1999 Porsche 911 Carrera 996

'oil change, as well as filter change every 15k miles' It won't last long maintained like that... I would recomend getting on an enthusiast forum and asking your questions there.

i would avoid the tiptronic automatic as it does not shift all that well, get a manual. I don't think psm was introduced until the 997. Handling in the rain might be an issue but if you are concerned about that get a 4s with all wheel drive.

well idk thats what the lady told me, and I can only drive automatics.

i don't think you can handle a porsche then. If you can't drive a stick, why don't you learn? its really not hard at all once you get used to it. Second, it also sounds like you don't have a whole lot of money and just want a porsche for the "status". this is a bad idea since you will be stuck where you can't afford to maintain the car. and the PDK just came out in the 09' or 10' carrera's so you won't be able to get that. So my advice would be to find a less involving car that you can afford. maybe you could also look at something cheaper like an older c5 vette

buy the tip box it is the best one more reliable also serviced guide on 996 is every 12 k i sugest oil plus filter every 6 k psm came outon 996 2002 mainly c4 models but for a good 996 99 year get a cab comes standard with hard top so get best both world for uk servicing see unit 11 warrington or jmh holmes chaple cheshire very cheap and better than main dealer for 996 cab se www.nscarsales.com or call 07907464816

Now thats a classy reply!

Listen bro...you may not be able to handle this car right now, but you can work on it. This is not the type of car you want to learn in though..lol. These cars are expensive, but so are chicks and we don't stop dating them so don't let go of your dream of owning one. Educate yourself very well as you seem to want to do by asking questions here. I take care of my porsche and its a 1999, if I ever sell it, who ever buys it will get a car that requires just maintance and normal wear and tear kinda care. So do your research and learn manual shift bc these cars are meant to be manual, not automatic. Dont let go of your dream, but plan and save for when the unexpected happens with your car, your able to handle the blow. Good luck!!

the tiptronic is not well designed at all. The shifts are not crisp and the automatic mode does not match gears well with the driving conditions. The PDK, which came out 2 years ago is fantastic. It is essentially a manual but with an electronic clutch - essentially what they have on Formula one cars. The problem there is a two year old Carrera or Carrera S is going to be expensive. My advice is get an manual. If you can't, save up for a PDK Carrera S - it is a fantastic car.

tip tronic trans excellent trans i have a 99 carrera with it and upgraded my motor from 3.4 to 3.6 excellent crisp shifts. catch me on a five speed if you can. great trans and can it take a beating.dont agree with what you guys are saying about the tip.

You guys missed the most important thing for Victor - the intermediate shaft problem and the rear main seal leak. These two items are deadly for the 996. If you lose the intermediate shaft, the engine is gone. The rear main seal is a nuisance (leaking oil) that turns into a nightmare. I was told that an attempt to fix the leaking seal is futile, since they will continue to leak.

It is most important not to fear monger. Intermediate shaft failures occur during the first 25k and higher mileage cars are safe. Main seal leaks have simple factory fixes. Severe leaks are very easy to detect - just look under the engine. Minor leaks do not affect driveability and with a 6-8 litres oill capacity, on board oil pressure and level guages, a teaspoon or so of oil on the floor to mop up every few weeks may not be much to put up with for a daily driving exotic. There are no other cars in the whole wide world that have handling characteristics of a 911 - drive one and you won't be disappointed.

Vince, please be careful with your advice. I am not trying to "fear monger" and you need to be careful with the advice you give. The IMS failure typically happens at higher mileage. I don't think you know what the problem consists of, so I'll give you some information. The intermediate shaft does not fail, but the seal on the bearing does. When the seal fails, the grease in the bearing escapes and is replaced with motor oil. As you know, motor oil is not a replacement for bearing grease (lower viscosity, etc), so this alone would be a "bad" thing. The problem doesn't stop here; the oil will come out of the bearing during normal operation, so the bearing runs dry. Its only a matter of time before the bearing fails and metal enters the engine. There are retrofit kits for the IMS, but you need to catch the problem before the "death rattle" turns into a destroyed bearing and chunks of metal in the oil. The cost of the retrofit kit is about $2K installed. The other issues about the rear main seal leak is also very important. There are no known "factory fixes" for this problem. Everyone I know that has had this problem "repaired' has had it recur. Remember that you're using synthetic oil in this engine. Synthetic oil has a way of creeping thru any weak seals/gaskets. A small problem turns into a larger problem, then a catastrophic one. Remember that we're here to help people make a good sound decision. It's obvious that Victor should not buy a 911 based on the questions he's asking. If he's concerned about the cost of an oil change, then an IMS failure at $15-18K is something he definitely will not be able to afford. I don't know if you've owned a 996, but I have. I agree that its an incredible car to drive. I agree that the 996 is one of the few daily driver exotics. I've also seeen lots of these wind up at the auction with IMS problems/failures. One question you should ask yourself is: if the 996 is so reliable, why can you pick one up for so much less than a 993? And don't say it's because the air cooled vs water cooled.

Just get an extended warranty on the engine/power train and don't worry about it.

I HAVE A TRIPTRONIC (7) SPEED TWIN TRANSMISSION AND WHEN I STRETCH IT OUT UP TO 150 AND AND HIGHER I NEVER FEEL IT SHIFT. SMOOTH FAST AND FUN.

Lol hav one forsale 911 porche 1999 92 miles 15,000

These cars are worth it! Just purchased a 996 and had some work done on it. Worth every penny! If you want a car that you just change the oil, you could drive a Honda. But where is the fun in that?

I have a 2001 996C4, with 58K miles. I have the dealer change the oil and filter at 7500 miles, yes its $250 but I get a quality check of the car at the same time. I don't have much choice of repairs in my area, but the dealer is the right choice. They have the tools, the parts, the knowledge, clean, you get the idea. Frankly your driving a Porsche, its going to cost you a little more to own than a Camry. And the 996 series is a bargain. I bought my C4 cabriolet w/hardtop, 36K miles, all service records, 1 previous owner with no accidents, for less than $28000. (How much did your friends Camry cost ?) I got the original bill of sale, this car with a carbon fiber interior, leather seats, 6 speed manual, da da da was $131000. $250 for an oil and filter is a bargain,......

I have a 996.1 with a tip transmission. I converted the thumb switches to paddle shifters and had an ECU upgrade by softronics ( both significant improvements in the driving experience). I upgraded the IMS and rear main seal ( LN parts a must). These mods have made a huge difference in my enjoyment and performance of the car. This is the 4th porsche I have owned (all previous cars had manual transmissions). By far, for me, this car is the most fun to drive in manual or automatic ( once you understand how the transmission works and use the accelerator to initiate down shifts and starts from a dead stop) .A good ( low mileage ) car with maintenance records will be a good investment and result in a great driving experience.