My First Porsche...996 Coupe Manual
Discussion
After being a long time lurker of readers cars I thought I would start a thread of my own.
Since I turned 17 I must have had around 60+ cars and bikes, from Classic Mini's, lots of MX5's, 3 Caterham's(one having a Honda fireblade bike engine and the most current that I own half of with my dad is an ex megagrad race car), a defender 110 that I covered to a camper and lots more.
A couple of years ago I had to sell the defender as I bought a house to renovate and it was too good to use as a van. A good friend of mine who is a car dealer took A W211 e220 estate in part exchange. It had only done 98k miles when I bought it. It was a brilliant workhorse for 2 years, I fitted a whole kitchen in the back that I had ripped out as well as taking it over to Europe a couple of times to go watch the Spa Classic and visiting family in Germany.
So going back to my friend who is a car dealer. His family own a Porsche specialist in out local town. (https://www.stevebullspecialistcars.co.uk/)
I have also said to him if he ever comes across a 996 (had to be a manual and a coupe) in my price range that was tidy then to give me first refusal.
Fast forward to last week and he said there was a car coming in that they had serviced a few times. The current owner wasn't using the car as much as he would like and was looking to sell. Come wednesday he called to say he had the car and if I wanted it I could come have a look and a drive. It was a 2000 3.4 996 manual coupe. Basic car just with the aluminium gear knob and handbrake, white dial faces and a 3 spoke wheel.
I went a had a look, luckily the workshop was open so I could get it up on a ramp and have a good look undernieth. Apart from a bit of oil around the RMS it looked very clean. Exhaust had been replaced within the last 1000 miles with a stainless one which was good. Looking through the paperwork the clutch had been done 10k ago but nothing on the IMS.
I am well aware of the issues with IMS bearing in 996's but the car was very clean and is worth spending money having one put in.
The service history was very good and there was a folder with loads of invoices, old MOT's and print outs of write ups from a previous owner who used to post alot to the Porsche club GB forum.
Next up was a test drive, at this point I had been driving a big deisel estate for a couple of years, I haven't driven the Caterham since brands hatch last year so the car was brilliant to drive, completely different to anything else I have owned. I have been a bit spoilt with the only Porsches that I have ever driven have been a late boxter, a 996 GT3 and a 997 GT3RS although that was a year or so ago.
The car feels very tight, no slop or play in bearings and bushes. No rattles or squeaks which is a bonus. Although being 21 years old I can tell the car has been looked after.
So after a drive I knew I had to have it. I had a quick chat with the wife who wondered why I was buying a car older than my current one but wasn't too bothered. I have a van and she had an f31 320d touring so I have most bases covered. The only thing I had to have was 4 seats, not to carry people just so the dog has somewhere to go. He is a whippet so didn't need much room.
So Thursday after work after dropping my e220 off for an MOT so I can get it up forsale I went and picked the car up. I have only driven the car around 100 miles but I am really enjoying it. I have fitted a net in the back to keep the dog safe and he doesn't mind it. There are a couple of small things I have to do like some bed gas struts front a rear and book it in for the IMS. Apart from that it is all up together.
The plans for the car will be to keep it standard and use it. I plan on using the car every day. We usually visit Germany / Austria once or twice a year so hopefully if everything goes back to normal I can take it and enjoy some mountain roads.
I will try and keep the thread up to date with how it is going and anything interesting I do with it.
The only photos I have so far a couple my friend took before I picked it up. I will give it a good wash and get some proper ones.
Since I turned 17 I must have had around 60+ cars and bikes, from Classic Mini's, lots of MX5's, 3 Caterham's(one having a Honda fireblade bike engine and the most current that I own half of with my dad is an ex megagrad race car), a defender 110 that I covered to a camper and lots more.
A couple of years ago I had to sell the defender as I bought a house to renovate and it was too good to use as a van. A good friend of mine who is a car dealer took A W211 e220 estate in part exchange. It had only done 98k miles when I bought it. It was a brilliant workhorse for 2 years, I fitted a whole kitchen in the back that I had ripped out as well as taking it over to Europe a couple of times to go watch the Spa Classic and visiting family in Germany.
So going back to my friend who is a car dealer. His family own a Porsche specialist in out local town. (https://www.stevebullspecialistcars.co.uk/)
I have also said to him if he ever comes across a 996 (had to be a manual and a coupe) in my price range that was tidy then to give me first refusal.
Fast forward to last week and he said there was a car coming in that they had serviced a few times. The current owner wasn't using the car as much as he would like and was looking to sell. Come wednesday he called to say he had the car and if I wanted it I could come have a look and a drive. It was a 2000 3.4 996 manual coupe. Basic car just with the aluminium gear knob and handbrake, white dial faces and a 3 spoke wheel.
I went a had a look, luckily the workshop was open so I could get it up on a ramp and have a good look undernieth. Apart from a bit of oil around the RMS it looked very clean. Exhaust had been replaced within the last 1000 miles with a stainless one which was good. Looking through the paperwork the clutch had been done 10k ago but nothing on the IMS.
I am well aware of the issues with IMS bearing in 996's but the car was very clean and is worth spending money having one put in.
The service history was very good and there was a folder with loads of invoices, old MOT's and print outs of write ups from a previous owner who used to post alot to the Porsche club GB forum.
Next up was a test drive, at this point I had been driving a big deisel estate for a couple of years, I haven't driven the Caterham since brands hatch last year so the car was brilliant to drive, completely different to anything else I have owned. I have been a bit spoilt with the only Porsches that I have ever driven have been a late boxter, a 996 GT3 and a 997 GT3RS although that was a year or so ago.
The car feels very tight, no slop or play in bearings and bushes. No rattles or squeaks which is a bonus. Although being 21 years old I can tell the car has been looked after.
So after a drive I knew I had to have it. I had a quick chat with the wife who wondered why I was buying a car older than my current one but wasn't too bothered. I have a van and she had an f31 320d touring so I have most bases covered. The only thing I had to have was 4 seats, not to carry people just so the dog has somewhere to go. He is a whippet so didn't need much room.
So Thursday after work after dropping my e220 off for an MOT so I can get it up forsale I went and picked the car up. I have only driven the car around 100 miles but I am really enjoying it. I have fitted a net in the back to keep the dog safe and he doesn't mind it. There are a couple of small things I have to do like some bed gas struts front a rear and book it in for the IMS. Apart from that it is all up together.
The plans for the car will be to keep it standard and use it. I plan on using the car every day. We usually visit Germany / Austria once or twice a year so hopefully if everything goes back to normal I can take it and enjoy some mountain roads.
I will try and keep the thread up to date with how it is going and anything interesting I do with it.
The only photos I have so far a couple my friend took before I picked it up. I will give it a good wash and get some proper ones.
and you’ve done some due diligence too. A good thing.
Lovely purchase, I bought a 996 manual coupe in May and love it.
I did due diligence with a pre purchase inspection etc but I have still found it to be a wallet opener, as I am sure you are aware. It’s not that it is unreliable, it’s just the price of parts and sometimes the labour due to engine location.
Please keep this updated!
I did due diligence with a pre purchase inspection etc but I have still found it to be a wallet opener, as I am sure you are aware. It’s not that it is unreliable, it’s just the price of parts and sometimes the labour due to engine location.
Please keep this updated!
So I have had the car a couple of weeks now, I have done around 400 miles in it. I have to say I am still enjoying every time i drive it! Sounds great, plenty fast enough and still feels a bit special.
I thought it would be interesting to see the mpg on the first fill up, not that I'm too bothered but was suprised to see I have been getting 25mpg on my 10 mile each way commute. Very pleased as I was only getting around 30mpg out my old e class (which I sold last weekend)
I have put in a net behind the seats and the dog sits in the back, he is only a whippet so seems to fit in the rear seats just fine.
I have also given it a service, air filter, cabin filter oil filter and oil. I have changed 4 out of the 6 plugs, the last 2 seem almost impossible, there is an exhaust bracket in the way of the back 2 on the passenger side. After a quick Google it turns out people say to allow 3-6 hours to change them if you haven't done it before! It was getting dark so I decided i would tackle the last 2 another day.
Only other thing I have done is changed the gas strut on the engine lid as it was knackered. The front need doing as well but they were out of stock!
Total spending so far is £65 for a service kit, £18 for an oil filter tool, £105 on Mobil 1 0w-40 oil (takes something like 8.5 liters) and £17 on the gas strut.
All in all so far so good!
Also gave it a good wash today
I thought it would be interesting to see the mpg on the first fill up, not that I'm too bothered but was suprised to see I have been getting 25mpg on my 10 mile each way commute. Very pleased as I was only getting around 30mpg out my old e class (which I sold last weekend)
I have put in a net behind the seats and the dog sits in the back, he is only a whippet so seems to fit in the rear seats just fine.
I have also given it a service, air filter, cabin filter oil filter and oil. I have changed 4 out of the 6 plugs, the last 2 seem almost impossible, there is an exhaust bracket in the way of the back 2 on the passenger side. After a quick Google it turns out people say to allow 3-6 hours to change them if you haven't done it before! It was getting dark so I decided i would tackle the last 2 another day.
Only other thing I have done is changed the gas strut on the engine lid as it was knackered. The front need doing as well but they were out of stock!
Total spending so far is £65 for a service kit, £18 for an oil filter tool, £105 on Mobil 1 0w-40 oil (takes something like 8.5 liters) and £17 on the gas strut.
All in all so far so good!
Also gave it a good wash today
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