1998 Porsche 911 (996) Carrera

Fresh from a £19,000 engine-out recommission by ADH Porsche in June 2024, ‘R637 JGU’ is an Arctic Silver Porsche 911 that spent the first quarter of a century in the same hands, only moving into the seller’s in September 2023 when he bought it from Priory Cars in Bedford. 

Fitted with the (underrated, in our opinion) 3.4-litre engine, its purist specification also boasts a six-speed manual gearbox, factory limited-slip differential, and 17-inch alloy wheels.

Still showing just 27,000 miles on the odometer and UK ‘Lux’ spec equipped, this is one for the Porsche enthusiast who appreciates the purity offered by rear-wheel drive and the rev-happy smaller engine.

The Porshe 996 is known for being well-assembled anyway (not least because Toyota was brought on board with the launch of the Boxster and 996 to help assure quality control) but when you throw only one previous owner and such a low mileage into the mix you get a car that looks like this: consistent shutlines, no dents, dinks, or other damage, and a general air of invincibility; the 996 might be an everyday supercar but it’s also one that draws an awful lot of the right sort of attention.

It helps, of course, that this one is finished in Arctic Silver (colour code L92U), a shade that gives it a hewn-from-solid look we love; forget the controversial headlamps, few can deny the 996 is a very good looking car indeed.

Garaged its whole life, the ancillaries continue the understated stealth theme. The wheels are the 17-inch originals, for example, and while the two rear wheels do have some minor scuffs to their rims, the overall condition of the wheels is good. 

The brake calipers behind them are also painted black, another subtle touch  when most would have gone for something more garish like red or yellow.

And just as much thought went into the car’s dynamic ability as the aesthetics because the rims are fitted with a matching set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S N-rated by Porsche tyres with their compliant 40- and 50-series sidewalls.

Fitted in at a cost of more than £750 only last month, all four wheels were professionally aligned at the same time giving them a fighting chance of wearing evenly over their lifetime.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. 

The light lenses, badges, and window glass are all free of chips, scratches, and other damage. The rear numberplate has the ‘Lancaster’ dealer logo, the same as the sticker in the rear window, so may well be the original.

As for flaws, the windscreen has started to delaminate on offside lower corner and the paint is flaking and bubbling on the roof rails. But the fact that these are the only two problems we can see speaks volumes as to how good everything else is.

The Metropol Blue full leather interior (trim code EG) complements the Arctic Silver coachwork very well. Subtle and an interesting change from the more usual black or grey, only light creases to the driver’s seat mark the passage of more than 25 years.

Mind you, that same seat has only had just over 27,000 miles-worth of buttock polishing, something that also helps explain the extraordinarily good condition of the rest of the cabin. 

The front seats are as comfortable and supportive as they need to be given the Carrera is capable of crushing a six-hundred-mile road trip as easily as it could the Nürburgring.

It’ll do the school run too, thanks to the (very good) rear seats, and the air-conditioning has been recharged only recently. 

And the carpets, headlining, door cards, and dashboard are all good enough for you to display it at your local classic car show – and maybe even pick up a rosette or two.

Have we mentioned what a versatile supercar the 996 is?

Other points to note include the clean door shuts that still have their original factory stickers and an aftermarket Sony headunit that keeps your unused CDs in a factory Fischer holder (option code 424).

The frunk, which still features the factory option sticker confirming its UK specification, is very neatly presented. It’s also home to the space-saver spare wheel, and warning triangle.

As for flaws, there is a hole in the mat under the driver’s heel and some scratches to the driver’s door aperture.

Also, the headunit is not the original, leaving the car’s next owner free to either source an original, or upgrade to something with modern conveniences such as Apple CarPlay. 

This UK-spec 911 also features option codes 222 and 224 for ASR Traction Control and ABD Automatic Braking Differential respectively in addition to the naturally aspirated 3.4-litre flat-six engine, six-speed manual gearbox, and limited-slip differential. 

As you can see, it starts cleanly and shows good oil pressure and a healthy charge to the battery. It also revs beautifully.

Mind you, given its service and maintenance record it should do:

• 24.11.1999 and 8,490 miles – service by Lancaster Bow
• 30.08.2001 and 9,057 miles – service by AFN Porsche Guildford
• 27.10.2009 and 9,650 miles – service by Porsche Service Centre Byfleet
• 03.02.2017 and 19,114 miles – service by Pini Autocentre Ltd including new brake pads front and rear 
• 29.01.2019 and 22,615 miles – service by Porsche Service Centre Brooklands
• 10.03.2022 and 25,322 miles – service by Porsche Service Centre Brooklands
• 31.03.2023 and 25,728 miles – new dual-mass flywheel and clutch by Mr. Clutch
• 10.01.2024 and 26,236 miles – service by Blackridge Automotive Ltd including miscellaneous repairs and a steering wheel (the horn wasn't working, it works now) and repairs to the sun visors

Given it only racked up 596 miles between the service by AFN Porsche Guildford in 2001 and its first MoT in 2009, we suspect it spent most of that period in storage. 

The engine bay is as clean and nicely finished as you’d expect to see in a car that’s just had it removed and replaced as part of a £19,000 recommissioning service - and what a recommissioning that was. The work by ADH Porsche Ltd is too lengthy to list here but the highlights are:

Remove engine to fit new chain tensioner on bank one. 

It also put a borescope inside each cylinder to check for bore wear and the results are said to have been “excellent”.

Install new EPS IMS bearing upgrade including all associated parts. The old one was said to have been fine but the seller thought it made sense to upgrade it anyway as the engine was out.

Fit new coolant hoses, waterpump, thermostat, and coolant.

Carry out a full engine service including filters and fresh oil, brake fluid, and six sparkplugs and matching Beru ignition coil packs, and auxiliary drive belts.

Fit a new battery and alternator.

Replace front and rear brake discs, pads, wear sensors, and shims with new items.

Install new inner and outer tracking arms.

Fit a new exhaust manifold and silencers including the fittings.

The seller admits that he could have got away with less but says “that is not the kind of man I am. AGH were given full licence to fix everything.” 

Clearly a man for whom half-measures are unacceptable, the work was documented and photographed, and we’ve uploaded it all for you to admire.

As for the underside, the Porsche’s MoT history has never mentioned structural corrosion. Obviously.

That said, there is a chunk missing from one of the plastic guards underneath, but this is would appear to be a cosmetic problem rather than anything more serious.

The 911’s MoT certificate, which is valid until April 2025, was issued with no advisories, just like the previous three. And no fewer than another nine before that. 

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the Porsche comes with three keys.

NB: The seller tells us that the partial service history, log book, and driver’s manuals are all in Australia and will be supplied in October when he returns there.

The Porsche 996 might still be underappreciated compared to the earlier cars but if you can look past the slightly awkward front end then you’re in for a treat because they’re as brilliant to drive and own as every other iteration – and *whispers* better than some of the more obvious choices.

Wonderfully easy to potter around in, they tend to make the air-cooled cars sound and feel somewhat agricultural - and yet, for all their practicality, the 996 runs with the best of ‘em being lithe and nimble and as powerful as any sensible driver needs. (With 170mph on tap, may we politely suggest you invest in driver training before spending money on tuning bits if you find the performance lacking?)

Recently recommissioned and still showing a very low mileage for the year, this Arctic Silver example should fetch between £20,000 and £25,000, which is a tiny amount for such a versatile, reliable, and thrilling sports car – and, at the lower end, is roughly the same sum the seller invested in it to bring it to this standard.

Still not convinced?

Well, in that case we should point out that it’s being offered with no reserve, so will sell from the very first bid…

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am-12pm or 2pm-4pm. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.