2006 Porsche 911 (997) Carrera 2

First registered on February 13 2007, this 997 comes with the Tiptronic gearbox option. We can hear purists groaning but do you really want a traditional manual gearbox in a car like this with today’s road conditions? We reckon the Tiptronic gives the best of both worlds, in that you can let it choose the gears for you, or put it into manual mode and swap ratios yourself via the steering wheel mounted controls.

The Tiptronic system went down badly with the cork sniffers when launched way back in 1990 but by 2006 it had improved beyond measure. In fact it’s markedly better than the system fitted to the 996 cars that preceded this iteration of 911. It works nicely, reacts quickly to throttle inputs and operates in a far more logical way than the earlier system.

Porsches of this era are built from galvanised steel and to a very high standard, which partly explains why this car presents more like a three year, rather than 15 year old example. The engineers at Zuffenhausen really had upped the ante when it came to build quality, and it’s apparent from every angle.

The other factor leading to this 997’s great condition is the regular servicing and maintenance by specialists throughout its life. It’s clearly been cherished during its 81,000 mile history.

This 911 looks beautiful. The dark blue paintwork is in excellent order with a deep lustre and the bodywork’s panel gaps are exactly what you’d expect of a modern era Porsche – pin sharp and even. The overall impression is not that of a 15 year old car. But it is 15 years old and it’s survived those years with very little signs of aging, so we suspect it’s been a high days and holidays coveted car for most, if not all of its life.

The engine bay is also very clean, displaying every sign that the car’s been well looked after and loved, which its service history confirms is indeed the case.

That said, it’s not perfect, although the faults we’ve found are all very minor in nature. However, in the spirit if full disclosure…

The seal around the sunroof has slight lichen growth, which has turned it slightly green. It simply needs a good clean. And while the outer paintwork is excellent overall, there is a slight discolouration inside the engine bay where the panel above the engine cover joins the shell. The same discolouration has occurred on the inside of the engine cover itself, and also inside the fuel filler flap. With these shut, it’s invisible.

While the original spec Porsche alloy wheels are generally in very good condition, there is some light scratching to the hub of one of them. The wheel bolts themselves are starting to rust – we’re talking light surface corrosion here, nothing that weakens them in any way, but it does detract from their appearance. Obviously, this is an easy, cheap fix.

The large Porsche alloy brake calipers are part of the look of a 911, and the ones on this car could do with repainting, as the finish has started to fade. Done now, before the situation worsens, this would again be an easy job.

We also spotted a very small mark in the middle of the windscreen, about two thirds of the way down. It’s not anywhere near the MoT failure area, or even in the line of vision of either driver or passenger, which is almost certainly why the current owner has chosen to leave it as is.

Inside the car the general excellent condition continues. The dark blue leather interior appears in excellent shape. After 81k miles the driver’s seat bolster does have signs that it’s actually been used, in as much as the leather has sone faint lines in it, but saying it’s worn would be overplaying it.

There are some slight marks in the leather on the passenger side dash panel, the steering wheel centre and the handbrake lever, but you have to look for them to spot them. However, the rear squabs of the rear ‘seats’ look to be misshapen slightly,where the vendors small children have used them.

There are some very light scratches on the plastic panel inside the luggage compartment, but the carpet and the rest of the general area is in very fine condition.

Finally, the volume control on the stereo has lost its coating and looks a little sticky and unsightly as a result. We’d order a new one from Porsche straight away.

All threaded fastenings under here are marked with red paint to show they haven’t started coming undone, a sign of expert maintenance – again backed up by the accompanying paperwork.

Some of the plated steel parts are showing signs of surface corrosion, as are some of the alloy castings, but nothing serious. The exhaust system has surface corrosion but looks sound. A large swathe of the underside is covered by plastic covers, making it impossible to see any more, although with the galvanised construction of these cars, we wouldn’t be unduly worried.

The 3.6-litre flat six starts easily, settles to an even idle and breaks into a glorious scream when pushed. We couldn’t see any signs of fluid leaks of any kind.

There are records of regular servicing and stamps in the car’s service book, plus old MoT certificates. There are also lots of old bills and receipts listing various works, highlights of which include:

February 2019. Servicing and new steel brake lines. Circa £350.

February 2019. Maintenance work. £737.

November 2019. Gearbox and engine work. £3250 which was part of a larger invoice for circa £5800 please see full details of the invoice in the photographs.

December 2020. Suspension arms and exhaust parts. £931.

January 2021. Water pump and associated parts. £462.

June 2021. Major service. Circa £650.

On top of this there are numerous invoices from Porsche West London for servicing and maintenance work over the years. Other invoices are from specialist workshops.

The original handbooks, service schedule and build sheets are included in the sale.

Some enthusiasts consider the 997 the last of the 911s to maintain the spirit of the originals, with later cars becoming so tech heavy as to provide a less involving experience. This is a lovely example of the model and with an estimate of £24,000 to £30,000 we expect bidding to be lively.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car is located at our headquarters near Abingdon; we are open weekdays between 9am-5pm, so to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.