997 as a daily commuter - (100 miles per day)

[swarwi]

Hi,

wondering if you could help, just got back to UK from an International Assignment over in the US.

Before we went over there had a 07 RS4 Avant, and was commuting around 50 miles total journey a day.

My new role will see me doing 100 miles round trip a day. (all motorway)

I previously owned a 2002 996 C4S (absolutely loved this car!!) before kids forced me into the Audi :-) am currently in a 2010 Land Rover Discovery 4 HSE

We just ordered a new family wagon to replace the land rover

So, here is my dilemma and id love your thoughts and therapy :-)

I have about 35-38K budget left to spend on my toy/daily commute

would like to think this after looking in classifieds will get me into a decent 997 (S).
im toying with a manual or PDK -
the 996 manual was awesome to drive, but now with the PDK technology, can i get the same passion, excitment and engagement with the car, and so on, so have booked some test drives at the local stealership to get that one sorted for myself and thats more my own therapy session i need to get through.

Does anybody have any 'real' stats on daily usage of a 997 s (PDK or Manual), i totally get its all about how its driven, im just looking for just good honest daily type driving (M4 onto A340 not the type of driving you'd do trying to beat a GTR lap time around the ring :-)

Average MPG
Tank Range
Average miles you see from a set of boots
Average miles from a set of pads
Average miles from a clutch

as always, many thanks for anytime you spend replying to a fellow pistonheads dilema...

[fastgerman]

For majority of motorway miles but still some fun now and again, I'd go gen2 997 pdk with the standard 3.6 engine.

Lower tax bracket and around 30mpg

[Magic919]

swarwi said:

Average MPG
Tank Range
Average miles you see from a set of boots
Average miles from a set of pads
Average miles from a clutch

C2S
I get low 20s MPG but it generally averages 30 over my usual tour of Europe.
No idea.
About 15,000.
Over 20,000 and not changed.
PDK.

[Flying911]

While you can use a 911 as a daily driver you might be wasting your money and compromising your comfort on a 100 mile motorway trip. The 911's are quite stiff suspension and best on windy roads. Putting circa 25k miles a year I'd go for a higher mileage sporty BMW, Merc or Audi with comfort and sports setting. These cars tend to be good for high mileages and on motorways you are not stressing the cars. You don't want to be depreciating something by £10k a year do you ?

[Soov535]

I do 100 a day. Used to have an RS4 Avant 07. It had to go of course.

Ended up in a brand new 535d M Sport. You'll struggle to beat it. 0-60 in 5.2 secs, 155mph, 45-50 to the gallon and the mileage won't hurt it.

[swarwi]

Thanks to all,

my car history (when it got interesting) looks like,
Audi S3
Audi S4 (v8)
BMW M5 (V8)
1st kid, job moves to London
BMW 535D 2007
2nd kid
BMW 535D 2009
wife gets a company car....
Carrera 4S
3rd kid
Audi Rs4
Land rover discivery 2010

ive done a few of the big engines, petrol and diesels for the daily commute but not one of them made me feel like i did after a trip home in the 996.

it might be me and with all due respect to these fantastic cars i have the privilege of owning over the years, they sometimes felt like a 5-series with a big engine, or an audi estate with a big engine..

i couldnt get the same passion i felt with the characteristics of the 996 C4s after a blat

[g7jhp]

You can do a 100 mile commute no problem.

I used to do a London to Huntingdon and back in my Audi S3 and then a 3.2 Carrera.

On a different Herts to Slough commute I did have a 2007 BMW 535d Touring but although it was very comfortable it was dull. The 996 turbo which replaced it was slight overkill but certainly brightened up the drive on the way home!

[swarwi]

g7jhp said:

You can do a 100 mile commute no problem.

I used to do a London to Huntingdon and back in my Audi S3 and then a 3.2 Carrera.

On a different Herts to Slough commute I did have a 2007 BMW 535d Touring but although it was very comfortable it was dull. The 996 turbo which replaced it was slight overkill but certainly brightened up the drive on the way home!

Nice! - my commute is going to be from Reading to Hursley (just past Winchester), guess if i get bored of the A34/M4 i can also blat through the countryside and take the long way home, you have no idea how much i miss, driving for drivings sake. :-)

[sidicks]

I did 50k miles in a (manual) 997 C4S used as a daily driver over 7 years - lower daily mileage than you, but if anything your longer distance makes the car more appropriate rather than less.

Go for it!

[boxsey]

Soov535 said:

I do 100 a day. Used to have an RS4 Avant 07. It had to go of course.

Ended up in a brand new 535d M Sport. You'll struggle to beat it. 0-60 in 5.2 secs, 155mph, 45-50 to the gallon and the mileage won't hurt it.

Hmm the MPG sounds a bit optimistic. Most large oil burners are more like 35-40 door to door on a long journey in my experience. Still a lot better than an RS4 though!

[Soov535]

boxsey said:

Soov535 said:

I do 100 a day. Used to have an RS4 Avant 07. It had to go of course.

Ended up in a brand new 535d M Sport. You'll struggle to beat it. 0-60 in 5.2 secs, 155mph, 45-50 to the gallon and the mileage won't hurt it.

Hmm the MPG sounds a bit optimistic. Most large oil burners are more like 35-40 door to door on a long journey in my experience. Still a lot better than an RS4 though!

I am lucky I guess in that I am out of the drive, 60 seconds onto the motorway (ECO PRO MODE) and then off the Motorway into the car park.

I can usually get 50mpg.

Granted though, that's an ideal situation.

[jakesmith]

I would not do this in a 997, I did a similar journey in my 997 for 18 months and it is not the right tool for the job. Not relaxing on a motorway as set up for being an involving drive. Noisy and a bit hard ride. But most importantly it takes away the specialness of the car which is sad, makes it ordinary. I'd go 535d SE and a fun car like an Elise for caning it at weekends

[c4sman]

Go for it. Gen 2 3.6 PDK or manual should tick all the boxes and I think these cars are comfortable but involving enough for 100m per day round trips. Expect 30+mpg if driven gently and 22-25mpg if more spirited. PDK mught be sensible for communte due to stop start traffic and 7th gear economy. Manual clutch should be good for 50-60k miles and possibly a lot more, but I dont know about PDK clutch packs? The cars are strong and built to be driven.

[W12JFD]

I commuted 100 miles per day in a 997.1 turbo for a couple of years. Averaged 32 mpg and had absolutely no mechanical problems over 60,000 miles. It was a tip so no clutch wear and no real hammering of brakes as all motorway miles. Plenty comfy enough and rather fun. I'd suggest go for it - if it proves wearing part ex for a diesel!

[clockworks]

With £35k to spend, I'd go for a big diesel and a 964. In fact, I did. 525d E61 facelift is plenty fast enough for a daily driver, and is a very nice place to be on a longer journey. 45mpg is possible on a run. Should be able to get an LCI (facelift) model for around £8k, less if you go for a saloon (E60).
Apart from consumables, my only expenses in 2.5 years of ownership have been a battery, a rear hatch microswitch, and a pair of tailgate gas struts. With 117K miles on the clock, it's barely run in.

A good 964 should just about be doable with the remainder of your budget. Fast enough for fun driving, and pretty much zero cost motoring. I've had mine nearly 3 years, and the only non-consumables have been a drop link and drive shaft boots, plus some cosmetic replacements - rear reflector, steering wheel and a decent stereo. Strangely, my Porsche indy's labour rate is lower than the BMW indy.

[Akuka]

35k budget would be a GTR for me , wouldn`t care if it was uncomfortable over the 100 mile round trip.

[SkinnyPete]

I do up to 70 miles a day in my Cayman so 100 in a 997 should be fine.

Only criticism is the tyre noise on 19" wheels, its far quieter on 18"s.

[swarwi]

Many Thanks, really appreciate all the help and advice here guys,

unfortunately i cant really afford to have two cars, (sensible one and a toy) as id have two lots of running costs and this would certainly not fly with the boss :-)

I think im going to go for it and make my PDK/Manual choice after i go out in both this weekend, will certainly let you all know,

as mentioned earlier, ive tried 'arguably' the best/fastest big diesels, and also big estate petrol cars to cope with the daily commute, but even the RS4 did not give me anything close to the old 996 C4s we had in terms of just enjoying driving again.

all the best with your toys of choice, and hope you all continue to enjoy what made you bite the financial built in the first place.

[Polome]

Like yourself I have driven a 996 as a daily .I did over 60k miles and found it a great drivers car. Now into a 3.6 gen 2 997 with over 10k behind us. Doing lots of motorway work you wouldnt notice a huge power difference between the 3.6 & 3.8s and the 3.6 manual ( as in my car) regularly gets ( an indicated) 29 mpg when cruising in the 75-9???? Range. ... Hold it to low 70's and amazing high 30's achievable . My driving style is not sedentary and I like to " make progress" .FWIW my urban( Edinburgh city) mpg approx 22. One thing noticeable..AC drops all figs by 2-3 mpg. Pads ..doing this type of driving I reckon 20k + , similarly tyres F 10k R 20k and I change before the wear indicator bands. As in the 996 the car spinning up the rears in the wet gives a better indication of imminent replacement than anything else. Clutch., depends on driving style, my car currently on 28k and it still feels new. When looking don't discount the 3.6 , it's usually £5k cheaper than an S and it's not a £5k less drive. Good luck with your choice.

[Polome]

Polome said:

Like yourself I have driven a 996 as a daily .I did over 60k miles and found it a great drivers car. Now into a 3.6 gen 2 997 with over 10k behind us. Doing lots of motorway work you wouldnt notice a huge power difference between the 3.6 & 3.8s and the 3.6 manual ( as in my car) regularly gets ( an indicated) 29 mpg when cruising in the 75-9???? Range. ... Hold it to low 70's and amazing high 30's achievable . My driving style is not sedentary and I like to " make progress" .FWIW my urban( Edinburgh city) mpg approx 22. One thing noticeable..AC drops all figs by 2-3 mpg. Pads ..doing this type of driving I reckon 20k + , similarly tyres F20k , R10k I change before the wear indicator bands. As in the 996 the car spinning up the rears in the wet gives a better indication of imminent replacement than anything else. Clutch., depends on driving style, my car currently on 28k and it still feels new. When looking don't discount the 3.6 , it's usually £5k cheaper than an S and it's not a £5k less drive. Good luck with your choice.

. Recently I have had experience of new jag & bmw saloons..very different cars but very noticeable as to their quiet ( almost silent ) cruising...unfortunately the 997 is a noisy car at motorway speeds.