269 posts

234 months

Wednesday 18th January 2017
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I'm biased (996 3.4) but I think yes Def.
Some people get scared above 100k miles but as long as it's been looked after you should be fine. Any potential problems would have shown up by now.

Just get a PPI. Actually, I say that but I didn't - I just bought the first one I saw! 2 years later and it hasn't missed a beat.

stugolf

Original Poster:

473 posts

202 months

Thursday 19th January 2017
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Thanks for all your help guys

Struggling to find a decent early 996 now!

ForzaGilles

557 posts

223 months

Friday 20th January 2017
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skinny said:
I'm biased (996 3.4) but I think yes Def.
Some people get scared above 100k miles but as long as it's been looked after you should be fine. Any potential problems would have shown up by now.

Just get a PPI. Actually, I say that but I didn't - I just bought the first one I saw! 2 years later and it hasn't missed a beat.
Likewise!! smile The plan was to not buy the first car I saw, and get a PPI, but a very tidy C2 3.4 manual coupe came up for sale so I bought it! It's low miles and has recently had lots of money spent on it, new clutch, brakes, suspension, rads etc etc. I will get a PPI done though.

stugolf

Original Poster:

473 posts

202 months

Friday 20th January 2017
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ForzaGilles said:
Likewise!! smile The plan was to not buy the first car I saw, and get a PPI, but a very tidy C2 3.4 manual coupe came up for sale so I bought it! It's low miles and has recently had lots of money spent on it, new clutch, brakes, suspension, rads etc etc. I will get a PPI done though.
Out of interest mate was it from a specialist or private sale?

LordHaveMurci

12,034 posts

168 months

Friday 20th January 2017
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Had my 3.4 for 7.5yrs, they are fantastic cars.

Hartech rebuild is desirable but not essential, read the thread on here about the 996 with mega miles on it for starters.

As others have said, find one you like & get it inspected, sadly they have reached a price point where people have started 'barrying' them & generally not looking after them properly, they are more expensive to run than the purchase price would have some believe! Saying that, they are not mega expensive either.

ventura240511

11 posts

127 months

Monday 23rd January 2017
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Bought mine July 2015 ( manual 996 3.4 C2 with aero kit ) and paid £12,500
The car had 100K on the miles but had received a replacement engine from porsche at 28K.
Only outlay has been on consumables ( discs / pads / exhaust ).... utterly reliable daily driver.
Mine is 2000 so creeps in on classic insurance and cheap tax into the bargain..... highly recommended

rubystone

11,252 posts

258 months

Monday 23rd January 2017
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ForzaGilles said:
Likewise!! smile The plan was to not buy the first car I saw, and get a PPI, but a very tidy C2 3.4 manual coupe came up for sale so I bought it! It's low miles and has recently had lots of money spent on it, new clutch, brakes, suspension, rads etc etc. I will get a PPI done though.
That's the sort of car to buy. As others have said, at the price points we are talking about, and bearing in mind that these were below £9k not so long ago, maintenance is often neglected. Even at indie prices one can easily sink £5,000 into rectifying all the faults. I would also concur that just because a car has low miles., this doesn't mean it won't have, or develop, any engine maladies. Lots of city driving could manifest itself by piston slap at idle,for example. So paradoxically, the engine is actually more worn by that than by lots of motorway miles.

The 3.4 is no doubt a safer buy. Plenty of 3.6s still go pop even now. Which is why I bought a 3.4...could've had any number of cheap 3.6s at the time.

ForzaGilles

557 posts

223 months

Tuesday 24th January 2017
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rubystone said:
That's the sort of car to buy. As others have said, at the price points we are talking about, and bearing in mind that these were below £9k not so long ago, maintenance is often neglected. Even at indie prices one can easily sink £5,000 into rectifying all the faults. I would also concur that just because a car has low miles., this doesn't mean it won't have, or develop, any engine maladies. Lots of city driving could manifest itself by piston slap at idle,for example. So paradoxically, the engine is actually more worn by that than by lots of motorway miles.

The 3.4 is no doubt a safer buy. Plenty of 3.6s still go pop even now. Which is why I bought a 3.4...could've had any number of cheap 3.6s at the time.
Yes, I agree with you re mileage. It was more the fact that it has recently had lots of money spent on it, with lots of key parts being replaced that sold it to me. It's also just a very clean looking, tidy car. PPI booked for next week, fingers crossed! It'll be interesting to see the over-rev data....

Would you bother with a borescope, Rubystone?

Cpt Stirling

312 posts

200 months

Tuesday 24th January 2017
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Having always wanted a 911 and armed with no direct experience and a bit of interweb research I bought a C4 manual 3.4 2001 with 80K miles privately just over a year ago for £10k. It had quite a bit of work done before I bought it - e.g. brakes, clutch, ims, coffin arms, suspension. Not the most desireable but I like it. It's a tidy example and everything works as it should and I've had no problems. Engine is strong, doesn't use any fluids and doesn't smoke. It's my first one, I do tinker and have found it's surprising well engineered. There was some wear to the bolsters so I did tart the front seats up with a leather care/dye type kit which worked amazingly well. I was going to buy a more expensive 997 but glad I didn't. I would have thought you could achieve your aim.

ForzaGilles

557 posts

223 months

Tuesday 24th January 2017
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stugolf said:
Out of interest mate was it from a specialist or private sale?
Private sale

ForzaGilles

557 posts

223 months

Tuesday 24th January 2017
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Cpt Stirling said:
Having always wanted a 911 and armed with no direct experience and a bit of interweb research I bought a C4 manual 3.4 2001 with 80K miles privately just over a year ago for £10k. It had quite a bit of work done before I bought it - e.g. brakes, clutch, ims, coffin arms, suspension. Not the most desireable but I like it. It's a tidy example and everything works as it should and I've had no problems. Engine is strong, doesn't use any fluids and doesn't smoke. It's my first one, I do tinker and have found it's surprising well engineered. There was some wear to the bolsters so I did tart the front seats up with a leather care/dye type kit which worked amazingly well. I was going to buy a more expensive 997 but glad I didn't. I would have thought you could achieve your aim.


10k is a bargain, well done thumbup

IceBoy

2,443 posts

220 months

Thursday 26th January 2017
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It seems that good examples of these cars hoover around £13-16k.

I purchased a cheap'ish model (3.4 C2 Manual coupe) for £11.5k, then sunk £2k in to it.

Cracking cars!
IceBoy

rubystone

11,252 posts

258 months

Thursday 26th January 2017
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ForzaGilles said:
Yes, I agree with you re mileage. It was more the fact that it has recently had lots of money spent on it, with lots of key parts being replaced that sold it to me. It's also just a very clean looking, tidy car. PPI booked for next week, fingers crossed! It'll be interesting to see the over-rev data....

Would you bother with a borescope, Rubystone?
Have you already bought the car? Fwiw I didn't bother with a PPI when I bought my 996. These are often an excuse for them to scare you with lots of issues that are without real foundation

ForzaGilles

557 posts

223 months

Thursday 26th January 2017
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rubystone said:
Have you already bought the car? Fwiw I didn't bother with a PPI when I bought my 996. These are often an excuse for them to scare you with lots of issues that are without real foundation
Yes, got the car a couple of weeks ago, and it's booked in at Dove House for a PPI in a couple of weeks. I was thinking that as it's a 3.4 with 55k miles, it's not worth getting a borescope done. Dove House have said it's a 111 point check, which sounds similar to the OPC one?

rubystone

11,252 posts

258 months

Thursday 26th January 2017
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ForzaGilles said:
Yes, got the car a couple of weeks ago, and it's booked in at Dove House for a PPI in a couple of weeks. I was thinking that as it's a 3.4 with 55k miles, it's not worth getting a borescope done. Dove House have said it's a 111 point check, which sounds similar to the OPC one?
Aren't they a car sales place or have they started to offer servicing? If you're going to bother, use a recognised and respected specialist. Even if you need to travel a little bit further.