I've been looking at 997 Turbos for 2 months. Have to buy Swiss car.
I jumped on one, it is reserved for me, but now having second thoughts.

The car is specced like the following:

04.2007 manual
black
63200km (39500 miles)
Standard red brakes
Adaptive seats
Sport Chrono
Shortshifter
Rear differential
Sunroof

2 owners (last one, since car was 40000km is the dealer himself)
First owner was rich guy who has house in France, at 2000km he tuned the car in the following manner:
Sportec exhaust with sport cats (200cell)
Sportec map - 548hp/790Nm
HRE P43 20" wheels with 235/30 and 325/25
H&R springs (now 120mm from leading edge of front spoiler to the ground)
clutch was replaced at some point with something stronger
full red rear lights

Looks similar to this, but with standard Turbo wing:
http://www.hrelife.com/gal/cache/por...%2020_w900.jpg

The car had all service done at Porsche dealerships, the service book is filled in flawlessly. The big service with plug change and belts checked at 61000km.
Rear brake-pads replaced now. I know Sportec very well as my current Audi is tuned by them and they are known in Porsche circles. The car has 1 year third-party warranty on engine and transmission, this can be extended if necessary. Car passed emissions with no problems. One of the front radiators was changed because of some debris flying in, I checked and radiators look ok to me, some small dents and some bugs stuck on them. The car has not been repainted anywhere and there are clear-guards on the sides (not front, but front has no damage as far as I could see).

The dealer/owner bought the car with 40000km from Porsche centre and used it for weekend driving in summer only. Not tracked, as he has 2 track cars (KTM and Lotus), sells it because he wants to decrease his own garage (Lotus is on sale as well, dealer wants to buy 2009/2010 GT3 to trailer it to race tracks). He drove 997T to Germany and Austria to Porsche meetings and around Switzerland.
First owner did not do track as the brakes were original and not blueish (said the dealer). I spoke to dealer for several hours on two occasions, I like the guy he makes an honest impression, is very open.

I drove the car for 30 minutes on country roads in rain. It starts on half-turn, makes good noise, it goes fast, the shortshifter is great, clutch seemed to be doing just fine, brakes work fine, it is hard but not excessively.

This car is not cheap (about 108k USD), but then nothing is cheap in Switzerland. For example, stock 2007 Turbo with 60500km is 100k USD at a dealer. Stock 2007 with 120000km is 70k USD in private sale. Recently I saw 3 cars sell from dealers, silver manual 2009 with 40000km for 108k USD, 2007 manual and tuned with about 58k km for 98k USD. 2008 with 20k km for 108k. I want to go through dealer as I want to use my car as trade-in, was offered fair price for it. CHoice of cars is limited, almost no 2009s, and most cars start above 109k USD, even 2007 and 2008 models with smaller mileage.

What could be a problem with this 63000km car? Are turbos susceptible to failure at this mileage on a tuned car? Gearbox? Brakes? Is it dangerous to buy a car like this, even if it is fully serviced, tuned by reputable firm, has warranty and being sold by what looks to be an honest guy (I know, car salesmen cannot be honest, but he appeared open and honest to me and my gt, I felt confidence that car is fine talking to him).

Sorted list of cars, 2007 to 2010, manual, max 44000miles
http://www.autoscout24.ch/Search/Lis...e=AS24Extended

P.S. I like the tuning and would probably do at least exhaust myself. That is 5k USD minimum.

 

As you said, nothing is cheap in Switzerland so won't comment on that. If you like the car and all checks out I say go for it. I sold my '07 with 67,000 miles on it - it was modded, tracked a bit, but maintained flawlessly. The car was - and is, as far as I know perfect. The new owner posts here so maybe he'll comment.

I think I had two warranty issues. Maybe three. What you'll want to keep an eye on are the spark plugs. Tuned cars typically go thru plugs in 10-12,000 miles. Mine did.

You say you would probably mod. Are you getting any "discount" with these mods? If so, buy one modded. The person who bought my car paid pennies on the dollar for all the mods. Do it yourself and you're paying full price.

 

I have an 09 TT with a Sportec tune and while I like the way it improves the performance of my car, their customer service is well below par, basically non-existent (no problems with their ECU mapping, just had a few simple questions for them). This might not be an issue for you since you're in CH but if I had to do it again I wouldn't pick them for my P car.

 

Well, this black one is 99k and it has all I want (sunroof, shortshifter, sport chrono, adaptive seats, differential between rear wheels), a stock car with same mileage would be 89-93k depending on equipment.
I would go to Sportec if I were to tune the car. I know the place, I know the people, it is close to me. So...
simplest Sportec exhaust - 5k
map - 5k
H&R springs installed + alignment - 2k
wheels is unneccessary luxury so would leave stock so do not count P43s
clutch replacement eventually - 5k

So the dealer does charge me for some tuning parts, but if I were to tune stock car to same level it would be more expensive.

I do 10-12k a year with my current car, I guess with this 997, if I were to buy it, I'd do less as I would not drive it in winter (do not want to buy another set of wheels and tyres, unless I can sell P43s, which are a bit scratched but look great). If I could swap P43s for the stock porsche fuchs style 19" wheels, I would do it on the spot though.

I guess it is from car to car what fails when and also depends a lot on the driver(s) how the car was treated, so will anyway have to jump the shark.

The plugs were changed at 61k kilometers at Porsche Center, the same Center did service at 5k and 30k. Car is tuned since 2k on the clock. So I assume as the plugs were only changed once at standard service time the map is not that aggressive on them, which is a good sign for the rest of the engine?

 

Hi there.
Well, I am 30 minutes from Sportec HQ and you should see the floor and parking on a work day! Masses of GT2s of all models, race Porsches, old-school turbos and NA Porsches, Audis. I've seen SPR1 the last time.

I find the customer service great. I can always talk to the boss, he calls back as well, yes, sometimes he is away on track or is busy elsewhere so cannot always answer my emails/calls right away. I can always talk to chief mechanic. They take their time answering questions. Was talking to the boss over the phone for one hour yesterday, discussing this particular black 997. Basically he told me it is enthusiast car, with the tuning and all, and he said "I know you, if you buy stock you will be here in a few months to change at least the exhaust, as stock is not so nice, especially compared to your Audi TT RS (I have precat delete there)".

Sportec are known in Porsche circles, but if I were in the States I would not choose Sportec, I would choose a local specialist, you've got a few over the pond. We have APR here, for example, they did Porsche as well and the tune is cheaper, but I'd go to Sportec anyway.

 

Might be worth buying in Germany...

 

Buy one in germany... swiss cars are over priced. As is Sportec. Their own products and customer service are terrible (tunes are okay, the rest is rebranded bull****). I would want to stay away from them. This is all based on first hand experience...

Vill Glück!

 

Thanks! :-)

Well, I like customer service at Sportec and yes they are expensive, like everything in Switzerland. That is all I am going to say. If I were to tune I'd go there again. Exterior modifications never interested me, only internals, and I can buy certain parts (like clutch) on my own that way saving quite some money.
I buy a swiss car but I also sell the car in Switzerland. There is a reason I have to buy swiss car, even if more expensive.

 

I'm amazed you're able to run a cat-less setup in CH...Aren't the cops going nuts over the noise and are emissions laws more relaxed than Germany?

Anyhow, as far as Sportec is concerned they lost my future business. Guess overseas customers don't deserve to get their emails answered or phone calls returned.

 

To tell you the truth, it is not allowed!
I've had precat in downpipe removed. It unloads the turbo a little and makes it less hot, plus adds good amount of pleasant vibration and noise, plus 15hp and about 20Nm torque. But from outside it looks stock! Plus I have the stock 400cell main cats still on. But I have disconnected the flap in the exhaust.

You should hear my car! Cold start is loud, makes you smile and anticipate the drive. In idle the car sounds like a moored powerboat, I get goose bumps just thinking about this noise. On the road it is loud around 2000rpm and the noise changes, and you also hear the off-beat sound of 5pot. You can say what you want about TT RS, but the sound it makes is amazing. In the tunnels I wake up the people, especially if I accelerate in 4-5-6th gears from around 2000rpm. I've been stopped by police in the city due to "too much noise", that was with decat downpipe and main cats still on, but my car is allowed to 100dB so they let me go.

Last year I also had the main cats replaced with straight pipes, so full catless, but the flap was still working. The noise the car made was crazy, I think I chipped paint off tunnel walls. Despite nice noise and better response to gas pedal had to put the main cats back on, as the car stinks very badly otherwise (which I do not like and I am sure drivers behind me do not like) and if police stops me - goodbye licence and BIG fees. BTW, I am in Switzerland. In Germany driving illegaly without cats is actually a tax offence, and you do not joke with tax authorities!

Also, compared to the 911 Turbo that I drove and that had Sportec exhaust (no flap, 200cell cats), TTRS sounds more interesting, Turbo sounds more like a vacuum cleaner but at least very loud, which I like. (On TT I fold the back seats to get even more noise into the cabin).

Sorry to hear about Sportec. I've heard about the same about Russian office, as well. I guess they have enough work in Switzerland, people come to their HQ from all over European continent, Germany, Ukraine, Russia...
I really do find their service very good, I can always speak to the bosses and to the chief mechanic, and I am probably the guy who leaves the least money there! I believe they are very knowledgeable in Porsches, after 15 years, and if I had a 911 Turbo I would go there even if it were a bit more expensive than some other firm.

 

Take a look at this!
That was a GT2 at one point, but now totally redone. I saw it happen with my own eyes. I saw it brought back after the paint job. Fully catless and stinky. :-)
A Russian car, by the way. :-)

http://sportec.ch/page9122.html

 

As I said in the other forum, the car you have found sounds fine.
Considering it is a manual, have you seen a DME printout? I know the tune means that there will be overrevs registered, but its worth seeing to what range they are.
It will save you some money from mods that you will actually do yourself (it is a slippery slope) and it will affect resale because your potential buyers will have second thoughts like the ones you are having.

Why do you have to buy Swiss? I posted some interesting ads in my other response from the Greek, crisis ridden market. I know that to me these prices seem ridiculous because there was a 50-60% tax on these cars until last year (now over 100% so all new cars are untouchable). So for them to sell at par with the rest of Europe means a huge discount to the Greek prices.

Good luck!

 

Saw those boys a few weeks back at SPA. Very fast ride!

 

Have not seen a DME printout! Will try to get it, but the dealer/seller is not Porsche Center, so probably does not have the necessary equipment to check the car. I will see what I can do.
Regarding modding - I know what you mean. :-) I started with GTI, tuned it very heavily, and then it went on and on. Would tune 997TT as well, if I bought stock.
Regarding resale, it is a difficult and painful question. I've seen 2010 997T with PDK lose 40-50k a year for the first two years. This 997.1 5-year-old car will still lose 10-15k a year, I think. 991 Turbo will come in a year or two, but it will be 4 years until it loses enough value for less fortunate people to start buying them, so hoping a 2007 997TT will not lose more than 10-15k a year.
In Switzerland it is hard to sell imported Turbo, I do not want import either, I want to look in the eyes of previous owner. Also, I have to sell my current car here, preferably as trade-in, as it would save months of stupid questions and crazy test-drives with maxed out engine in 2nd gear.

 

$

Yep, the owner of this green thing told me he was going to SPA! So yo were a lucky guy to see this for real!
Every time I go to Sportec I have this urge to buy me a Porsche Turbo (as I cannot afford GT2/GT3). I've described it in my blog (in Russian, though, but with photos). Take a peak:

http://www.drive2.ru/cars/audi/tt_rs...52822486/#post

http://www.drive2.ru/cars/audi/tt_rs...52846804/#post

(here you will see RSR before the paint)
http://www.drive2.ru/cars/audi/tt_rs...52847125/#post

http://www.drive2.ru/cars/audi/tt_rs...52847256/#post