Starting with the gearboxes fitted to the 997 Carrera, you are almost guaranteed not to have a problem. The manual is nigh-on unbreakable and specialists we spoke to rate it very highly for ease of use and maintenance. There are some reports of broken gear linkage cables, but Porsche dealers tended to replace these for free when the car was new. A new clutch will cost around £500, but they last around 50,000 miles in normal use, so it's not a wildly expensive running cost. The Tiptronic transmission is also hassle-free and so is the PDK.
For Gen 1 cars manual is preferable to Tiptronic
Sport Chrono is a popular and desirable option as it sharpens up throttle response when sport mode is selected. Also, with the Tiptronic and PDK gearboxes, Sport Chrono holds the gear for longer when accelerating and quickens downshifts. The Sport Chrono setting also raises the limit at which the Porsche Stability Management traction control will intervene to give a more involved drive.
Choosing between two- and four-wheel drive is down to personal taste in the same way as which gearbox you prefer. Purists will like the rear-drive models, while plenty opted for the added traction of the Carrera 4 when new. If you do go for all-wheel drive, it's a very dependable and trouble-free system.
Moving on to the engines, there are two particular issues sure to be discussed: bore scoring and intermediate shaft bearing failure. All of the specialists we spoke to said these faults are nowhere near as common as with 996s and you would be very unlucky to suffer either.
Bore scoring affects perhaps one per cent of Gen 1 997s. Look for sooty deposits on the left-hand exhaust pipe and a clean right-hand pipe as a tell-tale. Listen for any ticking noise at idle as another giveaway. If this is the case, walk away as a rebuilt engine from Hartech will set you back from £8,000.
Don't necessarily believe the scare mongering
The intermediate shaft bearing can let go with no warning, but it's quite rare and certainly much less likely than with the 996 model. If it does break, it will also require a fully rebuilt engine, though cars with refurbished engines from known specialists will find ready buyers looking for peace of mind.
Engine mounts can be replaced with stiffer items to improve response and handling. Coil pack heat shields work loose and rattle, while coil packs will last around 50,000 miles and cost £37 each to replace from Porscheshop.
One owner reports the engine feels freer revving when swapped from 0-40W to 10-40W 300V Motul engine oil. Other owners recommend Millers Nanotech to get improved engine response. A low oil temperature thermostat can be fitted to reduce engine temperature, which is a good bet for anyone thinking of track driving. Service intervals are scheduled at 20,000 miles.
An original Sports exhaust fitted as an option when new is desirable, but make sure the valve is opening and allowing the extra noise to be heard. Exhaust studs can rust and seize, so an aftermarket sports exhaust is a common upgrade, with a full system from Milltek priced at £3,000.
As for running costs, expect around 25mpg in daily driving, 20mpg when driven hard and 30mpg on the motorway. A major service is around £350-£400 from a good independent versus £600 or more at an Official Porsche Centre.
As well as an independent inspection, you can plug a laptop into the 997 with a PIWIS durametric cable to check if the engine has been over-revved. The cable costs around £50 and gives a clear idea of what the previous owner has been up to in the car and puts you a strong bargaining position.
PHer's view:
"Believe me, turning up to buy a car and the very first thing you do is plug a laptop into it makes vendors a bit twitchy!"
James Dashwood