RE: The Brave Pill: Porsche 911 (996)
Discussion
ferrisbueller said:
Are there any databases with info about the durability of parts?
I dunno. I guess a 996 gets driven harder than a run of the mill car, certainly on track days, but will probably do fewer miles in its design life.When they are making these things they will have a life in mind for a given usage profile.
This usage profile will be different for a 996 to a BMW, so different compromises might be made.
Certainly aftermarket has different compromises - non OE coffin arms don't seem to last as long as genuine ones - but you can trade that off when Meyle arms are a fraction of the price, and the changing usage profile of a car as it ages (even fewer miles).
Danns said:
Long time lurker, My 135k miler 4s, have put 8k on since October, and every single mile has been with a smile on my face.
The hysteria and rhetoric that surrounds them is well, just plain odd in my experience.
Of course I’m biased, but I actually really like the headlights!
Dan
That's lovely! The best looking water-cooled 911 IMOThe hysteria and rhetoric that surrounds them is well, just plain odd in my experience.
Of course I’m biased, but I actually really like the headlights!
Dan
I considered a 996 about 8 years ago but got windy due to all the internet stories. I've got dafter with age so recently took the plunge, pulled the trigger, FTK... whatever you want to say on a 996.1 C4 manual. Things my years of pre purchase pondering have taught me.
1. Anyone who cites the RMS as a reason to not buy doesn't have a clue what they are talking about. RMS leak is not a big issue
2. An after market IMS "solution" is not always a good thing
3. The vast majority of people you read about replacing the IMS do so as a precaution and usually admit the original was fine when removed. There are literally thousands of threads along these lines on Rennlist.
4. The business proving IMS solutions are a big driver for the IMS fear. Their livelihood relies on the fear.
5. Bore scoring on the 3.6 is far more of an issue/certainty than IMS failure ever was. It's rare on the 3.4. Not so easy to prepackage a solution to this so there's not as much marketing driven fear.
6. Most failures i've seen reported on forums in recent years have been due to spun bearings, timing slipping for some reason, some other random issue. Mainly wear issues that could affect any 20ish year old car.
7. Every job doesn't require a £100ph specialist mechanic. They can be awkward but are fairly basic.
8. There are loads of 996s about with high mileage... even some with old Volvo style mileage, you don't see many advertised with engine rebuilds, you don't see many in breakers yards.
Draw your own conclusions from that last one.
I'm not saying any of that is gospel, it's just what i've concluded from being a bit obsessed for a while.
1. Anyone who cites the RMS as a reason to not buy doesn't have a clue what they are talking about. RMS leak is not a big issue
2. An after market IMS "solution" is not always a good thing
3. The vast majority of people you read about replacing the IMS do so as a precaution and usually admit the original was fine when removed. There are literally thousands of threads along these lines on Rennlist.
4. The business proving IMS solutions are a big driver for the IMS fear. Their livelihood relies on the fear.
5. Bore scoring on the 3.6 is far more of an issue/certainty than IMS failure ever was. It's rare on the 3.4. Not so easy to prepackage a solution to this so there's not as much marketing driven fear.
6. Most failures i've seen reported on forums in recent years have been due to spun bearings, timing slipping for some reason, some other random issue. Mainly wear issues that could affect any 20ish year old car.
7. Every job doesn't require a £100ph specialist mechanic. They can be awkward but are fairly basic.
8. There are loads of 996s about with high mileage... even some with old Volvo style mileage, you don't see many advertised with engine rebuilds, you don't see many in breakers yards.
Draw your own conclusions from that last one.
I'm not saying any of that is gospel, it's just what i've concluded from being a bit obsessed for a while.
nunpuncher said:
I considered a 996 about 8 years ago but got windy due to all the internet stories. I've got dafter with age so recently took the plunge, pulled the trigger, FTK... whatever you want to say on a 996.1 C4 manual. Things my years of pre purchase pondering have taught me.
1. Anyone who cites the RMS as a reason to not buy doesn't have a clue what they are talking about. RMS leak is not a big issue
2. An after market IMS "solution" is not always a good thing
3. The vast majority of people you read about replacing the IMS do so as a precaution and usually admit the original was fine when removed. There are literally thousands of threads along these lines on Rennlist.
4. The business proving IMS solutions are a big driver for the IMS fear. Their livelihood relies on the fear.
5. Bore scoring on the 3.6 is far more of an issue/certainty than IMS failure ever was. It's rare on the 3.4. Not so easy to prepackage a solution to this so there's not as much marketing driven fear.
6. Most failures i've seen reported on forums in recent years have been due to spun bearings, timing slipping for some reason, some other random issue. Mainly wear issues that could affect any 20ish year old car.
7. Every job doesn't require a £100ph specialist mechanic. They can be awkward but are fairly basic.
8. There are loads of 996s about with high mileage... even some with old Volvo style mileage, you don't see many advertised with engine rebuilds, you don't see many in breakers yards.
Draw your own conclusions from that last one.
I'm not saying any of that is gospel, it's just what i've concluded from being a bit obsessed for a while.
I'd agree with all of that. You can spend quite a lot of money on these if you want (ask me how I know this) but I didnt have to. What I have is a pretty much perfect 996 C2 that drives like a dream. Different car to my 997 gt3 but still glorious in its own way. 1. Anyone who cites the RMS as a reason to not buy doesn't have a clue what they are talking about. RMS leak is not a big issue
2. An after market IMS "solution" is not always a good thing
3. The vast majority of people you read about replacing the IMS do so as a precaution and usually admit the original was fine when removed. There are literally thousands of threads along these lines on Rennlist.
4. The business proving IMS solutions are a big driver for the IMS fear. Their livelihood relies on the fear.
5. Bore scoring on the 3.6 is far more of an issue/certainty than IMS failure ever was. It's rare on the 3.4. Not so easy to prepackage a solution to this so there's not as much marketing driven fear.
6. Most failures i've seen reported on forums in recent years have been due to spun bearings, timing slipping for some reason, some other random issue. Mainly wear issues that could affect any 20ish year old car.
7. Every job doesn't require a £100ph specialist mechanic. They can be awkward but are fairly basic.
8. There are loads of 996s about with high mileage... even some with old Volvo style mileage, you don't see many advertised with engine rebuilds, you don't see many in breakers yards.
Draw your own conclusions from that last one.
I'm not saying any of that is gospel, it's just what i've concluded from being a bit obsessed for a while.
Its probably the most important 911 design wise since the car was originaly conceived and has about the prettiest rear 3/4 in the business. Gratuitous rear 3/4 shot of mine:
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