I am looking at a 2001 996 C2, M6, 85k miles. We have agreed on $17,000. Unfortunately I have not seen the car yet as it is not local. I am definitely getting a PPI from a highly recommended shop. The car has recent clutch, brakes, tires, RMS. Unfortunately no IMS bearing upgrade.

What do you think of the miles? The price? I should be getting some high res pics soon. The car looks good in mediocre pics.

It is my understanding that by 85k miles if the IMS bearing was going to go or a cylinder sleeve was going to crack it would have by now. I would still plan on sending my oil to Blackstone for analysis to beat the IMS bearing before it start rattling around. Am I off base?

 

With a positive PPI, I may take a gamble @ $17K. Good luck.

 

My cylinder cracked at 108k. But, some others don't... I'd buy it and not get paranoid.

 

If this one made it to 108k that would be five years with my projected 6k miles per year as a semi DD. Hopefully I can get in a Turbo or 997 by then.

I am already starting to get paranoid but I keep reading the doom and gloom engine failure articles and posts.

 

very few people post saying everything is fine, if everyone whose engine was fine posted i doubt the potential problems would be as widespread as they sometimes appear

 

++1.

well said.

 

Looks like I have to hold off on my 911 anyway. Hopefully when I am back on the market I can find a 2002 like I originally wanted.

 

It all depends on what you want. If you want a 996 and don't care about anything else, buy it. Otherwise you'll have to decide whether the physical condition - inside and out - is up to YOUR standards. I've never seen a 17,000 dollar 996 that I would drive. Get a full inspection, put aside a few thousand for what comes up. Then buy one and have fun. A used Porsche is not to be bought without checking the full maintenance history and full inspection.

 

The problem with these cars is they don't look old.
Their bodies are still light-years ahead of most cars on the road. So most people forget that they're driving a (potentially) 12 year old car. That means suspension, engine mounts, tires etc have to be replaced. It may look like a new car, but it's really not. And that where people get caught-up. I know, it happened to me.