Cant decide whether to sell my 996TT
Discussion
Hi chaps, would value your opinion.
I have a 996TT. Its a manual in mint condition and nice colour. Its not cost much apart from routine servicing over two years and feels great.
With two kids, i have stopped climbing the car price ladder - it represents the maximum i will ever spend on a car.
The mrs and kids love the car, as do I.
But I'm getting a tiny bit bored with it. Not because of the car itself - it is an exhilarating thing and i love looking at it - i still can't believe i own one!
The boredom is derived from the 'itch'. That annoying urge for a change. In this case for another high revver, and/or something old (dare i say it 'slower').
Also a touch more family trip capability would mean i use it more.
The question then:
Keep the car (probably for ever!) - and live with the itch.
Or a get a new one
Reasons to keep:
Good residuals
Wont be able to afford another 911 if I sell
Is a proper sports car and can take 2+2
Very exhilarating
Reasons to sell:
Something very expensive going wrong (remember those two kids - they eat the cash that was one freely flowing for the toys!)
The itch
Could probs free up some cash and still get a great car
If i sell, what could i get? It has to take 2+2, be a proper sports car, be non-turbo and 'special'.
All i get to is an M3
Any experiences or opinions that could help warmly received!
I have a 996TT. Its a manual in mint condition and nice colour. Its not cost much apart from routine servicing over two years and feels great.
With two kids, i have stopped climbing the car price ladder - it represents the maximum i will ever spend on a car.
The mrs and kids love the car, as do I.
But I'm getting a tiny bit bored with it. Not because of the car itself - it is an exhilarating thing and i love looking at it - i still can't believe i own one!
The boredom is derived from the 'itch'. That annoying urge for a change. In this case for another high revver, and/or something old (dare i say it 'slower').
Also a touch more family trip capability would mean i use it more.
The question then:
Keep the car (probably for ever!) - and live with the itch.
Or a get a new one
Reasons to keep:
Good residuals
Wont be able to afford another 911 if I sell
Is a proper sports car and can take 2+2
Very exhilarating
Reasons to sell:
Something very expensive going wrong (remember those two kids - they eat the cash that was one freely flowing for the toys!)
The itch
Could probs free up some cash and still get a great car
If i sell, what could i get? It has to take 2+2, be a proper sports car, be non-turbo and 'special'.
All i get to is an M3
Any experiences or opinions that could help warmly received!
Thanks guys much appreciated. I've driven the e90 m3 a few times and love the engine. I just have this dread that I'll look out at it after a few months and it will feel less special than the then unnatainable turbo!
I always fancies a 997s gen 2. May have a look to see that could be a swap. Anyone out there gone from turbo to 997s?
I always fancies a 997s gen 2. May have a look to see that could be a swap. Anyone out there gone from turbo to 997s?
Thanks all - its awesome to read your comments!!!
Ranman - you have what i wish for - damm you!!!
barchetta_boy - Gen2 997s seem still beyond the budget and i think id be cautious about a gen 1 (although maybe i should cool off a bit as my 987s was no bother and i loved it). love the c63 - think i would go m3 as i just prefer the styling of bmws
Steve - thanks for the feel good vibes! the engine and its history is the core of the specialness for me and your note is a great reminder of that. A piece of history! I was at le mans this year and it felt great that my car had heritage there. Keeping it is definitely the smartest financial choice (unless i could hop onto another marque that was about to appreciate too?)
Mark - i have the 100cell speed tech exhaust and its plenty, PLENTY fast enough for me!!!!
Thanks all.
Have to say that I spent an hour looking at gran turismo vids and reviews last night though and it is very tempting.
Specialness - tick
Engine noise - tick
family ready - tick
Performance - sounds a bit heavy, but i liked my 540 and 5.2 secs can't be too bad (and i like the idea of wringing it to get there)
depreciation - ???????
Any MGT owners out there that have a view on the idea of making the jump?
Ranman - you have what i wish for - damm you!!!
barchetta_boy - Gen2 997s seem still beyond the budget and i think id be cautious about a gen 1 (although maybe i should cool off a bit as my 987s was no bother and i loved it). love the c63 - think i would go m3 as i just prefer the styling of bmws
Steve - thanks for the feel good vibes! the engine and its history is the core of the specialness for me and your note is a great reminder of that. A piece of history! I was at le mans this year and it felt great that my car had heritage there. Keeping it is definitely the smartest financial choice (unless i could hop onto another marque that was about to appreciate too?)
Mark - i have the 100cell speed tech exhaust and its plenty, PLENTY fast enough for me!!!!
Thanks all.
Have to say that I spent an hour looking at gran turismo vids and reviews last night though and it is very tempting.
Specialness - tick
Engine noise - tick
family ready - tick
Performance - sounds a bit heavy, but i liked my 540 and 5.2 secs can't be too bad (and i like the idea of wringing it to get there)
depreciation - ???????
Any MGT owners out there that have a view on the idea of making the jump?
Hold tight Billsnemesis - I'm hoping to test drive the Masser this weekend - lets see what happens! will give you a shout!
will have to be a complete home run to change though - i think the net net of the responses here, and probably the sensible choice from a residuals POV (even if it goes down a bit) is to keep it.
But then, these are emotional decisions in the end..!
Big thanks all for your responses - its been great to read them
final nudge for any Maserati Granturismo owners to chip in with a view - anyone made the jump?
will have to be a complete home run to change though - i think the net net of the responses here, and probably the sensible choice from a residuals POV (even if it goes down a bit) is to keep it.
But then, these are emotional decisions in the end..!
Big thanks all for your responses - its been great to read them
final nudge for any Maserati Granturismo owners to chip in with a view - anyone made the jump?
Thanks a lot StuH - will try and get a drive and report back! FWIW i would have got a 997s, or turbo if I could have afforded the gene variant at the time. It was a budget thing that took me to the 996tt over those options. at the time it was half the price of those options thought and felt like 90% of the the car so i was stoked. even more so now the price gap has closed yay!
thanks Moosh - i can't read those le man heritage words enough - such pride! big reason to keep it.
But maybe the noise and differentness of the maser gt will win me over - test drive at 1030 tomorrow (just after i pick up the turbo from GT One with a clean bill of health - i may ask they're advice on the market)
will report back on all!
BTW - the idea to get a £5k additional car is great, but i would just worry that 1) something would go wrong and 2) i just wouldn't drive it (2 kids and not driving commute = not much driving time!)
big thanks for the replies - really enjoying this thread
But maybe the noise and differentness of the maser gt will win me over - test drive at 1030 tomorrow (just after i pick up the turbo from GT One with a clean bill of health - i may ask they're advice on the market)
will report back on all!
BTW - the idea to get a £5k additional car is great, but i would just worry that 1) something would go wrong and 2) i just wouldn't drive it (2 kids and not driving commute = not much driving time!)
big thanks for the replies - really enjoying this thread
Thanks for your replies everyone.
On the original question - that of 'keep' or 'change' a 996tt (all in the context of my criteria) I can report back on yesterdays maserati gran truismo visit:
Very pretty, bit too blingy, super refined, not that exciting, too muted. Great presence and a true 4 seater but too much like my old m540 as a driving experience if I'm honest!
The day was rainy and the roads awful - perfect conditions for reminding me how awesome the turbo is!
The options remain open (Im going to check out a gran turismo S next week) - but last weekend was a big win for the 996tt.
Im really interested in more stories from folk who have moved from a 996 (or 997 : ) tt to another car and not regretted it!
Shout out if thats you!
Big thanks,
james
On the original question - that of 'keep' or 'change' a 996tt (all in the context of my criteria) I can report back on yesterdays maserati gran truismo visit:
Very pretty, bit too blingy, super refined, not that exciting, too muted. Great presence and a true 4 seater but too much like my old m540 as a driving experience if I'm honest!
The day was rainy and the roads awful - perfect conditions for reminding me how awesome the turbo is!
The options remain open (Im going to check out a gran turismo S next week) - but last weekend was a big win for the 996tt.
Im really interested in more stories from folk who have moved from a 996 (or 997 : ) tt to another car and not regretted it!
Shout out if thats you!
Big thanks,
james
A good friend has an AMV and I've been on a trip to the highlands and le mans driving it. A very very impressive machine - such a great GT on those long drives and a very exciting sports car when we got there. It ticks all the boxes apart from getting the kids in the back. I am tempted though - some great examples in budget on the classifieds, and i think the depreciation curve has to be in good shape for the early ones.
Ive driven the Aston quite a bit and it felt a lot faster and more nimble than the masser!
shame it hasn't got 2+2 though!
There was a rebuilt 964 at GT One that I'm now considering - I'm going to have a drive in that and see if the old school air-cooled route offers what I'm looking for.
Thanks all for your replies, do keep em coming.
shame it hasn't got 2+2 though!
There was a rebuilt 964 at GT One that I'm now considering - I'm going to have a drive in that and see if the old school air-cooled route offers what I'm looking for.
Thanks all for your replies, do keep em coming.
Thanks Boxey - thats a very interesting thought. Glad that you get it now though!
I shopped my much loved s2000 in for a z4c a while back and had that 'what have i done' feeling on the drive home (despite it being a significantly more expensive and newer car!). Have to say that the 'what have i done' feeling never truly evaporated during my ownership and when I changed it for a 987s I could not believe how many time better that car was - immediate joy that only grew with ownership.
The 996tt has been an interesting ownership journey. The test drive was and still is the most intensely exciting drive of my life! Then you get used to the power and thing 'too fast'. Then i stopped mashing the throttle everywhere and discovered a beautifully balanced car. And then there are the rainy days where it just becomes incredibly satisfying to drive fast.
Mmmmmm.
I would be very, very, very sad if i messed up this decision!
I shopped my much loved s2000 in for a z4c a while back and had that 'what have i done' feeling on the drive home (despite it being a significantly more expensive and newer car!). Have to say that the 'what have i done' feeling never truly evaporated during my ownership and when I changed it for a 987s I could not believe how many time better that car was - immediate joy that only grew with ownership.
The 996tt has been an interesting ownership journey. The test drive was and still is the most intensely exciting drive of my life! Then you get used to the power and thing 'too fast'. Then i stopped mashing the throttle everywhere and discovered a beautifully balanced car. And then there are the rainy days where it just becomes incredibly satisfying to drive fast.
Mmmmmm.
I would be very, very, very sad if i messed up this decision!
Moosh said:
TBH Lordjimimac, don't sell, just remap and new exhaust. you will never regret it.
Thanks Moosh - I have a 100 cell speedtech exhaust on there but no map. The exhaust transformed the response and obvs noise - did your map change the character of the engine or was it mainly 'more, everywhere'? Did you gain more of a creshendo in top range (that's really what I seek, I think). fredt said:
As long as you work on "one in, one out basis" you can't really mess up 
I'm guessing your main concern is that the 996t might continue going up in price? I would forget about this aspect and just go ahead a change the car for something else!
Get rid!
my main concern is to identify a 2+2 thats not going to be a disappointment - the money bit is there but secondary really - its all about the 'itch'!I'm guessing your main concern is that the 996t might continue going up in price? I would forget about this aspect and just go ahead a change the car for something else!
Get rid!
Edited by Lordjimimac on Wednesday 11th November 10:44
patphnx said:
Have you considered a BMW 1M Coupe? I spent a decent amount of time in one recently and it has made me think about changing my CSL for one. I suppose you may struggle a bit with the back seats as a 2 + 2 but it can't be much worse than the 996tt?! They are pretty depreciation proof, special, limited run, docile at low speeds and a hooligan when you're in the mood. Lacking the all weather performance I suppose though. If you can find one to drive I would definitely try it out, way more interesting than an E92 M3 in my opinion.
Great shout but these seem even rarer than the CSL!boxsey said:
Lordjimimac said:
There was a rebuilt 964 at GT One that I'm now considering - I'm going to have a drive in that and see if the old school air-cooled route offers what I'm looking for.
With one short drive you might not 'get' a 964 when coming from a much more modern Porsche. After getting out of mine after the long drive home on the day I bought it I thought.....WTF have I done! A few weeks later I started to 'get' it. Gassing Station | 911/Carrera GT | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff