997.2 Turbo Buying Tips ?

[James Abbott]

Hi Guys,
I'm new to the club and this is my first post so please be gentle with me !!!
I currently own a 987 Gen 2 boxster S.
I have just put a deposit on a 2012 997.2 Turbo with 61,000 miles which I have not yet seen in the flesh but only photos but I can't collect until the end of May as the dealership (BMW) is on lockdown .
I'm looking for as much advise as I can get as to what to look out for, any know problems etc
I've also noticed that there is quite a lot of black soot on the exhaust tail pipes, is this anything to worry about ?
Thanks in advance.
James

 

[BooTooo]

Greetings & welcome!
The best otpion for you is to organise a pre-prurchase visit for this VERY specific model to make sure all the "key organs" are as they should...

Alternatively, you can trust your guts (Like I did when I purchased a far less expensive Carrera 2 model) and fix the surprises post purchase...

Option 1 is piece of mind and option 2 is to keep your bank account under control...
Good luck!

 

[Lancerlot]

I've been thinking about this as I owned a 997.2 Turbo S for over 6 years and, in spite of some valiant driving all over UK, Europe and Norway, I can't think of any Achilles Heal problems. It certainly never let me down and, in fact, I rate it as one of my best 911's. []

Mine was always serviced on the button, so check the service record. If it has PCCB's, check these very carefully - especially for wear and damage to rotors as they're expensive to replace. Take a good look at the boots all round and note uneven wear, which may indicated chassis misalignment. Rears usually wear in the centres due to acceleration, whilst fronts on the insides because of wheel camber. If the outer edges of the front tyres are scrubbed, it's been driven hard. Edges that are clean and intact indicate the car may have been used just for normal road journeys.[]

Sooty tailpipes on both sides is normal when the car is being shunted around on forecourts etc. At normal running temperature, the engine should run clean - not smoky. If soot is one side only, it could indicate potential engine problems, but this is unlikely. Wastegates are exposed beneath the car, can corrode and stop the turbos working. I would ask the seller to put it on a ramp for you, so you can inspect the underside.

Do get a decent warranty as components like PDK gearboxes are £15k to replace and can't be repaired by the PC. []

Good luck.

Regards,

Clive

 

[tscaptain]

I owned mine from new - over 10 years now! As Clive says it really is a reliable beast. At that mileage/age some suspension components ( mainly bushes) may need replacing. All of the rear end of mind has been done. Look for leaks on the cross over pipes at the front- these are prone to corrosion. ( Mine were replaced under warranty at the 10 year service) A/c condensers are exposed if no aftermarket grilles have been fitted so check a/c works and no damage visible.
The rear tyres are also prone to wear on the inner edges due to the excessive negative camber they put in at the factory. A good 4 wheel alignment would be on the top of my list after purchase. ( I have some good settings I can let you have!)
There are a few other improvements you can make on the standard car ( apart from fitting protective grilles) I have 3 way adjustable anti roll bars as fitted to GT3 and better brake pads.
That said it's way and above the best I've ever owned and before this I'd never owned a car for more than 3 years.
Good luck and enjoy ( when the restrictions are lifted!)

 

[James Abbott]

Thanks for your feedback.
James

 

[KXJ 911Turbo]

They are fantastic machines, and echo previous comments. I am on my second. I don't think I have ever seen one without sooty tailpipes. But certainly should not be blowing smoke at normal running temps...