Hi All,

New member here, I am long time car enthusiast looking to buy my first 911 to be used as a weekend car primarily.

I have driven a few 997.1 Carrera S cars (including a weekend rental of one) and as much as I enjoy the high revving NA nature of these cars, I live at 5400 feet of elevation and the power loss is making me contemplate purchasing a 997 Turbo which I know is a whole other animal. I have a tuned N54 BMW 535i M-sport (RWD, 6-speed manual, M5 wheels, etc) and I don't really want my BMW daily driver to be as fast or faster than my 911. Also, in a few years my daily driver is likely to be a pre-owned F80 M3 with 425 twin-turbocharged horsepower, so I am thinking the 997 Turbo is the way to go if I don't want its performance eclipsed by my future daily driver. Although as I mentioned, there is still something to be said for the weekend car having a different feel - even if it is not as fast - and a 997.2 Carrera S with its better sounding NA exhaust and high revving character along with the 911's size and handling characteristics still might be a fun weekend car. If not for the power loss in altitude this might be where I was headed.

Anyway, I came across a 997 Turbo, 6 speed manual car locally that has not yet been listed and I have been communicating with the dealer (independent, exotic cars) about it. I have first right of refusal, but I have not yet driven the car as it was out for mechanical inspection, prep work and detail, etc.

I noticed right away the car was lowered and the tow hook cover was missing. The dealer knows the previous owner and claims the car was not tracked. But I found out the car has these modifications via an old post in this forum by someone who owned the car before the last owner:

997 CUP and RSR control arms,
997 GT2 Sway bars,
996 Cup Shifter,
RS 4.0 clutch, RS release bearing and Sachs flywheel replaced at 67.5k miles
Cobb Stage 1 ECU tune
H&R lowering springs.

So my questions:

1) Should I be scared away from a 997 Turbo with 75K miles on it that has been tracked (the photos in the post clearly show the tow hook on). I do not yet have the ability to PM, but I tried to communicate with the previous owner to find out how often it was tracked. I hear the Mezger engine is "bullet proof" and I plan to call the shop where the car was serviced (according to Carfax), but just in general - is this a safe car to buy? I plan to put between 3k and 4k miles a year on it.

2) I want to retain the "daily driving" aspect of the 911 and I am worried these mods would ruin the character or make it to harsh for the street. Any thoughts on that? I know I can revert to OEM springs relatively affordably if I did not like the H&Rs, I don't think the GT2 sway bar will make a big impact on typical street driving and I have no idea what the CUP shifter will do. My biggest worry by far is the SMFW and the possible chatter and difficulty in driving it. I also don't know if he also upgrade the crank pulley and I am worried about the drive line shock this car may have endured. Any thoughts? I know I can go back to an OEM dual mass flywheel, but it will be more expensive to revert.

3) Last question: The price is right - it is $10k less than other cars with 60k+ miles and $15k or more less than cars with 40k to 50k miles. But will a modified car like this hold its value, especially 5 or 6 years from now as I approach 100k miles?

I know there are a lot of question above, please feel free to weigh in on any aspect.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Alan

P.S.- I also posted this in the New Member area, but realized, this might be a better post for this forum.

 

Dealers will sell you the moon best is take the car to a refutable P car shop and request for a thorough PPI. Sometimes mods are good especially if it's high quality parts. Good luck with your hunt.

 

Those mods are basic & solid upgrades.
Easy to reverse if u like. Although once u drive it i suspect u will love the handling.
PPI 1st - then drive it. Then buy it if u want.

POST PICS ETC.

Good luck

 

Thanks for the replies!

So assuming all maintenance was performed, I shouldn't be too concerned with the high mileage even though it may have been tracked frequently?

Thanks,
Alan

 

PPI will help you make a smart decision OP

 

It's really the condition that you want/need to know about. Mileage used to be an indicator of condition but it really doesn't consistently reflect that anymore. Since you don't know the owner's habits, what type of miles, etc...the PPI from a reputable shop will be so much more important than mileage numbers. I think these mods are a great bonus. Good luck !

 

75 k miles is not alot. especially if maintenance is up to date. my first 911, a '72 S needed a valve job at 100k. these cars can go 250k mi before any engine internals need to be addressed.

if you like the car, and its thrills. BUY IT/

it is a great car.

as in " Risky Business", sometimes, you have to say what the ****!

JB in NJ

 

Yes, always get a PPI ~ it may not catch everything, but it will give you a much better picture of the car.

I hope you also posted this question in https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/997-31/ . Lots of helpful advice.