1. 1The Mezger flat-six in the Turbo, Turbo S, GT3, GT3 RS and GT2 does NOT share the Carrera M96's problems: it supports the intermediate shaft on oil-fed plain bearings and has a race-derived dry-sump bottom end, so it is free of the IMS-bearing and bore-scoring failures. This is the single most important distinction for a 996 shopper and a large part of why these are the 996s to have mechanically.
2. 2Being Mezger-engined is not a licence to skip inspection: on the turbocharged cars verify boost health and that any X50 or aftermarket tuning was done properly, and check the coolant pipes and radiators.
3. 3Clutch is a wear item, especially on hard-driven cars; confirm its condition along with the coolant pipes, and note that PCCB ceramic brakes (standard on Turbo S and GT2) are very costly to replace.
4. 4Recall NHTSA 04V070 covered 2003-model-year 911s whose front seat backs could tilt rearward on one side in a rear-end impact; the remedy was replacement front seats. It is the only recorded NHTSA campaign for these years, so on a 2003 car confirm it was carried out.

• 04V0700002003
  Front seat backs could tilt rearward on one side in a rear-end impact; remedy is replacement front seats.

US NHTSA campaigns for this model. A listed campaign may not apply to a particular car, and may already have been remedied — check a specific car by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.