996 for sale...good value?

[pontypool]

Just had a look at an R reg silver 996 with 65k on the clock, seems good value but as a novice would welcome some opinions...

It is a bit tatty inside but nothing terrible apart from very scuffed backs to the front seats. The front is stonechipped and there are some minor shopping trolley dings around the bodywork, again nothing you can really see from 10ft away.

Recent new clutch and other bits and pieces, however it has a partial service history: stamped at dealer and specialist apart from two years from 03 - 05...should i worry about the gap?

It seems and sounds ok for its age...its asking £23k is this indicative price of an old shed?!?

>> Edited by pontypool on Tuesday 28th February 14:54

[Merritt]

I think I would exercise some caution. Lack of OPC history is nothing to worry about if it has been serviced by a reputable independent but if you are interested I would insist on getting it checked over by 'specialist' before parting with your hard-earned.

BTW - there may be nothing to it (and NOT wanting to start another RMS thread) and as clutches do obviously wear but if the car has suffered with a recent RMS failure, it may have contaminated the old clutch hence requiring the change. My point here is that a number of people who experience RMS problems once, do see them again at some point and you should budget for around £800 for a seal change if you get the problem. As I say - its reasonably unlikely but worth checking anyway especially if a fair bit of history has gone missing.

Steve

[barryjwoo]

Think another couple of grand would give you choice of better cared for cars with FSH. All IMO of ocurse.

[themonster]

seems overpriced to me. for that money you should be able to get a tidy '98 car with fsh.

why oh why oh why do people not get their cars serviced for extended periods - would the kind of person that has not bothered with that look after the car generally?

[pontypool]

thanks for the replies.

The guy selling seems very genuine, met him at his workplace; but the gap in history seemed a bit odd, although lots of other paperwork for it including last service invoice of £2.5k! (i guess that's why he is selling) original purchas invoice, etc... and he has had it since end of '02 so not a multi-owner money pit.

Also I think maybe there is at least £1k to come off during haggling....

Does it still bode ill (bearing in mind I currently run an V8 Range Rover I am used to appalling running costs)?

[Merritt]

pontypool said:

thanks for the replies. The guy selling seems very genuine, met him at his workplace; but the gap in history seemed a bit odd, although lots of other paperwork for it including last service invoice of £2.5k! (i guess that's why he is selling) original purchas invoice, etc... and he has had it since end of '02 so not a multi-owner money pit. Also I think maybe there is at least £1k to come off during haggling.... Does it still bode ill (bearing in mind I currently run an V8 Range Rover I am used to appalling running costs)?

2.5k for the last service?? What was wrong with it?

BTW - one of the easiest ways to tell what sort of state it is really in is to get your nearest OPC to do a 111 point check (ie. the one they do before offering you a warranty).. If it passes this, it means the OPC is prepared to offer you a warranty (at a cost of around £725) but they obviously won't offer this to a car with lots of existing problems! The check should cost around £250 I believe.

So in short - if you like the car, don't be scared off by it - get it checked out. You might even be able to get a lot more knocked off the price if there is other things that need doing..

Steve

[vesuvius996]

Agreed. Pay for a 111 point check. They will pick up EVERYTHING right down to missing spare fuses in the fusebox.

Then buy the warranty.

[DucatiGary]

Mileage = irrelevant

Full history = priceless

[DucatiGary]

also multi owner is nothing to worry about, its common place with any top end supercar, buy a car for 6 months, look after it then buy a new toy.

if its single owner several years old with low milage, then id worry, no one has been changing "consumables"

to sell a car you need to prove its been loved, to sell it 4-5 times over you need to prove its been really loved, people need to realise milage and number of owners dont mean anything with a 911 as long as its been loved and you can prove it.

[Deutscher]

pontypool said:

1. It is a bit tatty inside 2. very scuffed backs to the front seats. 3. The front is stonechipped 4. there are some minor shopping trolley dings around the bodywork 5. It has a partial service history: >> Edited by pontypool on Tuesday 28th February 14:54

Five reasons not to buy it. For that money you could get a good one.

[vesuvius996]

On reflection....


1. It is a bit tatty inside

So not looked after in the oily bits department either, probably, and gives a bad impression of the car

2. very scuffed backs to the front seats.

So someone had it who doesn't care enough to spend a fiver and ten minutes on some leather cream??

3. The front is stonechipped

Fair enough, but if you're a perfectionist it will annoy you

4. there are some minor shopping trolley dings around the bodywork

Again fair enough, but ditto

5. It has a partial service history:

Would scare me right off. Who in their right mind leaves a car like this unserviced? Someone who either doesn't care, or can't afford to run it properly, that's who.


I it were me I would save a little longer and get a good one - it will pay off in the end.

There is no such thing as a cheap Porsche.

[r1_jon]

Sounds overpriced to me, given I've just been offered £25k trade in on my 2000 C2 with 42k on the clock. Admittedly mine is quite low spec in terms of options, but it is in incredibly good condition in comparison to others I've seen.

Drop me a mail if you might be interested in mine, I would rather let someone else get a good deal then let some dealer make his margin when I trade in.

[disco1]

I am no expert but there is a lovely looking silver C4 996 on the classifieds for £24k. The spoiler or even the car itself isn't everyones cup of tea especially if you are a pureist but I class it as 'eye porn'.

Right, I off to clobber myself in Burberry and Kappa!

[pontypool]

Thanks r1_jon have sent you a message!

On balance i have been convinced that the missing service history and tatty nature is indicative of someone that obviously didn't conisder it a Pride & Joy machine - i am not going to be the one to find out the horrors that he didn't pay to sort!