The Lord of the IMS Rings

IMS bearings, like the One Ring, are a mythical object of fear and obsession.

Look, if your IMS fails, it absolutely sucks. I won't advocate for simply putting the blinders on. BUT, but: this issue has been documented to death over the last 25 years. We know which cars have higher failure rates (15%). We know which year models have negligible failure rates (1%). I'll continue pointing this out with every pick. It's not rocket science, don't let some believe otherwise.

Here's a fascinating story from this ode to the 996: one Porsche specialist keeps a drawer full of perfect original IMS bearings he's removed during preventive swaps. Healthy ring after healthy ring replaced out of worry.

The IMS issue has become the boogeyman of Porsche ownership. But with enough information, you will be able to enjoy your new car without living in fear.

Not all rings are made to rule you.

This week in the newsletter, not 3 but 4 picks:

• Two sorted 996s: Seattle vs Dallas showdown

• A Sport Chrono Boxster under $20K

• A 33K-mile Guards Red 987.2 manual

Ready? Let’s go!

—RF

Dallas vs Seattle: The great 996 showdown [25K-30K range]

2001 996.1 | 6-Speed Manual | Seattle, WA & Dallas, TX

These two 996 Carreras prove the market hasn't lost its mind just yet, and show that clean, well-sorted examples still exist under $30K.

The Seattle car has a strong story: previous owner was a Porsche enthusiast who handled the IMS bearing preventatively, plus a fresh clutch “while they were in there”.

The Dallas car offers the same fundamentals for $4K less. Lower miles at 66K, recent maintenance including coils, plugs, and brakes. But no IMS work (more about this below).

Both represent exactly what you want in a 996.1: reasonable miles, maintenance records, and owners who seem to care about their cars. Plus, if you're looking for a manual transmission, both deliver.

🔗 Seattle 996: IMS sorted, ready to roll (link) (imgur backup)

🔗 Dallas 996: Less miles, more value (link)

Market Report

996 pricing varies wildly based on specs and options, but good examples under $30K exist as seen above. For further comparison, check out this 1999 manual with 64K miles recently sold on Facebook. (imgur backup)

What You (and Your Mechanic) Should Know

• Most 2001 996.1s have dual-row IMS bearings (1-2% failure rate), but some got single-row bearings (8-10% failure rate). Find out which type this Dallas car has and consider preventive replacement based on the answer.

• These 2001 models have a strengthened timing chain mechanism, so they are more reliable than earlier 996s.

Sport Chrono at bargain price [15K-20K range]

2005 987.1 Boxster | 5-Speed Manual | Atlanta, GA

The Boxster slop on sale is endless. So I’m raising my standards and I started optimizing for special specs, low mileage cars (under 80K), and manual transmissions.

This black Boxster hits all those marks for well under $20K. The options list reads like a decent Christmas morning: Sport Chrono Package, 18" Lobster Claw wheels, Bose sound, heated seats, and BiXenon headlights.

This car has been used and has its flaws, most notably: a non-negligible scuff on the rear bumper and signs of wear (or a potential rip) on the convertible top. Factor all this into your negotiations (maybe get the car down to the magic $15,000 mark?). In any case, at 81K miles, this 987.1 still has plenty of life left.

🔗 Christmas morning in Atlanta (link)

Market Report

Here's a quick rule of thumb for dealing with the throes of 987.1 Boxsters out there. The sweet spot for manual base cars is $15,000. Make that $20,000 for S models. Subtract 2-3K for Tiptronics.

Then add or subtract depending on mileage, options and overall condition. Does this math math?

What You (and Your Mechanic) Should Know

• No bore scoring issues with this 2.7L engine (unlike 987.1 S models).

• The IMS bearing was redesigned mid-2005. Later production cars are less prone to failure, so check the manufacturing date.

• Convertible tops can be problematic, so make sure this one operates smoothly.

• Manual clutches typically need replacement around 60-80K miles. Ask the seller about this, since the car has 81K miles.

Very red, very low-mileage 987.2 [30K-35K range]

2009 987.2 Cayman | 6-Speed Manual | Vancouver, WA

Manual 987.2 Caymans remain very difficult to catch. This Vancouver example offers something special: a third of the mileage compared to most examples.

The (baby) elephant in the room is that sagging headliner. Credit to the seller for showing it upfront. I asked around and I was told DIY repair costs about $100 in materials and an afternoon of work. Professional estimates vary wildly, but expect something between $600-1200. Factor this into your negotiations.

But the good stuff outweighs that small annoyance: 2 owners, clean title, impressive options list (full leather, BiXenon headlights, Bose sound, power seats…). Ad is a week old, don’t sleep on it.

🔗 Go Guards Red or go home (link)

Market Report

You could spend forever browsing 987.1 Cayman and Boxster ads, but 987.2s are genuinely rare, especially manuals under the $35K mark. This year's Cars & Bids sales (a base model and an S) remain good benchmarks, plus our previous pick from issue 2 that sold in under a week (that car had 100K+ miles). Low-mileage examples at this price point represent one of the rarest category of affordable Porsches.

What You (and Your Mechanic) Should Know

• The 987.2 is one of the most reliable Caymans, with direct fuel injection engines that eliminate IMS bearing failures and bore scoring issues

• Shifter cables are known to fail, but this seller already upgraded to Numeric Racing cables

• Sagging headliners affect all Porsches from this era. Fix it once and forget about it

Porsche Problems (aka meme of the week)

Quick Input Needed

Hit reply and tell me:

➡️ A (Seattle 996) or B (Dallas 996) - which would you buy?

➡️ STAY (keep looking for sub-$30K finds) or STRETCH (add cars up to $50K)?

Takes 10 seconds, helps me bring better picks next week.

See you next week with more affordable picks!

Take care,

—RF