Used car inspection: Porsche 911 (997)

What to look out for when buying a used Porsche 911 – we looked at five generations from 993 to 992 piese auto online.

Used car inspection: Porsche 911 (997)

The first 911 is the final straw. Decades of dreams, childhood memories and a constant fascination with the design, technology and sound of the six-cylinder boxer engine ultimately come together in the desire to own a 911.

But that emotional charge has the potential to lead to destructive decisions. The best example: the 996. As the first water-cooled 911, it's the most affordable ticket into the world of the 911. Prices starting at 40,000 BGN, however, should be seen less as a temptation than as a warning sign of serious deferred maintenance.

To avoid a bad purchase, here is the basic information you need. Before you buy, however, you should seek expert advice. Two such experts are Dennis Neumann from 9ELF Hamburg and Tobias Ludwig from Oettinger Autotechnik. With their help, we have summarized the most important weaknesses of the last five 911 generations.

Porsche 911 (997)

Production period: 2006 to 2010

power: 325 to 620 hp

prices: from 100,000 BGN.

The headlights became more rounded again, but the technology remained largely unchanged. Initially, the 997 used the powertrains from the 996. However, the facelift in 2008 brought about a change with completely redesigned direct injection engines. In addition, the PDK dual-clutch transmission replaced the slow-shifting Tiptronic automatic transmission.

Especially against the S models with their 3.8-liter boxer engine with 385 hp, competitors like the BMW M3 (then with a naturally aspirated V8 engine and 420 hp) had no chance in any discipline. Porsche also refined its business with special series: rare variants like the Sport Classic, Speedster and GT3 RS 4.0 are currently selling for collector prices of up to one million leva.

Weaknesses: OAT expert Ludwig sees the piston problems as even more pronounced in the 997.1. As with the 996, the ignition coils are also affected by engine heat and exhaust fumes. And because of their low location, they are exposed to road spray.

The coolant problem has worsened in the 997, as there are even more electrical connections that are prone to corrosion and therefore leaks. According to Dennis Neumann from 9ELF Hamburg, the new 997.2 engines (from 2008 onwards) are significantly more reliable. It is therefore no secret why the more robust 997.2 is more expensive on the market.

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The first 911 is the final straw

But that emotional charge has the potential to lead to destructive decisions