Going from a 350Z to a 996 C2?

[jvanquish]

Hey everyone, i currently own a Nissan 350 - I purchased about 7-8 months ago (It was a 2003 preowned right now it has 15,000 miles - I've slapped on track items like JIC FLTA2 Coilovers, Full brake setup, harness bar/kit, wheels, bolt ons etc etc) ... I've always wanted the Porsche 911 and I would like to own a piece of history so... here is what im asking

The years im looking at is probably 1999-2000 ( earlier 996 models) and i've seen prices ranging anywhere from 30-40,000 USD with milages all over the place... but I'd love to have a low milage car something thats 50k miles or less!

What i want to spend?

I want to spend about 30-35,000 USD for the car

I dont think any warranty would actually matter since the readings i've done relating to clutch (wear and tear item) wouldnt matter anyway because for obvious reasons...

I know that for my Z, i can beat the crap out of the car in a spirited run having it reek of clutch and brake smell and it would still work... also the parts for replacement + labour is obviously cheaper.

I know that Porsches are basically bulletproof in terms of construction and build (from consumer reports they claim the porsches are among top reliable cars with Honda, Lexus etc etc) but reliable based on driving like a grandma or will it still be reliable if I take it to the limit... (considering that a clutch replacement is 17 hours of labour + about a grand in parts from the dealer - figur... 2500 dollars while the clutch for the Z if I get the clutch + flywheel kit from nismo its basically 800 bucks + about 5 hours labour figure 1200 or half the price)...

As you can see I buy a car to drive, not just to pose it around the pub... and I do think the Porsche 911 as one of the top performance cars out there should be driven...

Please enlighten me

:notworthy:

[rattles]

I would spend a while reading through this forum if I was in your position, lots of good info here. Your statement that ''I know that Porsches are basically bulletproof in terms of construction and build (from consumer reports they claim the porsches are among top reliable cars with Honda, Lexus etc '' is more Porsche hype than reality.

They are great cars no doubt about that but many come with problems you would not expect for the price. I have a 99-996 which is basically sorted now after 6.5 years but it has been hard work.

[vfxbox]

I would spend a while reading through this forum if I was in your position, lots of good info here. Your statement that ''I know that Porsches are basically bulletproof in terms of construction and build (from consumer reports they claim the porsches are among top reliable cars with Honda, Lexus etc '' is more Porsche hype than reality.

They are great cars no doubt about that but many come with problems you would not expect for the price. I have a 99-996 which is basically sorted now after 6.5 years but it has been hard work.

I waited over year doing research and more research. mean time, I was having fun with my brother's 350Z for 6 month or so..

If you can wait for next few more month or so I am sure price will come down more. 997 C2 or C4 are out there, many of them are still new and until 997 turbo and GT3 come out this summer you wouldn't see any big depreciation prices on any 996 much as you want.

check with eBay motor for up to date prices in country and check with your local prices too. Keep your eyes and ears open.. who knows, some of 996 owners are waiting for trade their 996 with new 997 turbo or GT3.

:)

[imolas54]

as you asking if a porsche would be as reilable as a nissan? if so, the answer is it depends on the car, espeically buying used. You can get a car that needs nothing or a car that needs everything like any other manufacture. In general i would think porsche is equal if not better than a nissan car, but the driving experience is probably 10x better. Where the z starts to feel "out of breath" after 5000rpm, the porsche is sounding/feeling its best!

[whatever]

I came from the 350z world as well. Once you get some seat time inside a 911, you'll notice that the Z took a lot of inspirations from the Porsche.

None the less, check ebay or craigslist (depending on where you are at)

I found mine under 40k with ~25k miles. There will be little quirks here and there and as long as the suspension, tires, and alignment are tune to the way you like it, the car drives like a dream.

good luck with your search

[claudiu]

You are real lucky in the States. Over here in England the prices are the "same", but in £ (pounds sterling) not $ for an equivalent 911...

As regards reliability, it is probably still more reliable than other super-cars, plus one can drive it to work without fear of braking down, or cause too much of a shock to the less fortunate colleagues. Moreover, you can squeeze a small child or two in the back and go on a nice holiday, overtaking quite a few cars during the very enjoyable journey...

[jvanquish]

well i have some uber stiff JIC coilovers on my Z right now

spring rates are killers - 10k f 10k r

hahaha...

but it handles like its on rails and i've never test drove another car thats similar to that (no lean, pitch, roll anything!)

im anxious to test drive my first 911 but there arent a lot of 1999-2000s in my area , can in that sense can i test drive any 996 C2 and still get the same feel, meaning are they all under the same suspension?

...

:unsure:

[Izzy]

I would try E-bay. I have had good cars and sold cars there. I only buy from dealers (my option) and research their feedback. I can't do that locally since I would not find so many people that have purchased cars from one dealer. In E-bay, you can even go to the extent of e-mailing past customers from dealers to see how their rides worked out. And a dealer may have hundreds of cars sold, so you can get a lot of responses. You can request an "inspection" review for a fee too.

I personally like that information. But like anything else, you have to balance risk and reward which is different for each person. I felt the risk of buying remote cars at a much lower price is worth it when balanced with the knowledge of previous customers and did I mention price?

[Guest]

I was in the same boat as you. I searched for the right car and ended up getting a 2000 c4 996 with 36,000 miles for 42,000 last fall. I have had some problems though and as a result had to replace the engine. Porsche paid 1/2 but still painful. I have read and you should about the early 996 engines alot. The 3.4l is a great performer, but I found out later that Porsche had problems with defective castings in early 996, 1999-2000.

I belive this is what led to my engine failure, and why Porsche was so eager to pick up half the cost. I believe they where trying to keep anybody from cracking open the block to see the defects. It was crazy as to how they offered to pay for it on a six year old car with two owners. As a result of my experience I would say you should buy a car manufactured late in 2000 or if I had it to do over I would have waited another year and gotten a 2001 with the 3.6l. I really think Porshe switched engines due to mechanical problems.

With all that said you will love the Porshe, even if it makes you cry when you take it in for service.

As far as locating the car I located several via ebay and cars.com. I test drove many. If you live near a major city this should be no problem. Another advantage of testing many is you start to notice small problems that the dealers shrug off and you will know what to look for in the perfect used car. Also a warrenty might be a good I dea in the first couple of years, but I had a hard time finding one. I have since discovered this site and thier are several posts concerning good warrenty companies. Search the 996 forum and thier is on thread from a fellow who had a warrenty and then an engine failure and he said the warrenty company new the parts and problems by heart as they were common in 99-2000.

Go for the 2001 or the 997 would be nice too.

Also get a good I dea of the extra's many Porsche owners add. Mine had sports exhaust, fikes wheels, and very nice stereo system, also Litronic lights. These are expensive to add and don't seem to help resale value much. So if you can find one with all the bells and whistles you might come out ahead as opposed to adding later.

Good Luck

I

[PeterC4]

I purchased a 2000 C4 almost 2 years ago now. It had 56k kms on it, (about 35K miles). Power seats, litronics, heated seats, rear wiper etc.

It was a Porsche certified used car and for my money it was well worth it. I bought it from one of Toronto's and actually one of North America's top dealers. When I bought it I received a full list of what had been replaced, which included brakes, clutch, battery, the RMS, windshield, a variety of other small things, not to mention the tires were in almost new condition. Since I bought it, a few things have been replaced under the two year extended warranty including two of the control arms, a tire and the coolant reservoir. I have replaced the two rear control arms, and changed the oil. That's it. I drive it about 1/2 of the year, and the car is very reliable and performs very well...no problems. If you can, consider a paying a little more for a good used Porsche from a reputable dealer and get the piece of mind. You'll find many experiences here, but mine have been all good.

Edited April 16, 2006 by PeterC4

[jvanquish]

actually 2000s at the dealer around my area sells around 40-45k usd!

while 1999s and 2000s sell privately or at 'unauthorized' dealers for 30-40

:/

i am not sure that its worth 5 grand over...

:unsure:

any comments?

[PeterC4]

actually 2000s at the dealer around my area sells around 40-45k usd!

while 1999s and 2000s sell privately or at 'unauthorized' dealers for 30-40

:/

i am not sure that its worth 5 grand over...

:unsure:

any comments?

In my case it surely was...if you look at Porsche certified car, and get a good idea of what has been replaced....you'll appreciate the value in it...but you'll have to compare.

[johnp77777]

I purchased a 2000 C4 almost 2 years ago now. It had 56k kms on it, (about 35K miles). Power seats, litronics, heated seats, rear wiper etc.

It was a Porsche certified used car and for my money it was well worth it. I bought it from one of Toronto's and actually one of North America's top dealers. When I bought it I received a full list of what had been replaced, which included brakes, clutch, battery, the RMS, windshield, a variety of other small things, not to mention the tires were in almost new condition. Since I bought it, a few things have been replaced under the two year extended warranty including two of the control arms, a tire and the coolant reservoir. I have replaced the two rear control arms, and changed the oil. That's it. I drive it about 1/2 of the year, and the car is very reliable and performs very well...no problems. If you can, consider a paying a little more for a good used Porsche from a reputable dealer and get the piece of mind. You'll find many experiences here, but mine have been all good.

I agree there's some comfort with the certified used cars. Since my wife just HAD to have this 996 she found online from a private owner, I absolutely insisted on getting a third party warranty. $2400 from Western General...5 years, 75K miles (above the 40K it had when bought), bumper to bumper with no deductable...best insurance I ever bought. It has paid for itself in claims too...Like others say, it's more reliable than other super cars/exotics and even cheaper to repair. For the cost though, you would be surprised at what can go wrong and how much repairs are. Definitely not a Nissan, Toyota or Honda here. Still, the driving experience seems well worth it. Blasting over the Dumbarton Bridge at sunrise is a great start to the workday and coming home via Half-Moon Bay is the best ending.