newbee Questions on the 996

[ebolick]

Hey everyone,

this is my first post and i have wanted a 996 for a bit now. i am now ready to sell my benz and get one but i have some questions:

out of the 99, 2000,2001, 2002 which has the least amount of problems?

What are common problems you guys notice?

is it realistic to have one as a daily driver?

is it true the rear tires need replacing after 8-10K miles?

are the common things like, brakes, oil changes, filters pretty simple to do? Mercedes are very easy as i do them myself

do you guys fell the car is safe in the car? for example if you got in a accident would it protect you?

Thanks again for anyone that can help a newbee out

[White987S]

Yes, to being a daily driver.

Yes, rear tires can last 8-10K miles, they can also go longer or wear out sooner depending on your driving style, set-up, alienment, and any events such as DE's and AutoX's.

Yes, if you can work on your Mercedes, you can work on your Porsche, especially with the assistance of this Forum. Become a Contributing Memeber, and you will get additional access.

Yes, our cars are very safe. Great construction, materials, brakes and technology.

[Izzy]

On your first question, try getting the latest models with the lowest miles you can afford.

[Duch]

If you could buy a 99 with 9200 miles or an 01 with 40000 miles for the same price, what would you do?

[Team996]

If you could buy a 99 with 9200 miles or an 01 with 40000 miles for the same price, what would you do?

Well, you could do what I did and buy an '01 with 60K miles and then find out the engine was replaced under warranty and really only had 20K miles on it for the same price. On that one, I think depending on the overall condition of the car, I'd get the '99 with 9K miles.

[ebolick]

thanks everyone for the responses, i am glad to hear there is a german company that still makes quality cars, my current car S500 is falling a part on me everyday and i was almost ready to to thrown in towel and get a (dare i say the word)lexus. So it looks i will be okay with a 996. I am suprised there is not a bad year, for example of the Sclass the 2000 to 2003 have the most problems, and of course the airmatic is a nightmare. but in anycase thanks for the info

[fastboydave]

If you could buy a 99 with 9200 miles or an 01 with 40000 miles for the same price, what would you do?

Well, you could do what I did and buy an '01 with 60K miles and then find out the engine was replaced under warranty and really only had 20K miles on it for the same price. On that one, I think depending on the overall condition of the car, I'd get the '99 with 9K miles.

As Indiana Jones said once............ "Its not the years honey, its the mileage......."

However that said, newer models have 'improvements' and earlier issues will have been 'designed out' and sorted. Keep that in mind.

Comparing to a Merc, well i havent had a Merc so cant coment, but dont be under any illusion that they are bomb proof! The interior probably isnt as good quality as a Merc (like for like in terms of age etc) and they do 'rattle' in various places! They do also have some know issues that you can read about and search on here for. But that said, they are a great car and deliver satisfaction behind the wheel in bundles, even though they can be a labour of love sometimes......

[Izzy]

On your first question, try getting the latest models with the lowest miles you can afford.

The 9K Mile 1999 model may have issues lurking that have not yet occured due to low miles, RMS failure, block porosity comes to mind. There are no free lunches.

[PeterC4]

The 2002 models have some visible cosmetic differences as well as design differences, including structural and drive train changes. Depending on price you should give serious consideration to a later model. I have owned a 2000 C4 and a 2004 C4S. Different cars for sure...mind you it didn't change the smile on my face.

[CoreyNJ]

First thing is don't assume a porsche will be a cheap car to keep running in tip top shape. I would think your mercedes would be cheaper.

Next go for the newest model in the best condition. Mileage is important, but less than 5k a year I'd worry that problems havn't appeared or the car has sat too much.

Have an expert do a PPI.

FYI, 99 was the 1st year, a lot of stuff got upgraded in 00 and then again in 02. The 02 car looks similar to the 99, but the amount of changes between an 02 and 99 is along the lines of the amount of changes between a base 2005 997 and 2004 996. And in 03, a bunch of stuff went fiber optic also.... FYI: Even though the interior looks the same in the 99 and the 2002, they are not and many pieces are actually different, these changes started in 2000 with the soft touch and the headliner and continued to the actual piece design on a lot of the interior. the 02+ parts will typically fit a 99, but the 99 parts won't fit an 02 for example....

[ebolick]

First thing is don't assume a porsche will be a cheap car to keep running in tip top shape. I would think your mercedes would be cheaper.

Next go for the newest model in the best condition. Mileage is important, but less than 5k a year I'd worry that problems havn't appeared or the car has sat too much.

Have an expert do a PPI.

FYI, 99 was the 1st year, a lot of stuff got upgraded in 00 and then again in 02. The 02 car looks similar to the 99, but the amount of changes between an 02 and 99 is along the lines of the amount of changes between a base 2005 997 and 2004 996. And in 03, a bunch of stuff went fiber optic also.... FYI: Even though the interior looks the same in the 99 and the 2002, they are not and many pieces are actually different, these changes started in 2000 with the soft touch and the headliner and continued to the actual piece design on a lot of the interior. the 02+ parts will typically fit a 99, but the 99 parts won't fit an 02 for example....

Thanks Cory,

from what i have read i cannot imagine that the 996 would cost me more then my s class, I have spent 14 grand on airmatic problems and it still is not working right, my tranny has gone out at 80K miles and have had some light issues. these are common with these cars and i am just done with the headache. So i want to move to a porsche, it seems from what you are saying all around i should go with a 2002 or 2003. and thanks for your input

[ebolick]

If you could buy a 99 with 9200 miles or an 01 with 40000 miles for the same price, what would you do?

Well, you could do what I did and buy an '01 with 60K miles and then find out the engine was replaced under warranty and really only had 20K miles on it for the same price. On that one, I think depending on the overall condition of the car, I'd get the '99 with 9K miles.

do you know why the engine was replaced? is this common or a special case?

THanks

[Team996]

If you could buy a 99 with 9200 miles or an 01 with 40000 miles for the same price, what would you do?

Well, you could do what I did and buy an '01 with 60K miles and then find out the engine was replaced under warranty and really only had 20K miles on it for the same price. On that one, I think depending on the overall condition of the car, I'd get the '99 with 9K miles.

do you know why the engine was replaced? is this common or a special case?

THanks

According to the dealership that replaced the engine in 2004 when I was doing my research before buying, it was replaced due to "a seal leak," which when I asked if it was RMS failure, the service writer answered "yeah." As I've understood it, Porsche will fix your RMS problem twice, and on the third, they replace the engine altogether. This is what I think went down for my car when it was at 46K miles. And to answer your question, although there are volumes upon volumes of literature on the RMS design flaw, this does happen entirely too frequently on 996s in my opinion. Some experts estimate it happens to only (!!!) 50% of them, while others actually say it's just a matter of time for 100% to fail. What mitigates the bad news a bit is that it's relatively inexpensive to repair; and once it's done right, it's is supposed to be enough. "Supposed" to be.

[tac27]

I had a similar experience. My wife and I purchased an '04 E500; there were so many problems that the dealer eventually agreed to purchases the car back from us under the Nevada lemon law. We did a lot of research and felt it unwise to purchase another Mercedes. We purchased 'our' '03 996 cab c2 from the local dealer with 11,600 miles on it in October of '05; it now has just short of 60k miles. I use it as my daily commuter, about 40 miles, round-trip, per day, whatever errands I run during the weekends, and the occasional trip. It has been very reliable and thanks to this website, I've been able to do the simple maintenance myself (oil, brakes etc); I've also found information on a couple of 'simple' fixes (fuel door hinge for example) which were not only easy, but I had fun doing the work myself. I had to replace all four tires around 30k miles, and I think the clutch was in the mid 40k mile range when it needed replacement. As for the RMS, I haven't had any issues. My garage floor is as clear of oil spots as it was the first day I parked the car on it. As for the cost of repairs that I can't do, I've found two independent shops here in Vegas that are both much more affordable; surprisingly, the dealer has admitted (although somewhat begrudgingly) to me that both shops do quality work. You may find qualified 'indie' mechanics in your area too.

The only real problem I've had with the car is the two speeding tickets I've received, but that's a topic for different post

I have very much enjoyed owning a Porsche.

[PeterC4]

I've had 2 996s, a 2000 and 2004. The 2000 was a Porsche Certified car and had extensive maintenance work done to it before I bought it. After that, the control arms were replaced, (2 by the dealer, 2 by me) and the tires after 3 years, and the battery. That's it. It was a very good car and cheap to run. My 2004 still has the original warranty. No problems, other than some brake squeal in very hot weather in city driving. Very solid car.

[rpf996]

I did a considerable amount of research before I concluded a 2002 or later was the best choice on a 996. First off, you get the 3.6 litre 320HP motor, which does not seem to have the rear main seal issue lurking. Also the chasis is stiffer & improved radiator design allows for better cooling than earlier 996s. Just my 2 cents.

[Loren]

I did a considerable amount of research before I concluded a 2002 or later was the best choice on a 996. First off, you get the 3.6 litre 320HP motor, which does not seem to have the rear main seal issue lurking. Also the chasis is stiffer & improved radiator design allows for better cooling than earlier 996s. Just my 2 cents.

The radiators on the 996 have never changed. Early (or late) 996's have never had any cooling problems.

The C4S has larger radiators (they are 996 TT radiators) but that is because of C4S/TT bumper design.

[KevinMac]

According to research Porsche has a much better reliability rating than Mercedes. Parts cost less also! Mercedes is not the top of the heap when it comes to reliability, as with Audi.

rpf, better do a little more research, because even the 3.6 has had some RMS failures. I have seen as late as 2005 years have the problem.

Next the 2002 and up base models weigh more so the performance is not that much of a difference.

Edited November 2, 2007 by KevinMac

[rpf996]

I have read & been told by my tuner about the improved cooling capacity on the 2002, which they indicate is about 15% greater, but as Loren stated, to be more precise I guess it is the bumper design & not the actual radiator design that changed to allow greater airflow. The c2 which is what I have weighs in at just over 2900 pounds, which s about 300 or so pounds lighter than the c4s. This also means more RWHP due to less drivetrain loss. Are the earlier c2s lighter than this? I doubt it. I have also read & been told of the improved RMS issue on the 3.6, mine with 94,000 miles has no issues, but if it is happening even on 997s, than that is troubling. WOW.