Nick: good point, thanks.

 

thanks for the info bud. PM'd on that DB :-)

 

Be sure to read posts from the discount buyers and see the maintenance done after purchase= big dollars. Buy a good car with records of regular maintenance and do not try to buy the cheapest car you can find.

 

pm'd you

 

Any thoughts on this car? Its local-ish to me, about 2 hour drive. The closest one, actually.

http://www.cosmomotorsonline.com/det...-12472412.html

Carfax @ http://www.carfax.com/VehicleHistory...AB299X3S687024

I'm no mechanic but seeing things like this on the carfax sort of scares me like they were chasing issues:

Clutch master cylinder replaced
Oil pressure sender/switch replaced
Spark plug(s) replaced (@ 28k?)
Engine compression checked
Oil pressure sender/switch replaced
Engine oil pressure checked

 

The oil pressure sender switch can go bad on these cars. There are a lot of threads on this issue. Mine is bad and occasionally I get a zero oil pressure reading, but never the dreaded read light, which means you have no more oil in your car by the time you realize things are going bad.

Spark plugs at 28K is probably too soon, but not unusual. You'll hear of many people on the forum doing plugs every two years as a routine maintenance. Some will also change coil packs at the same time.

Clutch master cylinder replacement seems odd stand alone at that low mileage, but it might have just been bad. I replaced mine when I did a GT2 slave conversion kit. Something you may want to consider in the future.

All that being said, I think low to mid $40s for an 04 with that mileage isn't bad. I paid $40K two years ago for an 02 with 77K miles. That was probably too much, but I wanted the car more.

Get a pre purchase inspection if you can, which will help reduce some of the stress on getting into these expensive cars. If you can work the wrenches there is a lot of DIY on these cars.

 

great post with great information. thank you for that.

I'm reading/searching as much as I can. I've learned alot since I posted this original thread. I knew I should have waited to post :-)

thanks again

 

Info sent. Don't be afraid to buy a higher mileage car at a steep discount. Just make sure anything it needed was attended to by a dealer or reputable independent P mechanic. You'll see the steep discount I got on the car I bought. Other than the rear spoiler issue, it has made a great street and track car! Why pay for the routine known maintenance issues and depreciation as you drive it. Let the prior owner fund it!

 

I always think it is odd how many owners and enthusiasts on here say so many things that does so much to drive down the prices and cheapen the 996 platform.


It is quickly becoming the Honda Civic of the Porsche marque.

 

I do have have to agree with this, though I love my 996, it sucks that it's slowly getting to that point.

 

Better sell it to me then! Thanks

 

Yes Engine Guy the owners are their own worst enemy. As owners we should realize the value and hold prices up not try to get fellow owners prices driven down with comments low balling etc. You have people that buy cheap and all you have to do is wait and read their threads= nothing but problems and money spent. I agree about the Honda Civic people abuse/beat these cars like a dirty rug. When the time comes in 10-20 years a clean/stock 996tt will be on peoples shopping list with prices that will surprise= laugh at the crazy old man but just wait and see. Oh yea I will be dead and my car probably sold to someone who will give it the Honda treatment so I'm not trying to hold onto mine for an investment just adding an opinion lol.

 

I must live in a low rent neighborhood then. My car turns heads everywhere I go.

 

I don't believe anyone (on here any way) would argue that its still a great looking car it just doesn't get the respect it deserves especially from owners..

 

i would reverse that. it gets ALL the respect from owners since we know what we've got..and less from those that don't "know" what we do and it's becoming the "miata" of the porsche marquee aka: the "cheap *** anyone can get in em

i think ( mine anyways lol ) looks baddass .