It Ain’t Easy Being Green: 1999 Porsche 911 Carrera
This next tip comes from Sean S who writes: Two topics: Does this interior make you want to throw up? Also, in this Porsche bubble these are bargains. Are the 996 really that bad? Even if the answer is yes and yes, I can’t help but think this next ride might be a good deal. Find this 1999 Porsche 911 Carrera offered for $13,000 in Monterey Park, CA via craigslist.
The 996 generation Porsche 911 has a reputation for grenading engines and being less of a man’s car than the 993 generation it replaced, but for the life of me I don’t understand why a similar condition 993 would be worth 4 to 6 times as much as this thing. Part of the issue is a supply/demand thing, but you would expect some of that pent up demand (for the 993) to be released into adjacent market segments (the 996). Unfortunately or fortunately (depending on how you look at it) this is not the case.
The 996 is powered by a 3.4 liter flat-6 mounted out behind the rear 6-speed shifted transmission– oh for the love of all that is great in the rings of Saturn…WHAT SORT OF HORROR IS THIS ON THE INSIDE?? Even a die hard San Jose Sharks fan is going to be revolted by the avocado barf upholstery in this thing. It’s no wonder that teal is the official color of Sexual Violence awareness movement.
"oh for the love of all that is great in the rings of Saturn…WHAT SORT OF HORROR IS THIS ON THE INSIDE?? Even a die hard San Jose Sharks fan is going to be revolted by the avocado barf upholstery in this thing. It's no wonder that teal is the official color of Sexual Violence awareness movement."
Awesome writing; almost spat out my coffee laughing so hard. Price would have to drop by half for me to consider this with the interior colour.
I could live with the color, if I could tone it down with a black steering wheel. That shifter has to go too. Actually, that shifter would be awful in any color.
Anybody see the Blackhawks dominate the sharks Wednesday?
I no expert on red/green color blindness, but is it possible that someone with red/green color blindness might see this as a palatable shade? Or maybe the original owner just wanted a hue that would stop a carjacking as it happens.
Milquetoast no more for this 996.
You have to wonder why and how many interiors Porsche did like this? I am all for a project but one would literally have to pull out all the interior. Or just go with it and always wear a teal leisure suit.
The trick might be to paint the exterior a matching shade of teal, like cars from Detroit in the 60s.
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I had a bad motorcycle accident about 2.5 months back and haven't been surfing DT on a regular basis in a while.
I saw this interior and (almost) wished my injuries were worse and I was still in the hospital, unable to get online.
Jeff,
First, sorry to hear about the accident, I hope all is going well with your recovery…and your comment really made me laugh!!
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-Vince
Thanks. I wont be able to clip in and ride my bicycle for a while, but pointed in the right direction. Cheers!
Speedy recovery Jeff,
What brand, style motorcycles and bicycles do you own?
Godspeed, Jeff. I was wondering where you went…
Is the reason this series are being sold for the price of a headlight ring for an early 911 because they all had industrial accident themed colors?
Is this series really as shit as the prices indicate? CL and EBay seem to have an endless supply at cheap prices and no interior pics.
Would the interior look presentable if you wore Blue Blocker sunglasses all the time? But for the price? Why not?
Richard @ Gas Monkey likes it !
I know the motors blow up but is there a fix out there so you can get some miles out of these things or another series motor to plug and play i know there never cheap.
from the limited research that I did on this engine, it gives absolutely no warning about when/if it will fail and have had several estimates for fixing the engine after it is blown which ranged from $ 15K (without install labour) for a trade motor to almost $ 25K complete work (not a fixed quote). I would only buy one if I factored in the cost of replacing that faulty bearing as soon as I got it.
my friend who has one and seems to have at least a bit of a clue told me that if they don't fail by a certain point, then you have a good one and are ok – anyone corroborate?
also, may I encourage you to please pick a name and use it – we'd like to get to know you
So you have to shop for a good fortune teller to know if you have a good motor in your Porsche…..lol is that a tax write off.expense…?
This one has my name on it (literally), though it isn't for me. 1. Not at all into the interior but as the owner of a smurf-fur blue interior'd 80's Volvo, I've seen worse. 2. The massive Recaro kid's seat that barely fits into our CX-5 has zero chance of fitting here.
And for those reasons, you have been chopped.
The IMS bearing issue should not be a deal-breaker – unlike this car's color! – assuming that the price is right. If the 996 motor has been fed a regular diet of fresh oil, and hasn't been damaged as yet, an IMS upgrade kit would cost $1K-1.5K installed (but most people add in a clutch/TOB/flywheel replacement, bringing the tab up to $4K or so), depending on the engine year (noting that a lot of early 996's had engine swaps with later year 996 motors, some years require motor disassembly to do the IMS upgrade). Don't forget that similar year Boxsters are also afflicted….
Some background here: oregonpca.org/resources/ims-bearing-the-full-story/, pelicanparts.com/techarticles/Porsche-996-997-Carrera/14-ENGINE-IMS_Bearing/14-ENGINE-IMS_Bearing.htm, and flat6innovations.com/index.php/services/intermediate-shaft-retrofit?showall=&start=9
Barry
It looks like, then, Pooch kept the plain-bearing IMS in the Turbos but went to the sealed-ball-bearing arrangement in the NA cars…and that this affects most of the preceding decade's NA flat-six output.
So, let's see here.. to celebrate the Pooch M96, let's come up with a list of all the flat and V engines that have cam drives at both ends of the block. I'll contribute the Ford 4.0 SOHC Cologne V6.
The VW sourced light duty diesel van engine that appeared in some 1980's Volvo 240's. They had front and rear cam drives. Perhaps the only memorable point?
perhaps if it had this paint?
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…and those headlights.
Posting is flagged for removal. It was actually really growing on me. I imagined that black steering wheel, some black floor mats and maybe finding some black door panel parts. Would have been a fun toy!
IT BURNS!
IT BURNS!