2004 Porsche 911 Cabriolet (996) Tiptronic

Highlights

• 296 bhp

• Tiptronic gearbox

• 0-62 mph in 5.0 seconds 

• Very low recent mileage 

• Hard top roof with cover and stand

Overview

Over the years there have been seemingly countless iterations of Porsche’s flagship model, the 911. Here we have a 996, which means we get to remind readers that air-cooled engines were once used in more than just lawnmowers. Much more, in fact. But all that had ended by the time the 996 was born, with its controversially water-cooled engine dragging the 911 into the 21st Century. 

Somehow Porsche have always been able to offer more body styles than you’d normally expect on a two-door sports car. Most other manufacturers of sports cars would be content to make decisions for their customers, like whether the roof should be made out of metal or fabric, and whether there should be a couple of tiny seats in the back, and how many wheels should be powered. But not Porsche. By the time the Mk 2 996 was fully up and running customers could specify all this and more, leading to a bewildering array of options and models. 

The car offered here is a cabriolet — meaning you can have either a folding soft top roof, or you can fit the rigid hardtop during the off-season. Its 3.6-litre flat-six engine drives the rear wheels and resides at the rear of the car. And the five-speed transmission can be controlled nonchalantly with the steering wheel mounted Tiptronic buttons. 

A glance at the online MOT history record will confirm to you that this 996 hasn’t been driven much recently. Under 2,000 miles in the past five years, in fact. So the vendor has decided it needs to go to a new home where it will be appreciated and enjoyed. It has reportedly been kept on a trickle charger when not in use. 

After such sparing use in recent years, this car will surely be champing at the bit to be let out onto the open road by its next owner. And with the roof down and wind in your hair, you’ll certainly want to put a good number of miles on the clock. 

History and documentation

• Registered 14 January 2004

• Stamped service book with services as follows: Jun 2005 @ 11,601 miles, Oct 2006 @ 19,731 miles, Jun 2008 @ 28,225 miles, Sep 2009 @ 32,550 miles, Dec 2011 @ 38,245 miles, Aug 2012 @ 39,359 miles, Oct 2014 @ 49,162 miles

• Some invoices for parts and servicing 

• Original Porsche document pack in leather wallet 

• Collection of invoices and old MOT certificates

• Two keys

• Current MOT with no advisories expires 13 Oct 2025

• V5 present in owner’s name

• HPI clear

• London ULEZ compliant

Interior

• Black leather upholstery, black carpets, and black trim 

• The interior is generally looking very good, considering it has had over twenty years of use 

• Some light creasing to the leather upholstery and wear to the driver’s seat bolsters 

• Heated, electronically adjustable front seats 

• The black carpets are well presented 

• Matching footwell mats

• Some wear to the driver’s footwell mat near the pedals 

• There are some scratches on the rear of the front seats 

• Leather trim on the door cards, with contrasting stitching 

• Multi-function steering wheel with Tiptronic gear selectors 

• Automatic climate control

• Original display screen on the dashboard, with navigation and audio controls

• BOSE sound system

• FM radio and CD changer 

• Parking sensors which sadly do not currently function

• Analogue instruments

• Rear seats for two (small) passengers, which can be folded down

• Original wind deflector for when the soft top roof is down

• Luggage storage under the bonnet, with spare wheel and full original toolkit 

Exterior

• Cabriolet-bodied 911 with both folding soft-top and removable hard top 

• Finished in an attractive shade of metallic grey paint, which retains a deep shine 

• The paint is very well preserved throughout, with the seller noting a scratch on the nearside rear quarter 

• Body panels well presented, with no corrosion that we could see 

• There is a small dent in the offside door 

• 18-inch alloy wheels

• The seller tells us that they have previously had the wheels refurbished 

• There are some scuffs to a couple of the wheel rims 

• The rear tyres have reportedly been changed very recently

• Porsche badges present and correct

• There is a little hazing to the headlight lenses

• Heated rear windscreen 

• The soft top roof raises and lowers as it should do, and the black fabric looks smart 

• Some surface corrosion can be seen on the underside 

• The hardtop has its original storage bag and stand for when it’s not in use

Mechanical

• 3,596 cc, flat-six, air-cooled engine

• Produces 296 bhp

• Top speed 178 mph, 0-62 mph in 5.0 seconds

• Five-speed Tiptronic gearbox

• Rear-wheel drive

• Rear-engined 

• Under 2,000 miles covered in the past five years

• The seller tells us that the car sounds great since fitting a sports exhaust system

• The battery is said to be under two years old, and has been kept on a trickle charger 

• No warning lights or mechanical issues reported 

Summary

We don’t think you’ll be able to resist driving this 911 after you’ve placed the winning bid. Especially with the summer weather inviting you to put the roof down and go for a drive, the sound of six cylinders rumbling away behind you is something which won’t ever get old. 

To arrange a viewing, click the 'Book Viewing' button located under the 'Place Bid' button. Viewings can be booked up until the day before the auction ends, after which the option will change to 'Contact Seller' for further enquiries. This seller is located in Enfield, North London.