I'm looking at two Porsche's available in my local area. The first one is a 99 Carrera Coupe with only 27K miles w/Tiptronic automatic and is very, very clean. Not sure yet if the IMS or RMS issues have been fixed but on a vehicle with this low of miles they may have not shown up yet. Asking price is $29K. The second is a 2002 Carrera 4S with 87K miles also for $29K. This one has just had the clutch replaced, new tires, brakes and was just retimed. A lot more mile but I like the look of the 4S better than the stock 99 Carrera.

Any advice/tips on what to look for/ask. I've read some posts that said low mileage cars may have issues from not being driven enough for the major repairs/faults to have surfaced. But I've also seen where the 99 has two bearings for the IMS which would lead to a lower frequency of problems. Are IMS/RMS issues less prone for the 3.6L in the 2002 4S?

Thanks in advance!

 

You can have IMSB issues in any 996. Some people feel that the MK I cars have more issues. Some people feel that the MK II cars have more issues.

Do you prefer a manual or automatic transmission?

 

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Same answer for all used cars. Have it inspected, make sure all maintenance is up to date, make sure you are buying what you want (manual, auto..), then make your decision. There is no year or car (regardless of manufacturer) that has no potential issues. Also, do a search on this topic as there are dozens of posts answering these questions that will help you in your quest. The one thing import/exotics require is the knowledge that repairs can be costly. Enjoy the hunt.

 

Assuming a clean PPI on both cars.

the 4S is generally a more desirable car. Also manual vs. automatic. These are both personal considerations, but would tilt me in favor of the 4S.

Also, I wouldn't generally consider 87K miles on a 12 year old car 'high mileage' - just driven (which is what you want in these cars). Get the IMSB done in either case if it's going to keep you up at night.

 

For me a no brainer. I would choose the 4s. I prefer a manual transmission. I would read up how the 2002 4S is supposed to operate. Get the ppi to check that everything is working as should be.