What My Porsche 996 Pre Purchase Inspection Revealed.

[@LilSnooze]

Buying this car after this extremly detailed PPI is nowhere near "rolling the dice" lol, regardless enjoy it man!

[@wettlovkov]

agreed, looks like a solid, well looked after 996

[@apexwetdog]

This one is very solid. Nothing to worry about. Any issues that come up will likely be age related.

[@biznatcho7]

Props to the shop that did the PPI - seems thorough with very good pictures.

[@24hourgmtchannel64]

LOL Will. My jaw dropped when you said "A guy from Wisconsin". I sold my black 1999 996 manual coupe to a guy in Wisconsin early January this year and he had it listed for sale a few months latter probably hopping to make a killing. He kept dropping the price and had it listed down to $20,750 and after months listed, it just sold about a week or two ago. Though he tried to convince me he was buying it to keep, I knew he was going to buy and resell for more money. One important thing to do in evaluating any 996 is get the car idling and as hot as possiable, with the AC off, to the point where the radiator fans are cycling and keep you ear at the rear on right side cylinder six side. It you hear an audiable tick or slap, it's very likely the piston skirt slapping against the cylinder. In it's early stages, you often won't hear it until the engine is hot and the oil is fully warmed and thinned and don't let any so-called expert convince you it's a lifter.

[@horatiotimewaster5755]

Appears to be a good example. That is the nicest 996 interior I have seen.

[@Curtis_Good]

My 996 GT3 pulled hard to the right under throttle when I bought it because the tires were all worn differently and were up to five years apart on their dates, AND were oversized on stock wheels. Threw some new OEM sized Falkens on it (It was during the thing when stuff was hard to find) and it was all good.

[@junktionfet]

I am 100% on board with your plan, and if all goes well and you end up bringing it home, I will be excited to hear your thoughts on owning and living with a 996. I really like this generation of 911, maybe because it has been the underdog, but also because it's a great car that does a lot of things well

[@tomburns890]

Good video. Nice car. I sold my 996 ‘02 Turbo with 22K miles back in ‘08 and the guy just sold it about 6 months ago with 101K miles he had it bumped up to 900 hp and never had a problem with it in those 78K miles and 15 years.

[@jibmaster]

Look at the maturity in your decisions lol! Will, the C4S with that X51 is a great find. It looks clean to me. None of that would scare me away at all. However, I tend to buy cars that do need some love because the price is more favorable and I do the majority of the work. I think you could easily do the maintenance stuff in your garage--especially having the four post. You'd learn more about the car and save yourself some money. Like new suspension bits! These 996's are not hard to learn and wrench on IMHO. Looking forward to future vids. Thanks for dragging us along.

[@stevenjordan6188]

I had a 996. I bought it at a local dealer. I didn't know the 996 hate when I bought it. I really liked it but I was kind of surprised the interior wasn't a bit nicer. I really liked the car and had zero issues with it the entire time I had it. I did have to fix the convertible, it was not working when I bought it. Took it to the Porsche dealer and it was under 100 bucks to fix, I got really lucky, try getting out of a Porsche repair for under 100 dollars. The cashier actually called the service rep to make sure, she said she had never seen a bill for under 100. I wish I would have kept it.

[@leonsaliba9668]

This looks like a great car, with all the right specs. The 996 C4S is the perfect blend of old and new!

[@morganvon5664]

It's a great looking car and the interior looks really clean. Short of a turbo, I think it's the one to have.

[@Epicmachine]

Wisconsin is fun for cars like that, I live right on the border of IL and WI and I always end up on backroads between the two states! I recently got a 996 turbo with 39K miles and I know yours is a 4S but the 996 in general is a great nimble car that will feel right at home on those twisty roads up there! You will love it!

[@Rennthusiast]

You definitely need to come to NC and enjoy the roads down here.

[@Epicmachine]

@@Rennthusiast Anything besides IL would be an improvement in regards driving excitement!! lol

[@danielwilliams9625]

Beautiful 996. Good luck and thanks for sharing!

[@roninsc]

Thanks for sharing the 'adventure'. Looking forward to the next chapter.

[@kansum3326]

Thanks for sharing!! I am about to buy a C4S, so this was extremely useful, especially with knowing what to expect from my PPI!!

[@davidnemeth5636]

About 4 years ago I purchased a 40th anniversary 996. Changed out the IMS bearing new tires and an updated radio with bluetooth and backup camera. It has been a wonderful dependable car. My plan is to keep and drive it forever.

[@512TXSDIY]

That is a beautiful car! FYI - that head unit is high dollar upgrade! Buy it! So clean and good luck.

[@C4S911]

Will, I promise you will love the driving experience of the car. People bash on the looks but rarely the performances. The C4S is legit and if you do additional mods like add the GT3 throttle body and IPD. The car super is so response 🏎️

[@dirkpalmer1067]

Was just wondering when you'd have another video. Always look forward to watching. Thx!

[@akassrugby]

I bought my 02 c2 after a very low quality PPI, probably more of a dice roll, I then drove it 800 miles home and subsequently put $10,000 into it over the last 10 months for repairs and deferred maint...lol. It's been fun but I do regret not getting a higher quality PPI such as the one you got for this lovely c4s. You'll love it. Excellent performance with just enough comfort and an analog feel.

[@JJL206]

Thanks for sharing such a thorough PPI. Worth every penny given what you uncovered. Everyone should be this meticulous when purchasing their next Porsche. We’d all be a lot happier further down the line. Your Porsche experience philosophy is an interesting one for us spectators. It’s great that you get to share trying all these cars and then sell them after you feel like you’ve gotten the Full Monty. My philosophy is more “buy and hold”. I tend to find a generation that I think is excellent, and if possible by a couple of examples and keep them for as long as possible. As far as the 996 goes, I just can’t get past the exterior and interior of those cars. I’m sure they handle well and are a blast to drive though. Everyone should experience Porsches at whatever level they can. Looking forward to hearing what you think!

[@Boxsterox]

Until cracks come close to connecting between holes, it’s not a worry. A properly driven 911 shouldn’t require a lot of braking so those rotors in street use should last another 20k miles. 😀

[@kwebmail2007]

lol 996 are so slept on it's ridiculous. you did your DD, yeah man good buy! I will be following to see what you paid..... I was a little shocked the window sticker was $115k.. in 2004! wow! My 99 was like $65k or something. These cars are so cheap and so much fun but they're getting noticed now and theyre old, so there wont be boatloads of them around for long. 👍

[@cmc9823]

The music always makes me feel like I’m riding the escalator up to the kids section in Nordstrom as a 6 year old in 1999. Lovely video.

[@ME-et7ck]

you are totally nuts my friend but all in the very best way - no regrets in the life you live, enjoy the journey.

[@Rennthusiast]

Haha thanks I guess? 😂😂

[@detonator2112]

This is the best looking 996 for sure. It has the rear reflector which to me is quintessential Porsche look. The rear is the best looking of any water cooled cars.

[@richb9267]

The name for that reflector is a “heckblende”

[@noahfagan3727]

This feels more interesting than the 992, excited to hear your thoughts.

[@passionnotparked9099]

Will, after that ppi, there is no ? This is a well looked after car. 4 years ago I was in your boat, bought a C4S without ppi, test drive or even seeing the car in person. It came from PN to CA. Im happy with my purchase, I could have done better but I also could have done much worse. LOL Your silver one is a Peach.

[@brembopollypor9965]

Those bores are fine by Lokasil standards. Mine have similar markings, and coming from an air-cooled Nikasil plated engine it’s still pains me to see it, but if you reject a car based on that state of wear you will end up rejecting them all. Range 2 over-revs can only come from miss-shifting, I also have like 4 ignitions in that range, it’s a spurious reading according to my Porsche specialist. Real miss shift immediately is in dozens.

[@jdrennsport8704]

Will, it looks like you made a great choice. I have owned two 996 C4S and both were trouble free. It’s a bewitchingly beautiful car, too. As far as your scope results go, my Porsche specialist has said that if you borescope any 996 or 997.1 you’re likely to see at least a little bit of scoring. It is simply the nature of those motors. As I’m sure you’ve seen or heard countless times the key to longevity on the M 96 and M 97 motor is to keep it under 3000 RPM until it is warmed up and change the oil every 3000 to 5000 miles. Unfortunately, the 996 does not have an oil temperature gauge (something that was remedied in the 997), so a good rule of thumb is to wait until the car has been driven at least 10 minutes before driving it in upper RPM ranges. Good luck!

[@JuanCarlosChinoLoco]

On the oil temp topic - if you see the oil pressure is below 2 bars, she's ready to go!

[@jdrennsport8704]

@@JuanCarlosChinoLoco I’m not sure what you mean - are you talking about two bars at idle or under load?

[@JuanCarlosChinoLoco]

@@jdrennsport8704 should have clarified. At idle.

[@jdrennsport8704]

I personally would not recommend using oil pressure at idle after start up as a gauge for oil temperature (unless you’re letting your car idle for more than say 10 minutes, and I certainly would not recommend letting the car idle for that long).

[@JuanCarlosChinoLoco]

@@jdrennsport8704 I wouldn't either. I'm implying that you rely on the pressure gauge after you have properly driven it (under 3k) for ~10 minutes. Once you come to a stop after 10 minutes of driving and the pressure gauge reads below 2, let her rip.

[@PaulLukeBonenfant]

Beautiful example! Looking at the exhaust tips, you should put a new set of engine mounts in immediately, not because there’s anything mechanically wrong with them but when they sit lower like that, you can firm up the handling a lot with some fresh ones!

[@jwmarc123]

Thanks for posting this P-car purchase effort.. I own an '87 930 ( owned the last 22 years) and am looking to purchase an '04 turbo convertible. I am not keen on the BAT/C&B's auction process. Your PPI report is an integral part of making this type of purchase...If you are a knowledgeable enthusiast and have the opportunity to work with another enthusiast you have a higher probability of making a good purchase with a keen understanding of the additional interval work and expense that can be negotiated into the deal.

[@johndeitrich1877]

Buy it! Lots of performance and fun for the $. 😊

[@Rennthusiast]

lol

[@anthonyvierra1975]

Solid car I’m sure you will enjoy it. My 40 Jarhe has been fantastic and the X51 is a huge step up over the standard m96.

[@francisflorez5581]

Great spec with the power package and sports seats. The hollow spoke wheels are definitely an upgrade. Grey interior plus minus.

[@ip_freely]

Funny, purely a coincidence, I also got a 996 at the same time too, black on black though.

[@ip_freely]

And I'm SUPER happy and impressed with it!

[@timmusick9875]

The 4S was always to best looking 996, very nice.

[@petekalber587]

I have the same car. Will be intrigued to see how you compare it to your others

[@gilbertferguson1685]

A thorough PPI is a must when considering buying one of these cars. I took a 996 to the local dealer and they did not check for over revs or tell me what was causing the knocking in the front suspension, they only said there were after market suspension components. I ultimately passed on the car.

[@djw888]

I’ve had a couple of 996s. Had IMS replaced on both but was told to leave the RMS if it was not leaking as new ones can sometimes leak. Can’t remember the reasons - inferior seals/other engine issues - but it might be what’s happening with yours. Others with better knowledge might be able to shed better light

[@jackpalczynski7884]

A great PPI there. It sort of said that this is an old car with old car wear issues to all the rubber and it's a mileage car with all the wear issues due to mileage. You pointed out the control arm bushings and this is something every car experiences but with a 911, a buyer is expecting a car that handles excellent. Dried out and cracked bushings because of time can indeed take away that excellent handling and in extreme cases introduce clunks and noises not expected. I expect you know all this having gone through lots of air cooled 911s but people out there just looking for an affordable 911 might not get that before going out and driving a car with a worn out set of bushings. It's great that the current owner dealt with the IMS bearing. But what was it replaced with? Was it a stock replacement or one of the many upgraded aftermarket replacements that could eliminate the problem. When I was looking at 996's, I decided that I would only be comfortable with a car that didn't have an IMS, so focused only on turbos and GT cars. Good luck with your test drive. I'm not sure you're going to like this car.

[@Andrew-lu6wp]

Nice one mate good luck .

[@hawkinsjd11]

Suspension refresh is common. I replaced my entire suspension minus the struts (I did when I bought it) and it was $1300 for parts. If you don't want to get dirty it will be a lot more.

[@ryanpatterson9526]

I think it's a solid choice. Great spec! The 996 is a great car that doesn't get the respect it deserves.

[@dianaserchia4524]

Gorgeous 996. It doesn’t disappoint. Looking forward to seeing the rest of your adventure!

[@alcantara3071]

Best of luck with a 996 with miles on it. You’ll get to check off the 996 ownership box and get that over with.

[@djfreesoul]

Awesome example

[@Rennsport-Media]

Welcome to the 996 family!!!’ 🍻

[@sambone8213]

That is a clean PPI. You will wonder why you didn't get into the 996 world sooner.

[@tigermaster747]

The 996 4S rear end is timeless. IMO this generation works best in Speed Yellow.

[@Bob_Sacamano69]

Make sure you catch a Packers' practice while you're here!

[@JuanCarlosChinoLoco]

Will - long time lurker but not subscriber. I have a non-x51 c4s that just crossed 74,000. I've also been given the same advise that a little bit of light scratches on the bores is going to be fine. As long as you keep the revs under 3k before the engine is fully warmed up, your engine will last a very long time...not that you are planning to keep this one long anyways lol

[@Mafiacat2023]

Do a video of your trip back with the car.

[@YogisGarage]

Paying 900 for a spark plug scope PPI is excessive. What about a compression test?

[@afoolandhismoneychannel]

It's a shame that Porsche never did a C2S version of the 996. The turbo body is beautiful but the AWD takes away much of the 911 experience.

[@robertsole9970]

It’s quite easy to convert a 996 C4S to a 2 WD, to get a wide body RWD. Same with the turbo. Just remove the front diff and a few other things. Then you have a 2WD turbo manual

[@xinquisitor666x]

U will like the car. My 996 turbo is fun but it's a soft top :(

[@davidleigh7698]

My understanding is that only the pre 2000 models don’t bore score at some point

[@Rennthusiast]

They all do

[@YumboYack2521]

Wow that’s an excellent PPI shop, mind sharing the shop name?

[@Rennthusiast]

Rob’s import. Appleton WI.

[@timemanagementnc2979]

Will, do you have preferred service provider in the Charlotte area? I have a 2016 Cayman and I am looking for options other than Hendrick. Thanks.

[@DaringGreatlyRacing]

These are starting to grow on me. I don't seem to mind the runny egg headlights as much as I did before. This car seems like a fine example and I look forward to the next video!

[@C4S911]

The 996 is finally aging like fine wine. The body lines are effortless and timeless.

[@biznatcho7]

To be fair, the lights without the yolk look a lot better than with the yolk.

[@MrBeckPJ]

Yeah the mid cycle refresh (996.2) did a nice update to the headlights so they weren't identical to the Boxster's.

[@DaringGreatlyRacing]

@@biznatcho7 I agree, way better without the yolk.

[@antonioblt9407]

PPI is half of the story. What is the asking price?

[@dougphilibin1891]

Looks like this is already back up for sale lol.. Record turnaround time for Will?

[@Rennthusiast]

All is not what it appears 😄 There is much more 996 content coming…and it’s not about selling!

[@4liter]

Can we have more Spyder content soon

[@alessandrogetilli2831]

Beautiful, but the turbo ....

[@alessandrogetilli2831]

I agree, better to spend a little more, the turbo is much more exciting..

[@Rennthusiast]

@alessandrogetilli2831 been there done that, plus I have a 991.2 Carrera S which ticks the fast and turbo boxes

[@carrera3959]

The 4S is beautiful, just replace the IMS; the turbo is better, but it's too fast.That can get you into trouble.

[@tuul75]

Am I the only one who stopped the video at 8:31 ? That is some very well defined scoring in my eyes. My 2000 3.4L with 115k miles has zero scoring as I just scoped it. Renn, don’t do it. Boring colour, meh wheels, bloated 4s body, AWD you don’t need, and some defined scoring at 8:31.

[@danmeifert2469]

Yeah, likewise. Also opting not to scope through the sump as the first area to bore score is at the bottom of the stroke as a follow up...

[@BC-og2mw]

I really could not judge the condition of the upper cylinders from the few small photographs shown in this video.

[@WiseTorque]

This is how it should be done. Don't do what I did 🤣

[@alcantara3071]

IMS done, check Bore scoring mild, check Only 27-28 more possible catastrophic failure possibilities. No mention of sticky soft touch interior surfaces. If you can overlook the awkward styling, 996’s make good drivers, however quality issues are a disappointment.

[@Rennthusiast]

lol

[@callelindstrom4789]

Dont buy. Why risk it? Its not worth it. A clean C2 1998-1999 manuel. Is the only 996 worth the effort. No IMS, no bore scoring, its light wieght so it moves and not sluggish. I think its the best 996 experinence. I sold my low mile 2003 C4S because keeping me awake at nights due for its possible comming issues..it is allways back in your head when you drive it…but god luck! I Hope for the best! 🙏🏻😊

[@nonradar]

What? This is a clean PPI.

[@callelindstrom4789]

@@nonradar Yes, mine was superclean too, but it didnt give peace of mind anyway…

[@nonradar]

@@callelindstrom4789 Awe, that’s too bad… I had an 2001 C4, that was the best built and best car I’ve owned! I’m currently driving a 991.2 base Carrera, it’s great but the 996 was really a great car. I’m one of the lucky ones, I suppose…

[@mattyp3119]

Meh, 996.