2004 Porsche 911 Carrera S

First registered on the 17th of December 2004, this Seal Grey 911 shows just six previous keepers on the V5 registration document, three of which the vendor would classify as having been long-term.

Fitted with the larger and more powerful 3.8-litre engine and six-speed manual gearbox, this example also benefits from having been specified by a keen driver when it was first ordered. So, you’ll see it lacks all the unnecessary stuff that adds weight while adding all the bits you would want. So, you’ll find there is no sunroof, electric seats or rear wiper but there are Xenon headlamps and Porsche PASM.

Only for sale because his Austin-Healey has unexpectedly presented him with a five-figure restoration bill, he tells us that it “runs and drives very well”. Offered with a sensible reserve, this is your chance to get your hands on a very well-maintained Porsche 997 in a fabulous specification.

Seal Grey might be our new favourite colour for the 997-series 911, especially when it’s on a car with such tight shutlines as this. It really does bring to mind the ‘hewn from solid’ cliché and looks utterly indestructible.

The ripple-free flanks and dent-free panels help reinforce that image, as does the paintwork, which is very good. The lack of a sunroof gives a clean look to the car, a look that is reinforced by the front lights, which were refurbished in January 2019.

The spoiler tucks away at the press of a button too, allowing us to admire those iconic 911 lines. It rises and falls as it should and the ten-spoke alloy wheels are in fine fettle being free of scuffs, chips, and scrapes.

They are shod with matching Pirelli P-Zero tyres and, as we will never tire of explaining, our 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. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but do give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

Work to do is minor. There is what looks to be gaffer tape inside the front air intake, some weird chips to the paintwork under the nearside front indicator, and the usual stonechips and minor mark here and there.

That said, there’s nothing there to worry about and we’d chalk it all up to a developing patina and just get on and enjoy driving one of the mist usable sportscars of the 21st century.

The Terracotta leather interior is as bold as it is extensive but, no matter what your feelings on the colour there’s no denying that it is a) makes a change from the more usual black, b) is beautifully stitched and fitted, and c) is still in great shape.

And it really is in a terrific condition; with only light creasing to the outer edge of the driver’s seat it hides its 16 years and 79,000 miles very well indeed. So, the steering wheel and gearlever are almost unmarked and the door cards, carpets, glovebox and headlining are still close to being in ‘as new’ condition. Even the cupholders have survived intact, and operate as they should.

Seemingly carved from solid blocks of metal and leather, everything appears to work as it should, too. But then you’d guessed this by now, hadn’t you?

It’s also very practical. While the rear seats are small, they fold down to create a very useful and surprisingly capacious carpeted load space and speaking of which, the front boot is clean and neatly carpeted.

Problems are few. There are some marks to the offside rubber window seal near the door mirror. Pretty much it, other than perhaps recolouring the few wear marks to the driver’s seat.

The Porsche’s service history is comprehensive, comprising:

14.08.19 at 77,688 miles by Francis Tuthill

10.11.17 at 73,353 miles by Thompson and Smith

12.12.15 at 66,969 miles by the Porsche Centre, West London

15.05.13 at 58,976 miles by the Porsche Centre, West London

05.05.11 at 50,149 miles by the Porsche Centre, Cardiff

07.03.09 at 43,253 miles by the Porsche Centre, Cardiff

05.07.07 at 38,985 miles by the Porsche Centre, Cardiff

21.02.06 at 20,185 miles by the Porsche Centre, Bristol

It has also had three changes of brake fluid over the years.

The Francis Tuthill service in August 2018 cost of £1,138 and comprised a full service as well as repairs to the air-conditioning system including a new condenser and dryer. The vendor tells us that he is “not aware of any faults”.

Previous significant work includes a new battery in May 2020, a complete sports exhaust system and new front discs and pads in April 2017, and a new alternator in July 2016.

Potential bidders will be delighted to know that the RMS, intermediate, and gearbox seals were replaced at 43,398 miles. A new clutch was fitted at the same time by Porsche Cardiff and the final bill came to £2,686.

We presume it is fitted with a sports exhaust as it is a little louder than most! We’ve driven it and can confirm that it drives as it should and, importantly, doesn’t have the rattle from the engine that so many have when they’re first started from cold. It starts promptly, ticks over well, shows good oil pressure and revs beautifully. Please listen to the video – and full volume - to enjoy that gorgeous engine and exhaust note.

The engine bay is clean and neat, and while the underside is solid and straight, some of the suspension components and bolts are rusty.

The 911’s MOT certificate expires in March 2021. It also comes with a number of expired MOT certificates plus a thick sheaf of invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it since it was new.

It still has its original owner’s handbook, service history booklet, book pack and wallet. It also has two keys and some miscellaneous paperwork including an HPI certificate from 28th of October 2017 that shows nothing other than number plate changes.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained to a very good standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

NB. We know that many of you will be limiting your social exposure over the coming days and weeks, so if you’d rather not come to see the car in person, please give us a call and we can shoot a personal video of the car honing in on any areas you’d like us to concentrate on.

When the market falters, it defaults to what it knows best and a well-maintained Porsche 911 997 Carrera S with a manual gearbox, a great specification and a very good service history is the very definition of what it knows best.

Only for sale because another of the vendor’s classic cars has thrown him a curveball - sound familiar? - we think it’s going to sell for between £17,000 and £24,000.

No, this won’t be the cheapest first-generation 997 you’ll see on offer but the true cost of ownership can only be calculated after you’ve sold the car and good examples like this will always fetch a premium over the sort of shabby, high-mileage, abused cars that might look temptingly cheap but can end up costing you far more than biting the bullet and buying a good example in the first place.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment 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, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Footman James for classic car insurance Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car and AnyVan for transporting it.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Also, localized paint repairs are common with collectable and classic cars and if they have been professionally carried out then they may be impossible to detect, even if we see the car in person. So, unless we state otherwise, please assume that any vehicle could have had remedial bodywork at some point in its life.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.

Please note that this is sold as seen and that, as is normal for used goods bought at auction, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. See our FAQs for more info, and feel free to inspect any vehicle as much as you wish.