Should you buy a used 996 Porsche 911?

These are great cars – if you get a good one. Choose poorly, and you might as well set the money on fire. Check all the available paperwork very carefully, examine the MOT history and, for the love of all that’s holy, get a professional inspection before you commit. Worry about all of this more than finding a low mileage example that looks pretty. These cars like to be driven, and need to be cared for properly.

Find a decent local specialist and treat them well; as with everything 911, reputations are easy to research online. The forums and Facebook groups are mines of information, but can also be off-putting for being full of doom and gloom, and snarky comments, so tread carefully. Remember that most people come to these collectives to ask for help, so it can make it seem as if these cars have nothing but problems.

This isn’t true. Yes, parts and servicing can be expensive, and things can – and probably will – go wrong. But fundamentally, the 996 is worth it. As 911s go, it’s just modern enough to be easy to drive yet still packed with that classic rear-engine character. The handling and the performance are excellent, and the style – headlights aside – built on decades of heritage. More to the point, it is incredibly good value for money right now, so as long you enter into the relationship with your eyes open to the running costs, you’ll have a blast.