I have spent my 20s a BMW man-child and am celebrating 30 by attempting to enter the ranks of 911 ownership. At the moment, I am checking out three 996 cabs.

One is a '00, guards red on black, 6 spd manual with 43k miles

One is a '02 black on black, 6 spd manual, miles unknown (for now, waiting to hear back from the current owner)

Last one is a '00 black on black (with a hardtop), 6 spd manual and about 55-60k miles.

Ideally, I would like a standard carrera but they appear to be a bit out of my budget and market at the moment (Washington DC/NoVA).

Two things:

1) Are there any issues I should be aware of? I have heard about the IMS bearing issue and plan on changing that as soon as I buy it. Outside of that is there anything else I should be wary of?

2) Does anyone know of any 996s in the Washington DC area for sale in the sub-$20k range? Ideally a non-cab, but at this point I can get over stuff pretty quickly.

Thanks again everyone. Looking forward to learning a lot from everyone.

--
A.K.

 

If you've read about the IMSB issues then you're already hit on one of the big issues. The others are really just things that you might expect on any car that's more than 10 years old. Things wear out. Things break. I'm sure you've read about maintenance costs on a Porsche. If not, then do some searching here. You need to know what to expect.

Other than that, get a good pre-purchase inspection before you buy one and then enjoy it!

 

Thanks Dennis. From my understanding it should only be slightly pricier than the BMW for maintenance. I'm pretty comfortable with that, but please let me know if I'm off. Any idea on what the replacement of the IMSB should run?

I have the PPI being conducted by Porsche racing mechs, so I think I should be good.

Are the cabs known to have issues with the ragtops/back windows?

 

I don't have a cab, so I can't help you with that.

I just had my IMSB replaced while my clutch was being replaced, so there was no labor charged for the IMSB. It was about $700. I'm not sure how much labor would be for just the bearing.

For maintenance and wear items, I typically expect to spend $3,000 per year. Some years are higher, some are lower.

 

I don't exactly know the procedure for checking the IMS but if the clutch looks like it is in need of change, have them replace that while they're at it. No sense in having to spend double the labor if it has to be replaced down the road. Good luck and have fun driving whatever you get.

 

"Are the cabs known to have issues with the ragtops/back windows?"

I've had two Cabriolets. 993 and currently 996 TT Cab.

The only issues I've had with either had to do with the ragtop. Had to replace a front locking motor on the 993. Having a minor issue with the current one that I'm currently just living with.

I really didn't like the plastic window on the 993. My current one has a glass rear window. It's smaller but doesn't scratch.

 

My '00 cab has a hardtop and I'm really glad I got it. Looks much nicer than having the rag top up all winter, and the rear window is much bigger than on the rag top. The hard top does rattle a bit when hitting bumps, but that goes with the territory of being anchored down on three points instead of being an integral part of the car. If you're looking for a coupe but can't find one then I recommend finding a cab with the hardtop.

Having said that, when I was shopping in my area, I found cabs and coupes going for similar asking prices within their MY and mileage range, so if you want a coupe, it may just be a matter of waiting for the right one to hit the market.

 

No. They've been making cabriolets for decades... they have it dialed in. My suggestion for any new used P owner is to have the cars checked out, don't buy one that's been babied too much and ... maybe most of all... examine your bank account and disposable income. If you don't/can't set aside 2,000-5,000 a year for unexpected issues and regular maintenance... walk away. ALL used cars, especially exotics can (at any time) cost thousands. Also do searches as there are no mysteries undiscussed at length herein.

 

Thanks for the insight everyone. Yeah, spending a few grand isn't what scares me. It's just that while this is an every day exotic, it's still an exotic.

I just want to make sure I get all the facts. Taking a black cab hardtop to a local Porsche specialist tomorrow afternoon for a PPI. Here's to hoping I can have a few minor issues to knock down the price and have my new P car specialist fix for less...

 

I got my 02 C4 Cab earlier this year. The PO had the IMS bearing go out and had already paid for the engine rebuild. However, I wound up having to replace the clutch and rebuild the transmission due to a crunchy 2nd gear issue. Having done that, and routine service at 60K, the car has been trouble free and hasn't cost me anything in repairs since July.

The top did drip a bit during the flooding rains we had here in Colorado a couple of weeks ago, but other than that, no issues.

Enjoy the car, and welcome to the club!

 

I have my 2000 cab for 7 years now 59miles I replace the clutch and IMS 3000$ ,2x batterie,1 set tire, 1 alignment, oil change religiously and that it.

 

Hope all goes well with the PPI. When you find that one 996, you'll enjoy it. Just keep up with regular maintenance and you'll be fine. We've put together very useful 996 information here covering just about every aspect of the car: 996 Technical Perspective

Mark/Pelican Parts

 

Thanks everyone. The PPI tanked. Someone had beat the hell out of that car. However, the shop that did the PPI has a customer who is looking to sell his 99 or 00 carrera coupe (what I actually wanted). 50-60k mi.

Keeping my fingers crossed...

 

That's good news The best of luck, and keep us updated on the outcome.

 

I'm going to buying a silver 1999 Carrera this week or next. It belongs to another client of the Porsche specialists I found. He's already replaced the IMS. 62.5k miles. $18.5k

Now if only I could find a way to keep my BMW and shrink my house while expanding my driveway/garage...

Looking forward to getting more involved.