For the same money, on Pistonheads there is a blue 996 with 158,000 that had an engine rebuild 15,000 miles ago to the tune of £4,000. It is hpi clear. The headlight styling is not fabulous on either itertion of the 996, in my opinion, and it was only because of the desire to trade up from my 944 Turbo cab that I started to look at 997s, infinately more pure with the single ovoid headlight. Doing my research, in an article published by a reputable magazine I learnt of the horrors of bore scoring on some 997s, so being on a large but finite budget I changed my plans and made the compromise and chose to live with the facelifted models styling and bought a turbo because of the frailties of the non-Metzger flat six. I am so glad that I did, because although the styling is the now cliched (cleeshayed) marmite styling, interstingly when you are in the driving seat you cant see it and you spend more time looking out than you do looking in, and traffic still melts out of the way in a manner only equalled when you thunder up behind in a 928. If I had £9K I would shop around there are better cars out there. You have to be prepared to interrogate the interweb almost on a daily basis for many weeks until the right car comes along. I spent a very patient 6 months vacillating between 996 , 997 (should I blow more of my nest egg?) until this 17,880 mile car came along at from what I could see £7,000 under dealer forecourt prices and about £2,000 above bottom line trade in value, so I was happy to part with my cash, and drive away happy. You know the old saying, never buy the first one you see.