996 owners check in

I have a problem.  Every time I buy a car, I strip it down and meticulously clean, recondition, and upgrade it.  Once it is done, I’m bored.  That leads me to where I’m at with my 330i ZHP.  It’s the perfect street/track, take-the-kids-to-school sleeper.  It needs nothing...including my continued mechanical inputs. 

It’s almost spring and I’ve got the 911 itch.  Bad.

Interested in hearing first-hand ownership experiences from GRM members. Specifically from anyone who has experience with both the base Carrera and C4S. (I’m leaning toward the C4S.)

Yeah..l know about the IMS.  I’m plenty capable of installIng an IMS Solution at home. In my sick way, almost looking forward to it.

Or tell me I’m crazy and to run.

They crash well if you get bounced into a concrete barrier at speed...

C4, not C4S. Same problems apply, though: https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/daily-driving-a-cheap-porsche-911-996-what-could-possibly-go-wrong/92344/page1/

IMS isn't the only problem, and not necessarily the most expensive one to catch before it explodes, either.

I wouldn't mind another, but if I ever pull the trigger again on one it'll be a turbo or GT3.

120k and outside of the alternator, as reliable as a Toyota. Just rear tires and oil changes make it more expensive. Change fluids and filters and drive the snot out of it. Go fo a high mileage one. They will have the least problems. These cars don't like to sit. Use the best oil. Rev the snot out of them! And enjoy! Stuff the morons who think these are worse then air cools to drive. I've DDed both. The 996 is more reliable, cheaper, easier and more fun. Still own the '76 because I love it. But, I'd never DD a air cooled again. Of course I'm no longer 20 either.

I cant recommend the 996TT enough, underpriced, reliable, powerful, handling. Do not buy an auto for resale value.

I cant believe these are still out there under $40K

I can't speak personally, but a close friend had a '99 for a few years and mostly he just bought tires and changed the oil.  Early on, he spent a lot getting all the coolant hoses replaced, but he doesn't do his own work.  It would probably have been pretty reasonable for a DiYer.  His was Tiptronic, and IIRC he owned it from ~25k miles to ~60k miles with the coolant line replacement being the biggest expense other than tires.  It did seem to go through tires quickly considering he didn't drive it all that hard.

In reply to aussiesmg :

Good ones are going up in price, at least out here. Cars that were $30k-$35k a few years back are now $40k-$45k. The under $35k market is pretty much all salvage/rebuilt title.

In reply to Rodan :

They eat tires like nobody's business. My C4 went through a set of rear Blizzaks in 5500 miles. Three season tires lasted longer, but still in the 10k-15k range. Fronts last about twice as long.

BoxheadCougarTim said:

In reply to Rodan :

They eat tires like nobody's business. My C4 went through a set of rear Blizzaks in 5500 miles. Three season tires lasted longer, but still in the 10k-15k range. Fronts last about twice as long.

Reminds me of my MR2s.  

I feel like the 996 is in the same place the SCs were ~2000:  derided in the marketplace and all needing some upgrades.  Surely nice 996 values will remain flat or even appreciate?

The coolant hose thing is replace as necessary. Rear tires are short lived. Fronts, however....I ended up replacing the MIchelin Pilot Sport Cups on the front of mine due to sidewall cracking. Still had good treat and had seen some track time. Rears are 10-15k no matter the brand. We all rather have a TT or GR3 but I'm not rich and mine just keeps going. Plenty quick enough. Oh, and the 996/2 is much better in oh so many ways. 

In reply to Tyler H :

How much would you be selling your ZHP for when the time comes? 

markwemple said:

 Oh, and the 996/2 is much better in oh so many ways. 

I would like to hear more about this.  I love the more elemental shape of the 911, sans wings, in all generations.  But the big brakes and upgraded suspension of the C4S speak to me.  It the C4S worth the extra loot?

clutchsmoke said:

In reply to Tyler H :

How much would you be selling your ZHP for when the time comes? 

IDK...it has new Apex arc-8 wheels, new tires, Redish rear subframe mount weld-in reinforcements, all new bushings, GC coilovers, diffsonline 3-clutch LSD, and on and on. I paid $10k for it from fellow GRMer dyintorace a couple years ago before the full suspension, bushing refit, coilovers, etc. I’d like to get $10k back out of it. I think I put 11k miles on it in 2.5 years.

I've only put 10k miles on my 996 so far. In that time the only thing ive 'had' to fix is the starter/alternator wire which seems to be a common issue. I bought a $20 crimper and some $3 welding cable lugs (harbor freight) and just crimped new ends onto the stock wire and put it back together.

It has issues that i simply don't have to fix. Neither window regulator works exactly right (they auto up/down a bit for door opening), there are some dead pixels on my HVAC screen, swaybar endlinks are noisy, it thinks my engine bay temp is too high when it isnt, cam variance is out of spec (from what i remember from scanning it one time after i bought it), 2nd gear is a little funny, my valve covers and rear main are leaking. 

Honestly, it has a normal amount of problems for a car its age, but if i had to make it perfect and pay someone to do it it would cost me thousands. I'm going to drop the drivetrain and do all the leak/chain guide/ims/clutch/2nd gear issues simultaneously and if i was billing for it it'd probably be $4500+parts.  I'll fix it all myself as time and motivation allow and probably only be $1500 over the 12k i bought it for. I drove it home 10 minutes ago and i still love it.

No experience with the C4. I'm tempted to think that i would prefer it because i would be the one guy who actually did do at least one drag launch every time he drove it. But, then if it broke i might wish it was a c2, so who knows. 

C4 is just the Carrera 4. C4S is the turbo without the wing and the M96. The 996/2 is the 02-04 model. It has the v3.6, improved gear box, different headlights and a lot of interior trim bits changed. Most of it is subtle. It's all online, but they have been more reliable.

In reply to Vigo :

The window thing is usually the micro switch or regulator. The 2nd gear should be a fluid change thing.

markwemple said:

C4 is just the Carrera 4. C4S is the turbo without the wing and the M96. The 996/2 is the 02-04 model. It has the v3.6, improved gear box, different headlights and a lot of interior trim bits changed. Most of it is subtle. It's all online, but they have been more reliable.

But driving dynamics:  2 or 4(S)?

I prefer 2wd. I think it's something you have to try for yourself.

C4S's are up in the 997.1 price range. I still see 996 Carrara S's going under $20k for now. They're  creeping up. 

I keep forgetting Vigo has a 996.

yupididit said:

C4S's are up in the 997.1 price range. I still see 996 Carrara S's going under $20k for now. They're  creeping up. 

I keep forgetting Vigo has a 996.

I don’t think there is a 996 Carerra 2S.  I haven’t seen a 996 C4S under $24k. Is a 997.1 worth the price hike?  Seems like $30k the floor on the 997. Once you’re  up to $30, I would rather kick in a smidge more for a 996TT...which puts it outside of my track car wad up threshold.

In reply to Tyler H :

You know what, it's just carerra no s. Though the carrera and c4s had the same engine. 

Most c4s I see are going high 20s low 30s.

Here's a mid 20s 996 c4s and a high 20s 997 911s . Is the c4s really 10k better than the carerra? Minus the wide body. And as good as a 997.1?

I say get a 996 that's still in the mid teens and drive it hard. 

The 996tt aren't typically in the 30s unless they're auto cabs or salvage/rebuilt title. Idk if 45k vs 30k is a smidge lol

Have owned mine for a few years now. Still a blast to drive, has been very reliable. I replaced some loud sway bar end links and also some oxygen sensors. I picked up a rattle in a cat that I have been ignoring. I am trying to stunt my kids’ growth to keep the car viable. No vitamins, and coffee for everyone!

Jcamper

Youse guys get me all lathered up about these things and then y'all drop the 'it's unbelievable how cheap they are at some five figure sum' and I walk away dazed.  For $40k I'd be looking to design a fun car not buy one.  But if I ever could afford one I'd certainly buy one of these porkers. 

No major issues with my C4.  The auto-down-window-when-you-open-the-door on the passenger side stopped working.  It's the window track that breaks when that happens.  So I replaced that for.. seems like it was around $150.  I had to replace the front lower control arms.  Also a pretty cheap fix.  The rest of the stuff I've done was not necessary:  underdrive pulley, gutted mufflers/bypass pipes, steering wheels, litronic headlights, Durametric.  I forgot to disconnect the battery when I fixed the window and got a side airbag light, so instead of having the dealer clear it, I bought Durametric and did it (and more) myself.

My C4 has been great, though with 3 kids and a wife, I'm think of selling it due to lack of use.  Despite having a "back seat", it's really a two place vehicle.

My 997 is my first awd 911 and I love it. It's wonderful. Feels like you have to force it to put a foot wrong. On the track, it gets the power down so effectively and so early, it claws its way out of the corner.

As for 996, I've only ever had rwd. Great cars, even with the IMS stuff. The C4S is basically my car with the turbo suspension and brakes. Keep in mind that these are no longer really fast cars. They were respectable performers in their day. Nowadays, base Caymans will pass you.

I do not think that a C4S is 10k better than a regular C2. But I do really really love the reflector strip across the back. :)

In reply to Lugnut :

A modern Cayman MAY be faster, but isn't as good a DD and is, potentially, 4Xs as much $$. THe 996 is a sick bargain now and will go up. Hell, 924s have gone up, as have 914s and they are bastard children. The 914 being a VW and the 924 being an Audi that the parent corp bailed on.