Porsche 911 997 model 2005

[Jaymo]

Looking at the above with 75000 miles and full history, Carrera S 3.8 manual

 

Honest opinions from anyone who has run one, we're looking to purchase as my wife wishes me off two wheels and onto/into four ( booooooo)

A Porsche has been on the bucket list since I guess puberty ( according to the above mentioned wife I still going through it? Moi, childish?)

Around the £25k mark is the budget as this will essentially be used to get me back n forth to the Airport once a week and occasional weekend use.

So, what should I watch out for ( insurance already checked/quoted).

[dougall]

watch out for Wham Cds stuck in the music system and every gti/subaru wanting to race you.mileage sounds high,..15-16 mpg if playing boys games...3.6 just as good with better mpg and would think could find tidy 1 for 25k.

[Jaymo]

Have just really started looking.

Am aware the 3.6 is only marginally down on the 3.9- but it's a wide arch Carrera S that I prefer e look of.

Just reading about IMS failures and Bore scoring , so that's another item to add to the check list.

 

Mileage at 75k - might sound high but it is an 11 y are old car, used to do that in a couple of years when I was commuting.

[DrBob]

I had one, a 2005 Carrera S 997, had it about four years.

Mixed feelings, really. On full throttle, the engine is intoxicating; a metallic hard scream that sounds like nothing else.

However, it is not pain-free. Firstly, it runs the battery down if not left on trickle charge, it's not fast enough ( brisk, certainly) and the road and tyre noise is awful. Ride's pretty dreadful as well. Bits drop off, radiator grills are low down and perforate easily, engine failures seem a lot commoner than Porsche will admit to, and warning lights tend to come on easily.

Unbelievable grip and handling at speed, very vague, over-assisted steering at low speed, it only comes alive when you step on it.

Not fast enough, it'll hit sixty in around six seconds, a well driven Golf Gti will leave it standing, unless you really push it and risk pranging it. Nasty flat spot at around 2500 rpm, Porsche afficionados rave about the special characteristics of the power delivery, but I found it irritating.

My Merc 350 diesel feels faster, much more responsive in any gear, unless you really drive the 911 hard.

My son has a Subaru Impreza STi, it will completely obliterate the 911,except in a straight line.

 

I fell for the myth and it didn't quite deliver. Fast enough, hopelessly noisy, cramped and uncomfortable, expensive to run and constantly needing attention. Eats rear tyres. Exhaust rusts quickly.

I called it "the Mistress", great for a sunny weekend now and then, but too high-maintenance for a permanent arrangement.

(Nb, I am happily married for thirty-four years!)

Put it this way, I don't miss it. No rose-tinted memories. It was the most unreliable car I've ever owned, and cost me the most over the shortest time.

By comparison, my Merc 350 CLS diesel is the best car I've owned, smooth, fast, comfortable, great for a blast down to Devon in a couple of hours. A long motorway journey in the 997 was, truthfully, a bit wearing. Maybe I'm just old. More likely, I'm more cynical and experienced enough not to fall for the Top Gear hyperbole. It's a car. A small, cramped, expensive, noisy, impractical and unreliable car that-considering the hype and the development- should be so much better. It's ok, no more.

I'd seriously look at other cars as well. A BMW M3, for example, a C63 AMG Merc, a Subaru Impreza, if you can, take a 911 out for a weekend. You may love it.

[johnnytheboy]

The wee coolant radiators either side of the bumper weep and I'm sure they can use abit of coolant if the cylinder to block seals are iffy! Sure they have a bad habit of going flat so check the ingintion key release rod is in the fuse box and the power tab in the fuse box isn't all Worn that's how you release the key from the ingintion when flat

[Jaymo]

DrBob

 

Thank you for the write up.

The more I dig around the more I find that the 04-05 models suffer from engine gremlins.

Hartech etc offer a full rebuild at £8k which is frankly ridiculous - not the price, the fact that it should need doing anyway.

Not really an M3 fan but still find of the 6 series.

Merc CLS? Is that the 2 door version or am I getting confused.

 

Road noise- coming from two wheels that's not really a problem- what is, is drumming/ droning noises that would be fatiguing on long journeys.

Did at one time think of a Range Rover Sport but also far too many reliability reports/horror stories.

 

It seems there are a cast selection of 'fun' vehicles out there for the money- just need to find the right one ( nothing with metal folding roofs though- they seem like a disaster waiting to happen)

[ElvisThePelvis]

Save up a little more and buy a gen2, different beast altogether.

 

Although doyou need the plus 2? Boxster S is more fun in the real world and you could get a gen 2 987 S, I have had both and it's the Boxster I miss the most...

[button]

JCW Cooper S, great fun!

[Fuji Shooter]

Have a go in a Caterham, we have a Fireblade engine in ours but are looking to put a Hayabusa turbo in the next one. Seriously quick, fun car for not a lot of money.

[Rupert]

i had a 997 C2 built in 2006. I love that car and it was crossing one off my bucket list to own one. I had no problems but like you i had heard of the inherent issues with that enging so bought a lowmiler from an old codger. Found running costs reasonable, £500 a sevice from an indy, £95 for an oil change ,front discs and pads £300 did these my self and a set of tyres .

If you find a good one it will be an enjoyable experience but a wrong un will cost you dear.

[Jaymo]

Thanks Rupert.

 

 

It's a gamble for sure- were now expanding the list of alternatives.

Basically looking for a boulevard queen for here in France- so Caterham as much fun it is would not be the choice ( plus I couldn't comfortsbly fit in)

 

Boxster? Tentatively look four years ago but most of the examples we saw seemed to have had a hard life- poss as they are more accessible Porsche in terms of purchase price yet the care required is not followed up?

 

A future classic would be good.

 

Jay

[R1nut]

Lotus Evora

[dougall]

Have a go in a Caterham, we have a Fireblade engine in ours but are looking to put a Hayabusa turbo in the next one. Seriously quick, fun car for not a lot of money.

not ideal commuting car...........had 1 for 12 yrs+..awesome fun,useless for airport runs etc.....miss it more than the 911 though!!

interseting you say hayabusa turbo.......am thinking of doing this to an elise for going back into sprints/hillclimbing........you can easily push out a useable 250+bhp which in a caterham would be ....um...mentally quick.

[Jaymo]

Evora- just about 5k over budget even for some of the earlier ones.....

 

Just seen a lhd Jag Xk??

Know nothing about them but it has the vague lines of an Aston

[R1nut]

The jags depreciate pretty quickly!!

[Jaymo]

R1

Yep, guess that's why they are cheap- but they must 'bottom' out somewhere.

Noticed the original xk8 have bottomed around the 3 to 4 mark?

 

Sensible Wifey say a 1 series Convertible is more suited to a family of four!!!!!!!

[Mungler]

RS4

[Jaymo]

Mungler

Was looking at a bright yellow RS6 earlier but we already have an estate for day to day.

 

This car is really just a toy hence some of the silly ideas

 

Problem is once you start looking, soooooo many possibilities come to the fore

[R1nut]

Skyline?

[Jaymo]

Only an R35 GTR but that's another £10k min, that would be my only Jap choice........

 

Mrs is getting bored with me constantly showing her car after car.

Just seen how the BMW diesels N47 engine suffers from cam chain probs.

 

What is it with these manufacturers these days?

[Rupert]

Just seen how the BMW diesels N47 engine suffers from cam chain probs.

 

What is it with these manufacturers these days?

Cars are now engineered by accountants and not the engineers.

 

How about a mercedes w124 500e? 370 hp jap import so no rust 4 doors 4 seats bulletproof v8, rarity spares backup is cracking classic insurance easy resale, only drawback in my view is LHD only. 16k would by one of the best.Similar vein BMW E39 M5, both these cars from this era were the last that were built by engineers.

[kyska]

RS4

This ^^^^^

[R1nut]

They all have problems, if you dig deep enough on tinternet you will find the problems!! It's all about want and budget!!

My boy hood dream is a 911, i know the downfalls but that's all part of the fun. I bought the missus a boxster to ease the pain when the 911 turns up. The howl of that flat 6 is just something, you have to hear it to understand!!

The other half had her sensible head on then I took her out in one, it was a very spirited drive!! Job done we have one sat on the drive, like I said its easing her into ownership!!!!!

Performance cars always come with problems, a 60k car can be bought for 10k or less but they still come with 60k car repair bills!! As long as you realise this it's plain sailing!!

[Jaymo]

R1nut

 

Boy do I know about expectations and running costs- stupidly purchased a new Ducati once---- never again.

The allure of the 911, no matter what the detractions from technical problems to road noise etc are- still have the urge ( not helped by the neighbour having a party today to which one of his guests has a C4s).

 

The 911 I was particularly I tested in looks to be superb, however the seller has not enamoured himself by not returning my voicemail.

For the money, if we do go for this particular one ( guards red, silver or black is not my cup of tea) then an independent inspection plus bore scope required ( have my own but not sure the seller will take to me dismantling is vehicle to check).

[R1nut]

That sounds sensible, in my travels I have generally found the higher mileage cars are usually past the worst of problems. They tend to leak a little oil so don't be put off by that. I've not seen than many bone dry ones, there is always a weep somewhere

The slipped liners and cracking are costly but still very doable, it's only nuts and bolts!!!

I don't find them to be noisy at all, when it's on song who cares about tyre noise. I'm listening to the flat 6!!

We are getting roughly 3500-4000 from a rear set of michelins, the previous owner had put non n rated tyres on and they were hard and noisy. More than likely this is why people say these things, it's not a cheap car to run by any means

The engineering that goes into them is very clever, I have had the engine out twice, all the front off and a new roof and as of yet no stuck fasteners or broken ones for that matter. Now the defender that's a whole different ball game

I do like the red very much, black wheels to boot and it's got presence!!!!