flipspeed

so i drove a porsche 987 S and i was like.."wow i have to get me one of these!" i was at a porsche dealership earlier today and it seems like boxsters are selling like hotcakes despite tough economic times. the maximum on what i want to spend is dictated by having a low mileage (less than 40k miles) 987 S and for that price range i could be looking at a 996. a 996 in my price range has between 40-50k miles so that's the dilema i face.

mikez

Not to be biased but I was looking at used 996 last year as well.

You should look into the Engine casing crack issue they have with the 996 once it reaches around 60k miles. It seems pretty prominent..

IS-SV

There are a few issues including block failure and IMS failure impacting a significant number of 986/987/996/997's. All were excellent cars when new but to minimize financial exposure a CPO car with the longest possible Porsche warranty is a good idea.

toy4two

The RMS (rear main seal) is a knock on the 996. Porsche also will not allow you to open the engine if you want another engine, its their engine and no one elses, which means about 10k in engine costs if you pop yours.

IS-SV

Yes, the RMS leakage is a relatively affordable fix. But total engine failure caused most often by IMS failure can result in $10K+ engine replacement bill.

To minimize financial exposure, a strong warranty is advisable.

CDNROCKIES

I have a close friend that has a 996 and a 997. I tried to talk to him about selling me the 996 and basically he wouldn't because of the high mileage. The cost of maintenance on these Porsches gets ridiculous as the mileage creeps up in his opinion. He suggested that there are too many good deals out there right now to consider one with excessive mileage. The extra cash up front for lower mileage will save you in the long run, in his opinion.

IS-SV

Many 996/997 drivers go through rear tires every 12K miles or so, but with a smile on their face.

Byprodrive

iTrader: (1)

I would drive both & buy the one you prefer. Buy 2003 or newer to avoid 95% of the issues refered to in this thread