Cheapest 996 Porsche 911 in the US Killed during Track Day at 248,000 Miles

However, before jumping into the Neunelfer you've always dreamed about, you'd better do your homework and perhaps consolidate that budget.

And the latest tale on the matter will certainly convince you to skip the examples at the bottom of the list. If you're a die-hard Zuffenhausen fan, chances are you're familiar with the Apollo 911. You know, the 200,000+ mile 996 that Jalopnik's Tyle Hoover had acquired for $9,500. At the time, the editor considered Apollo to be the cheapest drivable 911 in the US, but the Neunelfer no longer falls into the running car category.

During a recent track day experience, the rear-end coupe has suffered an engine failure, which probably came due to oil starvation.

Nevertheless, instead of looking at this story as the end of the road for the Apollo 911, we could regard it as the kick off for an engine swap tale. And the options are rich.

For one thing, the 996 could undergo LS heart surgery, with the Chevy V8 swap obviously risking incurring the collective wrath of Porschephilles out there. Sourcing another flat-six is another idea, albeit one that should frustratingly cost just a few thousand dollars less than what the aficionado paid when acquiring Apollo.

As for the engine rebuild option, the hefty cost of the operation, which the man estimates would sit at around $8,000, means he could add some extra cash and buy another used 996 instead.

Oh well, at least this Porscha got to put plenty of smiles on many people's faces throughout the 248,000 miles it has racked up before being fatally wounded on the track.

And, if you're wondering what kind of 996 you could buy over in Europe for, say, double the price, you could check out the story of Mat Watson's 911. Spoiler alert: the Carwow editor's Porsche journey hasn't exactly been a walk in the park.