Best 911 for £20k ?
Discussion
I sold my beautiful and loaded manual 90k miles 997 Carrera S last August for £18k. I wanted a quick sale but realised later it was priced too low, but the sale was all done remotely without any issues. I'd paid £19k for it 6 months previously.
A friend then bought a slightly earlier 70k miles car with the Aero kit for £18k and an auto box which is now up for £24k. It's still for sale. I suspect the going rate is somewhere between the two, as neither car has had an engine rebuild, which was the number one question potential buyers had.
I've noticed prices for 996 911s rise steadily over the past year and there's much much more general chatter on their increased desirability, as "a good 996 is better than a cheaper 997".
You'll get a decent 997 for £20k if the person selling isn't that hung up on beating the market and seeing it as an investment.
A friend then bought a slightly earlier 70k miles car with the Aero kit for £18k and an auto box which is now up for £24k. It's still for sale. I suspect the going rate is somewhere between the two, as neither car has had an engine rebuild, which was the number one question potential buyers had.
I've noticed prices for 996 911s rise steadily over the past year and there's much much more general chatter on their increased desirability, as "a good 996 is better than a cheaper 997".
You'll get a decent 997 for £20k if the person selling isn't that hung up on beating the market and seeing it as an investment.
I recently sold my 996 C2 (Aero kit, M030 etc) for £21k.
I bought it 8 months previous for £17k and ended up spending probably in the region of about £6k on it including engine out for new IMS, RMS, water pump, AoS, clutch. I also replaced pads and discs, full suspension refresh including bushes, all the control arms, drop links, shocks and springs, radiators.
If it'd kept it I think I'd probably have spent another £5k on it in the next 12 months sorting cometic stuff and 'nice to haves'. But I decided to move on a go with a 991.
£20k should get you a decent and well looked after 996, or you could get a cheap £15k car and spend the money where you think it is most appropriate, but either way you'll be spending the same.
I bought it 8 months previous for £17k and ended up spending probably in the region of about £6k on it including engine out for new IMS, RMS, water pump, AoS, clutch. I also replaced pads and discs, full suspension refresh including bushes, all the control arms, drop links, shocks and springs, radiators.
If it'd kept it I think I'd probably have spent another £5k on it in the next 12 months sorting cometic stuff and 'nice to haves'. But I decided to move on a go with a 991.
£20k should get you a decent and well looked after 996, or you could get a cheap £15k car and spend the money where you think it is most appropriate, but either way you'll be spending the same.
I don't think there's a correct answer in terms of the model to go for.
At that price it will be a 996 of any age or a very early 997. The fact a 996.1 can be valued at near enough the same as a very early 997 is an indicator of how important condition and evidence of recent big jobs is with these cars.
At that price it will be a 996 of any age or a very early 997. The fact a 996.1 can be valued at near enough the same as a very early 997 is an indicator of how important condition and evidence of recent big jobs is with these cars.
nunpuncher said:
I don't think there's a correct answer in terms of the model to go for.
At that price it will be a 996 of any age or a very early 997. The fact a 996.1 can be valued at near enough the same as a very early 997 is an indicator of how important condition and evidence of recent big jobs is with these cars.
So... buy the cheapest 996 in the PH classifieds, save the rest in a fighting fund.... At that price it will be a 996 of any age or a very early 997. The fact a 996.1 can be valued at near enough the same as a very early 997 is an indicator of how important condition and evidence of recent big jobs is with these cars.
Wonder who's selling the cheapest 996 in the classifieds right now.
If you are feeling brave an air-cooled one!
I imported a 1976 911S last summer/autumn and it currently owes me £21k. It is scruffy and runs well (for how long who knows!) but I love it.
Sold a nice 996.2 C2 to part fund the purchase, very different gravy but the air-cooled is an itch I just couldn't shift!
I imported a 1976 911S last summer/autumn and it currently owes me £21k. It is scruffy and runs well (for how long who knows!) but I love it.
Sold a nice 996.2 C2 to part fund the purchase, very different gravy but the air-cooled is an itch I just couldn't shift!
As several posters above have allured to, "getting a 911 for £20k" is not really realistic if 20k is all you can afford, because very soon you will need to start throwing significant money at it.
There are many cheap Porsches (and indeed {insert performance brand here}) out there but they still cost Porsche maintenance.
If I could not go over 20k in the first year I'm not sure I would risk a 911 and would be looking at a 987 instead, depends on your appetite for risk I guess.
There are many cheap Porsches (and indeed {insert performance brand here}) out there but they still cost Porsche maintenance.
If I could not go over 20k in the first year I'm not sure I would risk a 911 and would be looking at a 987 instead, depends on your appetite for risk I guess.
It does have some rust but nothing structural or too scary, will get patched as funds allow. It spent most of it's time in a dry state and was left to die in the desert for years before the owner found it and rescued it (long story involving a divorce, angry ex, etc!)
I mainly keep my instagram updated with progress sunburnt_lobster_911 however there is an older thread on PH readers cars.
£20k is only the start of this adventure, I just hope it doesn't escalate too quickly! Fortunately I like the patina / survivor look so at least that is one expense I won't have to worry about (it is fair weather, garaged and kept protected with Renaissance Wax)
I mainly keep my instagram updated with progress sunburnt_lobster_911 however there is an older thread on PH readers cars.
£20k is only the start of this adventure, I just hope it doesn't escalate too quickly! Fortunately I like the patina / survivor look so at least that is one expense I won't have to worry about (it is fair weather, garaged and kept protected with Renaissance Wax)
icekay said:
As several posters above have allured to, "getting a 911 for £20k" is not really realistic if 20k is all you can afford, because very soon you will need to start throwing significant money at it.
I don't think that's necessarily true or that helpful as a generalisation. The key is to go in with your eyes open, aware of the potential pitfalls and do your research and due diligence. Not all cheap 996 and 997 have a story, not all are ticking time bombs, not all of them have the suspension wobbling to bits, not all of them need coolant systems and exhausts overhauling. Yes, some will do and it would be perfectly possible to buy a rotter and spend £10k bringing it up to scratch without even touching the engine but equally the value of these cars are low because people have an aversion to them which if you're sensible about it you can use it to your advantage.
My manual 2006 997.1 3.6 with <70k miles is in this category, it's immaculate, been pampered by previous owners and I don't go to sleep at night worrying about it blowing up. I had a 987.1 before and if you don't need the rear space, (or it to be a 911), they are absolutely fantastic.
Thanks for all the replies guys, a 911 is a box I'd like to tick one day 
my post was to have an understanding of what's possible on a 20k budget, but I confess I'm not about to buy one soon, I have too many cars at the moment, my future SIL however is on the look out, but I don't think that'll happen until Spring or early summer, all dependent on you know what..
Thanks again,
Richard.
my post was to have an understanding of what's possible on a 20k budget, but I confess I'm not about to buy one soon, I have too many cars at the moment, my future SIL however is on the look out, but I don't think that'll happen until Spring or early summer, all dependent on you know what..Thanks again,
Richard.
I don't see the point of buying a 987 instead of a 996/7 unless that's what you really want. The running costs are near identical.
The alternative view is to buy a broken one and have it rebuilt. There's a guy on the 996 forum currently asking what he could get for his broken C4S. Estimates are ranging from around £6k - £10k
The alternative view is to buy a broken one and have it rebuilt. There's a guy on the 996 forum currently asking what he could get for his broken C4S. Estimates are ranging from around £6k - £10k
nunpuncher said:
I don't see the point of buying a 987 instead of a 996/7 unless that's what you really want. The running costs are near identical.
This 100%. Unless you particularly crave a boxster, then the running costs are the same, so if you can afford the extra purchase costs, then try the "more special" 911 experienceolv said:
I don't think that's necessarily true or that helpful as a generalisation. The key is to go in with your eyes open, aware of the potential pitfalls and do your research and due diligence.
Not all cheap 996 and 997 have a story, not all are ticking time bombs, not all of them have the suspension wobbling to bits, not all of them need coolant systems and exhausts overhauling. Yes, some will do and it would be perfectly possible to buy a rotter and spend £10k bringing it up to scratch without even touching the engine but equally the value of these cars are low because people have an aversion to them which if you're sensible about it you can use it to your advantage.
My manual 2006 997.1 3.6 with <70k miles is in this category, it's immaculate, been pampered by previous owners and I don't go to sleep at night worrying about it blowing up. I had a 987.1 before and if you don't need the rear space, (or it to be a 911), they are absolutely fantastic.
I think the comment was true to be honest, and a car doesn't have to have a 'story' to require plenty of money to be spent on it. I don't think anybody is suggesting they are ticking time bombs either. Its more about being aware that these are NOT cheap cars to run and maintain, and if previous owners haven't done the work to keep on top of it, then it'll be the cost of the next owner to not only make up for the lack of maintenance from previous years, but also the cost of the next few years. It can rack up into many thousands very easily. Not all cheap 996 and 997 have a story, not all are ticking time bombs, not all of them have the suspension wobbling to bits, not all of them need coolant systems and exhausts overhauling. Yes, some will do and it would be perfectly possible to buy a rotter and spend £10k bringing it up to scratch without even touching the engine but equally the value of these cars are low because people have an aversion to them which if you're sensible about it you can use it to your advantage.
My manual 2006 997.1 3.6 with <70k miles is in this category, it's immaculate, been pampered by previous owners and I don't go to sleep at night worrying about it blowing up. I had a 987.1 before and if you don't need the rear space, (or it to be a 911), they are absolutely fantastic.
Say with a 30 grand budget,
Something like this ?
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011206...
Pitfalls ?
Something like this ?
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011206...
Pitfalls ?
Edited by J4CKO on Tuesday 9th February 13:43
They can potentially be expensive to maintain but it's not guaranteed. Normal consumables aren't THAT expensive even compared to something like a Mk7 Golf GTi. By the same token the depreciation has been tiny/totally non existent on 996/997 the last few years. To me that offsets the maintenance cost. I figured that even the engine went pop and I went for a full rebuild it would still only cost me about the same over 4 years as owning a new or nearly new 320d or leasing another fast hatchback.
Edited by nunpuncher on Tuesday 9th February 13:27
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