SERVICE HISTORY AND MILEAGE
Manufactured between 1997 and 2004 (two further years for Turbo S, GT2 and GT3 models), the 996 was the first 911 to feature a water-cooled engine. Despite grumblings from Porsche purists, the model proved a hit with the wider motoring public — worldwide sales figures of more than 175,000 units made the 996 one of the company’s most popular products. Lofty sales figures means there are presently plenty of 996s available for those delving into the used car market. Despite the 996’s healthy reliability record, however, not all of the available examples are sound buys. Choose a 996 which has been properly maintained and you can look forward to years of enjoyable driving, but pick one neglected by its owners and you can expect sizeable repair bills. A comprehensive Pre-purchase Inspection at Revolution Porsche’s Birstall workshop will pick up any imminent problems and give you peace of mind, but it’s useful to know what you should be looking for when you head out for a test drive.
Despite the low cost of buying a 996 right now, repairing a 911 is a specialised job and should only be undertaken by trained Porsche technicians. A full service history demonstrating the 996 you're looking at has been subject to the correct service regime (and work has been carried out by Porsche experts) is a good sign, but be wary about cars maintained at non-specialist garages. This is particularly true of the complex GT2 — a complete mystery to non-porsche specialist mechanics. Also ask to see the last service invoice, which will feature a list of advisories. If the recommendations have been acted on, the seller should be able to produce invoices for the work. If not, the information will give you an idea of what maintenance costs are likely to be during the first twelve months of your time with the car.
The 996 is practical enough for everyday use. There is no reason to worry about high mileage, as long as the car has been well maintained. In fact, low mileage examples may require extra checks — under-use can lead to problems, such as rust on the brake discs. One other thing to consider is that a 996 with very low mileage may well have been used primarily for track days and regularly driven close to its maximum potential. If this is the case, the car should have been serviced more regularly than the recommended mileage-based schedule.