Tough decision... 996tt or x50, decision to make today!

Tough decision... 996tt or x50, decision to make today!

Author
Discussion

IMIA

9,410 posts

200 months

Saturday 4th April 2015
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Zyp said:
st a brick - how much?!!!

I off loaded my pristine, viola metallic x50 with 40k miles on it for £28k 4 years ago.....
Didn't realise these had appreciated by quite so much.
£50k car in the current market. I remember your car and was astonished you let such a beauty go but you said you never geled wit her. its only money lol

ILoveMondeo

Original Poster:

9,614 posts

225 months

Saturday 4th April 2015
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shantybeater said:
I'm not going to bother telling you which best, every non-x50 owner will harp on about how theirs is better and so will the x50 guys.

Snip...

P.S the whole, map a k16 and it will be quicker than a stock x50 is all well and good, but if you map the x50 it will be even quicker.

Edited by shantybeater on Saturday 4th April 20:37
Understood! I did the mid range party trick of 30 to "something" whilst driving the x50 today, it really is something else. As far as lag goes... I've always seen it as "being in the wrong gear" from my days of driving Japanese turbo nutter things in various guises. An over simplification granted. But your point about the more exciting shove into the back of the seat is very valid. The GF is used to me in quick cars and she even was shocked how a huge lump of acceleration came in such a short space. I do really like the bigger turbos.

Even from all my research I didn't realise rhe clutch and box were different. Certainly doesn't feel any different to drive a standard tt from a transmission point of view.

I've got till Tuesday to make up my mind anyway.

Absolutely no plans to mod in any way, keeping it standard. I'm fussy like that.

It really is a toughie!


X50Black

25 posts

118 months

Saturday 4th April 2015
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Get the X50 and thank me in a few years for the advice wink

Take the far improved spec of an X50 out of the equation completely, you are paying the extra for the rarity of the X50 and it will reward you far greater later on if you decide to sell it on.

Slippydiff

14,742 posts

222 months

Saturday 4th April 2015
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ILoveMondeo said:
Understood! I did the mid range party trick of 30 to "something" whilst driving the x50 today, it really is something else. As far as lag goes... I've always seen it as "being in the wrong gear" from my days of driving Japanese turbo nutter things in various guises. An over simplification granted. But your point about the more exciting shove into the back of the seat is very valid. The GF is used to me in quick cars and she even was shocked how a huge lump of acceleration came in such a short space. I do really like the bigger turbos.

Even from all my research I didn't realise rhe clutch and box were different. Certainly doesn't feel any different to drive a standard tt from a transmission point of view.

I've got till Tuesday to make up my mind anyway.

Absolutely no plans to mod in any way, keeping it standard. I'm fussy like that.

It really is a toughie!
996 Turbo and X50 have adaptive ECU's, run them with poor quality fuel and/or potter them around town and very rapidly the the throttle response will soften and they'll feel laggy.

A couple of bouts of hard acceleration up through the 'box and the ECU will adapt and the lag will disappear.
The X50's bigger Turbos need heat energy, let them get "cool" and response will suffer and the car will feel laggy. Get them hot (really hot) and you'll not see/feel any lag at all.

Alternatively you can get someone to remap the car, you don't have to have more hp, you can map purely for vastly improved throttle response. In my experience there's no reason why you can't make an X50 car drive like it's smaller turbo equipped brethren.





dank

1,154 posts

251 months

Sunday 5th April 2015
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What a superb choice you have, i'd agree to get the low mileage standard 966tt, stunning colour and rare, and that could be a real keeper, let us know which you decide and then LOTS OF PICS!


Upnorthgt3

605 posts

142 months

Sunday 5th April 2015
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I recently purchased a car from RPM and had no issues at all - everything as it should be

IMIA

9,410 posts

200 months

Sunday 5th April 2015
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CGJJ said:
You could buy a 997 Turbo gen 1 from OPC for that money with fewer miles.
cheapest manual gen 1 turbo is a beautiful white car £62k!

shantybeater

1,192 posts

168 months

Sunday 5th April 2015
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Good luck OP, update the thread with how you get on!

Edited by shantybeater on Sunday 5th April 10:52

pete

1,586 posts

283 months

Sunday 5th April 2015
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I bought a 55k mile manual 996 Turbo S from Slades a couple of years ago, and found them a good garage to deal with. Not the cheapest at the time, but they did sort out new tyres and a few cosmetic things, as well as taking the car for a PPI at a my chosen OPC.

One word of warning with any 996 turbo though. My car was as new as a 996 can be, but a Porsche turbo specialist still found a few things like boost leaks, duff diverter valves, etc that the OPC inspection missed, and which transformed the feel of the car. When you do find one, make sure you take it tomorrow a PPI somewhere that knows the 996 turbo's foibles, and you could avoid a labour intensive bill.

Otherwise either car listed looks like a good choice. I'm just happy I bought when I did, as prices seem to have gone bonkers based on the x50 car.

Pete

Zyp

14,673 posts

188 months

Sunday 5th April 2015
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I concur with the above ^^^

My car had fantastic provenance, full Porsche history, wanted for nothing and had only done 30k miles at 6 years old when I bought it.

In the 2 years of my ownership it cost a small fortune in repairs - rads, (centre rad twice) a/c rads, clutch cylinder, RMS (!), window drop switch, rear spoiler rams.

They are very good cars, I just couldn't get on with mine for some reason.

Just go into any purchase with eyes fully open.

davek_964

8,796 posts

174 months

Sunday 5th April 2015
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How can an OPC miss a boost leak? Surely it wasn't boosting properly?

ILoveMondeo

Original Poster:

9,614 posts

225 months

Sunday 5th April 2015
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davek_964 said:
How can an OPC miss a boost leak? Surely it wasn't boosting properly?
If it's minor I'm sure it would get past an OPC, I doubt they pressure test the whole system like a proper specialist would do.

Point taken, the x50 has just come from Paul Stephens , which as I understand it are very well regarded, not been there though. It's God a 12 month warranty from them.

The other is covered by a 6 month RPM technik warranty and has had the full inspection there. I've no doubt that RPM are very good at what they do.

I'm not a fan of main dealers, and would far rather use a true specialist for an older car than them any day of the week.



ILoveMondeo

Original Poster:

9,614 posts

225 months

Sunday 5th April 2015
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By the way, I should add, I hadn't made my mind up come closing time on Saturday, everyone had gone home when I tried to call both places with a couple of additional (minor) questions.

I'm flip flopping between the two at the moment.

I think if the x50 were the same or close in price to the tt id have it (considering the extra miles). However it's a big leap (for me anyway) to justify the x50, when I prefer the colour of the tt, it's lower miles, and has red seatbelts ! (I'm not really deciding on seatbelt by the way)

Yet the x50 drove like a new car, has embossed headrests, and a tape player, which is pretty damn cool, 190mph whilst listening to my Metallica tapes from school!

The point is I think I'm splitting hairs now! smile




Edited by ILoveMondeo on Sunday 5th April 17:16

davek_964

8,796 posts

174 months

Sunday 5th April 2015
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So the non X50 is cheaper, has almost 20k miles less, you prefer the color (and seat belts!) - sounds like you'd really need to want the bigger turbos.

As mentioned, you could map the car which would cost you less than the price difference.

I'd take the non X50.

ILoveMondeo

Original Poster:

9,614 posts

225 months

Sunday 5th April 2015
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I really "want" the big turbos though!

This could come down to a coin toss, or alternatively how much the GF "needs" new double glazing! smile

Edited by ILoveMondeo on Sunday 5th April 18:08

CGJJ

857 posts

123 months

Tuesday 7th April 2015
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ILoveMondeo said:
True, but In my humble option the 996tt is a better car!

997 gen1's don't exactly have the best rep for reliability either.

I had considered a 997 prior to this, having finally whittled
It down to a gen2 gts. But they are more again(60-70k last time I looked).

And if I was going to spend that amount right now I'd get an f360 or f430 instead.

Budget creep is a bh! smile

Basically I want to buy the absolute best 996tt that I can get my hands on. (Within reason, not paying 70k for one with 300 miles on the clock!)

Many times I've bought cars at the bottom of the market and had big bills to put them right.

This time I'll get one I know for a fact is spot on.

Although I did see two stunning f308's today! smile
I'm interested to know what the reliability issues of 997.1 Turbo's are?



ILoveMondeo

Original Poster:

9,614 posts

225 months

Tuesday 7th April 2015
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CGJJ said:
I'm interested to know what the reliability issues of 997.1 Turbo's are?
Sorry my mistake, it's the non-turbos. Its much the same engine in the 996 and 997 turbo cars.



CGJJ

857 posts

123 months

Tuesday 7th April 2015
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Exactly.

In my opinion the 996 Turbo is the better bet if you want to tune it as the process is more cost effective.

But in terms of looks and build quality the 997 Turbo is the winner in my eyes.

Did you choose the car yet?

ILoveMondeo

Original Poster:

9,614 posts

225 months

Tuesday 7th April 2015
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Not yet, haven't been able to get hold of the dealers yet for a chat, have a couple of outstanding questions.

The RPM guy is away until tomorrow anyway.

I will admit you did have me looking at 997.1 Turbos, I'm surprised at how cheap some of them are. However I'd be doing precisely what I said I wouldn't, buying at the bottom of the market. Residuals are possibly a little more of a risk with the 997 and as I'm planning on keeping the TVR as well I need it to at least maintain most of it's value over a few years. Which in my opinion is probably more likely with a 996, having well and truly bottomed out a year or two ago. Of course that's all guess work really.



MrTickle

1,825 posts

238 months

Tuesday 7th April 2015
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Sold my 2009 7T with PCM3 and manual 'box for less than either of those 6 months ago!

This bubble must burst soon and bring cars back to reality?