Price: SOLD
Mileage: 114,000 Miles
Engine: 3.6-Liter 6-Cylinder Engine
Transmission: 6-Speed Manual Transmission
Exterior color: Arctic Silver Metallic Exterior
Interior: Special Boxster Red Full Leather Interior
Additional features:
Originally a Canadian Market Car (Vancouver, B.C.)
Original Equipment and Options:
C4S (Turbo) Suspension
C4S (Turbo Brakes) (uninstalled, but included)
Sport Seats w/ Full Leather
Heated Front Seats
Boxster Red Floor Mats
Advanced Technic Package:
Bi-Xenon Headlights
Bose Sound System
6-Disc CD Changer
Rear Window Wiper (deleted)
Upgrades and Maintenance
There has been no more controversial Porsche 911 than the 996. It was the first water-cooled 911, the first complete redesign—not evolution—of a lineage that arcs back to 1963. It was also the 911 that saved Porsche from near collapse. Initially, traditionalists were appalled by its dramatic break in form; its runny egg headlights (inspired by the 911 GT1), cheap interior bits, and a reputation for intermediate shaft bearing (IMS) failure. But time has been kind to the 996, and hindsight has shown that, perhaps, we were wrong. By the late 996 years (996.2 in Porsche-speak), Stuttgart had rectified those offensive headlights with eggs that were fried rather than runny, upped the interior build quality, and bumped engine displacement to 3.6 liters, good for 320 horsepower. All of this while feeling more similar to a 993 than a 997 from behind the wheel. The Carrera 4S (C4S) was also added to the lineup, featuring the wide-body, brakes, and suspension from the 911 Turbo. The market has responded, with 996 values steadily rising from the bottom of the depreciation curve and a growing population of enthusiasts who embrace the uniqueness of the 996. There are few better cars for the money in the current market than a 996—especially a wide-body 911 C4S!
This 2002 Porsche 996 Carrera 4S is an excellent driver-quality example; it stands out from a typical C4S thanks to an incredible build sheet and improvements. Finished in Arctic Silver over a special Boxster Red full leather interior, it has a striking color combination that is wonderfully subtle to the outside world, yet makes no mistake about how special it is on the inside. Originally delivered as a Canadian Market car, in addition to the standard C4S kit, original options include heated sports seats and the Advanced Technic Package. The latter consists of bi-xenon headlights, headlight washers, and the Bose sound system. It was originally delivered in Vancouver, British Columbia, in July of 2002 and remained there under several owners until being imported in 2014. After that, it lived in Florida and Kansas before coming to us in 2022 from a Glen Shelly regular.
At 87,000 miles, an LN Solutions oil-fed IMS solution was added, the clutch was replaced, and the flywheel resurfaced. The cylinder heads were also rebuilt, ported and polished by Len Hoffman, and the timing chain was replaced. The exhaust was upgraded with 997 headers, a Topgear Eurosport X-pipe, and a Tubi-style muffler with Techart exhaust tips. We have had a lot of 996s and 997s at Glen Shelly, and short of a GT3, this is by far the best sounding exhaust we’ve had on an M96-powered car. The brakes were upgraded with 997 Turbo brakes (the original brakes are also included). On the inside, the console was painted silver and raised with Function First riser kit. The shifter was upgraded with a numeric shifter in the process. The seat backs were painted silver to match the console, which adds a wonderful contrast to the Boxster Red theme. An Alpine ILX-007 double-din touchscreen head unit was installed, which features Apple CarPlay. The HVAC controls were relocated below the head unit. The Bose sound system speakers were upgraded with Infinity Reference speakers and an Infinity Kappa subwoofer. A backup camera was installed, and a RAM Mounts iPhone holder is mounted next to the head unit. All interior lights were upgraded with LEDs. Lastly, the wheels were upgraded to 19-inch Augment Wheel Company concave Turbo Twist wheels. These wheels are made to order, at considerable cost (and time), and capture the essence of the original Twist wheels with a modern flair. Extras include three sets of floor mats; all-weather Porsche mats, NOS Boxster Red Porsche carpet mats, and red and black Coco floor mats. We added Xpel Ultimate Plus PPF from the A-pillars forward to keep it pristine and make it a true four-season sports car that you can use without guilt. For winter months, there are 19-inch Black OZ Racing Utraleggara wheels wearing fresh Blizzak snow tires (we got the last set in the country in this size).
Once arriving at the hangar, we did a comprehensive round of maintenance to reset the clock for the foreseeable future. We started with a bore scope, the first thing we do to any M96 car, which showed no cylinder bore scoring. Then we addressed a round of oil leaks, including the rear main seal (we also replaced the flywheel in the process), the LN Solutions IMS oil line seal, the driver-side scavenger oil pump, and seals. We had Chance Chenoweth at Simply Euro do an independent inspection, and re-clock the oil scavenger oil pumps in the process. We also replaced the water pump, thermostat, clutch slave cylinder, front CV axle boots, front axle seals, and front control arms. Other housekeeping items we addressed were replacing the cup holder, deck lid supports, mirror switch, and passenger side mirror motor. Cosmetically, we replaced an aftermarket front bumper with the original OEM bumper and a lower front spoiler. This was re-painted in Arctic Silver and protected with Xpel Ultimate PPF.
Now let’s talk about the flaws. For the last two years, we’ve kept it as a personal car, and it has been one of our favorite 996s—or overall 911s, for that matter. It is truly a one-of-a-kind 996 C4S with an incredible original build sheet that has only been made better with the upgrades. It is outfitted and protected as a true four-season sports car. The current mileage of 114,000 allows it to be used without the guilt of a low-mileage example, but it presents wonderfully. On very hot days in the summer, once the engine is warmed up, coming off a shift the oil pressure will ping at .9 bar. 1.0 is normal. This will trigger a momentary oil pressure warning, but it immediately recovers. We’ve been monitoring the oil with Blackstone oil analysis, which showed lead and copper “a tad high.” These would lead to rod bearings, which probably should be put on the list for the 10-20K mile mark. We’ve driven the car for the past 10K miles over two years and only seen the warning a dozen times, and only on very hot days, but it needs to be considered. The good news is the top end of the engine was done at 87K miles, which could reduce the price of the job, but M96s are not cheap to open up. Other issues are slight hesitation on throttle, which is minor enough that we’ve just adapted to the car. The taillight housings have poor contacts in the turn signals, which will occasionally make them flash fast, and the front lower grille trim tabs are worn, causing it fall inside of the front bumper occasionally.
The Arctic Silver Metallic paint is in very good condition, especially considering its age and mileage. It is protected by the extensive PPF mentioned in the summary paragraph, which is in exceptional condition and will protect it as a four-season sports car. Close scrutiny reveals some very minor imperfections (which take searching to find) and light scuffing on the lower front splitter. We repainted the front bumper cover and spoiler in preparation for sale. The rear exhaust fitment is slightly off, but it isn’t glaring. There is no rust and all VIN and warning stickers are present. All trim is accounted for and in great shape. The glass is excellent and protected by tint on the side and rear windows. The headlight lenses are crystal clear, as are marker lights. The taillights are consistently nice, except for a typical 996 hairline cracks. The Augment Wheel Company wheels are free of curb rash or any other notable imperfections and the summer tires have lots of tread remaining. The OZ Racing Utraleggara wheels have moderate defects and paint degradation, but are presentable for the mission of wearing winter tires. The Bridgestone Blizzak Snow tires are freshly mounted and are no longer available in that size. The rear tire is stretched to fit the wheel, so care is required when parking near curbs.
The interior condition is exceptional. There are no odors, stains, or noticeable signs of damage. Various floor mats are included, and all are in excellent condition. The Alcantara headliner is pristine and the sunroof functions correctly. The full leather items are in excellent condition, including the steering wheel, dashboard, and door cards; there is no failed stitching. The instrument cluster has no warning lights or blown-out pixels. The HVAC LCD screen and Alpine Stereo screen are also perfect. The plastic of the steering column, stalks, and switches are very nice. There is some scuffing on the plastic portion of the door sills. The cup holder functions correctly, which we replaced in preparation for sale. All interior functions work correctly; the heat blows warm, and the air condition blows cold. The passenger side mirror does not adjust correctly (we have spent over $1000 trying to fix this with no success). The Bose stereo system sounds fantastic. The shift knob has slight wear, but it is presentable. The seats have slight creasing, the worst on the driver’s outer bolsters. There is also a small tear in the passenger side seat bottom. There are several seat trim covers that are not installed due to broken clips, but they are included. The painted center console looks fantastic, but there is a one-inch scratch under the emergency brake handle. The rear seats are nearly perfect. The frunk carpet is also in great condition; underneath, the spare tire, jack, tool kit, and compressor are present. Two keys, boxes of spares and original parts, and the records binder are included in the sale.
Proper ownership is key with any Porsche 911, and this one meets that requirement in spades with exemplary ownership history and maintenance records. The M96 engine fires on command, idles smoothly, and pulls strongly to redline. The IMS has been upgraded with an IMS solutions kit, the heads and timing components have been rebuilt, along with the items mentioned in the summary paragraph at the same time. We also scoped the cylinders in preparation for sale (as we do with every M96/M97 engine), and they were free of any scoring. The rod bearings should be put on the intermediate future list of maintenance coming down the pike. The clutch and flywheel were replaced when the IMS was done, it has zero slip, and the factory short shifter is crisp and precise. The driveline, transaxle, and wheel bearings are quiet, with no vibrations. The suspension and 997 brakes are significant improvements over the regular 996. The suspension is firm yet compliant, and the brakes have plenty of life remaining. We ensure it passes and pay for emissions in the State of Colorado. This is a turn-key 911 C4S, ready to be enjoyed by its new owner.
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