2006 Porsche 911 (997) Carrera 4S

First registered in 2006 and having been enjoyed, cosseted and driven by a total of only four keepers, this fantastically-specified C4S - with the correct number of pedals, we might add - has been in the care of the current vendor since April 2019, though they admit the car has seen only limited use, largely due to various lockdowns and restrictions making travel difficult, along with maintaining a small personal collection of other cars.

Whilst in the current ownership, the car has always been kept covered and protected from the elements, and the vendor is not a fan of driving cars in inclement weather, especially high-end vehicles such as this, hence the condition it has remained in.

From what we can gather - and what we’ve been told by the vendor - whilst in the care of the previous owner, the car regularly traveled to/from France and spent some time on the continent, hence the European invoices in the gallery below.

Along with being kept away from the elements, the car also benefitted from an extensive mechanical evaluation and deep-cleaning whilst in the care of our vendor, including the bottom half of the engine block being deep-cleaned, so much so that we were questioning whether a new engine had been put in - it’s that good!

In original condition throughout and boasting an arguably lovely specification, this is a fantastic example of an equally fantastic, yet surprisingly practical daily GT/Sports car.

Instantly recognisable, the lines of the 911 have changed little over the years, and despite now being 25 years old, we reckon this 997 still looks remarkably fresh and modern to this day, and has evidently been cared for over the years.

The bodywork is in great shape, with no sign of any impact damage or major dents that we can see. Similarly, the paintwork is very good for its age, showing only some light wear in keeping with the car’s age and mileage, and any visible or easily noticed marks are shown in the gallery below.

As with most 911s, the front headlight lenses are beginning to discolour slightly, and the rear nearside tail light unit has cracked on the upper corner, though this is not letting out white light and does not affect the use of the lamp. 

All four wheels are shod in Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres with plenty of life - and the crucial Porsche-approved N rating - though the wheels are arguably the most worn area of the car, with numerous small kerb marks and chips out of the paintwork, meaning they would benefit from a refurbishment to bring them in-line with the rest of the vehicle.

Designed for long-distance GT trips as much as engaging driving, the interior of the 997 is a great place to soak up the miles, and this example has worn the years very well indeed, and also benefits from a black steering wheel and dashboard to help break up the sea of tan-coloured leather.

The front ‘tombstone’ seats are in great condition for their age, only showing some light wear to the outer bases and bolsters, typical for a 911 of this age. The rear seats show very little in the way of use, which is again normal for a 911, as they are only really usable by the smallest of adults or children.

The high-traffic areas such as the inner door sills, steering wheel, shifter and door cards have a few light marks from use, but certainly less than you’d expect to see from a vehicle of this age and milage. The lower door card carpets do have a couple of stains, however, along with a large mark on the offside of the transmission tunnel in that separates the rear seats.

As far as we could tell, all systems were working as intended, though - naturally - the navigation system on the PCM is out-of-date, though it’s a welcome sight to see the original unit still in place.

Having been examined by the vendor’s mechanic and cleaned up, the engine and underside of this 911 are in great condition, and also benefit from extensive recent works at the hands of Porsche West London, with numerous invoices in the gallery below to attest to this work.

Other than a major check over, regular servicing and light use, a new set of Lambda sensors have been fitted to the car whilst overseas. In terms of work by Porsche West London, the following items have been addressed (among other work) and close to £5,000 spent:

• New camshaft adjuster
• New suspension struts and mounts all round
• New brake discs and pads

More recently, the car has been serviced by ‘Paul’s workshop’ in July 2020, including new rear pads and discs, new front lower arms, both rear wheels painted along with the offside door edge, and a standard oil and filter change. 

Other works include new gear linkages (from Porsche West London) and miscellaneous servicing. 

During our photo shoot, the car started happily (though perhaps a little slowly, likely due to minimal use and an older battery) and drove absolutely fantastically. The overall feel of the car is one of being tight and well screwed-together, which is impressive given the car’s age, and testament to both Porsche’s build quality and the care it’s received over the years.

On our short test drive, we noticed no untoward behaviours, brake or alignment issues, nor any odd noises, clunks, squeaks or groans. The oil pressure shows a strong 5 bar when cold, gradually coming down as the oil warms up with no fluctuations or strange behaviour noted. The gearshift is wonderfully direct - likely helped by the aforementioned new linkages - and the clutch action strong and reassuring. 

The underside of the car is in fantastic shape - with the bottom end of the engine being impressively clean, and what appears to be only a couple of areas of surface corrosion on the exhaust and around one of the jacking points towards the front of the vehicle.

The latest MoT exam - dated 02 August 2021 - shows a clean pass with no advisory items.

Cars like this are often bought based on their history, and this 997 certainly has plenty of it. 

The full complement of Porsche manuals and handbooks are present, along with the V5 which shows three former keepers, and that the current owner has been in possession of the car since April 2019.

Invoicing for extensive works totalling to nearly £5,000 by Porsche West London are also present, along with older invoices from the same OPC. 

There is also the aforementioned service invoice by Paul’s Workshop, along with numerous invoices in French and from overseas, both during and prior to the vendor’s ownership.

The service history itself is also well-stamped, showing regular servicing and the most recent service having taken place in July 2020.

Fantastically specified, cherished and evidently well-maintained, this is an engaging and excellent example of the 997.1 generation 911, benefitting from extensive recent works, low ownership and a clean bill of health from the MoT advisor, along with strong history of OPC works and servicing. 

Presented in excellent condition throughout and seemingly mechanically sound, we estimate this rear-engined, stylish and timeless GT car to fetch in the region of £28,000 to £35,000 when the hammer falls, which seems like excellent value for a usable, practical and exciting GT car or daily driver - make sure you don’t miss out!

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’.