Clutch Question on '99 911
 

A quick newbie question.

I was test driving an apparently flawless '99 911 and found the driving experience to be superb with the exception of the clutch.

The clutch felt oddly heavy. I've never driven a 911 before, so I don't have any frame of reference. My past vehicles have all had hydraulic clutches which were very light. Is the 911 clutch action much heavier than say a Honda S2000? The Porsche clutch reminded me of my old 396 Nova :)

Also, since I'm looking at purchasing this car are there other mechanical issues to watch for on this model? The car has 80,000 miles on it, but has all records and appears to be in pristine condition. I'm having a mechanic inspect it and perform a leak down test.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

RE: Clutch Question on '99 911
 

The clutch pedals are somewhat stiff in these cars, but shouldn't require a lot of effort to push in by any means. At 80k miles though, either the clutch has already been replaced, or is going to need it very soon. My guess is that it has been replaced in the past, and maybe they used a stiffer pressure plate.

It is a hydraulic system, so it shouldn't be too hard to push. It is not a feather feeling though either. Get it to someone that knows 996's and they will be able to tell you if it is normal. Hard to say over the internet without actually getting in the car and feeling it.

RE: Clutch Question on '99 911
 

Thanks for the advice Doc.

One other question: Assuming the vehicle has been well maintained, what is the average lifespan of a non-abused early 996 engine? I guess what I'm asking is how long can they go on average before needing a complete overhaul....valve, rings etc.?

I've heard they're good for 120+ with proper care. Is that true?

RE: Clutch Question on '99 911
 

Easily. Obviously it is still a fairly new model base, and the really high mileage cars just are not out there yet, so time will tell. We are starting to see a few cars here and there hit 100k miles, but most are still well under 100k miles. Another 5 years, and we will know for sure. Porsche has always built a long lasting engine if well maintained.