996 Test Drive - Poor Jim !!

[Jim 2]

Wendy

Don't blame you for considering these, especially GT2's - but I did read a review which warned that early 996's had weak crank seals, clutch end, which is a lump-out job - and because sales were slow in 2001/02 a fair few 2001 mftr yr actually masquerade as 2002 regs.

Happy testing!

PS - is a Carrera 2 really worth bothering with when a decent blown C will eat it for breakfast? :lol:

 

Crank seal and clutch were being replaced on the one we saw prior to it being sold which seemed pretty fair :)

 

And in terms of getting a force fed VR, this is something I was chatting about with Wendy on the way home from the test drive. Comparatively would give a lot of bang for buck but there is still ultimately going to be the sheer 'prestige' from having a Porsche parked on your driveway rather than a VW! It must be nice having a Corrado which can mop the floor with M3's, etc but I'd still have an M3 or 911 over a Corrado any day!

[vr6storm 0]

Guys thanks for all your comments, pointers of advise etc.

 

It is such a huge decision, as to me, its a rather large sum of money to be spending and i cannot afford to mess it up.

I need to be very careful in ensuring I do not loose too much in depreciation, so getting the right one is mega important

 

The 996 I saw on Tuesday - with Jim - would not be the one I bought despite it looking beautiful and drove well.

There were a couple of reasons. I want to view quite a few and check the condition and I am not a rush impulse purchaser. I think I viewed about 8 VR's before I bought one !!

 

I am struggling about the fact that all Porsches have had so many owners, I have only found one with 3 owners and most have 4 - 5. This is on a 8 - 11 year old car !!!!!!

Of course i understand why if i think about it. 80k on a new car - (or thereabouts) means you probabaly have the money to lose masses of depreciation and swap cars reguarly, even going down to the 35 - 40k value range - it appears the same.

I really would prefer a vehicle to have had much fewer owners - i just think it will have been cared for so much more.

On the Porsches - there really does not seem to be much care in getting in and out of the car - is this a case of too much money ? I wonder.

 

I will look at the websites that have been mentioned, thank for that.

 

 

if depreaciation is a major concern then best go for air-cooled,less made over the years,the 996 and 997 are practically mass-produced compared to the 964/993,the only 996's that won't lose too much money now are GT2's and GT3's due to their low production amounts,Porsches normally change hands quite often,nothing about the car itself normally,just a case of fickle owners,owners who have a big balloon payment lease and are just changing before their term is up,owners who need a bigger car due to family needs,owners upgrading etc etc,I'm lucky with my 95 993 in that I'm only the 5th or 6th owner(IIRC) and I'm coming up to 4 years ownership,I do hanker after a 996 Turbo or even a 997 C4S,but the running costs are still in the £100k league for the Turbo,even if the purchase costs are now sub £30k,the GT3 I think would be wasted on me due to them being too track-focused

[Philmo 0]

Wendy

Don't blame you for considering these, especially GT2's - but I did read a review which warned that early 996's had weak crank seals, clutch end, which is a lump-out job - and because sales were slow in 2001/02 a fair few 2001 mftr yr actually masquerade as 2002 regs.

Happy testing!

PS - is a Carrera 2 really worth bothering with when a decent blown C will eat it for breakfast? :lol:

 

Crank seal and clutch were being replaced on the one we saw prior to it being sold which seemed pretty fair :)

 

And in terms of getting a force fed VR, this is something I was chatting about with Wendy on the way home from the test drive. Comparatively would give a lot of bang for buck but there is still ultimately going to be the sheer 'prestige' from having a Porsche parked on your driveway rather than a VW! It must be nice having a Corrado which can mop the floor with M3's, etc but I'd still have an M3 or 911 over a Corrado any day!

 

911 [GT2] on the drive - anytime - the joy of operating superbly designed & crafted machinery!

M3 ? maybe to replace the Bora, provided it had a tailor-made muted exhaust - std one's far too chavvy! :lol:

[StuartFZR400 0]

you're worried about loosing money on the car? its all relative as to what we can afford, but Im sure its a dead cert that you'll loose good money on a porsche; prices are silly and all over the place for them.

 

Its a no-brainer as to what to buy (in that it will do a job) if you want a track car; only as long as you get on with the car and seating position. That, or a Noble?

[Wendy 0]

993's - of course I have consided these.

 

However they are old, very dated - interior especially so and I am not of a mind to spend huge sums on a car that rattles and frankly is shabby due to age!

 

My heart is so on owning a Porsche, I really will wait for a good one. So many conflicting views on all this, which one etc etc.

 

I am thinking of trying to get a test drive in a Cayman - yes, wildly out of my price range - for now, but am really considering the mid engine.

 

Since the test drive of the 996 on Tueday, it has played on my mind - how light the front end is under power. Putting a sack of potatoes n the front is not an option - have you seen just how little boot space there is.

Being serious, I am going to properly drive whatever I purchase. Is the Porsche too powerful for the road - will i instantly lose my licence or throw it off the road - yes, I have been told you need to learn to drive a Porsche properly. I am wondering would the 996 be better as a Track Car - not that i would or could afford one for this.

 

So many thoughts and such a difficult decision. If only I was loaded !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Leonard 0]

993's - of course I have consided these.

 

However they are old, very dated - interior especially so and I am not of a mind to spend huge sums on a car that rattles and frankly is shabby due to age!

 

My heart is so on owning a Porsche, I really will wait for a good one. So many conflicting views on all this, which one etc etc.

 

I am thinking of trying to get a test drive in a Cayman - yes, wildly out of my price range - for now, but am really considering the mid engine.

 

Since the test drive of the 996 on Tueday, it has played on my mind - how light the front end is under power. Putting a sack of potatoes n the front is not an option - have you seen just how little boot space there is.

Being serious, I am going to properly drive whatever I purchase. Is the Porsche too powerful for the road - will i instantly lose my licence or throw it off the road - yes, I have been told you need to learn to drive a Porsche properly. I am wondering would the 996 be better as a Track Car - not that i would or could afford one for this.

 

So many thoughts and such a difficult decision. If only I was loaded !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Cayman on a PCP would have to be a good option. Newer, lower miles, under warranty, less running costs. And you get 95% of the performance of a 911!

 

I know it is the cheaper mans option but have you even considered the Boxster? It certainly performs well and would be a great occasional track car as well. Plus its sunny outside, go take a look if you don't believe me :grin: Perfect soft top weather 8)

[Leonard 0]

I can thoroughly recommend buying one of these as well.

 

http://www.pistonheads.com/SALES/1032480.htm

 

Great intro into rear wheel drive, really nicely balanced car. Really low depreciation and sensible running costs. Plus amazing on the track. And money in the pocket to put towards another Porsche in a couple of years time :grin:

[StuartFZR400 0]

Being serious, I am going to properly drive whatever I purchase. Is the Porsche too powerful for the road - will i instantly lose my licence or throw it off the road - yes, I have been told you need to learn to drive a Porsche properly. I am wondering would the 996 be better as a Track Car - not that i would or could afford one for this.

 

So many thoughts and such a difficult decision. If only I was loaded !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

For the road, well, I dont see how you'd appreciate it fully. It s something nice to cruise in, or maybe tour europe, but not sure about day to day. You'll never go the shops; you'll suspect everyone at work should you see ladybird poo on it - it'll be your pride and your worry; unless you were loaded, lol. You might get a fair bit of fun out of it on the road, drive at a quicker pace etc and enjoy it. On the other hand you might hate it, realising how clogged our roads tend to be, and find overtaking a repetitive chore, ending up in blitzing it once too often and saying goodbye to your licence - its kinda down to you.

[Wendy 0]

For the road, well, I dont see how you'd appreciate it fully. It s something nice to cruise in, or maybe tour europe, but not sure about day to day. You'll never go the shops; you'll suspect everyone at work should you see ladybird poo on it - it'll be your pride and your worry; unless you were loaded, lol. You might get a fair bit of fun out of it on the road, drive at a quicker pace etc and enjoy it. On the other hand you might hate it, realising how clogged our roads tend to be, and find overtaking a repetitive chore, ending up in blitzing it once too often and saying goodbye to your licence - its kinda down to you.

 

This is kind of where I am currently at.

 

I have no doubt i will love and really enjoy it, but cruising :lol: :lol: :lol:

Its not really my kind of style. I do not get buying a fast car and not using it.

May as well buy a proper cruise machine if thats the case.

And, do I want to spend this type of money and have the odd blitz as you say when I can due to the congestion on the roads. Then the Europe trips are only usually once per annum - for me anyway.

I haven't yet been on any of the Porsche forums - which I need to do and listen to some of the owner experiences.

 

The thoughts have even wandered onto Convertables - and most people on here know how against them I am for safety reasons. And I am very unfairly basing this on Caterhams. I probably should try to override my fears and go for some Test drives. If I did this I could stay with Porsche - Boxter - the balance is better, considerably cheaper, newer and original purchase price not so high, and presumably therefore everything related in running costs should improve too. I am basing this on the Corrado, high purchase price therefore higher running cost.

 

Guess it would help if i wasn't trying to finalise house decorations/renovations at the same time !!

 

My head hurts :confused4:

[dukest 0]

Convertables - and most people on here know how against them I am for safety reasons.

 

Boxter S + crash helmet + race harness = problem solved :)

[Philmo 0]

I am thinking of trying to get a test drive in a Cayman - yes, wildly out of my price range - for now, but am really considering the mid engine.

 

Since the test drive of the 996 on Tueday, it has played on my mind - how light the front end is under power.

 

Indeed - nicely balanced Cayman with just a little Rotrex to tweak it upto 400 ish bhp. :norty:

[StuartFZR400 0]

I have no doubt i will love and really enjoy it, but cruising

Its not really my kind of style. I do not get buying a fast car and not using it.

 

The thoughts have even wandered onto Convertables - and most people on here know how against them I am for safety reasons. And I am very unfairly basing this on Caterhams.

 

Hey up, thats your view on cruising; I can go into cruise and still get caught up in traffic. Take a look at your european friends and see thier idea of cruising; I've had a Scenic on full tilt keeping up with granny in her Pug 205TDi, lol, across france. Porsche would just eat up the road easily. Having said that, ive never seen one driven here in anger; a boot on the motorway doesnt count.

 

Caterham - whats wrong with them? You'd be made to flip one. As for crashing, well yeh, you might get flung out of a convertable; but even if you dont, just imagine how easy these small cars crumple, even a hard top. Advice, dont get it wrong, lol. I remember the days I loved the Magnum PI ferrari (308?), but I hear they're made of paper and matchsticks, and there were lots of deaths in them; I think todays cars tend to be better simply cos of the electrics; which reminds me, dont get a pre 06 S2000.

 

You do realise how envious some people are that you're weighing up these options, class :notworthy:

[Wendy 0]

I have no doubt i will love and really enjoy it, but cruising

Its not really my kind of style. I do not get buying a fast car and not using it.

 

The thoughts have even wandered onto Convertables - and most people on here know how against them I am for safety reasons. And I am very unfairly basing this on Caterhams.

 

Hey up, thats your view on cruising; I can go into cruise and still get caught up in traffic. Take a look at your european friends and see thier idea of cruising; I've had a Scenic on full tilt keeping up with granny in her Pug 205TDi, lol, across france. Porsche would just eat up the road easily. Having said that, ive never seen one driven here in anger; a boot on the motorway doesnt count.

 

Caterham - whats wrong with them? You'd be made to flip one. As for crashing, well yeh, you might get flung out of a convertable; but even if you dont, just imagine how easy these small cars crumple, even a hard top. Advice, dont get it wrong, lol. I remember the days I loved the Magnum PI ferrari (308?), but I hear they're made of paper and matchsticks, and there were lots of deaths in them; I think todays cars tend to be better simply cos of the electrics; which reminds me, dont get a pre 06 S2000.

 

You do realise how envious some people are that you're weighing up these options, class :notworthy:

 

I have sent you a pm.