996 Carrera 4S
Discussion
Evening all - please forgive this first post to the Porsche section, but I am hoping to take the plunge into a 996 C4S and wanted general thoughts.
I convinced myself a while ago that I preferred the looks and overall drive of the 996 C4S to an early 997 - to me they just somehow look a wee bit more special and the ones that I have driven in the past felt great.
My budget is a bit under £20k and I really want a manual car, which limits the choice a bit. I am planning to use it as a daily driver so I need something reliable, but there aren’t many at this price point under 100k - should I be concerned by mileage as long as the history is good?
All the available ones seem to be silver, grey or black. I actually quite like the silver and black, but really had my heart set on a red one - so these command a premium when they come up?
If anyone has something they would consider selling that is not currently on the market then feel free to get in touch!
Finally, I will have £1-£2k per annum set aside for maintenance, so I am not being totally unrealistic about the ownership costs, but am I being totally mental looking to run such an ageing car?
I convinced myself a while ago that I preferred the looks and overall drive of the 996 C4S to an early 997 - to me they just somehow look a wee bit more special and the ones that I have driven in the past felt great.
My budget is a bit under £20k and I really want a manual car, which limits the choice a bit. I am planning to use it as a daily driver so I need something reliable, but there aren’t many at this price point under 100k - should I be concerned by mileage as long as the history is good?
All the available ones seem to be silver, grey or black. I actually quite like the silver and black, but really had my heart set on a red one - so these command a premium when they come up?
If anyone has something they would consider selling that is not currently on the market then feel free to get in touch!
Finally, I will have £1-£2k per annum set aside for maintenance, so I am not being totally unrealistic about the ownership costs, but am I being totally mental looking to run such an ageing car?
Sounds fine to me, tho admittedly haven't scoured the market for a red C4S.
I wouldn't be out off by miles, especially if on a budget. If you get a low mile car you'll pay for the privilege and then lose that value as you start using it. And you'll probably need to spend a similar amount on it as age takes a toll as do miles.
Just make sure it has a decent history and you can see evidence of money being spent on it. Get a decent PPI done so you know eyes open what you're getting. Of course, can't guarantee that things won't go wrong, but 1-2k per year is about right for general plus a bit of preventative maintenance.
I wouldn't be out off by miles, especially if on a budget. If you get a low mile car you'll pay for the privilege and then lose that value as you start using it. And you'll probably need to spend a similar amount on it as age takes a toll as do miles.
Just make sure it has a decent history and you can see evidence of money being spent on it. Get a decent PPI done so you know eyes open what you're getting. Of course, can't guarantee that things won't go wrong, but 1-2k per year is about right for general plus a bit of preventative maintenance.
I owned one from 11-14 and loved it
I agree they look better than the 997, especially from the rear
320hp sounds modest by today's standards but instant response and fantastic traction
Interior dated now but try to get one with the PCM screen
From what I recall service was every 2 years and 1k-2k. Tyres and brakes the main costs. Car tyres 295cm so costly.
[edit: probably should do oil change annually regardless]
Buy from a good indie with warranty or do PPI (or both!)
Service at indies as OPC pretty hopeless in my experience (and a friend who has owned about ten 911s)
Can't recall ever seeing a red one but wouldn't imagine a premium. Metallic blue looks amazing but not many around (mine was basalt black).
PSE a must for me - should be "on" at start up
I agree they look better than the 997, especially from the rear
320hp sounds modest by today's standards but instant response and fantastic traction
Interior dated now but try to get one with the PCM screen
From what I recall service was every 2 years and 1k-2k. Tyres and brakes the main costs. Car tyres 295cm so costly.
[edit: probably should do oil change annually regardless]
Buy from a good indie with warranty or do PPI (or both!)
Service at indies as OPC pretty hopeless in my experience (and a friend who has owned about ten 911s)
Can't recall ever seeing a red one but wouldn't imagine a premium. Metallic blue looks amazing but not many around (mine was basalt black).
PSE a must for me - should be "on" at start up
Mileage is not the concern it’s whether costly items that wear during that 50-100k period have been addressed. Clutch, tyres and brake pads/discs are obvious but it’s the suspensions bits and various sensors, starter motor etc. Parts are very expensive.
Get a proper PPI by someone like 9E but don’t be shocked if the shopping list is 5k+ which may include things you can spread over 2 or 3 years
Don’t pay a premium for red, they are rare as not many owners wanted them so supply/demand ratio similar to common silver/grey/black which most want
Get a proper PPI by someone like 9E but don’t be shocked if the shopping list is 5k+ which may include things you can spread over 2 or 3 years
Don’t pay a premium for red, they are rare as not many owners wanted them so supply/demand ratio similar to common silver/grey/black which most want
The following could be a good move, if the re-build has been done correctly -
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Thank you all for your help.
I will look into a PPI on anything that I am considering. Will also ditch the red idea for now and look for the best car that I can afford, rather than being colour specific. Other than PSE, are there any other must have options? I guess the sat nav is all outdated anyway now? I quite like the aluminium pack and the silver dials, but a bit like the colour, I recognise it is more imprtant to get a sound car than a well specced bad one!
I will look into a PPI on anything that I am considering. Will also ditch the red idea for now and look for the best car that I can afford, rather than being colour specific. Other than PSE, are there any other must have options? I guess the sat nav is all outdated anyway now? I quite like the aluminium pack and the silver dials, but a bit like the colour, I recognise it is more imprtant to get a sound car than a well specced bad one!
Mr Micawber said:
Thank you all for your help.
I will look into a PPI on anything that I am considering. Will also ditch the red idea for now and look for the best car that I can afford, rather than being colour specific. Other than PSE, are there any other must have options? I guess the sat nav is all outdated anyway now? I quite like the aluminium pack and the silver dials, but a bit like the colour, I recognise it is more imprtant to get a sound car than a well specced bad one!
I think that's wise - options wise I would look for PSE, Bose and sunroof. Personally I also like heated seats and the ali pack (small or large) and ali handbrake/gearshift - it breaks up the monotony of a black interior.I will look into a PPI on anything that I am considering. Will also ditch the red idea for now and look for the best car that I can afford, rather than being colour specific. Other than PSE, are there any other must have options? I guess the sat nav is all outdated anyway now? I quite like the aluminium pack and the silver dials, but a bit like the colour, I recognise it is more imprtant to get a sound car than a well specced bad one!
don't worry about PCM now - its so old tech you are better off with Waze or Google on your phone, or spending £500 on a modern double DIN unit
philnotts said:
The following could be a good move, if the re-build has been done correctly -
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
^ try & buy one if possible that has had a rebuild as they fetch little more than a car that hasn’t been done but give you peace of mind. Hartech are amongst the well known engine rebuilders. I suggest you get over to 911uk as forum members often sell cars without fully advertising them & you can get a PPI done & save some £s over a dealer.https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
A red C4S will be rare. I've seen more red 996.1 than .2 and even they are pretty damn rare and fetch a premium. As you are finding out, silver, grey, black and blue were popular at the time.
Maintenance will matter more than mileage but I guess everyone has a set idea on what constitutes acceptable mileage. If it's going to be a daily driver then there's also no point paying extra for lower miles. When you say "daily driver" how many miles and what sort of use are you talking about?
PCM is crap and I don't think it's worth holding out for Bose. A modern aftermarket single DIN with bluetooth and an Alpine speaker upgrade will be better than Bose. When I was looking PSE was pretty rare and the ones I did find the valve was either stuck open or closed. There are lots of after market exhaust options that won't break the bank so I also wouldn't consider PSE an essential.
PPI IS EEEEESSSENTIAL. I can not stress that enough. I bought my 996.1 c4 in summer and on first inspection it seemed pretty clean. I had it PPI'd which brought up just over £5,000 of essential work. Since then I have had a few other little niggles that would probably have cost about £1500 had I not fixed them myself.
Running one on £1k - £2k a year can be done if you either buy a really good one and have a cheap mechanic or aren't that fussy and can do the work yourself.
Maintenance will matter more than mileage but I guess everyone has a set idea on what constitutes acceptable mileage. If it's going to be a daily driver then there's also no point paying extra for lower miles. When you say "daily driver" how many miles and what sort of use are you talking about?
PCM is crap and I don't think it's worth holding out for Bose. A modern aftermarket single DIN with bluetooth and an Alpine speaker upgrade will be better than Bose. When I was looking PSE was pretty rare and the ones I did find the valve was either stuck open or closed. There are lots of after market exhaust options that won't break the bank so I also wouldn't consider PSE an essential.
PPI IS EEEEESSSENTIAL. I can not stress that enough. I bought my 996.1 c4 in summer and on first inspection it seemed pretty clean. I had it PPI'd which brought up just over £5,000 of essential work. Since then I have had a few other little niggles that would probably have cost about £1500 had I not fixed them myself.
Running one on £1k - £2k a year can be done if you either buy a really good one and have a cheap mechanic or aren't that fussy and can do the work yourself.
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