Desperately seeking 996...!

[appletonn]

Hello all, after a number of older pork based fun cars (964s & a 944t), I find myself back in the Porsche game, albeit precisely at the moment that all of the lovely air-cooled varieties have gone ballistic in price terms. Ho hum!

So, I've decided that I could find a decent 996 C2 manual with either loads of invoices & recent bores & IMS checks/upgrades, then I should try that route.

I've spoken to my local preferred Porsche specialist, along with Northway & RPM Technik, all of whom are keeping an eye out for me, but just thought I'd see if anyone among the Pistonheads massive has a well loved 996 that they are thinking of selling.

All ideas considered.

Cheers

Edited by appletonn on Friday 17th April 13:25

[appletonn]

selwonk said:

My Hartech maintained 996 will be going up for sale this weekend. The ad is written; I just need to take some photographs.

It's a silver '98 with 130K on the clock and has been on "the plan" for about ten years.

Feel free to PM me...

PM sent!

[appletonn]

richardalanlee said:

That'll be me then!

I'm moving house in a month, into St Albans, which means I need to go back to a single car. Extremely unhappy about selling the 996 and my 90, but needs must.

Ollie at RPM inspected mine in the autumn and it's just been serviced by Jaz. Over 20k of invoices there in the file too.
It's 98 R reg still on ambers, ocean blue, 79k. It's a peach.
Haven't listed it yet, but it's going on here as soon as I get back from a work trip next week. Happy to chat about them/it if you'd like some general advice, event If mine isn't for you.

ral

PM sent too!

[appletonn]

boxsey said:

Great to hear that you're finally coming back to the fold Nick.

Yep lousy timing though, my old 964 is out of reach now!!

[appletonn]

That's exactly what I was wondering. 997 certainly more modern interior but I'm thinking that an early 996 with cable throttle could be seen as last of the analogue 911s, water cooled or not?

I've now had two extremely interesting emails and will be arranging viewings in the near future.

I do love the narrow bodied 996s as they are still relatively compact for threading down country roads

[appletonn]

A car that I've viewed is going into Hartech on Friday for a borescope, so we'll see what that brings!

I'm alternating between excitement & deep fear about the whole 996 engine piece - maybe I simply need to stop reading posts on 996 forums??!

[appletonn]

thegoose said:

Get on Hartech's plan if it'll give you peace of mind.

The car is currently on the Hartech plan & has been for around 12 yrs, but it's apparently no longer transferable.

Was going to use my mates at Unit 11, as I've always dealt with Johnny & Danny since my first 964 many moons ago, but the Hartech plan would at least ease the financial impact should I need an engine rebuild.

If it checks out & I buy it, then I want to be able to drive it like Porsche intended rather than nanny it all the time, so if I have to get the motor rebuilt in 2yrs time, then at least I know the rest of the car is sorted too!!

Every cloud & all that...

[appletonn]

monthefish said:

On what basis is it no longer transferable?
Do you know who it was you spoke to?

Tobias (Workshop manager?) told me that last week. They have apparently been planning to change it for a couple of years, but only just got round to it.

I would have to put the car through their Gold Major service again in order to be accepted back onto the scheme in my name, as it were!

[appletonn]

thegoose said:

I know them well, Jonny started me racing 10 years ago (and came to a lot of the meetings to support me for free in my first year) and in the 6 years I raced my 911SC and 964 they looked after me well and provided cars with a 100% reliability record (which continued when I raced for Hartech - well over 100 races over 9 seasons and no breakdowns at all).

Unit 11 will look after you well and can set the car up how you want it, but I have to say that for any mechanical engine work on a non-mezger 9x6 or 9x7 engine (which I know you hope you won't ever need) I'd always use Hartech - just a short tour of their place is an easy demonstration of how much experience they have and how involved they are in the development of solutions to these engines, and as far as I'm aware it's unrivalled.

Fingers crossed the inspection goes well, you buy the car and then get on with enjoying without worrying about it.

Jonny did the PPI on my first 964 (after I'd bought it - numpty mistake!) & looked after that one, my 944 Turbo & my last 964 too, so I trust them completely but I'm wondering whether to get the car (if I buy it) back onto the Hartech scheme as they know these cars so well, as you say.

[appletonn]

boxsey said:

I can see where you're coming from but Unit 11 also look after a lot of water cooled 911s these days and will still be able to do any jobs that need to be done. I guess you either put money into a warranty plan with Hartech that will look after the car or you put the money aside to spend at Unit 11 in case it's ever needed.

Trouble is Steve, that Unit 11 don't rebuild the 'kettles'& putting £80pm away into the Hartech scheme to cover me totally for a potential £5-6k labour bill for an engine rebuild at any point in the first 12 months, as opposed to finding £9k for a rebuild via Jonny, seems like the safer bet for a 996?

[appletonn]

ras62 said:

Trouble is Steve, that Unit 11 don't rebuild the 'kettles'& putting £80pm away into the Hartech scheme to cover me totally for a potential £5-6k labour bill for an engine rebuild at any point in the first 12 months, as opposed to finding £9k for a rebuild via Jonny, seems like the safer bet for a 996?
[/quote

By the time the car has had the first qualifying service and then the monthly planned payments the outlay seems to be about 2k. That in itself would cover the labour cost of rebuilding an engine but the other cost for liners etc would still have to be paid on top iirc? No way would the labour bill be 5-6k.
I think the pre 2001 cars stack up very well on the reliability front, its the post 2001 cars I would be wary of, although if Porsche continues offering cheap exchange short engines they do start to look good value.

Well Hartech are telling me that to rebuild the 996 motor 'properly', with 6 new Cylinder inserts, IMS etc, the parts costs would be £3-4k & around £4-5k in labour.

Depends on the extent of the rebuild - if just strip down & chuck it back together with new gaskets & bearings, then possibly £2k labour bill might be realistic, but if I want all of the weak points dealt with whilst it's apart, then I would estimate double that.

Apparently all of the 'cheap' short engines from Porsche have now all gone - in any case, these will still have all of the same weak points present & correct, whereas the Hartech route should at least give me the new cylinders with the stiffer 'closed deck' arrangement, along with stronger IMS etc.

[appletonn]

A993LAD said:

I would happily buy a 996 to run alongside my 993 because they do always look like bargains to me. But I guess I would be seeking three magic words if possible.....

"Haretech engine rebuild"

Like this..............


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Porsche-911-996-2003-Car...


Although sadly not a mark one. I don't think

I was talking ot Tobias (Hartech workshop manager) about this earlier & he was saying how he sees adverts that state 'Hartech engine rebuild' but you don't know (without checking with Hartech) exactly the extent of the rebuild, ie was a cheap & cheerful job with fresh gaskets to stop oil leaks but leaving the original weak spots intact, the replacement of just 1 cracked cyclinder rather than all 6, or was it the Rolls-Royce option with 6 new cylinders, IMS fix etc!

Buyer beware I guess!

[appletonn]

boxsey said:

I guess we wouldn't expect them to say any different!

Does this mean if you get one that they agree is OK to go on their plan that you'll get a 'proper' rebuild if it goes bang and it won't cost you anything except your monthly payments?

If it's on the plan & it goes bang, you 'just' pay for the parts costs - roughly £3-4k, depending on how much destruction the whole 'going bang' scenario has caused! The plan covers all labour costs for servicing, repairs etc.

It will give me some peace of mind & I intend to keep a 'warchest' of £3k set aside for the fateful day & then get it rebuilt with the 6 proper Hartech barrels that make it far more structurally rigid & perhap[s stick a lightweight flywheel in there for good measure.

Best laid plans & all that !!

[appletonn]

I'd agree & was a little disappointed tbh

The only reason I want to get on scheme again is to protect myself against engine rebuild costs. Otherwise would do most stuff myself & use Unit 11 for rest

Oh & yes, I've now bought the car!

Gulp!

[appletonn]

Couple of pics from vendor - I'm picking it up on Wednesday

[appletonn]

richardalanlee said:

Looking good, glad you found one.

Following a glut of emails, mine is now listed on AT. It's the 79k miles Ocean Blue C2if anyone wants to get in touch. Been viewed 150 times since I listed is at 9.30pm yesterday, and I've had loads of emails already.

First viewing tonight.

Cheers Richard, knew that yours wouldn't take long to sell.

[appletonn]

richardalanlee said:

Fingers crossed the V8 generates the same level of interest!

Who wouldn't love a V8 Defender?!!

[appletonn]

Well I drove my 996 home last night after Mike kindly picked me up from the station.

Needs 1 or both front wheels balancing & the geometry feels a little off, now i've driven it at speed, but that s all easily sorted.

Car feels strong, rattle free & beautifully damped on the fresh MO30 suspension.

Will get it back onto Hartech scheme before exploring the rev range properly!

Home



Tight fit!



Curves

Edited by appletonn on Thursday 30th April 08:47

Edited by appletonn on Thursday 30th April 08:48

[appletonn]

rubystone said:

I picked up a 57k polar silver/blue '98 cab with hard top and good spec for a song a few weeks ago. Using it as my 'summer' car and thoroughly enjoying it. Not into this RMS/IMS malarkey. But had it serviced and it 'seems fine'

I don't see these an investments, just good usable interesting cars. Mine has the original lights...why spend money changing stuff like that?

Is this Hartech warranty really a grand a year? Does one also need to have them service the car to preserve said warranty, by any chance?

My car Was Hartech car for last 12 yrs, give or take, but I'm in a dilemma whether to contue that or simply bank the monthly 'premium' & use my preferred local indy for anything I can't tackle myself. Will certainly be changing oil regularly & warming it up carefully before exploring the rev range, but can't decide if Hartech plan is a way of at least mitigating the labour bill, should the worst come to the worst with the engine of cheese.