Porsche 911

ironman87 · June 2009

Just now read your post and had a question if you still check this forum.I have a 2001 Imola Yellow Audi S4 Avant that I purchased new in May 2001.I am about to turn 61 and I have always said that I was going to buy another 911 when I get into my 60's,had a 1971 911 T in the early 70's when I was single.
I am now looking for a 2006 Carrera S.
I chipped my S4 at 5000 miles,it now has only 40,000 miles,and I was wondering what differences you have noticed between the two cars in real world driving.The S4 has so much low end torque from about 1500 to 5500 RPM,that you can have plenty of fun before reaching 80 MPH.Thanks.

majesterludi · July 2009

I have a 2005 911 S with 6000 miles. My service light has come on reminding me that service needs to be done in 15 days!

Are the service intervals based on time or miles, or both. Is it really necessary to have the service done considering the car has low miles. I realize that the car is four years old. Comments.

96redlt4 · July 2009

Hi. I have an 05 997 S coupe. Ready for the 4 yr 40K (even though it only has 11K mile) service. The dealer says it runs about $800. Thius sounds like a rip off to me as the only things replaced per the service manual are air/particle filters and lube oil filter. He says they also put in a fuel system additive, which is not in the manual and I have heard you should not do. All the rest of the cost presumably is 'inspections' . Comments?

old911 · July 2009

Have a Stock 911 Targa with 85K. DME is corroded badly must be replaced but I freak at the idea of buying this from a dealer.....or from a pirate!

I really need any advice offered as to who to go to for this replacement.

Also replacing stock muffler with a tuned system.....and wish to use a mildly more aggressive chip in DME to go with the enhanced breathing..Your thought? Thanks-

Mr_Shiftright · July 2009

You might give a call to an established Porsche parts supplier such as

AUTOMATION

OR

PELICAN PARTS

to see if they might supply you with a rebuilt DME or steer you to a good reliable supplier. You might also think about joining the Porsche Club of America.

I'm not a big fan of chipping this model Porsche because I don't think you'll see much effect on a street car with emissions controls in place--they may defeat most of the chip's new mapping attempts.

The exhaust will probably give you a little boost and that IMO is money better spent. Unless you go balls out and address the entire engine, from where the air and fuel goes in, to the cylinder heads, engine internals and exhaust, I think you are basicallly only messing with one part of a long tube of events so to speak.

Without independent dyno testing, all chip claims are baseless in my opinion. Also some engine management systems are more responsive to chipping than others.

Do more research before you spend chip money is all I'm saying. The PCA would be a great source of feedback.

old911 · July 2009

Yes I'm a member of PCA and you remind me that I have heard much of what you've indicated in a PCA discussion at one point over the last few years. You defiantly know your stuff----I've come back down to earth as it were and I'll probably go with stock DME and chip if it can be found, and a decent exhaust. Your exhaust make and model suggestions for this model?
Thanks very much for your thoughts-have a great 4/5th!

Mr_Shiftright · July 2009

I experimented on exhaust for my 928 and I found that one has to be careful here because what sounds "nice" at idle or while accelerating through the gears for the first time, might become incredibly annoying on the highway over longer distances. You may want to chat with the folks at Pelican and see what they recommend for your particular use or needs. They may suggest B&B or Fabspeed. I used an Ansa system but I was trying to be very cost conscious, I wasn't really looking for power, just a decent quality, good-sounding system. Some of these stainless steel systems for the 911 can be kind of pricey. It might come out to $100 per horsepower.

majesterludi · July 2009

Thanks for the response. I will check with the dealer in the a.m. regarding the four year check. I just had the oil changed and a break fluid bleed. The cost was $330. So I am sure they will not include them in the service..

96redlt4 · July 2009

Hi. Thanks for your response. I would love to hear some feedback on having service on newer porsches done by the dealer ($800 in my case and 60 miles away) vs $250-300 by a local Porsche mechanic with a good reputation who loves working on the cars. Course I don't get a loaner beater car to drive around Santa Barbara for 4 hrs shopping. Thanks again.

jerseyguy1 · August 2009

This may be too late but I had the 30K check done on my '04 911 cab back in May. Included oil change and filter, new wipers, cabin air filters, check brakes, etc. Cost was $600. Oil change (service manager calls it oil "service" is about $200 at that dealer.

As for the dealer vs local mechanic, I may just like to waste money but my '04 only goes to the dealer. As I figure it if only the dealer touches it then that removes the possibility of this conversation "your other mechanic screwed this up, I cannot help you." For me it is peace of mind and the service loaner has been a Boxster, a Cayenne, and even a 911 coupe once.

kyfdx · August 2009

They had an '01 Carrera.... Gray w/black interior.... Nothing extra, but it was a stick... 62K miles...

Asking price was $27,900.... Seemed pretty reasonble..

fedlawman · August 2009

Very reasonable. This is definitely the time to buy...

jvalencia · August 2009

Hello fellow Porsche experts and lovers. I am new to Porsche and new in USA so I need urgent detailed information about maintenance fees please.
I am planing to finally get my first Porsche and I just came to live to Miami so I would really appreciate advice and feedback from you dear experts about the average annual maintenance fees and normal repairs so I can inlcude it on my yearly budget.
The car will definitely be a 911 996 model (1999 to 2002 depending on price), convertible and automatic because I plan to use it as my daily driver (consider average 10 - 12000 miles per year).
Please be son kind to help me with this info before I go car hunting. Any buying recommendation will be highly appreciated as too!!

nyccarguy · August 2009

That's a yummy asking price! From a Porsche dealer? There's a guy madmanmoo who sells Porsches in Atlanta here on Town Hall. Maybe he can run a VIn and maybe get a service history for you.

dweiser · August 2009

Hi Everyone,
I had a 2006 911 C4 Cab then a 2008 Boxster. I've been Porsche-less for a while but a 2009 911 White Coupe PDK is being delivered late this afternoon. I'm as excited over it as I was waiting for my 2006 911 C4 to arrive from Germany. This one's only coming from Hilton Head, SC.

Don

madmanmoo · August 2009

I just delivered a '93 C2 964 yesterday. 28k original miles. Polar Silver. Engine sealed up like Fort Knox. Nice ride! Happy man.

It's pretty unusual for us to find something like.

madmanmoo · August 2009

Grats! You're going to have a blast!

53chevydroptop · August 2009

I'm new to the forum today, so may have missed some of the replies.
Buying any used car, you should get as much information as possible.
PIP (diagnostics readout), service history and CarFax are very helpful in getting to know the car's history.
I bought a 2003 Cabriolet last year from a Porsche dealer. Paid a little extra, but received the benefit of an extended warranty for piece of mind.
My car is a weekend driver, so I'm not as good a source of cost. If you go to a Porsche dealer for an oil change and evaluation, expect to spend $200.
Good luck

bcd17 · August 2009

I'm also new to the forum and would appreciate your comments.

I am considering purchasing a previously owned 911 in the coming months and the dilemma I have is should I buy a 993 (a 1996, 97 or 98) or a 997 (2005 or 06)? While I love the classic model 993, I know the limitations of the air cooled car. I owned a 1987 and had a terrible time with the air conditioning system and also understand that maintenance is more expensive on the older air cooled cars.
The 997 is a great looking car with more power and advances in the electronics and safety.

Would anyone/everyone like to comment on the two models and discuss the pros and cons of owning and maintaining each? Thanks!

ksccts · August 2009

As a 997 owner, I may be a bit biased but to me there is no comparison. As commonly stated, I would buy the newest Porsche you can afford. 997 is light years ahead of the 993 with one exception...aura of air cooled engine. I would definitely buy the 997.

Mr_Shiftright · August 2009

I'd agree, unless you are a fanatic and must have the "feel" of the 993----and there is a difference in feel, most definitely, from a 997.

I'm not sure a 993 is any more expensive to maintain---I'd guess the other way 'round.

casaleenie · December 2009

just bought a new 2009 911 S
auto, chrono, plus some extras that I never would have ordered (bose upgrade,heated seats, heated steering wheel, bluetooth, etc.and some that were not included in the package that I would have wanted (sport exhaust) The S package is a nice plus..

Had 450 milea on it but sold as new never titled.. Not sure that I like the fact that I don't know how it was driven as a demo by several or many shoppers but it seems fine. Oil usage is extreme but within limits posted in manual. Not sure that it was babied during the"break-in period and it will always remain an unknown. it is what it is but I figure it's one hell of a car and will survive the beat-in period...

Sports Crono was a must especially with the PDK trans... I've found out that it requires a bit of time to get good with it.... I think that it's pretty intuitive with the shifting paddles but you have to be careful not to hit the darn things by accident.

Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it...

I'd appreciate any info you're willing to share...

Thanks

nyccarguy · December 2009

Congrats on a beautiful car - It's going to be many years before I can even think about affording one

cardiohex · December 2009

I doubt people were pounding on it while test driving (no more than 5500rpm?) ....but the unknown of how it was driven will always be out there....
Fortunately you bought a car that was "chiseled from a piece of granite".... watch the National Geographic channel on the Zuffenhausen plant and see how the 911 is built... meticulous. I researched the longevity/durability of the 911 for a while before I got mine... buddy of mine has three... an '84 targa (his daughter drives it), a '95 C4 cabrio, and an '08 turbo. He loves them, but has had virtually no issues with his cars.

I have had my '09 C2 for 4 months... absolutely love it. Manual tran, but has sport chrono which (I agree) is a must... totally different car with it engaged...

Enjoy your car, but check the oil every time you put in gas.... mine has burned a quart each 1000miles .... which is actually lower than expected.

Have fun!

buylow · December 2009

Yes! Congratulations! You will love the 997, overall the best Porsche built to date. I bought my first Porsche almost 2 years ago - a 2006 base carrera and then went wild. I now have five Porsches from a 356 up to the 997. I love all of them, each has its own personality, but when the wife wants to go on a trip, it's the 997. To me, it's how the cars handle in the turns that make Porsches so great and fun to drive. And, the reliability factor is a big plus.

I'm curious as to why you decided on a Porsche. Is this your first one?

By the way, does anyone out there know of a "70 or "71 911 T for sale, in good condition!!!

casaleenie · December 2009

09 Carrera S using quart about every 500 miles... I'm considering that within limits and I'm checking it even more often than at just fill

Manual is saying under 4200 rpm during first 2K miles.

I myself have violated that limitation by accident while playing with the manual side of the PDK trans...I' m still in "learning stage" with the car. I'm done with the car until spring.. Today I filled it and added Stabil and will be setting up a trickle charger up and over inflating the tires etc. as per instructions.

I negociated the first recommended factory service as part of the purchase and will get that done at around 5K miles next spring...

Any and all suggestions with regards to "mothballing" the car for about five months will be appreciated...

regards

casaleenie · December 2009

I've been looking at these things for several years but was not suffering for "toys" during the waiting period. Kept looking at the offerings from Porsche every new model year and the 09's proved to be the one with the most positive changes. Hope the changes and improvements turn out to be good changes and improvements...
Also, Porsche was offering such massive discounts that I didn't think would ever happen again in my lifetime.(I'm getting old) 21K off a 100K car... The dealer gave me what I wanted for my 289 FIA Cobra Roadster and put it on the floor and sold it in a week... They were happy and I was happy.....
My wife couldn't believe that I didn't go for the vertible but in deference to her and her hatred for convertibles, I went with the coupe.

anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it...

baldegl · December 2009

I have a 2009 911S convertible with pdk. Am having a continuing problem with the key not releasing from the ignition. The car does not seem to recognize that it is in Park. When fully and firmly pushed forward so that the transmission display says it is in Park a red information message comes on above the steering wheel saying that the car is not in Park. The steering wheel fully rotates when this happens indicating that whatever locking device is not engaging. The dealer has replaced the ignition but this seems to be the symptom and not the problem. Anyone else experienced this with a 911 or Boxster? Any ideas to resolve? Otherwise the car is great.

mungo69 · January 2010

If dealing with it means standing out on the deserted highway in the middle of nowhere in a rainstorm with no cell service hoping that a flatbed happens to drive by, then count me out. I've had enough flat tires, including one that was totally trashed, to appreciate the simple "pleasure" of changing a tire. A flat tire should not be cause to cancel an entire trip. If you never wander more than 10 miles from your house, it's probably not an issue. I want to drive to Vegas from Colorado, but I'd be concerned that I'd get stranded. If you've ever driven through southern Utah, you know what desolation is. My old VW broke down there, and I can tell you that it was not a pleasant trip. I think a car worth $90K should have a spare, run-flat tires, and/or a tire pressure monitoring system. My 997 has none of the above. By the time you realize your tire is losing pressure there may not be enough left of it to fix. By then you may be driving on those expense rims.

Mr_Shiftright · January 2010

Oh took me a minute to realize you were responding to a very old post.

Sure I don't mean to sound unsympathetic to people---I could see breaking down in the middle of nowhere as producing a fair amount of anxiety. But we are talking Porsche, and long long odds that you'll be somewhere without assistance nearby and that the pump and sealant will both fail. Sure, it's all possible but for most of us it will never happen. I guess you'd call it "risk assessment". Even the alleged "loneliest road in the world", Route 50 in Nevada, has tow trucks maybe 50 miles away and plenty of traffic and cops to help you.

bsissi · January 2010

Any words of wisdom regarding swapping out the factory system for better sounding, better perfomance systems. Some manufacturers provide sound clips on their websites but I'm interested in feedback from users, especially about Speedtech muflers if there are users out there.

zekeman1 · January 2010

I swapped out factory for AWE mufflers on my 997 - fantastic. As they broke in, they got deeper...going to install an AWE crossover shortly. I'm very pleased.
Z

etsiap · January 2010

1988 911 Targa Battery Drain

1) Replace dead battery.
2) New battery died within a few weeks.
3) Took Targa to the shop (mechanic has 30 years experience fixing Porsches).
4) Mechanic replace alternator, battery and connecting cable. Also added an on/off switch to the battery for long parking periods. Over 1G in repair cost.
5) Drove car 80 miles, dead battery, no start.
6) Took car back to mechanic, he reported that there was a bad cell in the Interstate battery. Replaced battery.
7) Drove car ~ 80 miles and noticed that my head lights and dash lights were weak. Once home, I took a closer look and the lights were copper colored, tried to restart, battery dead.
8) I am taking the car into the mechanic for the third time today.

Please advise - thank you.

Mr_Shiftright · January 2010

No malice intended, but I am not impressed with how your mechanic approached this problem. There are methods and even tools to track down dead shorts and battery drains. Seems to me all he did was treat the symptoms and neglected the disease. "shotgun" mechanics. Keep blasting until you hit something.

If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area, I can refer you to a shop who can fix this.

jeff618 · February 2010

The 1995-1998 911's have that 15" passenger side wiper blade which is fine until you try to upgrade to the newer-style, frameless beam blades. 15" beam blades virtually don't exist and 14" are difficult to find. The only option I've found is the 'Trico NeoForm Beam Blade' which comes in 14" (OE are 15" but you won't notice the 1/2" difference on each end). They also have the 18" for the drivers side. Can get them online.

gento · February 2010

I am new so wanted to see if someone can refer a reliable extended Warranty for my
2002 C4 Cab, its in Ex Cond

Thanks,

Gento

Claires · February 2010

Hi, Gento,

You probably want to ask your question in the Extended Warranty forum. Just click the link to get there.

bayareafx45 · March 2010

Hello Everyone,

Had a Infiniti FX45 but finally traded up to a new 2008 C4S . Just got lucky! Found this Porsche in the showroom of a Porsche dealer 40 miles away from my local dealer. It had only 65 original miles on it . Showroom condition but somehow it never sold. Must have come in late in 2008 and the 2009's were getting in the showroom so no one bought it.

Had them change the oil immediately since it has been sitting on the showroom floor for more than a year . Porsche recommends you change the oil with in so many miles but no longer then a year.

Has a lot of options on it . Upgrade stereo, Porsche crest on headrest, full leather, navigation, etc. Dealer gave me their cost on putting "Clear Bra". $50.00 cheaper then if I would have had it done by the vendor ( priced prior to going into the dealership ) . Just to let everyone know, dealer mark up was about $200.00 more then what the vendor was going to charge me !

This car feels like it is made from a block of steel ! Solid and no problems ! Fast and smooth ! We'll keep everyone posted on how the quality is on the C4S.
So far I'm living the dream ! 524 miles and counting .... can't wait to pass 2000 miles and letting the 355 horses out to run !

Original MSRP was $102,000 but got it for much less :shades: .

baldegl · March 2010

Welcome to the club. Got a 2009 S cabrio with 1500 miles in a similar way. Love the new pdk.

bayareafx45 · March 2010

Thank you ! Congrats to you also on your 2009 S Cabrio ! PDK is the way to go ! Only read good things about it and love the LED's ! Porsche really listened and made a perfect car even better !

jmohsin · March 2010

Hello,

I've recently come across a '99 Porsche 911 for sale, Beautiful car, clean car fax, no accidents and full service history. There are a few blemishes here and there but the card has almost 130k miles on it.

It's selling for around $20k and as much as I love the car, I'm struggling with how much longer the car will last. I live very close to a Porsche dealership and max do around 10k miles a year driving. This would be a second car so I couldn't imagine running it that much.

Wanted to see if anyone had any info on how long a 911 would typically last.

Thanks!

Mr_Shiftright · March 2010

Given just the info we have here, I"d be inclined to say "no" for a number of reasons.

My personal opinion is that the car is overpriced, and being a 996 and not a 993, I don't feel this engine type has demonstrated the degree of ultra-longevity that the 993 aircooled engine has demonstrated. Also early 996s were troublesome at times, and the fact that Porsche itself uses a 993 basic engine case to power their most exotic examples used for racing, etc, Id be inclined to say 130K is closer to the end of the engine's life rather than its middle, as would be with the 993.

chiba · March 2010

i tend to agree with 1st responder.

this is early yr of the 996 series which were somewhat prone to main seal failures so for certain you would want to see that has received correct repair.

clean carfax is not a gtee that the car has not been damaged (and repaired outside of an insurance claim or accident report....so do not rely on that too heavily.

whether service records are in hand ( certainly a good sign) or not - when considering purchase of any porsche because repair costs can be high (unless you are a diy type) - its wise to have an independent pre purchase inspection done by a pro shop (not necessarily a porsch dealer, but by a mechanic that specializes in porsche repairs).

the p.p.i, should include leakdown & compression tests, isolate any oil leakage issues, and signs of any under chassis problems, state of suspension, etc.

if a seller refuses to allow an independent p.p.i., i would walk away.
if the inspection comes out well - it will provide more confidence in the buy decision, if it identifies problems it will allow you to determine a repair budget and approx timing of those repairs and perhaps negotiate price reduction.

and per 1st responders comments - the 2 prior series (aircooled 993 & 964's) while not without problems have demonstrated rock solid build quality - both chassis wise and engine wise. in the hands of a capable mechanic they are simpler to fix/cheaper to maintain than 996 series.

good luck

Mr_Shiftright · March 2010

Possibly the only "advantage" of a 996 is that you can still order crate engines for them I believe, which is often cheaper than rebuilding one.

You have to be careful when you buy any high mileage used Porsche, because an engine rebuild can nearly total the car, or close to it. A 996 rebuild could cost you $15,000 and I don't think an early high mileage 996 is worth any more than that.

kyfdx · March 2010

So... my local Porsche dealer has a 2001 coupe... Pretty much a base 911... 75K miles..

Asking $27K...

Is that an inherently scary model? Would you just stay away from something like that, period?

chiba · March 2010

i think all porsche owners have strong views of the individual series that were produced under the 911 banner (997, 996, 992, 964, etc).
there are some specific issues with the 996 series that includes 2001 911's that potential owners should be aware of.
good starting point is to order up the back issue of Excellence Magazine (issue #176) for Sept.2009 (i think you can order it online). they did a full overview of the 996 and 997 series (ie 1999 to current). it included market surveys (pricing and "what to look for/consider").
there are also other technical porsche forums, good idea to register and ask specific questions, or you might find a better value car from a forum lisitng.

in any event for a used porsche - my opinion, 1) before you buy arm yourself with all the information you can about the series, what to look for and how much you can expect to spend on maintenance 2)don't rush (especially with the 996 series, there are lots around and the prices are coming down and there are always better deals! 3) make any deal subject to INDEPENDENT p.p.i. by a proshop, which you will have to pay for & don't set a price (or make the price subject to) results of the p.p.i.

Mr_Shiftright · March 2010

My friends for instance, own a Porsche repair shop (also Audi and MINI) and I've seen their pre-sale inspection regimen, and it's impressive. It includes cylinder leakdown test, wheels off, inspection of chassis, operation of all equipment and of course, their own invaluable knowledge of each car/model year's potential weaknesses. On my MINI for instance, before I bought it, they already knew to look for deformation in the strut towers, fragile cooling fan guard, and weak upper engine strut. How could I have know to look for and correct these small but important deficiencies? $450 bucks to inspect and correct the problems, and now I have what I believe is a very good used car.

PS: I had to do this inspection 3 times ($150 a pop) with them and an additional 4 on my own.

Expensive? Not really---not as expensive as one major repair on a bad used car.

nyccarguy · March 2010

I don't know much about 911s (except they are awesome & I really, really want one. I can tell you from personal experience not to be penny wise & pound foolish. While $27K may seem like a fantastic price for a not too old 911, for maybe $10K more you can get a newer & much nicer 911 with less miles that migt give you a lit less headaches in the long run. So if you buy a $27K 911 that ends up needing $5000 worth of work in the not too distant future, then spending $40K on a better 911 isn't that much further of a stretch.

As you know, I purchased a 1990 E30 325iA for $950 (without any kind of PPI) back in April of 2008. I ended up pouring another $3K worth of work into it and the car still needed more work. Thankfully I was bailed out by Uncle Sam & was able to trade the car in during the cash 4 clunkers program. I really would have been better off buying a $5000 E30 in near perfect shape that needed no work. Instead I jumped at the first thing I saw because it was cheap.

Good luck!

shulse · March 2010

That's a good deal. Not great, but here's what I'm thinking. The 996 has a stable drivetrain, that car has has about 8500mi/yr, but keep in mind the design is good for about 240-250k. Tires alone are 2k. One consideration is sun damage - that's a 9 year old car. Mechanically it should be okay, and for 27k, it's 67% lower than a new model. I would almost Section 179 that sort of purchase!

One last thing, I drive a base 997, and have never felt underpowered or off on turns, my only recc'd is going with a manual transmission.

Happy driving!

kyfdx · March 2010

..to be forthcoming... I've owned a 911... I bought an '84 in 1990.... 52K.. paid $20K even for it... Kept it for four years, and sold it for $16.5K, with 73K miles...

But, I was single, didn't know what I didn't know... and, got relatively lucky (new tires, clutch/flywheel job, re-skinned/re-lined the targa top, new rear targa seal.)

Not bad? Almost $3K for those items... Granted, I loved the car, and for four years, it was tolerable.... But, other than the clutch, not one single mechanical issue... If I had real problems, it could have killed me..

What happened? Marriage and fatherhood... .that car went away just 8 days after my son was born..

I understand about buying the newest, lowest mileage Porsche that you can afford, but I can't stretch into the $30Ks.... Already have one car that resides in that price range, and can't handle two.. If I wanted a convertible, a Boxster would be great, but I really want a coupe... Caymans haven't been out long enough to get under $30K.. (also, no bias for 911s over Caymans... I think the Cayman is actually a better sports car). And.. manual transmission is a given..

Just wondering if the 996 is a car to stay away from, no matter what...

Interestingly enough... also considering a new MINI... nice incentives on them, right now..

regards,
kyfdx

Porsche 911

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