Description

2002 Porsche 911 [996] 3.6 Targa Tiptronic S

Few owners; 88,300 miles with impeccable Porsche main dealer service history; new rear tyres; exemplary condition throughout

"If you can't afford a 996 Series Porsche 911, don't drive one. Resist the temptation. Just say no. As one of the best driver's machines around, it will transform you into a motoring malcontent, cursing your previous car's flabby steering and gutless throttle response."
As this RAC review made clear, the 996 version of the legendary 911 was every bit as addictive as its forebears. Around in one form or another for over half a century, the 911 had carved a reputation as a brilliant but slightly malevolent, air-cooled rear-engined beast.
In 1997, with the launch of the 996 series, the 911 had 'malevolent' and 'air-cooled' struck from its vocabulary. These water-cooled Porsches were a huge step forward, their dynamic excellence silencing all but the most hardened critics who felt it heretic to liquid-cool a 911.
It was available with two basic engines, a 296bhp 3.4-litre and a 320bhp 3.6-litre, driving through either a six-speed manual or a Tiptronic semi-automatic gearbox. All versions were blistering fast and capable cars and the Tiptronic is reckoned to be quicker up the drag strip than a manual car, so fast are the gear changes. In the 3.6 car, as here, the 0-60 dash is covered in just 5.7 seconds on the way to a top speed of 174mph.
This particular car is a 3.6 Targa Tiptronic which has a fabulous smoked glass roof which retracts at the touch of a button. Sold new by Stratsone of Wilmslow in April 2002, it has covered 88,300 miles and comes with an impeccable Porsche main dealer service history comprising 16 stamps in the book, the last at 86,305 miles in November 2019. The first eight services were carried out by the supplying dealer and the last eight by Porsche Centre Solihull with many invoices detailing the work carried out.
Our vendor acquired the car via Brightwells in 2012 at which point it had covered 55,000 miles in the hands of two owners. He promptly loaned the car to an Austrian friend and business associate who drove it from England to Vienna before returning it two months later, singing its praises all along the way. The car was registered to the Austrian for the duration of the trip so the V5C records four owners but, to all intents and purposes, our vendor is effectively only the third owner.
Finished in Arctic Silver with a black leather interior, it rides on a matching set of Michelin Pilot Sport tyres, the rears being renewed just a few hundred miles ago and the fronts still with plenty of tread remaining. Four-wheel alignment checks have been regularly carried out, all four brake discs and pads were renewed 10k miles ago and it had a new windscreen in 2017. The wheels were refurbished fairly recently and the vendor also has a spare set of larger Porsche Turbo wheels with nearly new tyres which are available at modest extra cost if desired. Other goodies include a Bose sound system, a Garmin sat nav port (which leaves the cigar lighter free for other charging purposes) and a professionally installed dash camera by the rear-view mirror. It retains its original bookpack and toolkit, every old MOT from new and a current MOT valid until December 2020.
Always kept garaged when not in use, this pampered 996 has never wanted for anything and, thanks to its continuous Porsche history, is still covered by the Porsche Classic maintenance scheme which guarantees fixed price servicing from Porsche Centres - £265 for a minor service and £395 for a major service. If you are worried about the IMS bearing failure which afflicts around 8% of 996 models from this era, don’t be – this car has had a full inspection by Porsche technicians at every service and has always passed with flying colours.
Like the RAC man said, this is one seriously addictive machine that will render all your previous cars dull as ditchwater by comparison. Our vendor is only parting with this beauty because he has just bought a much newer Porsche 991 Targa (lucky man) and he does not have garaging for both. You can’t buy any other 911 for this kind of money, a situation that surely cannot continue. So don’t hang about, take advantage while you can…

For more information contact James on 07970 309907 or email james.dennison@brightwells.com