Sub £5k 911 (996); dream or nightmare?
Discussion
I've seen one and I'm considering it but is disaster looming?
It has cosmetic issues and also needs a rear window.
Would you even if it was neglected, or does it sound one to a void?
The area it's located does ring some alarm bells too, plus it has different wheels fitted (I'd return them to standard).
It has cosmetic issues and also needs a rear window.
Would you even if it was neglected, or does it sound one to a void?
The area it's located does ring some alarm bells too, plus it has different wheels fitted (I'd return them to standard).
If all the issues are only cosmetic then it could be a bargain, but the mechanical stuff is expensive on a 996 so if previous owners haven't sorted the cheaper cosmetic stuff then i'm pretty sure they won't have kept on top of the mechanical bits which could quite quickly turn your £5k 911 into a >£10k one very quickly
TwigtheWonderkid said:
I think it would be cheaper in the long run to pay £10K for a nice one that's been looked after. Plenty of those around
^This^If it were 'Sub £10k' it would be an easy 'yes'. I'd be after a 986 Boxster at the £5k price point, steering clear of the 2.5 if possible.
I've been noncing 996s for about a year now. Consensus on the owners clubs/ forums seems to be that £10k is where the serious cars start, and most owners advise keeping back £2-5k as a bork fund.
I've seen afew early 3.4 manuals with sub 100k on the clock around £8-9k, I wouldn't be too scared provided the history/ evidence of care was there.
IMS failure would always be at the back of my mind, as in 'haunting every waking minute' back of my mind.
I've also seen a couple of cars at £10-12k with the Hartech rebuild done- owners club guys loooove Hartech.
I like taking risks though, and who's to say you wouldn't get (very) lucky on a ropey looking £5k car? Go in with your eyes open, and afew £k buried in a shoebox in the back garden.
I'd personally hold out for a £12-13k >2002 facelift, manual ofcourse. No real consensus on whether the 3.6 is safer than the 3.4, but I saw fewer bork stories from the 3.6 owners after a proper trawl of the owners clubs.
Quite a colour-sensitive car imho, burgundy/ minty green ones look dated, but are very 'period' I suppose!
I quite like Targas, which are regarded as a bit naff- convertibles even more so. I like those too.
daveofedinburgh said:
^This^
If it were 'Sub £10k' it would be an easy 'yes'. I'd be after a 986 Boxster at the £5k price point, steering clear of the 2.5 if possible.
I've been noncing 996s for about a year now. Consensus on the owners clubs/ forums seems to be that £10k is where the serious cars start, and most owners advise keeping back £2-5k as a bork fund.
I've seen afew early 3.4 manuals with sub 100k on the clock around £8-9k, I wouldn't be too scared provided the history/ evidence of care was there.
IMS failure would always be at the back of my mind, as in 'haunting every waking minute' back of my mind.
I've also seen a couple of cars at £10-12k with the Hartech rebuild done- owners club guys loooove Hartech.
I like taking risks though, and who's to say you wouldn't get (very) lucky on a ropey looking £5k car? Go in with your eyes open, and afew £k buried in a shoebox in the back garden.
I'd personally hold out for a £12-13k >2002 facelift, manual ofcourse. No real consensus on whether the 3.6 is safer than the 3.4, but I saw fewer bork stories from the 3.6 owners after a proper trawl of the owners clubs.
Quite a colour-sensitive car imho, burgundy/ minty green ones look dated, but are very 'period' I suppose!
I quite like Targas, which are regarded as a bit naff- convertibles even more so. I like those too.
3.6 does have even more problems (bore scoring) than 3.4. I would change ims+rms anyway and maybe a clutch too. I was on the market, but i ended in another sports car. 996's are great cars and doesn't cost more to run than another german high performance car. But they lack that charisma what older 911's have and that was the main reason why i didn't pick it.If it were 'Sub £10k' it would be an easy 'yes'. I'd be after a 986 Boxster at the £5k price point, steering clear of the 2.5 if possible.
I've been noncing 996s for about a year now. Consensus on the owners clubs/ forums seems to be that £10k is where the serious cars start, and most owners advise keeping back £2-5k as a bork fund.
I've seen afew early 3.4 manuals with sub 100k on the clock around £8-9k, I wouldn't be too scared provided the history/ evidence of care was there.
IMS failure would always be at the back of my mind, as in 'haunting every waking minute' back of my mind.
I've also seen a couple of cars at £10-12k with the Hartech rebuild done- owners club guys loooove Hartech.
I like taking risks though, and who's to say you wouldn't get (very) lucky on a ropey looking £5k car? Go in with your eyes open, and afew £k buried in a shoebox in the back garden.
I'd personally hold out for a £12-13k >2002 facelift, manual ofcourse. No real consensus on whether the 3.6 is safer than the 3.4, but I saw fewer bork stories from the 3.6 owners after a proper trawl of the owners clubs.
Quite a colour-sensitive car imho, burgundy/ minty green ones look dated, but are very 'period' I suppose!
I quite like Targas, which are regarded as a bit naff- convertibles even more so. I like those too.
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