996 C4S purchase
Discussion
Here's another link
http://www.911uk.com/viewtopic.php?t=66500
I think you're right to be concerned and at least ask the question. Good luck.
http://www.911uk.com/viewtopic.php?t=66500
I think you're right to be concerned and at least ask the question. Good luck.
Phil-68 said:
Thanks!
We've not gone for the car we viewed as a private sale. Without going into any detail, to be fair to the seller who was a top bloke and has it advertised on here, it wasn't the one for us.
We are actually getting very frustrated with the whole thing now. We've seen a few dodgy cars (the private sale not one of them I must add).
I haven't actually viewed one at a Porsche Specialist yet, so I'm hoping when we do go to see the car we have our eye on, it will be a good one.
I asked the dealer some questions, which they have replied to. I also asked about bore scoring and whether they would check for this before purchase. This was the reply I got back....
The bore scoring isn’t an issue on the 996 C4S, it’s something we have only heard of on 997 3.8 engines specifically 2005-2008 models so I’m not sure where the scoring question comes from.
Now I'm no expert, but I reckon a lot of you lot are!! So was I wrong to ask them this, and are they right? Seems a little disrespectful saying "not sure where the scoring question comes from" to me, if as I am led to believe the C4S is susceptible to bore scoring???
Hi Phil,We've not gone for the car we viewed as a private sale. Without going into any detail, to be fair to the seller who was a top bloke and has it advertised on here, it wasn't the one for us.
We are actually getting very frustrated with the whole thing now. We've seen a few dodgy cars (the private sale not one of them I must add).
I haven't actually viewed one at a Porsche Specialist yet, so I'm hoping when we do go to see the car we have our eye on, it will be a good one.
I asked the dealer some questions, which they have replied to. I also asked about bore scoring and whether they would check for this before purchase. This was the reply I got back....
The bore scoring isn’t an issue on the 996 C4S, it’s something we have only heard of on 997 3.8 engines specifically 2005-2008 models so I’m not sure where the scoring question comes from.
Now I'm no expert, but I reckon a lot of you lot are!! So was I wrong to ask them this, and are they right? Seems a little disrespectful saying "not sure where the scoring question comes from" to me, if as I am led to believe the C4S is susceptible to bore scoring???
Although the 3.8 S engine in the 997 is much more prone to bore scoring it does still happen on the 996 although much less frequently I'm told which I understand is the same for the non S 3.6 Carrea 997 which has pretty much the same block as the 996.
Have you spoken to Tom at 911V yet? I recently bought mine from there which was in my diary of a C4S owner thread and the service from Them was fantastic.
Stick with the search, they are a great car and well worth the effort finding a good one, that being said I got lucky spotting mine within 5 minutes of the ad going on pistonheads.
Diablos-666 said:
Here's another link
http://www.911uk.com/viewtopic.php?t=66500
I think you're right to be concerned and at least ask the question. Good luck.
Thanks again, I don't feel so silly questioning it now!http://www.911uk.com/viewtopic.php?t=66500
I think you're right to be concerned and at least ask the question. Good luck.
Budflicker said:
Hi Phil,
Although the 3.8 S engine in the 997 is much more prone to bore scoring it does still happen on the 996 although much less frequently I'm told which I understand is the same for the non S 3.6 Carrea 997 which has pretty much the same block as the 996.
Have you spoken to Tom at 911V yet? I recently bought mine from there which was in my diary of a C4S owner thread and the service from Them was fantastic.
Stick with the search, they are a great car and well worth the effort finding a good one, that being said I got lucky spotting mine within 5 minutes of the ad going on pistonheads.
Yes I've emailed 911V and they are keeping a look out for me.Although the 3.8 S engine in the 997 is much more prone to bore scoring it does still happen on the 996 although much less frequently I'm told which I understand is the same for the non S 3.6 Carrea 997 which has pretty much the same block as the 996.
Have you spoken to Tom at 911V yet? I recently bought mine from there which was in my diary of a C4S owner thread and the service from Them was fantastic.
Stick with the search, they are a great car and well worth the effort finding a good one, that being said I got lucky spotting mine within 5 minutes of the ad going on pistonheads.
We had a bit of a wobble yesterday and had second thoughts about the whole purchase, but I think we just need to find a good one....
Or maybe just order a new 718 Boxster which we've just been to see unveiled at Wolverhampton's new OPC!!
I've been lucky to have had several Porsche's in the past and decided it was time for another 911. Initially I was looking for a 996 C4S as I've always loved the shape and suspect it'll def be a classic ... especially as the prices are rising fast. Having not purchased a Porsche for a while I can't believe the approach adopted by many dealers. Due to the well documented IMS and bore scoring issues I decided to go for a 996 Turbo instead. However this then raises the over rev issue.
Having looked at various cars there's a lot of 'unsuitable' cars out there promising to be the holy grail so I wish you luck in your search but can understand why its a battle to find the right car. I suspect owners are hanging onto the good 996 C4S/Turbo's and watching the prices rise. Its tempting to give up the search and get a buy to let property ... although it wouldn't be so much fun as another 911. Good luck .....
Having looked at various cars there's a lot of 'unsuitable' cars out there promising to be the holy grail so I wish you luck in your search but can understand why its a battle to find the right car. I suspect owners are hanging onto the good 996 C4S/Turbo's and watching the prices rise. Its tempting to give up the search and get a buy to let property ... although it wouldn't be so much fun as another 911. Good luck .....
Urban said:
Hi Phil-68. We are thinking of selling our 59k mile 2002 996 C4S manual, black with cream leather.
Don't want to upset forum rules but you can pm me
Nick
Thanks Nick, Don't want to upset forum rules but you can pm me
Nick
Edited by Urban on Monday 25th April 22:23
We prefer silver or grey but I'll give you a shout if we can't find anything.
Phil
ARTiSAN1066 said:
I've been lucky to have had several Porsche's in the past and decided it was time for another 911. Initially I was looking for a 996 C4S as I've always loved the shape and suspect it'll def be a classic ... especially as the prices are rising fast. Having not purchased a Porsche for a while I can't believe the approach adopted by many dealers. Due to the well documented IMS and bore scoring issues I decided to go for a 996 Turbo instead. However this then raises the over rev issue.
Having looked at various cars there's a lot of 'unsuitable' cars out there promising to be the holy grail so I wish you luck in your search but can understand why its a battle to find the right car. I suspect owners are hanging onto the good 996 C4S/Turbo's and watching the prices rise. Its tempting to give up the search and get a buy to let property ... although it wouldn't be so much fun as another 911. Good luck .....
Our main reason for getting one is to enjoy it, and enjoy driving it. Never had a minimal or non depreciating car before so that'd just be a very nice bonus, but I'm certainly not going to restrict its use to protect future value!Having looked at various cars there's a lot of 'unsuitable' cars out there promising to be the holy grail so I wish you luck in your search but can understand why its a battle to find the right car. I suspect owners are hanging onto the good 996 C4S/Turbo's and watching the prices rise. Its tempting to give up the search and get a buy to let property ... although it wouldn't be so much fun as another 911. Good luck .....
We are pretty handy at DIY having just fitted a new kitchen ourselves, so property developing is something we could do and have in fact seriously considered, but as you say, it's nowhere near as much fun!
Update on our search for a C4S -
Drove a 5 1/2 hour round trip yesterday....
On arrival we discovered that the front bumper, both doors, rear wings and rear bumper, together with the cills had all been resprayed. We were a little concerned but not overly until we noticed (after our test drive and as we were just contemplating purchasing it) that the passenger side wasn't done very well at all, you could see an unevenness in it, a sort of ripple effect, and a lack of deep shine. Also, all 4 alloys were not in a good state, although to be fair they did say they'd sort these. The interior was in excellent condition though and it drove nice. Originally we had been a little put off by the fact it had had 8 previous owners, but we thought that if it was spot on in every other way it could be the one. We did love the overall look of it though and my wife was a lot happier with the C4S after driving it, however we couldn't really be comfortable with the poor respray job. Do you think we are being too fussy, or are there any C4S's out there still that haven't had nearly all the bodywork resprayed?
We are quite down about it all once again. If we aren't going to be able to find a decent one then we'll have to think about something else, or nothing at all. Having had new or nearly new cars for the last few years, it's difficult trying to buy an old one. Maybe one will turn up that will change our minds, but I'm not that confident.
Drove a 5 1/2 hour round trip yesterday....
On arrival we discovered that the front bumper, both doors, rear wings and rear bumper, together with the cills had all been resprayed. We were a little concerned but not overly until we noticed (after our test drive and as we were just contemplating purchasing it) that the passenger side wasn't done very well at all, you could see an unevenness in it, a sort of ripple effect, and a lack of deep shine. Also, all 4 alloys were not in a good state, although to be fair they did say they'd sort these. The interior was in excellent condition though and it drove nice. Originally we had been a little put off by the fact it had had 8 previous owners, but we thought that if it was spot on in every other way it could be the one. We did love the overall look of it though and my wife was a lot happier with the C4S after driving it, however we couldn't really be comfortable with the poor respray job. Do you think we are being too fussy, or are there any C4S's out there still that haven't had nearly all the bodywork resprayed?
We are quite down about it all once again. If we aren't going to be able to find a decent one then we'll have to think about something else, or nothing at all. Having had new or nearly new cars for the last few years, it's difficult trying to buy an old one. Maybe one will turn up that will change our minds, but I'm not that confident.
Edited by Phil-68 on Thursday 28th April 14:31
I wouldn't touch a car that's had so much stuff resprayed. Who knows what kind of accidents it could have had... Bodywork is expensive to sort out properly, don't be lulled into the "it just needs a polish" line.
Just remember to ask all the questions before taking a 5.5 hour round trip, otherwise it will be quite disheartening having investing all that time. Only go and view the ones that tick all your boxes and which you actually intend to buy, not just viewing cars for the sake of it. It requires some patience but I managed to find my perfect spec at a great price so it will be worth it!
Just remember to ask all the questions before taking a 5.5 hour round trip, otherwise it will be quite disheartening having investing all that time. Only go and view the ones that tick all your boxes and which you actually intend to buy, not just viewing cars for the sake of it. It requires some patience but I managed to find my perfect spec at a great price so it will be worth it!
Shaoxter said:
....Just remember to ask all the questions before taking a 5.5 hour round trip, otherwise it will be quite disheartening having investing all that time. Only go and view the ones that tick all your boxes and which you actually intend to buy, not just viewing cars for the sake of it...
We did!!!I had numerous email conversations with them prior to the viewing, and I also called them. They assured me that the car was "spot on" other than 1 or 2 stone chips on the front. They told me the front bumper had been done but that was not a problem. We went with the definite intention of purchasing the car. I went to work at 0300 yesterday and drove 2 and a half hours there when I finished work, and my wife had a day off work to come with me, that's how confident we were that this could be the one. We were excited on the journey there, but now we're very despondent.
Good things come to those who wait... In all seriousness, it's a big decision, well it was for me, and I took my time to find the car I wanted - over a year in fact. I had made up my mind to get a 996 C4S, fully aware of what to look out for/questions to ask etc. Currently owned mine for 2 years and thoroughly enjoying it. It's that time of year however, where some owners have decided to hold on to their cars for another year to enjoy the summer, so why not keep browsing / saving, and stick to the decision to purchase, but just not to rush into it.
Phil-68 said:
Update on our search for a C4S -
Drove a 5 1/2 hour round trip yesterday....
On arrival we discovered that the front bumper, both doors, rear wings and rear bumper, together with the cills had all been resprayed. We were a little concerned but not overly until we noticed (after our test drive and as we were just contemplating purchasing it) that the passenger side wasn't done very well at all, you could see an unevenness in it, a sort of ripple effect, and a lack of deep shine. Also, all 4 alloys were not in a good state, although to be fair they did say they'd sort these. The interior was in excellent condition though and it drove nice. Originally we had been a little put off by the fact it had had 8 previous owners, but we thought that if it was spot on in every other way it could be the one. We did love the overall look of it though and my wife was a lot happier with the C4S after driving it, however we couldn't really be comfortable with the poor respray job. Do you think we are being too fussy, or are there any C4S's out there still that haven't had nearly all the bodywork resprayed?
We are quite down about it all once again. If we aren't going to be able to find a decent one then we'll have to think about something else, or nothing at all. Having had new or nearly new cars for the last few years, it's difficult trying to buy an old one. Maybe one will turn up that will change our minds, but I'm not that confident.
Best to try and find one with low ownersDrove a 5 1/2 hour round trip yesterday....
On arrival we discovered that the front bumper, both doors, rear wings and rear bumper, together with the cills had all been resprayed. We were a little concerned but not overly until we noticed (after our test drive and as we were just contemplating purchasing it) that the passenger side wasn't done very well at all, you could see an unevenness in it, a sort of ripple effect, and a lack of deep shine. Also, all 4 alloys were not in a good state, although to be fair they did say they'd sort these. The interior was in excellent condition though and it drove nice. Originally we had been a little put off by the fact it had had 8 previous owners, but we thought that if it was spot on in every other way it could be the one. We did love the overall look of it though and my wife was a lot happier with the C4S after driving it, however we couldn't really be comfortable with the poor respray job. Do you think we are being too fussy, or are there any C4S's out there still that haven't had nearly all the bodywork resprayed?
We are quite down about it all once again. If we aren't going to be able to find a decent one then we'll have to think about something else, or nothing at all. Having had new or nearly new cars for the last few years, it's difficult trying to buy an old one. Maybe one will turn up that will change our minds, but I'm not that confident.
Edited by Phil-68 on Thursday 28th April 14:31
and except a car with some stone chips but as original paint as possible,It will be a huge task as these things are stone chip magnets and thats why so many are painted and not unusual to see many front bumpers resprayed,It is possible and I would rather see original patina of age and originality than a fluffed up car.Good luck mate..
harleywilma said:
est to try and find one with low owners
and except a car with some stone chips but as original paint as possible,It will be a huge task as these things are stone chip magnets and thats why so many are painted and not unusual to see many front bumpers resprayed,It is possible and I would rather see original patina of age and originality than a fluffed up car.Good luck mate..
Yep, agree with that, cheersand except a car with some stone chips but as original paint as possible,It will be a huge task as these things are stone chip magnets and thats why so many are painted and not unusual to see many front bumpers resprayed,It is possible and I would rather see original patina of age and originality than a fluffed up car.Good luck mate..
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