997.1 Yes or No

Author
Discussion

Pyrolysis

Original Poster:

319 posts

116 months

Sunday 21st February 2021
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Hi folks, I have the opportunity to buy a 997.1 C2S Manual. Its had a borescope inspection and the results were that there is negligible scoring at the moment. The car has 51k miles on it. There are other cars on the market (at my price point) which are higher miles but have had the Hartech liner work done. The car i want is perfect (for me), black, manual, full tan leather interior, i know the previous owners and its absolutely mint, loved, ceramic coated, cherished car etc with full OPC history. The price is right and i cant see it dropping any less. Should i worry about having to potentially get some preventative work done, or just buy it and enjoy it? This would be a long term purchase, with plans to OEM+ some aspects of the car.

Billy_Whizzzz

1,989 posts

142 months

Sunday 21st February 2021
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Get one with the Hartech work done. To have it done properly is £8k+.

SCO

203 posts

233 months

Sunday 21st February 2021
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If the scope test is good then I wouldn't have an issue with this one, sounds like you will look after it.


Shezbo

594 posts

129 months

Sunday 21st February 2021
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Love mine...great car!

Grantstown

952 posts

86 months

Sunday 21st February 2021
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It’s managed >10 years with negligible scoring. Sounds like you’ll probably be absolutely fine. There are no total guarantees in life, but this seems a reasonable bet.

Discombobulate

4,794 posts

185 months

Sunday 21st February 2021
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Yes smile

IMI A

9,410 posts

200 months

Sunday 21st February 2021
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I drove both 997.1 C2S and 997.1 turbo at OPC track day in 2006. In many ways the C2S miles better. Not just a bit better better night and day better. I've owned my 997.1 turbo for 14 years from new. I can not believe more C2S owners have not done the same. as I preferred it on track. also had gen 2 997 C4S. I'd go gen 1 everytime. Better NVH.

steve1968

343 posts

259 months

Sunday 21st February 2021
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I had a similar dilemma when i bought my 2005 997.1 almost 5 years ago and i went for it, mine doesn't do a great deal of miles but i still have the oil changed every year and have had problems whatsoever .

Should the worst ever happen i will spend the money i would have possibly have lost due to depreciation had i bought a lesser or newer car
.
Have owned quite a few cars similar cars , Lotus Elan, G50 3.2 , 993 , zm coupe etc , and if i had worried about everything i read on the internet i wouldn't have bothered , all have been fine, and pleasurable ownership experience, wish i still owned them all but had to move on to the next obsession .

If you called the owner tomorrow and he said it was gone ,, would you be gutted ??

If the answer is yes, then you should get it bought ............today .



Marley71

84 posts

74 months

Sunday 21st February 2021
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Mine is approaching 15 yrs old. Hypothetically, if I was offered a straight swap for the same exact car but with a Hartech engine, I'm not sure I would now. If it was to suffer engine problems, I would get the new upgraded engine they offer now. What is the next most expensive thing that fails? I've had most of the rear suspension refreshed.

Kettmark

901 posts

152 months

Sunday 21st February 2021
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Yes, buy it. Use Miller's oil, fit a low temp thermostat and make sure you fully warm the engine before giving it the beans.
Enjoy & report back!

RiccardoG

1,584 posts

271 months

Monday 22nd February 2021
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I'd say buy and enjoy it, life is too short. But do ask yourself the question, what would the impact be if it did need a new engine? Would you do it or sell it? Would it be just "slightly annoying" or seriously impact your finances?

Btw, how often has it been serviced? Yearly oil change is good.

maz8062

2,173 posts

214 months

Monday 22nd February 2021
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RiccardoG said:
I'd say buy and enjoy it, life is too short. But do ask yourself the question, what would the impact be if it did need a new engine? Would you do it or sell it? Would it be just "slightly annoying" or seriously impact your finances?

Btw, how often has it been serviced? Yearly oil change is good.
This is the question that you need to look at yourself in the mirror and answer. If it goes pop, and it will, will the repair costs be a problem or just a minor inconvenience. If the former, get one with the rebuild done, if the latter crack on and get it bought.

rfn

4,530 posts

206 months

Monday 22nd February 2021
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I fulfilled a fairly lengthy dream to own a 911 in 2020 with a 997.1. It's brilliant in every single way. If you can, do it.

Mariosbt

2,452 posts

65 months

Monday 22nd February 2021
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Do it. Bought mine nearly 7 years ago now. Love it to bits. Had LTT fitted, oil changed every 3000 miles. Always warmed up to temp. before fun & games. smile

Ed T

462 posts

138 months

Tuesday 23rd February 2021
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I did it 2 years ago, showed some wear on the liners then but it’s a 2005 and had 48000 miles on it. I love it. I do 2500 miles a year so not a big issue. My view is if it needs a new / refreshed engine at some point I’ll be excited to get a new / refreshed engine!! Car is immaculate.

£10k is forecourt tax on new cars - also which 15 year old car won’t need some engine work eventually?

I really like it and have a perverse desire for a new engine when needed. I think it comes down to can you afford it.

A gen 2 with the same miles and spec and condition would have been £15k more to buy.

Only thing mine has needed is coils


FarQue

2,336 posts

197 months

Tuesday 23rd February 2021
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Kettmark said:
Yes, buy it. Use Miller's oil, fit a low temp thermostat and make sure you fully warm the engine before giving it the beans.
Enjoy & report back!
Agreed. LTT and get the oil fully warm.

Magnum 475

3,507 posts

131 months

Tuesday 23rd February 2021
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FarQue said:
Kettmark said:
Yes, buy it. Use Miller's oil, fit a low temp thermostat and make sure you fully warm the engine before giving it the beans.
Enjoy & report back!
Agreed. LTT and get the oil fully warm.
And as I've said before on other threads, don't drive at excessively low revs - change down. My rule (987.1S) is no driving below 2000 rpm, and no wide open throttle below 3000 rpm. The Tiptronic seems to be far more prone to bore score, and is also very good at 'under-revving' the engine. If you give it large throttle openings at 30mph in 5th then you're not doing the engine any favours!


Digga

40,206 posts

282 months

Tuesday 23rd February 2021
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Magnum 475 said:
And as I've said before on other threads, don't drive at excessively low revs - change down. My rule (987.1S) is no driving below 2000 rpm, and no wide open throttle below 3000 rpm. The Tiptronic seems to be far more prone to bore score, and is also very good at 'under-revving' the engine. If you give it large throttle openings at 30mph in 5th then you're not doing the engine any favours!
Very good point. I remember receiving precisely this advice in my TVR days, being specifically warned, during running in period, that 'lugging' the engine (even an extremely torquey V8) was extremely detrimental.

STiG911

1,210 posts

166 months

Tuesday 23rd February 2021
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Digga said:
Magnum 475 said:
And as I've said before on other threads, don't drive at excessively low revs - change down. My rule (987.1S) is no driving below 2000 rpm, and no wide open throttle below 3000 rpm. The Tiptronic seems to be far more prone to bore score, and is also very good at 'under-revving' the engine. If you give it large throttle openings at 30mph in 5th then you're not doing the engine any favours!
Very good point. I remember receiving precisely this advice in my TVR days, being specifically warned, during running in period, that 'lugging' the engine (even an extremely torquey V8) was extremely detrimental.
All of this^
It even says as much about lugging in the 997 manual. I never use 5th or 6th at town speeds, and don't go beyond 4000rpm on a cold engine until the oil's at or above 90deg.

Ed T

462 posts

138 months

Tuesday 23rd February 2021
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Same here I aim to keep revs slightly below or at 3000 until up to temp. Don’t use Millers or have a LTT tho.....