The road to a 911 996 C4S (Alfa Romeo, MG & GTI Content)
Discussion
I've wanted a 911 since I was 8. Specifically, I've wanted a 996 C4S since my uni days in 2001 after doing a marker pen rendering of a 996 GT2 (same body style, but a hell of a lot less achieveable than the C4S!).
Here's a small selection of the more interesting cars I've had over the years, leading up to the latest purchase...
1973 MGB Roadster - British Racing Green
Still one of the most enjoyable cars I've owned. Straight through exhaust made it sound amazing, especially with the top down. My first convertible experience and one that I look back on fondly. Not fast, but quick enough and rear wheel drive for a bit of fun (and at 21, £200 classic insurance was just unreal - I had friends paying more for 1 litre fiestas!). It was far from immaculate with a fair amount of rot on the body panels. In my ownership I fitted a set of minilite wheels and a new mohair hood, plus many minor parts and upgrades.
I had this while at uni and the winter took its toll on me...no garage and icy cold conditions meant frequent reliability issues, so it eventually had to go. A friend had recently bought a Fiat Barchetta and I was impressed by the year-round usability the more modern design offered, so got on the hunt for the MGB's replacement...
1998 MGF 1.8VVC
It was fast (compared with the MGB) - my first 7-second 0-60 car. It was nimble through the corners and offered a level of comfort the MGB could only dream of, so was great to drive. But it unfortunately cost me a lot in the year or so that I owned it. I had the dreaded HGF about 3 months after purchase, and I (foolishly?) had it recovered to the local MG/Rover garage for repair. About £1,200 later it was back on the road.
I decided to sell the MGF to fund 3 months of travelling, so after a brief stint in an awful Fiat Bravo and an epic trip across America I returned to the UK, got a stable job and looked for my next set of wheels...
1998 Alfa Romeo Spider 2.0TS
I've always loved the look of these, ever since seeing a gleaming red one local to me. The MGs had given me the convertible bug, so the hunt for one began. It wasn't long before I found this, a low mileage, cared for example in (to my eyes) the best colour combo: black with red leather. The sound was so much better than the MGF!
I owned this for quite a while, then the time came to replace it with a sensible diesel that would be a little more practical. I loved the fact that you saw very few Alfas while on the road, so decided to stick with the marque...
2003 Alfa Romeo 147 JTD Turismo
Fantastic balance of performance, handling and economy, and handsome to boot. Only the 8V engine, but so lively! I have fond memories of this car - such a great all-rounder!
First baby was on the way after a few years though, so this was changed for a 2003 Mazda6 Diesel. The Mazda was by far the worst car I've owned - huge mechanical issues and subsequent costs. No pics - you know what they look like! After 9 months of hell in the Mazda swapped for...
2008 Ford Mondeo 2.0 Zetec (petrol)
Nothing to be said really...did its job well but extremely dull to drive (and massive!!).
I decided to start a new business and needed all the cash I could get, so decided to sell the Mondeo and replace with...
2002 Renault Clio 172
My brief was simple...buy a car for sub £2k that wouldn't cost much to keep running. I considered many options then had a brain wave: if I was going to have a cheap car, I'd get a FAST cheap car! The search was on (not looking for anything specific) and I quickly found and bought a well looked after 172. After the Mondeo, it felt epic! So good to drive, fast, chuckable and fun! This was the car that got me to love fast hatches.
After a while I was able to upgrade to something a little better, and a diesel once again seemed the right choice. Knowing how much I enjoyed the previous 147 I started looking for another Alfa. I was open to either a Brera or a (rare) 147 Ducati Corse. I decided I'd settle for whatever came up first with the right price/spec/mileage etc. One evening on eBay I spotted a DC due to end soon with no reserve. Very low mileage, one owner, full AR service history...seemed worth a punt. Long story short, I ended up buying it without seeing it!! Not the wisest move I'm sure (on paper), but here it is...
2009 Alfa Romeo 1.9JTD Ducati Corse Q2
Such a great all-rounder! 7.5s 0-60, 50MPG (well, 45) and handled like it was on rails. If I didn't get the itch to change cars each year I'd have kept it until it stopped working! No issues (as per the other two Alfas) and only ever saw one more on the road so felt quite unique. Gorgeous colour that had a subtle flip to bronze/purple in sunlight. Certainly didn't feel sluggish compared to the 172.
After just over a year a friend decided to sell his car, and it seemed like a sensible progression so I decided to sell the Alfa and upgrade to...
2011 VW Golf GTI DSG
My first automatic. And WHAT an automatic! This had all the toys - over £7k of options when new...certainly felt like a modern car compared with the rest. It was fast, fun and could do anything.
The trouble was it was just a little too easy to drive. I only have a 12 mile drive to work (A and B roads), and like to make the most of it. The GTI just seemed a little bland once I'd got used to it. So after only 4 months (and more importantly when I got permission from the wife!) I decided to sell it and replace it with my latest car...
2002 Porsche 911 996 C4S (Manual)
As mentioned at the start, I've wanted a 911 since I was a kid. I've never been a huge fan of the 996, but the wide body and stance of the C4S has always appealed. I've kept an eye on Autotrader and the like for the past 4-5 years and have noticed prices slowly going up, so figured it was now or never if I was going to get hold of one for sensible money. The only trouble was that I was fairly specific with what I wanted: Manual, Seal Grey or Silver, Black Leather, up to 80k miles (for my budget). This seems like the spec that most ultimately want so thought it'd take a while to find one, but amazingly one came up within a month of starting the search that sounded spot-on. Following a 3.5 drive North and thourough test drive and interrogation of the owner, it was mine! 76k miles, Seal Grey, Black Leather, sports exhaust (sounds like hell on earth) and in immaculate condition. Even came with a car cover! I've had a couple of jobs to do in my six weeks ownership - namely replacing the drivers side door locking mechanism and replacing the front suspension arms, and I plan to replace the clutch, RMS and front condensers over the next month or so. I use it daily come rain or shine (I'm sure the previous owner would wince as they only used it at weekends if the weather was nice!). Looking forward to seeing how it copes over the winter! I'll take some more pics when I have a chance, but for now here's a couple...
Here's a small selection of the more interesting cars I've had over the years, leading up to the latest purchase...
1973 MGB Roadster - British Racing Green
Still one of the most enjoyable cars I've owned. Straight through exhaust made it sound amazing, especially with the top down. My first convertible experience and one that I look back on fondly. Not fast, but quick enough and rear wheel drive for a bit of fun (and at 21, £200 classic insurance was just unreal - I had friends paying more for 1 litre fiestas!). It was far from immaculate with a fair amount of rot on the body panels. In my ownership I fitted a set of minilite wheels and a new mohair hood, plus many minor parts and upgrades.
I had this while at uni and the winter took its toll on me...no garage and icy cold conditions meant frequent reliability issues, so it eventually had to go. A friend had recently bought a Fiat Barchetta and I was impressed by the year-round usability the more modern design offered, so got on the hunt for the MGB's replacement...
1998 MGF 1.8VVC
It was fast (compared with the MGB) - my first 7-second 0-60 car. It was nimble through the corners and offered a level of comfort the MGB could only dream of, so was great to drive. But it unfortunately cost me a lot in the year or so that I owned it. I had the dreaded HGF about 3 months after purchase, and I (foolishly?) had it recovered to the local MG/Rover garage for repair. About £1,200 later it was back on the road.
I decided to sell the MGF to fund 3 months of travelling, so after a brief stint in an awful Fiat Bravo and an epic trip across America I returned to the UK, got a stable job and looked for my next set of wheels...
1998 Alfa Romeo Spider 2.0TS
I've always loved the look of these, ever since seeing a gleaming red one local to me. The MGs had given me the convertible bug, so the hunt for one began. It wasn't long before I found this, a low mileage, cared for example in (to my eyes) the best colour combo: black with red leather. The sound was so much better than the MGF!
I owned this for quite a while, then the time came to replace it with a sensible diesel that would be a little more practical. I loved the fact that you saw very few Alfas while on the road, so decided to stick with the marque...
2003 Alfa Romeo 147 JTD Turismo
Fantastic balance of performance, handling and economy, and handsome to boot. Only the 8V engine, but so lively! I have fond memories of this car - such a great all-rounder!
First baby was on the way after a few years though, so this was changed for a 2003 Mazda6 Diesel. The Mazda was by far the worst car I've owned - huge mechanical issues and subsequent costs. No pics - you know what they look like! After 9 months of hell in the Mazda swapped for...
2008 Ford Mondeo 2.0 Zetec (petrol)
Nothing to be said really...did its job well but extremely dull to drive (and massive!!).
I decided to start a new business and needed all the cash I could get, so decided to sell the Mondeo and replace with...
2002 Renault Clio 172
My brief was simple...buy a car for sub £2k that wouldn't cost much to keep running. I considered many options then had a brain wave: if I was going to have a cheap car, I'd get a FAST cheap car! The search was on (not looking for anything specific) and I quickly found and bought a well looked after 172. After the Mondeo, it felt epic! So good to drive, fast, chuckable and fun! This was the car that got me to love fast hatches.
After a while I was able to upgrade to something a little better, and a diesel once again seemed the right choice. Knowing how much I enjoyed the previous 147 I started looking for another Alfa. I was open to either a Brera or a (rare) 147 Ducati Corse. I decided I'd settle for whatever came up first with the right price/spec/mileage etc. One evening on eBay I spotted a DC due to end soon with no reserve. Very low mileage, one owner, full AR service history...seemed worth a punt. Long story short, I ended up buying it without seeing it!! Not the wisest move I'm sure (on paper), but here it is...
2009 Alfa Romeo 1.9JTD Ducati Corse Q2
Such a great all-rounder! 7.5s 0-60, 50MPG (well, 45) and handled like it was on rails. If I didn't get the itch to change cars each year I'd have kept it until it stopped working! No issues (as per the other two Alfas) and only ever saw one more on the road so felt quite unique. Gorgeous colour that had a subtle flip to bronze/purple in sunlight. Certainly didn't feel sluggish compared to the 172.
After just over a year a friend decided to sell his car, and it seemed like a sensible progression so I decided to sell the Alfa and upgrade to...
2011 VW Golf GTI DSG
My first automatic. And WHAT an automatic! This had all the toys - over £7k of options when new...certainly felt like a modern car compared with the rest. It was fast, fun and could do anything.
The trouble was it was just a little too easy to drive. I only have a 12 mile drive to work (A and B roads), and like to make the most of it. The GTI just seemed a little bland once I'd got used to it. So after only 4 months (and more importantly when I got permission from the wife!) I decided to sell it and replace it with my latest car...
2002 Porsche 911 996 C4S (Manual)
As mentioned at the start, I've wanted a 911 since I was a kid. I've never been a huge fan of the 996, but the wide body and stance of the C4S has always appealed. I've kept an eye on Autotrader and the like for the past 4-5 years and have noticed prices slowly going up, so figured it was now or never if I was going to get hold of one for sensible money. The only trouble was that I was fairly specific with what I wanted: Manual, Seal Grey or Silver, Black Leather, up to 80k miles (for my budget). This seems like the spec that most ultimately want so thought it'd take a while to find one, but amazingly one came up within a month of starting the search that sounded spot-on. Following a 3.5 drive North and thourough test drive and interrogation of the owner, it was mine! 76k miles, Seal Grey, Black Leather, sports exhaust (sounds like hell on earth) and in immaculate condition. Even came with a car cover! I've had a couple of jobs to do in my six weeks ownership - namely replacing the drivers side door locking mechanism and replacing the front suspension arms, and I plan to replace the clutch, RMS and front condensers over the next month or so. I use it daily come rain or shine (I'm sure the previous owner would wince as they only used it at weekends if the weather was nice!). Looking forward to seeing how it copes over the winter! I'll take some more pics when I have a chance, but for now here's a couple...
Scho said:
Nice.
I like the way the top part of the lights blends in with the body colour on the silver and grey cars. Make the red stipe seem wider and emphasises the fatty bum bum look.
This is the exact reason I wanted a silver one! I went further and sought one without parking sensors and with standard tear drop exhaust tips. Ended up with the quad exhaust tips and then promptly bricked it when I discovered the cost of the standard ones... ~£300.... each side!I like the way the top part of the lights blends in with the body colour on the silver and grey cars. Make the red stipe seem wider and emphasises the fatty bum bum look.
Surprisingly don't have a good pic of the best angle, but here she is on one of my favourite haunts
OP - The Turbo front lip works well to subtly toughen up the front end and is a pretty cheap mod
PS.. Nice car history
Edited by WojaWabbit on Monday 7th November 21:10
WojaWabbit said:
This is the exact reason I wanted a silver one! I went further and sought one without parking sensors and with standard tear drop exhaust tips. Ended up with the quad exhaust tips and then promptly bricked it when I discovered the cost of the standard ones... ~£300.... each side!
Surprisingly don't have a good pic of the best angle, but here she is on one of my favourite haunts
OP - The Turbo front lip works well to subtly toughen up the front end and is a pretty cheap mod
PS.. Nice car history
I have quads too. Prefer the standard tips but for 600 quid I can grow to love them :-)Surprisingly don't have a good pic of the best angle, but here she is on one of my favourite haunts
OP - The Turbo front lip works well to subtly toughen up the front end and is a pretty cheap mod
PS.. Nice car history
Edited by WojaWabbit on Monday 7th November 21:10
Thanks for all the comments...and nice to see a good selection of C4S's out there too...such a photogenic car!
It's got an Eisenmann exhaust - I believe they made the original PSE too? All I know is it's bloody loud and has a lovely rasp to it around 2.5k RPM. I've set off the neighbour's car alarm a couple of times on start-up...oops!
I do like it with the turbo splitter - certainly looks nicer and more aggressive at the front, but given the amount that the current (shallower in the middle) version seems to struggle with clearance when driving over even the most minor of gradient changes (onto the drive etc) I don't think I could get away with it!
It's got an Eisenmann exhaust - I believe they made the original PSE too? All I know is it's bloody loud and has a lovely rasp to it around 2.5k RPM. I've set off the neighbour's car alarm a couple of times on start-up...oops!
I do like it with the turbo splitter - certainly looks nicer and more aggressive at the front, but given the amount that the current (shallower in the middle) version seems to struggle with clearance when driving over even the most minor of gradient changes (onto the drive etc) I don't think I could get away with it!
Just a quick update...
I took the car to Eddie at SilverTune in Christchurch (they came very highly recommended and I've had a few bits done by them already), with the instruction to replace the clutch, flywheel, RMS seal and do an IMS inspection, and to replace anything else that showed any signs of wear. Left it with them for a couple of days and now have it back and am very pleased with the work done. The flywheel was very much in need of replacement with significant back/forth play, and the clutch also well-ready for replacement. The RMS seal was clearly leaking so was replaced and the (already upgraded) IMS was visually inspected and shows no signs of wear. The propshaft rubber coupling was also replaced as it showed some clear signs of starting to perish.
The clutch is now so much lighter and more responsive, and the drive is significantly smoother. It's amazing how much it has transformed the driving experience.
So, 4 months into ownership I've spent around £2k on parts and servicing (the clutch was anticipated when purchased so not too painful), but should now see me through for a while (touch wood!!)
Keep meaning to take it out to get a few more pics but the weather and dark make it tricky! Will post some up soon!
Cheers
Mike
I took the car to Eddie at SilverTune in Christchurch (they came very highly recommended and I've had a few bits done by them already), with the instruction to replace the clutch, flywheel, RMS seal and do an IMS inspection, and to replace anything else that showed any signs of wear. Left it with them for a couple of days and now have it back and am very pleased with the work done. The flywheel was very much in need of replacement with significant back/forth play, and the clutch also well-ready for replacement. The RMS seal was clearly leaking so was replaced and the (already upgraded) IMS was visually inspected and shows no signs of wear. The propshaft rubber coupling was also replaced as it showed some clear signs of starting to perish.
The clutch is now so much lighter and more responsive, and the drive is significantly smoother. It's amazing how much it has transformed the driving experience.
So, 4 months into ownership I've spent around £2k on parts and servicing (the clutch was anticipated when purchased so not too painful), but should now see me through for a while (touch wood!!)
Keep meaning to take it out to get a few more pics but the weather and dark make it tricky! Will post some up soon!
Cheers
Mike
'Better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all'
Had one for 7 years, had to trade for something bigger due to a growing family. Miss it so much.
The 996C4S is an absolute bargain right now- I think prices are now slowly creeping up for good examples- the 996TT has already begun to move
Had one for 7 years, had to trade for something bigger due to a growing family. Miss it so much.
The 996C4S is an absolute bargain right now- I think prices are now slowly creeping up for good examples- the 996TT has already begun to move
Thought I'd give a quick update as I'm now just over 10 months into ownership of the 6C4S...and it's time for the next round of maintenance!
New front disks/pads/sensors/shims arrived today from Design911 and they'll be fitted by Silvertune shortly.
The current front disks have some pitting on the inner side (they look like new from outside the car!), which I believe is weakening the braking performance. Will report back as soon as the Brembos are fitted. Also going to get a full major service carried out, new Conti SportContact 2 N2 front tyres and this year's MOT in the next month (please, don't let anything else need replacing!!!)
I also missed my chance to get the new aircon condensers replaced and re-gassed before the recent heatwave. Huge mistake - queue some particularly sweaty drives! New condensers and aircon service due this Thursday, again at Silvertune. Should make the car an awful lot more enjoyable over the summer.
When I bought it there was a small scuff on the rear bumper around the wheelarch. Not enough to be overly offensive, but as the only real blemish on the paintwork I was keen to get it sorted. A trip to the guys at Kustom Kolors in Christchurch had it back good as new. Looks stunning now! Here's the part that had the touch-up (you might be able to see the old scrape in the earlier pics):
So all-in-all maintenance costs are sitting at around £4k since purchase (most expected, some not, some just because I'm a little OCD!), obviously excluding fuel. I've always been committed to spending what needs spending to keep it in tip top condition - as you'd expect cutting corners on an old 911 isn't recommended! Most of the bigger ticket items are now covered so (touch wood) the wallet should have a break for at least a few months!
Still driving it daily - I've put about 4k on it since purchase, and love every minute :-)
New front disks/pads/sensors/shims arrived today from Design911 and they'll be fitted by Silvertune shortly.
The current front disks have some pitting on the inner side (they look like new from outside the car!), which I believe is weakening the braking performance. Will report back as soon as the Brembos are fitted. Also going to get a full major service carried out, new Conti SportContact 2 N2 front tyres and this year's MOT in the next month (please, don't let anything else need replacing!!!)
I also missed my chance to get the new aircon condensers replaced and re-gassed before the recent heatwave. Huge mistake - queue some particularly sweaty drives! New condensers and aircon service due this Thursday, again at Silvertune. Should make the car an awful lot more enjoyable over the summer.
When I bought it there was a small scuff on the rear bumper around the wheelarch. Not enough to be overly offensive, but as the only real blemish on the paintwork I was keen to get it sorted. A trip to the guys at Kustom Kolors in Christchurch had it back good as new. Looks stunning now! Here's the part that had the touch-up (you might be able to see the old scrape in the earlier pics):
So all-in-all maintenance costs are sitting at around £4k since purchase (most expected, some not, some just because I'm a little OCD!), obviously excluding fuel. I've always been committed to spending what needs spending to keep it in tip top condition - as you'd expect cutting corners on an old 911 isn't recommended! Most of the bigger ticket items are now covered so (touch wood) the wallet should have a break for at least a few months!
Still driving it daily - I've put about 4k on it since purchase, and love every minute :-)
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