First Porsche - recommendations?

[Shaoxter]

I have a Porsche itch that needs scratching, been considering:
- 996 C2/C2S
- 996 Turbo
- 997 C2/C2S
- 987 Cayman/Boxster

It's going to be a weekend/fun car so don't care about practicalities. Budget is not set in stone but don't want to get hit on depreciation and it can't be so expensive that the mrs will notice

So my questions are:
- Do I really want a 911 for the full experience or would a Cayman/Boxster be just as good?
- Are non-S Cayman/Boxsters out of the equation for being too slow?
- Noise would be an important factor so is a sports exhaust a necessity? Doesn't seem to be a popular option going by the classifieds.
- A 996 Turbo would seem to be a good bet in terms of strong engine and lack of depreciation but does the turbo and 4WD make the car boring?
- Why are almost all the cars in silver/grey/black colours...

[Sandy59]

My first Porsche out of the ones you list was a very early 996 C2.
It had the factory 'sports kit' fitted, and was a great drive IMO.
You can probably pick a really good one up with proper history between 10-15K, and it might even appreciate over time.
For a first Porcshe if you choose carefully, I don't think you'd go far wrong.

PS - Many in Zenith Blue which looks nice.

[LordHaveMurci]

No such thing as a 996 C2S.

A C2 Coupe was my choice but I've always wanted a 911. If you don't have a 911 itch to scratch then the Boxster/Cayman are very compelling too, some people actually prefer the handling balance of the mid engined cars.

The turbo strangely does nothing for me.

[RedSpiseeBalls]

Go with a Cayman, good value good car to scratch the itch with.

[g7jhp]

You seem to have ruled a 996 turbo out due to 4WD, lack of sound and a weekend car.

The real trade off is Low depreciation, higher issue risk v low issue risk, higher depreciation.

Low depreciation, higher issue risk
996 (911) C2
986 (Boxster) S
987 (Boxster) S
987 (Cayman) S

Low risk, higher depreciation
987 (Boxster) S Gen 2
987 (Cayman) S Gen 2

I'd suggest looking at a manual 996 C2 coupe as basic, RWD manual coupes are always a popular combination.

[IknowJoseph]

g7jhp said:

I'd suggest looking at a manual 996 C2 coupe as basic, RWD manual coupes are always a popular combination.

I love mine, but it's on 18 inch Turbo hollow spokes - for more weekend fun it would probably be better on (relatively) skinny 17s.

[carcrazypop]

I'm biased, but IMHO, it's a brilliant time to buy a 996 turbo, and don't rule out a tip. box in one of these, I think they're top value for money at the moment.

I noticed that 911 Virgin have just had a 996t in at a very competitive price & pretty low miles; if you're not too far away, give Tom or Dan a ring and get over there for a test drive before it goes. By the way, 911V only sell pretty decent examples and are happy to talk you through any questions.

Good Luck.

[Shaoxter]

Thanks for the feedback, I think a 996 C2 would be a good entry point. But the prices of decent examples don't seem too far off 997 ones though...

carcrazypop said:

I noticed that 911 Virgin have just had a 996t in at a very competitive price & pretty low miles; if you're not too far away, give Tom or Dan a ring and get over there for a test drive before it goes.

Deposit taken... that was quick Do you know how much it was on for out of interest?
They're not too far away so might be a good idea to head down there for some test drives...

[hondansx]

For me it would be the 996 Turbo.

[carcrazypop]

Shaoxter said:

Thanks for the feedback, I think a 996 C2 would be a good entry point. But the prices of decent examples don't seem too far off 997 ones though...

carcrazypop said:

I noticed that 911 Virgin have just had a 996t in at a very competitive price & pretty low miles; if you're not too far away, give Tom or Dan a ring and get over there for a test drive before it goes.

Deposit taken... that was quick Do you know how much it was on for out of interest?
They're not too far away so might be a good idea to head down there for some test drives...

Hi,
They have two 996t's in, the black one has had a deposit, but there's also a silver one at £28,995.

[Shaoxter]

carcrazypop said:

Hi,
They have two 996t's in, the black one has had a deposit, but there's also a silver one at £28,995.

Ah yes, missed it as it didn't have a picture...

What's the verdict on Hendon Way Motors? They're just around the corner from where I live and they do have some really nice looking Porsches there (mostly POA annoyingly).

[fastgerman]

996 Turbo is a good option but you do need to take running costs into the equation.

Just have a look at any of the maintenance plans from specialists. Example below:
http://www.jmgporsche.co.uk/index.php/component/k2...

Turbo, GT3 and Cayenne are approx 60% more per year.

A 996 C2 is a great entry into the Porsche range. I started with the 968, which was great fun on the country roads if lacking a bit in performance and noise.

[supersport]

Shaoxter said:

What's the verdict on Hendon Way Motors? They're just around the corner from where I live and they do have some really nice looking Porsches there (mostly POA annoyingly).

Search is your friend, but you might running shoes!

[LordHaveMurci]

[quote=Shaoxter]Thanks for the feedback, I think a 996 C2 would be a good entry point. But the prices of decent examples don't seem too far off 997 ones though...

[quote=carcrazypop]

EVO magazine rated the 996 C2 very highly when they group tested a range of 911's.

Not sure if I prefer the 997 or not. Pretty sure if I bought a 3.6 I'd wish I'd gone the extra & bought a 3.8 S though, slippery slope...

[KMF]

you could go for a 987/2 boxster spyder, ( only about 200 in UK) low risk, low depreciation, perhaps may even make a profit the way things are going.
super drivers car that will give you a sense of occation every time you go for a spin.

[andrewturner]

I would go for a 996 C2. Had my current one for 8 months and whilst I've had a few problems they have been handled well by the independent dealer I bought it from.

I probably paid a couple of K over a private sale however this has paid dividends based on the work that's been carried out free of charge as part of the warranty.

Mine is an occasion to drive as I commute on the train daily, it's great. Sports exhaust is essential!!

[mr pg]

supersport said:

Search is your friend, but you might running shoes!

+1. Google HWM. I live locally too, and know they have the same reputation amongst Ferrari owners as Porsche. I can also confirm that my 996t is an event every time I drive it. Going up in value too :-)

[Shaoxter]

Would love a Boxster Spyder but that's taking a little too much out of the house deposit fund...

What's the verdict on Targas? Specifically the one over at Sterling performance?

mr pg said:

supersport said:

Search is your friend, but you might running shoes!

+1. Google HWM. I live locally too, and know they have the same reputation amongst Ferrari owners as Porsche.

Thanks for the heads up on HWM, although if they're really that bad I'm surprised how they still stay in business...

[gemini]

I had a good 986 S for 5 years, using it for the weekend and swift club drives out ( and the odd wolds waz!)
It was cheap to run and always put a huge grin on my face.
Holidays to France were also very enjoyable in this much loved car.

They are cheap fun.

Dont know what your budget is but these cars are now non noticeable from the bank account, good enough to treat the missus to a sunday lunch drive and good enough for the car park too.

[WindyMiller67]

Targas split opinion! I have one so I am biased. They're arguably the most practical (with 996 and 997 having an opening tailgate), if that's important to you. You get AWD and in 997, wide-body too. When I last checked the website that tells you how many of each model have been registered, I was surprised to read that there are more than twice the number of 997.2 GT3 RSs registered than 997.2 Targa 4Ss... So are they rare? No! They're unpopular, which is a good negotiating tool when buying but a potential nuisance when selling. Because they are so well suited to daily driving, they generally tend to have higher mileage than their stablemates. And the elephant in the room is the weight of the roof glass mechanism. I do notice it on track. Not so much when cornering, but just accelerating - you effectively have the weight of a slim passenger onboard. On the road though, on bright autumnal days (like today) it's brilliant. I hope this helps!