Hi,
I just moved to the US, to the Houston area to be precise and I am looking for a 996 Turbo. I have read the forum for a while and I think I have a reasonable understanding of the weak points but I have only driven a 996 twice, one n/a and one Turbo (in dense traffic, so basically n/a as well).

Fixing cars is my hobby and I have a Durametric and most tools but I would like to meet up with the local enthusiasts and get some first hand advice. The Turbo I drove was heavily modified and ran like a bag of spanners (hard knocking, cold and warm, sounded like piston slap, Dealer tells me they all sound like this...I call BS. It would be great to hear what a healthy engine sounds like.

Also, I have just bought 2 "reasonable" cars as DD and after dealing with the local car dealers I'd rather buy from an enthusiast.

I am looking for
- coupe
- Manual
- stock as in always stock, unmolested
- a full history
- any color but black

I am originally from Germany and would like to take the car back in a couple of years and it will be a nightmare to get it through inspection if it is modded.
I am happy to pay a premium for a well kept car, looking to spend around 45K.
So, please let me know if you have one for sale or if you would be interested to meet for a quick chat.

Thanks, Eric.

 

Buy a well modded car and enjoy It while in Texas. Just buy a car with the OE parts included (like mine ��) and return to stock before returning to the mother land. Texas is a hot bed for fast cars, enjoy it while you're here.

 

Welcome, welcome. Good luck on the hunt.

To help us help you, what kind of advice are you seeking from local enthusiasts? I am assuming performance mods that don't impact reliability? If your ultimate goal is to modify anything, then you might find good value in a car that already has some done for you in advance.

-V

 

Welcome. Let me know if you need a realtor.

 

how much 996TT cost in Germany? dont you have to change the rear bumper for the lic plates?

I agree its better to buy the car from the individual , BTW black is sexy

 

Thanks for the replies. Regarding engine mods: For me the stock setup would be plenty fast and I would rather seek to improve my cornering before I make the car even faster. I also know that modding decreases the reliability and ultimately I want to drive the car in Germany at its topspeed. If something gives at 300 km/h you end up pulverized. A stock car does not guarantee to be fail-safe but the likelihood is higher.

 

Hi WOT,
There are plenty of 996/7s running around here with mods. Reliably.
If you keep your mods to around 600FWHP, reliability is hardly an issue - even at WOT on the Autobahn. And possibly aside from an exhaust, nearly everything at that level can be made to look stock.

Suspension and brake mods will cause TüV headaches as well.

I would not let these worries stop me from having fun. Take each hurdle as it comes. And there are numerous people even on this board who can point you in the right direction to finding someone to help register the car in De.

 

I've been watching this one for a while.
https://austin.craigslist.org/cto/5069533966.html

 

My concern regarding engine mods is that Porsche upgraded the intercoolers for the X50 version, a meager 30HP increase over the base model, and some people here are running 1.1bar without anything to manage heat (please correct me if I'm wrong). The engineer in me tells me to stay away from increased boost if you want to get a 100k miles out of the engine. Happy to be proven wrong. :-)

 

X50 intercooler upgrade was a joke i have a few on the shop floor.

intercooler upgrade in the Texas heat is a great idea, but most people who drive these cars do so in short bursts. and the ones who dont, have made those necessary updates to manage the heat. and the stock tube n fin style coolers dont heat soak much cause they dont have a huge thick plate to heat.

 

hardly "proof", but rather anecdotal real world example.

130k miles. 575/600 rwhp. no issues. 1.2 cargraphic tune that is + 10 years old rwd with most bolt on's running x50 i/c's in +100 temps many track miles, w peeled calipers paint to prove it

zero reliability issues and fast as any stock 997 turbo S

add: osinpectors valid point re "short bursts" is well taken however.

 

WOTever,
Welcome to Houston. I'm in NE Houston about 30-40 minutes from the Woodlands traffic depending. I've got stock tt w 40k miles that you can check out if you want. I'll try and email you contact inof.
Steve