Thoughts on this?

[Jim1556]

I'll be getting my redundancy money next month and really want a 911, BUT, as my new job requires 20,000 miles a year I've already bought a new Octavia VRS TDI - cheap and reliable with enough oomph to overtake fairly easily...

Instead of using all my cash (while I'm saving for a £40k 997.2), I'd rather use some of it to scratch my Porsche itch, so with a £20k ish budget I'm starting to look at the non OPC cheaper Porsches...

So, I'll admit I'm not massively upto speed on early Caymans but still like them enough to go for it:

http://www.pandamotorvehicles.co.uk/used-cars/pors...

[Jim1556]

Ok, perhaps I should've elaborated a little, my current toy has 230hp so my next has to be an 'S' minimum.

Also, the car in question has 18k, not 60k - I know the OPC warranty makes a huge difference but I want lower miles, liking the adjustable seats though!

[Helicopter123]

Why not take your pick of the 996 range - they are great value as an entry to modern Porsche ownership.

They may not be loved on here, but it is a proper 911 in a way that the Cayman, fantastic car it maybe, never will be.

Itch scratched.

[boxsey]

Jim1556 said:

Ok, perhaps I should've elaborated a little, my current toy has 230hp so my next has to be an 'S' minimum.

Also, the car in question has 18k, not 60k - I know the OPC warranty makes a huge difference but I want lower miles, liking the adjustable seats though!

According to the ad it has 30K miles on the clock.

[Richie200]

Jim the difference between the 997 and 996 is negligible. Just go drive a 996 C2 with the M030 kit and PSE fitted and I absolutely assure you, your desire to throw an extra 25K at a 7.2 will disappear instantly. You will also not lose a penny on a 996 as they are so undervalue right now. Whereas scratching the 997 itch will cost you about 10-15K for a 3 year ownership spell. The 996's are so underrated due to PP spread by the internet. This really is not enough of a concern to justify the fear. When the snow melts you are welcome to come and be thrown around in mine.

[Jim1556]

Richie200 said:

Jim the difference between the 997 and 996 is negligible. Just go drive a 996 C2 with the M030 kit and PSE fitted and I absolutely assure you, your desire to throw an extra 25K at a 7.2 will disappear instantly. You will also not lose a penny on a 996 as they are so undervalue right now. Whereas scratching the 997 itch will cost you about 10-15K for a 3 year ownership spell. The 996's are so underrated due to PP spread by the internet. This really is not enough of a concern to justify the fear. When the snow melts you are welcome to come and be thrown around in mine.

I'm pretty sure the difference isn't negligible and as you're only a recent convert from lighweight rice rockets with a 996 I reckon you're a little biased!

I'll be doing that when I come over in June/July - although I'll have the keys thanks There's only one problem with the 996, I cannot stand the headlights... I'd keep looking at it on the drive or in the garage trying not to vomit!

Still undecided at the mo as I'm starting with FBH in March, hopefully licenced by September.

The worst thing is every time I look, the price creeps up and I end up drooling over Boxster Spyders and Cayman Rs, but £35k is 911 money!

[Richie200]

Something like this for example:
http://www.911uk.com/ads_item.php?id=2924

[Richie200]

They are a thing of beauty: see above. Looks are of course subjective, but to say you find them unpalitable seems a bit harsh. Jim, I'm not joking fellow you could offer me twice what I paid for mine and I would not sell it, they really are that good

[Jim1556]

Richie200 said:

They are a thing of beauty: see above. Looks are of course subjective, but to say you find them unpalitable seems a bit harsh. Jim, I'm not joking fellow you could offer me twice what I paid for mine and I would not sell it, they really are that good

I'm not doubting they're a capable car, but I struggle to get past the whole fried egg thing - I'd wanna slap it like a ginger step child!

When I drove a C2S round Porsche's Silverstone track I was absolutely blown away by how quickly I bonded with the car, within 4-5 laps I was feathering it on the limit with a huge grin on my face - that's what I'm after, my E36 already does that (brilliant at Cadwell) and I know a Porsche would probably break my jaw I'd be smiling that much, but in a 996 there'd always be something I wasn't happy with, and that's the problem. Ergo, not happening!

I reckon selling both the E36 and the Kitcar would free up another £7-8k, might have to revisit this when I've done that. Hopefully a Spyder will be around £30k then.

[Shandy81]

Cayman S - cracking car and at that price it's a lot of car for the money. Ran one for 30k miles, just a hoot to drive and miss it.

To say they are not all the quick is un-fair - it can/would stick up the arse of my pals AMV8 and is every bit as quick as my C4S.

[anonymous-user]

Cayman S is a great choice for £20K if you don't need rear seats. I certainly can't argue with that. The problem you will later face is wondering why you have thrown another £20K to move into a 997.2? If you really have to have a 911 and you can't get your head around the 996, then what's wrong with a 997.1? £30K ish would get you a nice one and you really wouldn't tell the difference between that and a £40K gen 2.

[Jim1556]

uktrailmonster said:

Cayman S is a great choice for £20K if you don't need rear seats. I certainly can't argue with that. The problem you will later face is wondering why you have thrown another £20K to move into a 997.2? If you really have to have a 911 and you can't get your head around the 996, then what's wrong with a 997.1? £30K ish would get you a nice one and you really wouldn't tell the difference between that and a £40K gen 2.

More of a preference thing, the Cayman S, R or Boxster Spyder are brilliant drivers cars but I've always wanted a 911, I'd quite happily have a gen 1 but I love the way the gen 2 looks even more - given the choice it'd be a GTS but that's a couple of years away at best.

[anonymous-user]

Jim1556 said:

More of a preference thing, the Cayman S, R or Boxster Spyder are brilliant drivers cars but I've always wanted a 911, I'd quite happily have a gen 1 but I love the way the gen 2 looks even more - given the choice it'd be a GTS but that's a couple of years away at best.

So all down to how much you are prepared to pay just for gen 2 looks then really. I don't really notice any difference to be honest.

[Jim1556]

uktrailmonster said:

So all down to how much you are prepared to pay just for gen 2 looks then really. I don't really notice any difference to be honest.

As I said, I'd be more than happy with a gen 1 with low miles, but I believe there's a lot more standard kit on a gen 1 'S', whereas with gen 2, there isn't that big a difference...

As others have said though, if I'm spending north of £30k, then OPC 2 year warranty is a must?

[Jim1556]

Right, had a chat with Rich and he's got me thinking, I'd want OPC warranty on an older car, and I found this (yes it's a 996 but not the early one that makes me retch!) very well specced (I think) and slighty off the wall...

http://ucl.porsche.de/ucl/plsql/uk/clients.show_ca...

Under £20k would be a good buy?

The other question is, would a Sport Design steering wheel fit and would you? ie this:

[Richie200]

I'd be more concerned with getting the M030 sports handling kit (ARB's and suspension circa £800) before worrying about an expensive steering wheel mate

[Jim1556]

Richie200 said:

I'd be more concerned with getting the M030 sports handling kit (ARB's and suspension circa £800) before worrying about an expensive steering wheel mate

From what I've just read on here, the M030 kit is standard on the C4S:
http://pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&amp...
Plus, I think I'd like to get to know it in standard form first...

[anonymous-user]

The link doesn't work, but I presume it's a 996 C4S. I know you've got an irrational hatred of early 996 headlights, but the facelift version was quite a bit different and hard to see how anyone would find it ugly - especially the C4S.

[Magic919]

Jim1556 said:

Richie200 said:

I'd be more concerned with getting the M030 sports handling kit (ARB's and suspension circa £800) before worrying about an expensive steering wheel mate

From what I've just read on here, the M030 kit is standard on the C4S:
http://pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&amp...
Plus, I think I'd like to get to know it in standard form first...

Not sure what you read there, but M030 is not standard on the 996 C4S. I have one and my C2 has M030 fitted, so I'm fairly certain I'd feel it.

[S2KUK]

Richie200 said:

Something like this for example:
http://www.911uk.com/ads_item.php?id=2924

I like that. Can you think of any reason why it's been up for sale since August thought? Is it over priced for a 1999 car?