RE: You Know You Want To: Porsche 911 (996) Carreras

[bga]

kambites said:

Lazygraduate said:

You're not actually going to change your mind, without a test-drive/look around, based solely on the opinion of an internet stranger, are you!?

I certainly wouldn't, and it was my opinion.

It's definitely worth driving one, but to me it just felt too numb and heavy to really make a good "toy" car. Wonderful daily driver if you cover significant miles, but much of its talent would be wasted as low-mileage a weekend car, IMO.

Edited by kambites on Wednesday 2nd January 18:36

I agree. They are (IMO) different markets. The 911 is an awesome car and I miss mine every day. What it isn't (in C2, C4, C4S guise) is an event to drive which a TVR is.

Edited by bga on Wednesday 2nd January 19:26

[mattman]

hornetrider said:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200867518178?ssPageName=...

Not the best eBay seller and by the looks of the paperwork on the pax seat this is a WBAC clearance.

2hrs to go and just 7k....

One of the worst ebay ears, and straight out of BCA Blackbushe, with no returns you may as well take the risk yourself and buy direct, and save a few quid

[CraigJ]

I'm currently looking at the 996 with a view to buy. Just trying to get the time to look as the cars seem to be very well spread apart.

Have around 10K to spend.

Been doing my homework on these for the past month and being a grease monkey should hopefully help me pick up a good one.

I'm in west Yorkshire so if any locals have a good one let me know.

I do think these are a good buy you just have to bare in mind that they are a 14 year old super car so your not going to run them on a budget. I'm Having one for a weekend toy as i have my company van every day so it will only be used on the weekend.

[Slobberchops]

Trevor M said:

It's difficult to image somebody who would buy one of these when they could just spend a couple of thousand more and get a Boxster 987 with less miles, or even aspire to the "real thing" Carrera 3.2 for a couple thousand more than the 987 (although not for much longer). But it takes all kinds, I suppose.

Boxster a no good for carrying kids in a modern Porsche though. So not at all hard to imagine.

[TROOPER88]

mattman said:

One of the worst ebay ears, and straight out of BCA Blackbushe, with no returns you may as well take the risk yourself and buy direct, and save a few quid

You could not buy it any where as cheap as these guys get them for.

They have a Gold account which means their indemnity fee is a fraction of what it would cost Joe Public.

Also with these guys you are free to fully test the car and only buy if you are happy. You can not get fairer.

[KennyGT]

9k! 51k miles auto

http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...

I know this one is 4k more but looks mint (still cheap for a 911!)

http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...

Bargains to be had, however at the moment I am not brave enough!

[Matbmx1]

All these bargain porsche threads aren't helping me at the moment...

I am determined to keep my mx5 until mot time nov 2013 and see how much I've saved by then. I'm dreadful for buying cars before I can afford them and I'm trying not to do it again!

Just need to start saving....

[Mr Senna]

I really like these, I bought a low miles 2001 C2 in 2005 and enjoyed every moment, bar the Porsche Garage trying to get you to pay out for things without resaon, such as plugs (they tried to get me to have them done a year early and were annoyed I check the schedule and caught them out). This included an airbag check, from memory again a year or two early....

My local Porsche garage love the "we recommend new discs and pads" as you own a "performance car" and you "should never take any chances". Well I heard they stung a lot of people for £2000 plus on this...

Yes, I would change my pads and discs if there was a (good) reason to do so.

The car was really fun to own and having come from a RS Focus, 3 x Evo's and a number of Impreza's it felt very grown up.

They are a bargain, but buy carefully....

Edited by Mr Senna on Wednesday 2nd January 20:17

[Bonefish Blues]

j_s14a said:

31.4 mpg combined?

Really?! I have my doubts.

IME with a C4, not far off actually.

[Herman Toothrot]

I need more space for a Porsche either 996 or 986 driven both and honestly prefered the Boxster but the 996 just looks so good, I don't want to sell my Audi swapping that would mean the rear seats of the 996 becoming the dog cart. Don't want to sell my MR2 as its such a fun throw-able car. I could part with my MX5 project as I prefer the way the MR2 handles so have lost interest but I'd loose loads as its an unfinished project with thousands sunk into it (forged engine etc). :-/

Edited by Herman Toothrot on Wednesday 2nd January 20:39

[hornetrider]

mattman said:

hornetrider said:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200867518178?ssPageName=...

Not the best eBay seller and by the looks of the paperwork on the pax seat this is a WBAC clearance.

2hrs to go and just 7k....

One of the worst ebay ears, and straight out of BCA Blackbushe, with no returns you may as well take the risk yourself and buy direct, and save a few quid

Buy the car, not the seller. If the price is right.

50 mins to go... 7300

[J4CKO]

Wh would of thought it, newer 911's mixing it with 944's, 968's and Boxsters in the classifieds.

[hornetrider]

hornetrider said:

mattman said:

hornetrider said:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200867518178?ssPageName=...

Not the best eBay seller and by the looks of the paperwork on the pax seat this is a WBAC clearance.

2hrs to go and just 7k....

One of the worst ebay ears, and straight out of BCA Blackbushe, with no returns you may as well take the risk yourself and buy direct, and save a few quid

Buy the car, not the seller. If the price is right.

50 mins to go... 7300

8k - someone got a bargain

[Agent Orange]

KennyGT said:

I know this one is 4k more but looks mint (still cheap for a 911!)

http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...

Bargains to be had, however at the moment I am not brave enough!

Ok so it's an auto and I'm not quite sure what I'm seeing on the drivers door sill but that looks stunning for £13K.

Anyone want to buy a Caterham?

[johnyt993]

dumpy said:

Ive had a 10k 996 3.4 for 18 months. Only stuff to add is it always feels special, I smile each time i drive it as its just so accomplished. Done some work, replaced rads drop links, back boxs, tyres etc. they are good to work on and ill second the dont be put off by self service as long as the receipts are there. I self service cause im really fussy and can take my time. Can you see a garage replaceing bolts with stainless, taking a few days over a repair because the undertray was a bit cracked and wanting to replace with an opc item (Due to pro mechanics not giving a stuff about someone elses car.)Go on buy one that 911 itch wont scratch itself.

Agreed, although i have a 993 not a 996, I have to say that every Porsche i have driven (including, whisper it in case the doubters hear, 924s') feels special!
The engines feel urgent, stronger than the BHP would suggest, and the car feels like it was engineered to drive, not engineered around a package.
In fact my only real recommendation to make sure every drive is exciting, is the noise! I test drove alot of different porsches, and almost all of the modern stuff (post 964) is surprisingly quiet (bar the GT3's etc) so personally i would always try to find one with a sports or aftermarket exhaust fitted (as mine has) or budget to get it done yourself - it makes a HUGE difference, and you suddenly think alot more about noise then speed!

Regarding the 'its not a fast car' comments - i guess it is all relative, one mans fast car is another mans 'slow' car, but for me anything in and around the 5 second mark is a QUICK car.
I wonder if a lot of people are just paranoid that once in their sports car ownership they may get embarrassed by a quick diesel or an 'uber' hatch, but personally i don't care as they are unlikely to sound or feel the same whilst going as quick.
Again, personal preference, but I think that anything much quicker than a 993/996 c2 (or similar) would become pretty unusable on the roads around where i live (hertfordshire), and I would probably just get more frustrated as i'm waiting behind another long line of traffic bumbling along an A road at 40.

Scratch the itch!
you only live once and you can buy something different in a few years...

[VinceFox]

hornetrider said:

hornetrider said:

mattman said:

hornetrider said:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200867518178?ssPageName=...

Not the best eBay seller and by the looks of the paperwork on the pax seat this is a WBAC clearance.

2hrs to go and just 7k....

One of the worst ebay ears, and straight out of BCA Blackbushe, with no returns you may as well take the risk yourself and buy direct, and save a few quid

Buy the car, not the seller. If the price is right.

50 mins to go... 7300

8k - someone got a bargain

jesus that's a lot of car for 8k.

[Flatinfourth]

Surely caution is required with that rather sketchy engine...?

[5678]

I think this is the final nail in the coffin. The 996TT was top of my budget and the bills scared me. The 997c2s, again, top of my budget. Ten bags on one of these? That's a fair risk to scratch the itch!

[BliarOut]

Flatinfourth said:

Surely caution is required with that rather sketchy engine...?

It's an opportunity to own a sixty grand car... Go in with your eyes open if you're not risk averse. You could of course get a tidy Mondeo with warranty for similar money

[Emley]

Lazygraduate said:

Emley said:

kambites said:

Emley said:

1. It will be a weekend toy, something to cherish. Is a 911 going to feel special enough?

Worth trying one but to my mind the answer is "no". The 911 Carrera's great strength is that it manages to combine a reasonable degree of driver appeal with being a very usable daily driver, it makes no sense as a weekend car to me.

Thanks

Back looking at Cerberas then...

You're not actually going to change your mind, without a test-drive/look around, based solely on the opinion of an internet stranger, are you!?

Er No!

Going to see a 40th anniversary C2 tomorrow

Thanks

Edited by Emley on Wednesday 2nd January 22:53