Here’s What A 387,000-Mile Porsche 911 Looks Like

There’s always something interesting about looking at cars for sale in other parts of the world, whether it’s because they were never sold in North America, or in this case, because they can be shockingly inexpensive. When an £8,925 2000 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 popped up on Autotrader UK, it piqued my interest. Not just because it’s cheap, but because it has a whopping 387,000 miles on the clock.

Sports cars normally aren’t everyday cars, unless you live somewhere devoid of snow and find yourself unburdened enough to find ease in the practicality compromises. They’re mostly fair-weather cars, taken out on nice weekends for ice cream runs and trips to the good roads, then washed and safely tucked back in the garage until the next sunny day. Racking up 387,000 miles through rain, sleet, snow, and sunshine? That takes effort.

From the outside, this 911 does look its age, chiefly because the paintwork is only mostly there. The first decade or so of water-based paint was somewhat rough across the board, with UV damage being a serious blight across pretty much all brands as the paint on outdoor-kept cars aged. Given the sheer amount of mileage this 996 has covered, it’s not entirely surprising that the clearcoat is peeling in, well, spots is an understatement. There’s some serious lifting on the hood and the left quarter-panel, but beyond cosmetics, there’s another reason why getting some bodywork done will be more than just a cosmetic wish.

The damp British climate isn’t especially conducive to preventing corrosion, and that’s where the body of this 911 really falls down. It looks a bit scabby in the quarters, which is unusual considering these cars featured extensive Cosmoline anti-rust treatment, but not entirely unexpected if this thing’s logged more than 100,000 miles through road grit and winter conditions without much upkeep in that department.

The biggest surprise, however, is the interior. It’s no secret that the near-identical interiors of the 996 911 and 986 Boxster were considered cheap back in the day, with Car And Driver writing about the Boxster: “There’s no eye candy inside this car, and no evidence that Porsche ever thought it had any competition for your 50-thousand bucks.” However, what the cabins lack in brightwork, they seem to make up for in durability. Sure, the seats on this example have some patination to the leather and the steering wheel has worn as expected, and there’s some wear on the floor mat, but everything else seems to have held up great. The upholstery on the dashboard isn’t lifting, none of the fixtures seem to be coming off, even the headliner is still up there. The only thing bubbling is the one little bit of brightwork around the shifter. Not bad for a quarter-century and 387,000 miles.

Alright, the cosmetics are a mixed bag, but what about the mechanicals? Well, under the engine cover seems to be where the majority of the money’s been spent. As the listing states, “The engine was comprehensively rebuilt by Board Brothers of Clapham, including a very expensive ceramic intermediate shaft bearing and ceramic engine liners which has no doubt been proving its worth and a permanent fix.” That bill couldn’t have been cheap, but it should address two of the biggest issues facing the 996.

While intermediate shaft bearing failure is widely known as a catastrophic thing, there’s less decisive knowledge out there around bore scoring. Basically, the M96 engines in these cars use a system of silicon-clad cylinders and iron-clad pistons instead of liners, and if either of those things or the oil film breaks down, the walls of the cylinders can score. Considering an engine rebuild usually costs more than what this 996 is listed for, it could be a good deal for the rebuilt powertrain alone. Add in new dampers, fresh brakes, and an MOT until April, and this senior Porsche starts to look more appealing.

So yeah, a 387,000-mile daily-driven Porsche 911 will look a bit scruffy, but for £8,925 or about $11,852 at current conversion rates, it might be worth a punt. There’s something joyous about an imperfect sports car you can take just about anywhere and do just about anything in without feeling guilty, and this thing should have a heart of gold thanks to that engine rebuild. Plus, the selling dealer claims the air-con blows cold, and that makes it all worth it, yeah?

Top graphic image: Autotrader seller