996/997 Gaps in Service History
Discussion
So i’ve been looking at a variety of 996/997 mid to v low mileage (10-20k) and I am surprised the amount of cars that have had one single 4-5 year period/gap showing in the service history. More often than not these gaps co-inside with minimal mileage being added.
I’ve always been of the view that even if you’re doing minimal miles you should still swap out the oil once a year amongst other essentials.
Interested to hear what others think about buying a car with large gaps and whether this would bother you or not? We’re talking 15 year old cars now, so to find a car that’s been serviced year in and year out seems to be getting harder and harder, especially as the number of owners rack up.
My intention, if I were to buy one of these cars, off the back of a PPI, would be to perform a no expense spared major service / recommission to bring things fully up to scratch, but is this enough to convince the next buyer that all is well?
I’ve always been of the view that even if you’re doing minimal miles you should still swap out the oil once a year amongst other essentials.
Interested to hear what others think about buying a car with large gaps and whether this would bother you or not? We’re talking 15 year old cars now, so to find a car that’s been serviced year in and year out seems to be getting harder and harder, especially as the number of owners rack up.
My intention, if I were to buy one of these cars, off the back of a PPI, would be to perform a no expense spared major service / recommission to bring things fully up to scratch, but is this enough to convince the next buyer that all is well?
Edited by treacle on Sunday 28th April 20:56
The car will be fine. A year is just an arbitrary period of time plucked from the air - it means little in reality.
Unfortunately some people have irrational obsessions with stamps in a book. Without those stamps these people will get upset. These people are the type that buy old low mileage porsche.
If it upsets you then it will upset future buyers.
Sounds like you need to hold out for a stamped book.
Unfortunately some people have irrational obsessions with stamps in a book. Without those stamps these people will get upset. These people are the type that buy old low mileage porsche.
If it upsets you then it will upset future buyers.
Sounds like you need to hold out for a stamped book.
Edited by was8v on Sunday 28th April 21:16
Annual services aren't always required any more, my 981 is every 2 years for example, but a 4 or 5 year gap isn't right (obviously). However, as long as the car has had recent attention the gap becomes less relevant.
Factor in a PPI and a major service including plugs, belts and a bit extra for other parts before buying and you should be good to go.
Factor in a PPI and a major service including plugs, belts and a bit extra for other parts before buying and you should be good to go.
was8v said:
The car will be fine. A year is just an arbitrary period of time plucked from the air - it means little in reality.
Unfortunately some people have irrational obsessions with stamps in a book. Without those stamps these people will get upset. These people are the type that buy old low mileage porsche.
If it upsets you then it will upset future buyers.
Sounds like you need to hold out for a stamped book.
I think I am somewhere between both schools of thought - i.e the 4-5 years does not bother me so much, but I think you should also be changing the oil once a year - stamp or no stamp.Unfortunately some people have irrational obsessions with stamps in a book. Without those stamps these people will get upset. These people are the type that buy old low mileage porsche.
If it upsets you then it will upset future buyers.
Sounds like you need to hold out for a stamped book.
Edited by was8v on Sunday 28th April 21:16
15-20 year old cars that have only done 20,000 miles or so (especially a car as usable as a 911) have basically be abandoned at some stage, either in or outside a garage.
A higher mileage car than has been through regular heat cycles will give you much better service unless you are buying for a static exhibit in a museum.
A higher mileage car than has been through regular heat cycles will give you much better service unless you are buying for a static exhibit in a museum.
treacle said:
I think I am somewhere between both schools of thought - i.e the 4-5 years does not bother me so much, but I think you should also be changing the oil once a year - stamp or no stamp.
Unnecessary with modern oils and low mileage IMHO, and my OPC service department agrees.Oil "wears out" through use - long chain molecules are cut by shear action and the oil thins.
Oil gets dirty - picking up wear metals, wear plastics, dirt that passe the air filter etc etc. This dirt is pumped through the engine, frequent changes in use help to minimise wear from this.
These are the two reasons to change oil, with modern synthetic oils usually its just picked up plenty of dirt.
Oil sitting in the sump does no go off, it is not hydroscopic -does not absorb moisture from the air, so the oil itself will be fine.
However on a car that sits for long periods between starts - this long period of time allows all the oil to drain off all the internal surfaces. These are then free to corrode with moisture in the air, leading to increased wear and adding a film of dirt that gets picked up by the oil on startup. These surfaces are also unprotected on startup, leading to increased wear.
So if you want a low mileage car, its best to find a car that has been started frequently even if not driven very far, rather than a car that has sat doing nothing for 12 months in between stamping the service book.
Its horses for courses but personally I would take a looked after average miles car over a low miler.
Oil gets dirty - picking up wear metals, wear plastics, dirt that passe the air filter etc etc. This dirt is pumped through the engine, frequent changes in use help to minimise wear from this.
These are the two reasons to change oil, with modern synthetic oils usually its just picked up plenty of dirt.
Oil sitting in the sump does no go off, it is not hydroscopic -does not absorb moisture from the air, so the oil itself will be fine.
However on a car that sits for long periods between starts - this long period of time allows all the oil to drain off all the internal surfaces. These are then free to corrode with moisture in the air, leading to increased wear and adding a film of dirt that gets picked up by the oil on startup. These surfaces are also unprotected on startup, leading to increased wear.
So if you want a low mileage car, its best to find a car that has been started frequently even if not driven very far, rather than a car that has sat doing nothing for 12 months in between stamping the service book.
Its horses for courses but personally I would take a looked after average miles car over a low miler.
was8v said:
However on a car that sits for long periods between starts - this long period of time allows all the oil to drain off all the internal surfaces. These are then free to corrode with moisture in the air, leading to increased wear and adding a film of dirt that gets picked up by the oil on startup. These surfaces are also unprotected on startup, leading to increased wear.
^This. Also bear in mind that the rest of the car doesn't take kindly to sitting around for long periods, either. Tyre, seal and bearing degradation, hoses perishing - there's a big list of items to potentially worry about. treacle said:
So i’ve been looking at a variety of 996/997 mid to v low mileage (10-20k) and I am surprised the amount of cars that have had one single 4-5 year period/gap showing in the service history. More often than not these gaps co-inside with minimal mileage being added.
I’ve always been of the view that even if you’re doing minimal miles you should still swap out the oil once a year amongst other essentials.
Interested to hear what others think about buying a car with large gaps and whether this would bother you or not? We’re talking 15 year old cars now, so to find a car that’s been serviced year in and year out seems to be getting harder and harder, especially as the number of owners rack up.
My intention, if I were to buy one of these cars, off the back of a PPI, would be to perform a no expense spared major service / recommission to bring things fully up to scratch, but is this enough to convince the next buyer that all is well?
If the car has been mot'd every year and you have the mot's to substantiate the mileage I wouldn't be too bothered. Especially if you are going to be doing a full no expense spared service.I’ve always been of the view that even if you’re doing minimal miles you should still swap out the oil once a year amongst other essentials.
Interested to hear what others think about buying a car with large gaps and whether this would bother you or not? We’re talking 15 year old cars now, so to find a car that’s been serviced year in and year out seems to be getting harder and harder, especially as the number of owners rack up.
My intention, if I were to buy one of these cars, off the back of a PPI, would be to perform a no expense spared major service / recommission to bring things fully up to scratch, but is this enough to convince the next buyer that all is well?
Edited by treacle on Sunday 28th April 20:56
When I bought my Carrera GT it was 10 years old, had 3500 miles on it but only had 3 stamps in the book. But it had been laid up in a collection for 5 years. It was given a no expense spared service before I took delivery and I've used it regularly and serviced it every year and it's been fine.
You may get a few dried up oil seals but by and large you should be fine.
My turbo has a gap of two years where it sat in a carcoon SORN whilst i was going through a breakup. No harm done, started first time & went straight in for a service/oil change. I struggle to see how that is a concern for any prospective owner, MOT history will show the car as off the road and mileage will stack up, showing it hasn't been run around on old oil.
treacle said:
My intention, if I were to buy one of these cars, off the back of a PPI, would be to perform a no expense spared major service / recommission to bring things fully up to scratch, but is this enough to convince the next buyer that all is well?
The problem you have is that the car will forever thus have a patchy service record and these things matter to most buyers, especially at the collector end of the market. My car gets serviced annually no matter the mileage. The last 10,000 miles has brought a £5,000 bill in total because I want it to be the best and these things need to have money spent regularly to ensure they are the best. I REALLY thought hard about mine before I bought it because it had kept to the 2 year schedule (as allowed by porsche) twice in its life. (2003 onwards)
I even have an oil change in my Golf every 6 mths. Why wouldn't you? It's a couple of hundred quid.
I personally wouldn't buy a 996 without a superb service record and lots of receipts for stuff that I would expect outside of the service schedule - condensors, brakes, pads, exhaust, manifolds, brake lines etc etc.
The reason the 996 is cheap? Because it was viewed as a bargain and has been treated thus. Most stuff on the market is junk.
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