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Looking to upgrade to 996 Turbo Ca

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chriscoates81

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ORIGINAL: Webbo60 Hi All After one year of my 2003 996 Carrera 2 Cab tiptronic (54K miles), I am now in the fortunate position of being able to upgrade to another model and after lots of advice, I am looking at a 996 Turbo Cab tip with low mileage. The natural progression would be a 997 Carrera 2S Cab. but everyone has said that it will probably devalue by approx. £10K in one year and there will be noticeable power difference from my present 996?. Apart from an updated cockpit and front headlights, it seems to be a lot of money to merely get a new model and still have the worry of cylinder bore problems and IMS issues?. I have been told that a 996 turbo engine is based on the GT Mk1 engine and is much more reliable and stronger and a massive power difference?. I would welcome anybody's views on the subject and what the potential pitfalls are when buying a 996 turbo cab tiptronic model. What are the known maintenance issues and does it cost a lot more money to keep a 996 turbo on the road opposed to a 996 C2? I am finding it extremely hard to find any in the UK and am looking to P/EX my 2003 C2 Cab Tip and the balance would be in cash. If anybody knows of any dealer who has got one in stock (or expecting one soon), can you please get in touch immediately. Million thanks for any help or advice. Jonathan Webster
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Strangly enough i'm thinking of trading up my c2 to a turbos well but maybe later this year. Does the turbo only come in a tiptronic varient as it seems all cabs are like this. Also from what ive seen a turbo is around 30k whereas a 997 c2 is about 37k.
 
Hi All

After one year of my 2003 996 Carrera 2 Cab tiptronic (54K miles), I am now in the fortunate position of being able to upgrade to another model and after lots of advice, I am looking at a 996 Turbo Cab tip with low mileage.

The natural progression would be a 997 Carrera 2S Cab. but everyone has said that it will probably devalue by approx. £10K in one year and there will be noticeable power difference from my present 996?. Apart from an updated cockpit and front headlights, it seems to be a lot of money to merely get a new model and still have the worry of cylinder bore problems and IMS issues?.

I have been told that a 996 turbo engine is based on the GT Mk1 engine and is much more reliable and stronger and a massive power difference?.

I would welcome anybody's views on the subject and what the potential pitfalls are when buying a 996 turbo cab tiptronic model. What are the known maintenance issues and does it cost a lot more money to keep a 996 turbo on the road opposed to a 996 C2?

I am finding it extremely hard to find any in the UK and am looking to P/EX my 2003 C2 Cab Tip and the balance would be in cash. If anybody knows of any dealer who has got one in stock (or expecting one soon), can you please get in touch immediately.

Million thanks for any help or advice.

Jonathan Webster
 
Hi there! I've gone from the 3.2 (air cooled) manual, to the 3.4 996 Cab tip, to the Turbo S 996 Cab manual. There are plenty of 996 T Tips about for sale, it just takes time to research the spec/colour/year/mileage/history etc you want to focus on. At the mo, it's a buyers dream if you are a cash customer, though if you are doing the p/x, you take the hit on your offering. Personally, I'd think twice about going for another NA 911 again for a while (my 996 3.4 had to have a new engine at 30k miles - IMS) & I've been around the Porsche scene for long enough (since 94) to get a feel that 996 & 997 engines can be a bit "brittle"! A few pointers (& there lot's of info on this if you do a quick search)... The 996 Turbo is very quick compared to NA cars (including 997's I've driven - 3.6 & 3.8). The mid range is particularly brutal & it takes a while to realise just how swift these cars are. Compared to the standard 996, the Turbo is in a different league altogether - you almost have to readapt your driving style & re-learn!!! Sure, there are much quicker cars out there - probably for less money (Nissan GTR for example), but let's be honest, the 911 turbo is still the "dream" car! Besides, the GTR is HUGE!!! Tip is slower than the manual, cab is slower than the coupe, cab tip is slowest of the lot. But the tip is constantly quick every time you give it the beans! The manual, however, is only as quick as the operator...plus, the tip is less likely to need maintenance or be over revved. The 996 Turbo was a £100000 (very variable of course, dependant on spec!) car new & in terms of maintenance, £3000 a year should be realistic (give or take £500). Insurance is surprisingly good (sub £500 if you're over 40 & have a clean license). Tyres though, are surprisingly bad if you're lead footed...I tend to put a few hundred quid to one side a month to cover. Don't dismiss the Turbo S as it has FULL spec (do a search) including ceramic brakes (no brake dust & brakes that last 100k + miles if looked after!), plus other engine & gearbox upgrades as standard. Plus, they are quite rare - only around 900 manual cabs produced for example. The "Turbo S", always being last of the line. This may help with the depreciation...? Rads of course are an issue on most 996's & perhaps more so on the Turbo; over rev history ought to be checked before purchase (just a plug & play check with someone with a laptop & relevant software). But clue yourself up with exactly what this means (beware of scaremongering posts on forums...!). To put this in context, if the "over rev" was more than a certain time ago, there is likely to be little to worry about. These cars were designed to be driven hard, so limiter hit's should be fine, it's the high rev 5th to 3rd or 3rd to 1st that cause the probs...all a bit of a minefield if I'm honest! OPC warranty cars are obviouslty a good thing (if an engine goes pop, £10 - 20k is a ballpark repair figure). Most non - OPC warranties won't cover this type of level. Some indie "Maintenance Plan" warranties seem a like great option (Hartech for example) if the OPC is too pricey. Lot's of plus-sides for the 996 Turbo include 24k service interval for later cars, strong engines, blistering performance, easily tuned, faster than you think, stealthy & possibly the bargain of the moment! There is a tendency to yearn for greater performance, but having lived with the 996 Turbo for over a year I'm not sure you need more!? It's easily the best car I've driven (including 2hrs in 997 Turbo's, 550 Maranello & Gallardo!!!) Just be aware - these cars are not cheap to run!! Hope that helps a bit, as I think I've taken a similar route to you? Cheers Mobs
 
ORIGINAL: mobs Hi there! I've gone from the 3.2 (air cooled) manual, to the 3.4 996 Cab tip, to the Turbo S 996 Cab manual. There are plenty of 996 T Tips about for sale, it just takes time to research the spec/colour/year/mileage/history etc you want to focus on. At the mo, it's a buyers dream if you are a cash customer, though if you are doing the p/x, you take the hit on your offering. Personally, I'd think twice about going for another NA 911 again for a while (my 996 3.4 had to have a new engine at 30k miles - IMS) & I've been around the Porsche scene for long enough (since 94) to get a feel that 996 & 997 engines can be a bit "brittle"! A few pointers (& there lot's of info on this if you do a quick search)... The 996 Turbo is very quick compared to NA cars (including 997's I've driven - 3.6 & 3.8). The mid range is particularly brutal & it takes a while to realise just how swift these cars are. Compared to the standard 996, the Turbo is in a different league altogether - you almost have to readapt your driving style & re-learn!!! Sure, there are much quicker cars out there - probably for less money (Nissan GTR for example), but let's be honest, the 911 turbo is still the "dream" car! Besides, the GTR is HUGE!!! Tip is slower than the manual, cab is slower than the coupe, cab tip is slowest of the lot. But the tip is constantly quick every time you give it the beans! The manual, however, is only as quick as the operator...plus, the tip is less likely to need maintenance or be over revved. The 996 Turbo was a £100000 (very variable of course, dependant on spec!) car new & in terms of maintenance, £3000 a year should be realistic (give or take £500). Insurance is surprisingly good (sub £500 if you're over 40 & have a clean license). Tyres though, are surprisingly bad if you're lead footed...I tend to put a few hundred quid to one side a month to cover. Don't dismiss the Turbo S as it has FULL spec (do a search) including ceramic brakes (no brake dust & brakes that last 100k + miles if looked after!), plus other engine & gearbox upgrades as standard. Plus, they are quite rare - only around 900 manual cabs produced for example. The "Turbo S", always being last of the line. This may help with the depreciation...? Rads of course are an issue on most 996's & perhaps more so on the Turbo; over rev history ought to be checked before purchase (just a plug & play check with someone with a laptop & relevant software). But clue yourself up with exactly what this means (beware of scaremongering posts on forums...!). To put this in context, if the "over rev" was more than a certain time ago, there is likely to be little to worry about. These cars were designed to be driven hard, so limiter hit's should be fine, it's the high rev 5th to 3rd or 3rd to 1st that cause the probs...all a bit of a minefield if I'm honest! OPC warranty cars are obviouslty a good thing (if an engine goes pop, £10 - 20k is a ballpark repair figure). Most non - OPC warranties won't cover this type of level. Some indie "Maintenance Plan" warranties seem a like great option (Hartech for example) if the OPC is too pricey. Lot's of plus-sides for the 996 Turbo include 24k service interval for later cars, strong engines, blistering performance, easily tuned, faster than you think, stealthy & possibly the bargain of the moment! There is a tendency to yearn for greater performance, but having lived with the 996 Turbo for over a year I'm not sure you need more!? It's easily the best car I've driven (including 2hrs in 997 Turbo's, 550 Maranello & Gallardo!!!) Just be aware - these cars are not cheap to run!! Hope that helps a bit, as I think I've taken a similar route to you? Cheers Mobs
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I thought all 996's had a rev limiter anyway?
 
Hi Mobs Thank you so much for all the information and is much appreciated. It really is hard trying to find a cab at the moment and would appreciate any advice on good dealers and those to avoid? Thanks again for any help in that area. Webbo
 
Hi Webbo The search is part of the fun in my opinion as I started the process over a year before I bought one! I began by looking for a C4S, then a 997, then a 996 Turbo, (all cabs) then then decided to hone in on the Turbo S - simply because it ticks all the boxes & is rare in comparison to all of the others. I'm hooked on cabs - it just adds a whole new dimension to the experience! I dare not name good & bad dealers as it's all down to personal experience - though a quick search will tend to reveal all...I have to say that my experiences with dealers have varied greatly & sometimes I'm astounded how some of them continue to trade. The car I bought had new rads, a new oil pressure sensor, a leaking power steering pipe fixed, low tone horn fixed (surprise, surprise!) & the headlamp washer unbloked, so it was fairly well sorted. The other thing to watch for is the rear spoiler - a common weak spot on the Turbo cars & expensive to put right. Mine had the internals replaced a few years back, but still started playing up a month or so ago. As you will probably be p/xing your car, private is probably a no goer, but this is a good route to a bargain (though you would need a pro to check the car of course). One other interesting point - now I've owned the Turbo for some time - is that I'm not seeing a lot of difference in running costs in terms of maintenance vs the 996 3.4. This may be to do with the 24k mile service intervals (though I still do a minor one every year), but on the whole, as long as there is a warranty of some description in place it's all rather similar. Fuel consumption is a bit of an issue nowaday's though... & just to clarify the over rev & limiter issue, all 996's have a limiter, but if it's gear shift error, the limiter can't cut in fast enough - hence the over rev. This became particularly relevant when Porsche required this test (just a plug & play test) to be done prior to issuing warranties a year or so ago. Before that, not a lot was mentioned about it being an issue. Cheers Mobs
 
I went from a 996 C4 to a manual 996 TT - the difference in performance is huge. My C4 was a tip and I specifically wanted to get a manual as I prefer it as a driving experience. The performance of the turbo is on a whole other level. When the turbos are on full boost you'd better be ready as the horizon accelerates towards you!
 
Hi all Still on the search for a 996 turbo cab but finding it very hard to find a good one. Now getting tempted by a turbo S and wanted peoples opinion on whether it is worth the extra cash. So over to you for your advice. Thanks as always. Webbo
 
Saw a tasty looking black (with saddle brown leather interior) Turbo S Cab on ebay yesterday - bit out of my price range though ! Ad says it is one of only 50 rhd Turbo S Cabs - is this correct ? Chris
 
Hello webbo60. Great thing to do. I have just moved from a 944Turbo cab with 44,300 miles (difinitely one of 100 in rhd and one of 78 in the uk) itself easily as fast up to its vmax as a normally aspirated 996. Nothing can prepare you for the culture shock when you release the 420bhp of the 996t. I have had mine a month and averaged 24.9mpg and loved every minute of it. I searched piston heads and auto trader and all the other dealers sites before finding my 17,900 mile turbo cab in a special order colour of atlas grey metalic. All 996t cabs came with a hard top so don't let a vendor use that as a plus point. I was lucky to get one of the six speed manuals. There are sure to be turbo cabs out there just keep looking and don't be disheartened if nothing turns up straight away. As you rightly postulate the engine in the 996t is based on the gt1 crankcase, and does not suffer RMS failure, and more importantly, if I am correctly informed, has no intermediate main shaft, so it has no ims shaft bearings to fail prematurely. The cab has heated rear window, not sure about the hard top. There is a good selecton of t/cabs on PH right now including a manual 2005 my with 33000. In my limited experience I would suggest there is a chance of movement on the advertised price from a private seller. As an example the previous owner of mine was offered 34 trade-in, against probably 40 and up from the forecourt. I paid 36,250 for 2004 my. Good luck.
 
924nutter, how the hell are you averaging 24.9mpg, i can barely get my tt out of the 18's, are you sure your releasing all 420 of them horse's [;)]
 
Hi! As a 996 Turbo S owner, I'd say yes, go for it - of course!! Just look on Pistonheads regarding vehicles currently for sale, as I've had a quick look & there seems to be plenty of Turbo's for sale; even some reasonably priced "S" cars? It's always the best place to start! Yes, they demand a premium, but from memory, there were only just over 900 Turbo S Cabs produced worldwide, meaning that you won't see many of them about. If you then think of the number of RHD versions, then if were they Manual or Tip, then the colour breakdowns etc, you know that whichever one you get, you're unlikely to see another one outside of the shows! There were even less coupes oddly enough...!? Also, the spec on the 996 Turbo S is "top" - as with all Turbo S cars - because the "Turbo S" versions are always last off the line & get the "special" treatment. Beware of fakes though as there are a surprising amount of them around. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to tell. Even ads that read 996 Turbo S, when they're in fact the X50 version with an "S" stuck on to the right of the Turbo badge!! If "Turbo S" ain't central on the boot lid, it ain't a Turbo S! Alternatively, you could get a Turbo with the after market X50 power upgrade kit for a lot less money? I've never been certain if the other "strengthened" bit's are included with the X50 package that were standard on the "S" though. For starters, I know ceramics were not part of the X50 upgrade option for example, but were standard on the "S". Whilst on that subject, I have to say, not to have to clean the wheels is worth the premium in itself... You seem to be going the same route as I did, so good luck!!! Cheers Mobs
 
ORIGINAL: pje1210 924nutter, how the hell are you averaging 24.9mpg, i can barely get my tt out of the 18's, are you sure your releasing all 420 of them horse's [;)]
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Using the onboard computer I have establshed, and observed the average mpg over 3 tankfuls of juice creep up to 25. Using the low down grunt and occasional bursts for overtaking on a recent trip to Poole, then a trying A road journey up to Bristol including the rush hour in Poole and Bristol, then home, I established that benchmark. If it is kept to 69/72 mph I was showing 29.6. I know from observation that the computer will indicate more than 24mpg at at least 90. Yes in traffic it will sink to 15. Currently my average speed is 44.5. At the moment I am still in the "if anyone's going to get knicked it's the bloke in the 911" phase of my first months of ownershsip. I reckon I had a lucky escape on the way to Bristol, having blasted past a dark grey Focus ST in a low gear. on a bit of dual carriageway. On my way past i noticed a glimpse of reflective jackets and backed it off to 70 where upon the ST squirted alongside and kept station, with what looked like two hairy ar5ed constables inside. It pulled in behind me and shadowed me for several miles, before he continued along the dual carriageway and I turned off for Bristol.
 
I find I get 22 - 23 mpg from my 996 turbo coupe. That's actual mpg, measured from the pumps and mileage covered, not the on-board computer. The car is mainly used for longer trips. Excellent economy for the performance, in my view.
 
ORIGINAL: AndrewEllinas I get around 21 mpg when used mostly on A roads and motorways and 18 mpg in town
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That sounds a bit more like mine, havent really done a long distance run in it yet, so cant advise on that aspect of mpg
 
Hi all Yesterday saw me pick up my Porsche 996 turbo S cabriolet. What a car and such a difference to my C2 cab. My thanks go out to Tom Harris at 911 Virgin who helped with the detailed inspection as I bought it privately. His knowledge,.professionalism and methodical approach is a credit to him. Will post a picture soon but what a special car. I am off for a spin Jonathan
 
Hi Webbo That's great news! The 996 Turbo is a a mad car! & I agree - a world apart form the N/A 996 (I still have a soft spot for them though). Look forward to seeing the pix! Mobs
 
Hi all Fantastic car the Turbo S Cab. However, the PCCB brakes squeak a bit. Is that normal from what I have read on here? Seems a bloody expensive noise?. Jonathan
 
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