Would this be foolish?

[Birdster]

Have about 20K to spend on a car. Was considering a 335d. However I've wanted a Porsche since I was a child.

Approaching 30 now and I've always found an excuse not to buy one, or found something else to spend the money on. When I would have been stretching myself.

Find myself in a situation to afford one now and I'm starting to think sod it. Live a little.

This one seems like it can't really depreciate anymore and it's had a rebuild 30k ago.

Am I better of with something cheaper for a first Porsche? Or spending more on a 997?

Or stick with my 335d idea? :-)

Aware of the insurance, tax etc.

Have budgeted about 3k a year for remedial work? Too little? Or again better off spending more in the first place.

http://www.911virgin.com/porscheforsale/539/996C4M...

[sportsandclassic]

Hi,

The company you are linking to is a very well known and trusted garage. So at least you have got a good start.

I would speak to them and maybe drive a few of the models?

For £20k you could get a really nice Porsche 911. Is it an everyday car or a toy?

Mike

[GTiVR6]

Looks good; might have a look myself if it's still for sale in a week or two.

[rog007]

Would this be foolish? At that price? I think you're right..buy this instead... http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3961892.htm

[DS240]

Passed an early 997 on a forecourt at 25k today. Dunno if it is an S or not.

Can't believe the cost of these now.

[Thom987]

DS240 said:

Passed an early 997 on a forecourt at 25k today. Dunno if it is an S or not.

Can't believe the cost of these now.

997S for sale locally for a fiver under £23k, it has been there a while.

http://morgancars.net/stock.html?car=91731688

[RatBoy M3CSL]

..Don't do it, you will be ruined for life, I had my 1st one late 20's.. and it's cost me a cocking fortune ever since, they get under your skin and you will spend the next 10 years working up to a turbo or a GT3, they're a bit like the best bits of all your favourite ex girlfriends combined .. get a Golf diesel and forget the idea if I were you.. !

[xftdr]

Its a trustworthy dealer and there will no doubt be a warranty but I for one would not. I just don't trust 996s not to go bang - engine rebuild or not. Nor for that matter 997s. I keep hearing on here that it is a minority of cars but I also hear from good indies, when I take my 993 in for servicing, that they are seeing more and more cars with big, big problems. The reality is that Porsche dropped its quality standards dramatically with the 996, and upped production numbers hugely. The net result is that there a great many ropey cars out there. I am not saying that this is one - far from it - but their value is still going to drop and you will not get a warranty for them once 911Vs runs out. You could be left with a high mileage car on your hands that no one wants in a year or too (or sooner) with some very expensive bills. Sadly I am not at all convinced by 997s either. There is a reason that they can be had at 22-25k and they too are headed downwards. I bang on on PHs about my 993 but I do so because there is nothing produced by Porsche today that i like or trust. I would have a new Aston in preference to a Porsche these days.

[Ian_UK1]

xftdr said:

The reality is that Porsche dropped its quality standards dramatically with the 996,

I think it would be very appropriate to attach are large "IMHO" to this rather sweeping and unwarranted statement. Baz from Hartech refuted this assertion, at some length, in a thread a couple of years ago (unfortunately the search facility is down at the moment, so I can't find it). I think many people on here would trust Baz's judgement and I'm certain the majority of 996/7 owners would disagree rather strongly with your contention - especially your trying to present it as 'reality' or fact.

[JulesV]

I think it looks great, good price too I would have thought. It has almost exactly the same registration plate as mine.

It has had an engine rebuild and is well under your budget. Just keep the extra money to one side just in case....

[FlybyWyre]

Just go for it. Ignore the 'used to be better' stuff. If you don't race or track then what you get is a great car for the cost of sales rep BMW.

There is a Porsche premium (never get a quote from a builder with a Porker in the drive) but they are just well engineered cars which can be serviced easily. Tend to suffer from 'can't afford, don't buy'

Only one go at life. Buy!

[oilslurper]

xftdr said:

You could be left with a high mileage car on your hands that no one wants in a year or too (or sooner) with some very expensive bills.

wheres your facts? This is scaremongering at its best (or worse)

OP - ignore! The car looks good, 911v are a reputable dealer, buy, enjoy!

[xftdr]

Ian_UK1 said:

I think it would be very appropriate to attach are large "IMHO" to this rather sweeping and unwarranted statement. Baz from Hartech refuted this assertion, at some length, in a thread a couple of years ago (unfortunately the search facility is down at the moment, so I can't find it). I think many people on here would trust Baz's judgement and I'm certain the majority of 996/7 owners would disagree rather strongly with your contention - especially your trying to present it as 'reality' or fact.

Very happy to insert IMHO.... should have done in my earlier post as I get irritated by sweeping statements too. But, I would say that the evidence is fairly compelling (IMHO!). Interiors are shoddy using poor quality materials; engines go bang in a way that previous models engines did not etc etc. I would of course defer to Baz's opinion but I would be interested in reading it in proper context as I seem to recall he has written extensively on the problems of 996 engines and indeed seems to be making a good business out of repairing them. I suspect you are a 996 owner - each to their own and I have no difficulty with that but I do think the potential buyer should be exposed to the full panoply of views about the cars. You cannot deny that a large number of 996 engines have failed. Nor can you deny that 996s and 997s are dropping in value dramatically. There is a reason(s) for that and forewarned is forearmed.

[plastic toad]

Buy it,I did and the car (996) is fantastic
The quality of build and finish is super
Take no notice of the merchants of doom
I only wish that I had bought one sooner

[xftdr]

oilslurper said:

wheres your facts? This is scaremongering at its best (or worse)

OP - ignore! The car looks good, 911v are a reputable dealer, buy, enjoy!

Well, the key word is 'could' but just look at the way prices have dropped over the last three years. Its not scaremongering, it is realism. You can delude yourself if you wish but do give the OP the chance to have a variety of views rather than those presented through rose tinted spectacles.

From 911Virgins own website buying guide:

996: A fair spread of prices within this particular model and a massive spread in terms of quality. The are some horror stories and some gems, make sure you buy the latter

993: Hewn out of solid granite and held together with iron rivets. The last of the air cooled cars, the last of the cars where the engineers had ultimate say and no one had a clue how much they cost to build until they`d all been built!

Looks like a drop in quality to me!

Edited by xftdr on Sunday 8th July 19:39

[FlybyWyre]

993: Hewn out of solid granite and held together with iron rivets.

They used to rivet ships. Time moves on. Granite, not a popular material in car building.
If you like then buy.

[gibbon]

xftdr said:

Well, the key word is 'could' but just look at the way prices have dropped over the last three years. Its not scaremongering, it is realism. You can delude yourself if you wish but do give the OP the chance to have a variety of views rather than those presented through rose tinted spectacles.

From 911Virgins own website buying guide:

996: A fair spread of prices within this particular model and a massive spread in terms of quality. The are some horror stories and some gems, make sure you buy the latter

993: Hewn out of solid granite and held together with iron rivets. The last of the air cooled cars, the last of the cars where the engineers had ultimate say and no one had a clue how much they cost to build until they`d all been built!

Looks like a drop in quality to me!

Edited by xftdr on Sunday 8th July 19:39

You clearly havent caught on to the 911V guys humour then?

Buy a 996, drive it, enjoy it, i did, it spanks my friends 335d in every respect bar mpg (though its far better than I imagined) and makes me grin every time I drive it. Ingore the bores.

[LordHaveMurci]

Do it! (not necessarily a C4 though, try a C2 too). Love mine

[Birdster]

Thanks all.

I appreciate that trouble is a possibility. Both views are valid it would seem. Be foolish of me not to listen.

It will be my commuter car. Although I may keep the Vauxhall for that and keep the Porsche for the weekends.

Can't seem to make my mind up. Just want something fun, quick and most importantly something that when I get up in the morning having breakfast I can look outside and say. "Off to work" with a smile.

The 993 I see on there looks nice for 21k.

Technically I have more to spend, but I'm cautious and don't like to tie up my savings in something that depreciates. Although as most of you are aware you can't take it with you when you're gone.

Just need to man up and live a little me thinks and stop being so sensible. Situation could change one day and I'd not be able to afford one.

[anonymous-user]

xftdr said:

a load of stereotypical 993 owner rubbish

Yes there are major engine issues to watch out for, but which can be fairly easily mitigated.

Yes there are lots of dogs (as with all used cars of this age)

But overall the 996 is a great car to drive and the overall build quality is much much better than people who don't own them and think Porsche stopped making decent cars in 1998 will have you believe. Yes I do own one and also still own and have owned a good few of the very best earlier 911s. Before I owned a 996 I was even taken in a little by the negative hype and now in hindsight I wish I'd bought one earlier.

IMHO the 996 is an absolute bargain if you pick up a good example. Prices are low simply due to supply and demand, nothing more. They are too common and perhaps too contemporary to be considered classics.

The 911V car looks good value, but the stigma of high mileage might make it difficult to sell on if you intend to trade up later. Personally I'd spend a little bit more of your £20k budget for a lower mileage example and 911V get plenty of these in stock. £15-16K would get you a very clean low mileage example, which would be easier to shift later.

Finally a 335d would be dull as dishwater in comparison and depreciate much quicker.