Since I was 16 years old, I have owned more than 33 Porsche 911 and 912 series cars – everything from a 1968 912 Targa at the low end to a 1973 Carrera RS at the high end. As a result, I have quite a few opinions about the 911 model, some of them less popular than others. One of the more unpopular is that I honestly feel the pinnacle of 911 development was with the 997 models. I say this because the subsequent 991 and 992 era models became too big, too heavy and, for the first time, changed the classic 911 silhouette to become almost comical to my eye. Sure, the later cars – especially in the GT2 and GT3 forms – are among the most desirable and expensive 911 cars around. Despite that, the 997, to me, still represents perfection as far as the 911 goes. The fact you can buy a nice 997-era 911 for what I consider a great price only adds to the model’s allure.
The Pick of the Day is one of these stunning cars, a 2005 Porsche 911 Carrera located in Mesa, Arizona.
The seller offering this 911 has a great listing on ClassicCars.com that indicates this 997 coupe is painted in its original Seal Gray Metallic over a black standard leather interior, and was delivered new at Kempthorn Motors of Canton, Ohio, in February 2005. The car went on to be serviced and enjoyed in Georgia briefly before moving to California for most its life and then coming to Arizona. This car’s 3.6-liter flat-six engine was replaced by Porsche Rocklin in 2012 at approximately 53,000 miles and delivers power to the rear wheels by way of a 6-speed manual transmission. This car also has some nice options, including heated front seats, sport wheel, sport chrono package, Bose stereo, xenon headlights and a newly updated PCCM stereo.
The engine replacement by a Porsche dealer should in no way effect the value of this car, but I am sure there are people out there who think it does. I’m guessing this was due to an IMS bearing failure or some such. As it was replaced at a dealer, this likely means a brand-new factory engine that was dealer-shaped, possibly under warranty. To me, this only makes it a better buy.
The car is riding on a beautiful set of Porsche 19″ Turbo Style wheels, all in perfect good condition with zero curb rash of any kind and wrapped in newer Continental performance tires. The seller is also very transparent, as they reveal CARFAX shows minor damage to the front of the car in 2016, but it was back on the road and in for service only 10 days later. Our shop inspection revealed the rear bumper has been repainted, but there are no other compromised components.
The interior of this Porsche looks to be in fantastic condition with little, if any, wear visible in the photos. This car is optioned exactly as I would want it, and the addition of the Porsche Classic PCCM head unit gives it the ability to sync with your phone like any modern car – making it as functional as the newest 992, but with better styling and a much lower price point.
Mechanically, this car also sounds to be in great condition. It has the factory 325bhp Boxer 6, which gives it a 0-60 time of 4.7 seconds with a top speed of 182 mph. The seller states the car has a very strong manual transmission that shifts perfectly and transfers power to the rear wheels smoothly. In addition, the air conditioning blows ice-cold and the heat works as it should.
This 2005 911 includes the OEM key/keyfob and a full set of floor mats. The car has just been serviced by Porsche Rocklin, which included inspection, oil change, cabin/air filters, spark plugs and drive belts.
If you want to buy a nice example of what I still feel is the pinnacle of 911 styling and performance, this 2005 997-era 911 coupe at an asking price of only $36,997 looks to be the one to pick.
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com.
