I’ve just bought the cheapest 911 in the UK!

[mikey P 500]

Great thread and great buy OP. Sadly my own porsche 996 ownership is coming to an end this week, as we are buying a campervan instead, but will really miss it when it goes.
Been a great experience to run as our second car for last 15 months

[sillysally1]

mikey P 500 said:

Great thread and great buy OP. Sadly my own porsche 996 ownership is coming to an end this week, as we are buying a campervan instead, but will really miss it when it goes.
Been a great experience to run as our second car for last 15 months

Split screen?

[Huntsman]

This sub £10k 996 adventure seems to make a lot of sense (in my head). I'm fed up with being sensible.

In reality there is little risk, because even if the IMS dies or score a block or crack a cylinder, which seems about the worst that can happen, if you decide you don't want to fork out to fix it, you just ebay it off and get most of your money back.

The alternative is a sub £10k Mondeo/A4/Passat/some other boring trash constantly inflicting DMF and DPF attacks on your wallet.

[sillysally1]

Huntsman said:

This sub £10k 996 adventure seems to make a lot of sense (in my head). I'm fed up with being sensible.

In reality there is little risk, because even if the IMS dies or score a block or crack a cylinder, which seems about the worst that can happen, if you decide you don't want to fork out to fix it, you just ebay it off and get most of your money back.

The alternative is a sub £10k Mondeo/A4/Passat/some other boring trash constantly inflicting DMF and DPF attacks on your wallet.

Amen to that! I’ve just driven to Cardiff and started to worry when I was in traffic as the temperature needle headed to the right of the zero...but luckily we started moving again quite quickly, phew!

[CAPP0]

sillysally1 said:

mikey P 500 said:

Great thread and great buy OP. Sadly my own porsche 996 ownership is coming to an end this week, as we are buying a campervan instead, but will really miss it when it goes.
Been a great experience to run as our second car for last 15 months

Split screen?

Doesn't look like it in that pic

[monthefish]

Huntsman said:

This sub £10k 996 adventure seems to make a lot of sense (in my head). I'm fed up with being sensible.

In reality there is little risk, because even if the IMS dies or score a block or crack a cylinder, which seems about the worst that can happen, if you decide you don't want to fork out to fix it, you just ebay it off and get most of your money back.

The alternative is a sub £10k Mondeo/A4/Passat/some other boring trash constantly inflicting DMF and DPF attacks on your wallet.

Exactly. (you also forgot to mention the continued depreciation of a sub £10k Mondeo/A4/Passat/some other boring trash)

I did this a few years ago. Bought a 996 using the same logic.
In the end I didn't have any major bills over the couple of year of ownership and it was a fantastic ownership experience. Sold it for more or less what I paid for it.

DO IT!!

[Magnum 475]

sillysally1 said:

Amen to that! I’ve just driven to Cardiff and started to worry when I was in traffic as the temperature needle headed to the right of the zero...but luckily we started moving again quite quickly, phew!

Does the 996 have a 'direct' temp gauge though? If so, you'll see it rise in this situation, then drop when the fans kick in (if they work).

Later cars have a 'buffered' temp gauge - computer controlled, that will sit happily on 80 degrees without moving while the fans come on and off and the true temperature is rising / falling. This type of gauge only moves from 80 if you have a real problem.

[sillysally1]

Magnum 475 said:

sillysally1 said:

Amen to that! I’ve just driven to Cardiff and started to worry when I was in traffic as the temperature needle headed to the right of the zero...but luckily we started moving again quite quickly, phew!

Does the 996 have a 'direct' temp gauge though? If so, you'll see it rise in this situation, then drop when the fans kick in (if they work).

Later cars have a 'buffered' temp gauge - computer controlled, that will sit happily on 80 degrees without moving while the fans come on and off and the true temperature is rising / falling. This type of gauge only moves from 80 if you have a real problem.

I had not considered this, will have to check. It’s a 1998 model

[Steviesam]

Yes they are accurate. Mine used head towards the 0 and the fans cut in, and it drops again. Perfectly normal.

[ATM]

As above

Just man up, stop stressing and drive the thing.

Enjoy

[sillysally1]

ATM said:

As above

Just man up, stop stressing and drive the thing.

Enjoy

It’s all about the driving! Currently waiting for The Killers in Cardiff!

[selym]

ATM said:

As above

Just man up, stop stressing and drive the thing.

Enjoy

I'd buy into this normally but having experienced overheating anxiety on more than one occasion, it gets stuck in your head!

[sillysally1]

selym said:

ATM said:

As above

Just man up, stop stressing and drive the thing.

Enjoy

I'd buy into this normally but having experienced overheating anxiety on more than one occasion, it gets stuck in your head!

I’m about to make the 100 mile journey home in 30+ degrees, keeping everything crossed!

[selym]

sillysally1 said:

selym said:

ATM said:

As above

Just man up, stop stressing and drive the thing.

Enjoy

I'd buy into this normally but having experienced overheating anxiety on more than one occasion, it gets stuck in your head!

I’m about to make the 100 mile journey home in 30+ degrees, keeping everything crossed!

I have a Monaro and did suffer from a coolant leak which caused me no end of overheating heartache (not damaging but a few times the needle shot up then dropped again - air introduced into the system by the bloody water pump and radiator!). It was enough for me to grit my teeth when approaching traffic on a hot day, and still does to a certain extent.

Good luck.

[LanceRS]

sillysally1 said:

selym said:

ATM said:

As above

Just man up, stop stressing and drive the thing.

Enjoy

I'd buy into this normally but having experienced overheating anxiety on more than one occasion, it gets stuck in your head!

I’m about to make the 100 mile journey home in 30+ degrees, keeping everything crossed!

German cars are nice to you. My BMW has just waited to get into my driveway before blowing the header tank.

[Huntsman]

So... I started to look at the poverty end of the 996 market.

I have to rule out cabrio and targa, I have to rule out tiptronic, no cream or grey leather. Apart from that should be easy.

My oh my..... don't entry level 997's look good!

[ATM]

Remember that the earlier 3.4 cars have the least risk of the engine scoring. So they're not just the cheapest but the least risk too.

[sillysally1]

Huntsman said:

So... I started to look at the poverty end of the 996 market.

I have to rule out cabrio and targa, I have to rule out tiptronic, no cream or grey leather. Apart from that should be easy.

My oh my..... don't entry level 997's look good!

Step away from the 997!!

I know what you mean but I had to be strict about just getting the very cheapest one without being distracted.

[MB140]

sillysally1 said:

Huntsman said:

So... I started to look at the poverty end of the 996 market.

I have to rule out cabrio and targa, I have to rule out tiptronic, no cream or grey leather. Apart from that should be easy.

My oh my..... don't entry level 997's look good!

Step away from the 997!!

I know what you mean but I had to be strict about just getting the very cheapest one without being distracted.

Having been on the receiving end of Porsche bore scoring it’s either a 996 or a 997.2 for me next time round. Unfortunately 997.2 are really holding their value because the 997.1 has a reputation of chocolate engines (whether deserved or not).

I think I will go 997.2(non s) next with a few choice options although an S wouldn’t be out of the question.

[Fast Bug]

I keep looking at 997, but agree the price difference between 997.1 and 997.2 is large!