Porsche 911 for £20k......but which one? 993/996/997
Discussion
So after a 10 year gap in 911 ownership I am making a return, I used to have a 3.2 carrera as my daily drive but alias when my son got to 8 years and started getting neck problems i thought it might be time for a car change. Sold my lovely 3.2 for £10k, seems like i should have kept it!
Anyway back to present day, i have around £20k although could be a bit more if i was tempted. I love the idea of a 993 but although people say they are bullet proof etc. probably will need some money spent on any that are priced under £25k and i just can't justify £30k. So there we are, left with a 996 or a 997. As much as do like the 996 the front light design was a mistake, and comparing to the 997 looks wise i think it's hard to argue the 997 is the pretty car and unlike most i like the narrower body.
So i am stuck on the 997, however initially i was very put off with what somebody described as 'their chocolate engine', however looking into this and using my engineering background it's not so bad as i thought, although one can probably not argue that 997 2005-2008 do have some issues with ims bearing and probably more relevant is the cylinder scoring, so perhaps waiting for a gen 2 car is probably the wise choice. (The 3.2 carrera after they sorted out the gearbox was always supposed to be a great car and it was, 5 + years and only ever £500 service costs each year)
However i am now thinking that actually if you plan to keep a 997 gen 1 (2005-2008) car for a long while perhaps it does make sense. Any Porsche you keep for long enough will require an engine rebuild, so if you accept this then paying around £20k for a great looking car where there seems to be lots of people around (Hartec for example) that seem to know pretty well how to rebuild these engines then it's not a bad deal?
What do you recon - does this logic make sense or if so a higher mileage or lower mileage.......
Anyway back to present day, i have around £20k although could be a bit more if i was tempted. I love the idea of a 993 but although people say they are bullet proof etc. probably will need some money spent on any that are priced under £25k and i just can't justify £30k. So there we are, left with a 996 or a 997. As much as do like the 996 the front light design was a mistake, and comparing to the 997 looks wise i think it's hard to argue the 997 is the pretty car and unlike most i like the narrower body.
So i am stuck on the 997, however initially i was very put off with what somebody described as 'their chocolate engine', however looking into this and using my engineering background it's not so bad as i thought, although one can probably not argue that 997 2005-2008 do have some issues with ims bearing and probably more relevant is the cylinder scoring, so perhaps waiting for a gen 2 car is probably the wise choice. (The 3.2 carrera after they sorted out the gearbox was always supposed to be a great car and it was, 5 + years and only ever £500 service costs each year)
However i am now thinking that actually if you plan to keep a 997 gen 1 (2005-2008) car for a long while perhaps it does make sense. Any Porsche you keep for long enough will require an engine rebuild, so if you accept this then paying around £20k for a great looking car where there seems to be lots of people around (Hartec for example) that seem to know pretty well how to rebuild these engines then it's not a bad deal?
What do you recon - does this logic make sense or if so a higher mileage or lower mileage.......
I do like the 993, and if you have a good one it's definitely a keeper, but finding a good one that will be low maintenance is not easy - a bit like women really, and nobody wants an old supermodel that is on the one hand high maintenance and on the other doesn't look as good at she once did !
Have to say even though a prefer the narrow 911, the 996 turbo is very tempting, who doesn't want a boost gauge. I do wonder how much they would cost to maintenance over the NA model, and i wonder if they are that hard to work on............perhaps i am getting off the 997 track now !!
Have to say even though a prefer the narrow 911, the 996 turbo is very tempting, who doesn't want a boost gauge. I do wonder how much they would cost to maintenance over the NA model, and i wonder if they are that hard to work on............perhaps i am getting off the 997 track now !!
The comments are great! The 993 is really the ideal car as it looks great but from what i see it is not easy to get a good example for £25k, i do want a mannual 2 really, getting any decent 993 for £20k i think is a good deal, the only one 93 i can see out there is the x-fire damage death trap on ebay and paying near £20k for something that has been set on fire seems not a great move.
The 996 Anniversary at 911virgin does look V nice and it probably the 996 i would go for.....but then i was sidetracked by the white 3.2 carrera very similar to my last car, although at over £30k it's not a bargain - A sound investment at over £30k ermmm ? so where it all brings me back to is that the 993 looks i love but for £20 or £25k i will struggle to get a really nice one, so with the 997 looking similar and having better handling, if you ignor the engine issues they are great cars and at probably £20 to £23k for a very good one isn't this a bit of a bargain? and if it's pre 2006 then low tax as well!
I think the turbo is out, lovely lovely car but just too big and wide i think, and the temptation to feel that turbo would seriously endanger the licence....
The 996 Anniversary at 911virgin does look V nice and it probably the 996 i would go for.....but then i was sidetracked by the white 3.2 carrera very similar to my last car, although at over £30k it's not a bargain - A sound investment at over £30k ermmm ? so where it all brings me back to is that the 993 looks i love but for £20 or £25k i will struggle to get a really nice one, so with the 997 looking similar and having better handling, if you ignor the engine issues they are great cars and at probably £20 to £23k for a very good one isn't this a bit of a bargain? and if it's pre 2006 then low tax as well!
I think the turbo is out, lovely lovely car but just too big and wide i think, and the temptation to feel that turbo would seriously endanger the licence....
That is a very nice 997, 997 do generally seem good value at 20 - 24 and they must become a classic in the future I would guess, maybe they will be pulled down by the engine bad press but I don't see people as worried about the 996 as they once were and I'm guessing in 5/10 years people will imagine that most 997's still going will either have had their engines sorted or if not will probably be okay. I'm sure the gen 2 will always fetch more money but I'm guessing it will be a bit like the 993's vario cam engine, yes people prefer it now but Who would be put off by an early 993 now ?
I see virgin911 have got another 993 now....
I see virgin911 have got another 993 now....
Outliar said:
Just a clarification: I'm proposing the first 3.4 litre 996 as an alternative, contrarian choice... not the later 3.6 engined cars with the modified lights. It's the earlier cars that I think are starting to look a bit classic, or at least have the potential... that's my view anyway. Probably rubbish, what do I know?!
Thanks for your reply !! so i kind of agree with you and this is my dilemma now ....... A 997 i think is good value for £20k and if you shop around you could probably get a nice one for £20k, although i have only really seen nice ones for £22+ and i agree the earlier 3.6 would be my preferred choice without all that porsche management system and possibly a less stressed engine thus perhaps less cylinder scoring issues, although who knows. BUT then......I saw a very nice 996 2001 3.4 with 50k miles and it was very nice and i agree i think they may start to be loved in a little while once the rubbish ones have gone and actually looking around there are not loads of great condition ones, lots of rubbish. The earlier ones do look nice, i think you have to get one where the interior has been looked after or else it just looks like a 90's has been, but there are a few nice ones still around. I wonder if 996 are a bit more easy to work on / sort out as they are a bit more 'old fashion' when compared to the 997 or whether actually the 997 is very similar?
I guess in the end it depends what you are paying, if you get a really well sorted 996 for no more than 13k it's probably a good deal, but all the nice ones i have seen are 15k+ and at that price you might as well pay the extra 5k for those round headlights and better handling......
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