Models · Porsche
Porsche 911 Turbo 996 buying guide
The 996 Turbo, on sale from 2000 to 2005, was the first water-cooled 911 Turbo, with a twin-turbo 3.6 and four-wheel drive. Its engine is a different design from the 996 Carrera's and doesn't share the Carrera's intermediate shaft bearing issue.
The versions
- Turbo: 3.6 twin-turbo flat six, 420PS
- X50 power kit from 2002: larger K24 turbos, revised intercoolers and engine software, 450PS, with a strengthened gearbox
- Turbo S (2005): X50 power as standard plus carbon ceramic brakes, coupé or cabriolet
- Coupé, and cabriolet from the 2004 model year
- 6-speed manual or 5-speed Tiptronic automatic; four-wheel drive through a viscous coupling
What to check on a 996 Turbo
3 model-specific things to look at when you view one. They're a starting point, not the full inspection.
Coolant pipe fittings
What to look for: Ask whether the engine's coolant pipe fittings have been pinned or welded, and look for the invoice. Check the coolant level in the expansion tank and look under the back of the car for coolant residue.
Why it matters: The tubes that carry the coolant hoses were glued into the engine's coolant housings. After years of heat cycling the glue can let go and the engine loses coolant quickly. Securing them is a well-known preventive job, though it needs the engine out, so paperwork showing it's done is a real plus.
Front radiators and air conditioning condensers
What to look for: Shine a torch through the openings in the front bumper. The radiators and condensers sit just behind. Look for packed leaves, corroded or crumbling fins and stone damage. On the drive, watch the temperature gauge and check the air conditioning blows cold.
Why it matters: The radiators are low and exposed, and debris trapped against them holds moisture. Damaged or corroded radiators and condensers are a regular replacement on these cars. Mesh grilles over the openings are a sign of an owner who's thought about it.
The inside faces of the brake discs
What to look for: Look through the wheel spokes with a torch at both sides of each disc, not just the outer face. Note cracks around the drilled holes or heavy corrosion on the inner face.
Why it matters: The discs can be cracked and corroded on the inside while the outer face looks fine. On a Turbo S, or a Turbo with optional carbon ceramic brakes (yellow calipers), have a specialist assess the discs, because replacing them is a major item.
Also in the full guide
- The clutch on manual cars
- Boost and the wastegate
- A whirr from cold
- The active rear wing and front suspension
- The cold start, test drive and paperwork checks for the exact version you're viewing
The full guide to the 996 Turbo
The CrankSight guide walks you round the car on your phone at the viewing, with every check for the exact version you're looking at: what to look for, where to find it, and what anything you find is likely to cost. As you go it builds an assessment of that car, and if you view more than one, it lines them up side by side.
£29 for the model, used on as many cars as you like, delivered within 72 hours or your money back.
Other generations
Porsche 911 Turbo 964 · Porsche 911 Turbo 992 · Porsche 911 Turbo 993 · Porsche 911 Turbo 997.1 · Porsche 911 Turbo 997.2
General points for the model, last checked October 2026. Every car is different, so treat this as a guide to what to look at, not a verdict on any car. CrankSight is independent and has no connection with Porsche.