I’ve been taking a look on auto trader and eBay for a 996 911 Turbo. What are some basic things to look out for when searching for one? How much does a 03 or 04 with average miles on it with a clean title go for? Thinking of selling the 335i and getting a 996, what do you guys think about the 996 as a DD even through the winter time? I’m located in Canada but I will be purchasing one from the states. A few friends of mine have mentioned about the DME pre-inspection scans before purchasing one, just in-case of any over revs and harshly driven Porsches. I primarily want a 996 Turbo because of its ability to easy bolt-on turbo upgrades. What are some known things to look out for, on an automatic or 6MT 911 turbo? I do not necessarily need the X50 package as in the near future I will do the k24/18g upgrade or whatever other kits which are out there.
Please advise, thanks in advance.

 

I'm just going to comment on the DD part, as others are more knowledgeable than I.

I bought my 04 X50 Cab Tip (automatic) about 14 months ago specifically because it can be a DD. I drive it every day. 3 inches of snow or less on the streets and you're just fine. More than that and you're not. So, it depends on how good snow removal is in your area. I live in Iowa and it is great. This winter we had one day I couldn't drive (so my wife took me to work in her E320 4Matic).

I would strongly recommend a set of extra wheels and true snow tires. Makes a HUGE difference. Worth every penny. I run the Pirellis on the 996 and the Blizzaks on our E55. Both work very well.

So, go for it.

 

If you wish to drive it in the snow here in Toronto make sure you get great snow tires put on it. Things to keep in mind is there is very little cargo space, not really meant for more then 2 people in the car at a time...back seats are small even for a child. This is a true performance car & is fairly rough ride so you have to understand some of the draw back for it being a daily driver.

I have recently bought two 996 TT Cabs in the last 3 months, both with 8,000 miles & were high 50's & low 60's. For something with 30,000 - 40,000 miles you can probably find something for high 40's low 50's from what I have seen.

I am sure others will have different opinions but this is just my 2 cents.

 

I have summer tires and it's a DD. There is a thread you can search for and see the pics of me driving around in up to 6" of snow.
Just be real careful and take your time. This is an Awesome DD!

 

As popular as 24/18g hybrids are, the Tial A28 outspools it by a significant margin and delivers similar top end pull.

That said if you have your eyes set on a 24/18g an X50 is or TurboS is the best starting point.

 

What are the differences of the X50 and the other generations of 996s? If I don't get the x50 will I be losing out on upgrading potential?
I can still bolt on aftermarket turbos with ECU flash even if I don’t have the X50 package right?
I live in Toronto, so I am 100% sure I will be getting a set of nice 19’s for the summer and a set of 17’s strictly for winter.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tscales

I'm just going to comment on the DD part, as others are more knowledgeable than I.

How do you like the tiptronic on the car? Is it responsive and have you encountered any problems with it, as many automatic sports cars do have some tranny failures eg. My old bmw....
Or should I just stick to finding myself a 6MT and playing it safe with it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by bambam996

If you wish to drive it in the snow here in Toronto make sure you get great snow tires put on it. Things to keep in mind is there is very little cargo space, not really meant for more then 2 people in the car at a time...back seats are small even for a child. This is a true performance car & is fairly rough ride so you have to understand some of the draw back for it being a daily driver.

I don’t have kids, and I’m not married yet so I don’t see it as a problem. Although some trunk space would be nice...

What is the best year to purchase a 996 that will last me a good 3-4 years?
Thanks for the input guys, I really appreciate it

 

If you are looking to mod a 996, it is always cheaper to buy one that someone has already done themselve, you will save yourself thousands. When I bought mine I was thinking of getting a flash & exhaust however after driving the car I realized there was lots of car there to drive. My plan is to drive it for a year or so & just enjoy how much power is there before I start putting more money into it. You will be surprised at how fast a stock 996 TT is.

 

Very true. I've seen plenty speeding down the roads in Toronto! Even the 335i is very fast after a flash and exhaust. But I've always dreamed about owning a 996. I remember seeing it when it first debut at the 2000 Canadian Toronto AutoShow, I was very young back then but I then immediately knew I had to get that car when I was older. Arctic Silver, with dark tints and original 996 turbo wheels. I think your right, I should just stick to looking for some clean stock 996 turbos before thinking of doing any upgrades.

 

Lots available in the US in great shape, not so many available here in Canada. All depends what you want/are willing to spend.

 

True that. 150mph is attainable in a stock car no sweat.

 

Also when you put 19's on you will stiffen up the ride even more as you will need a very low profile tire. I have 997 turbo rims on mine & noticed a difference after I took the stock 996 18's off of it.

That being said, damn do the 19's look so much better!

 

Good luck on the search. I would like to mirror the comments about driving the car stock initially. I just got mine and was really surprised at the speed. Mine is an x50 and when the boost kicks in, it is just nirvana. I know I can flash later, but the first thing I did when I got mine last month was to do a major service, put on fresh rubber, replace the diverter valves and install a PSS10 suspension. From everything I read, the suspension is a weak link and boy they were not kidding, the suspension upgrade made a WORLD of difference.

 

I just recently went through the process of looking for a TT and after 3 months of looking at Autotrader, Ebay, Craigslist and 6Speedonline found two very similar cars to choose from. Both were 2001's with 25K miles and lots of upgrades. I went for the one with PSS9 Coil-overs, GT3 sway bars, HRE wheels, a $10K stereo system, and an installed radar detector and laser jammer. Those were all things I was going to buy anyway and was able to get the whole package for $45K. The car had absolutely no engine mods which I felt was a plus since it probably meant the car was not driven abusively. Coil-overs are a must so buy a car with them if you can. The car had originally been set up to race handling which Colin at Cantrell Motorsports http://www.cantrellmotorsport.com/index.html described my car's ride as exactly like the GT3 set-up; very hard. He re-aligned the car, set the adjustable sway bars to maximum firm and set the coil-overs to a much softer setting. Now the car drives like a dream, still no body sway, but so much softer over the bumps. Also,when I first got the car it felt like it had more than enough acceleration, but wanted more after only a few days so had Kevin at Ultimate Motor Werks http://www.ultimatemotorwerks.com/index.html sell me an ECU flash which bumped the HP up over 100 HP and I now get 1.2 bars with the stock exhaust. That gave it amazing power and I thought that would be enough; until the next day. Now I want more, so am looking at exhausts. At this point I wonder if it would have been better to buy one that has the power mods including exhaust and upgraded turbos. There is one for sale in the Seattle area I drove with 600+ HP for sale. I know the mechanic that did the engine work so know it is a good car. If you are interested I can send you a link to the ad in Craigslist. Let me know, and good luck.