Newbie with Porsche dilemma - 996 turbo?
Discussion
Hello all,
First post so please be gentle!
I have a 1995 993 c2 which I really love, but after 4 years of ownership am starting to think about a change. This is partly because my girlfriend dislikes the lack of refinement of the 993, and hence prefers not to travel in it if we go anywhere. As such it's not getting the use it was.
I'm considering changing it for a 996 turbo. The combination of robust engine, pace and reasonable price make this a very appealing proposition on paper, but I would be grateful for any info on your experiences of owning one. I especially would be keen to know if there is any great advantage to buying a later car over an earlier one.
I have seen a mint guards red 2002 996 turbo at bristol OPC, with 15k miles and full warranty for £42k. What are your thoughts on this? It seems like a safe bet to me.
Any advice much appreciated
Regards
Keith
First post so please be gentle!
I have a 1995 993 c2 which I really love, but after 4 years of ownership am starting to think about a change. This is partly because my girlfriend dislikes the lack of refinement of the 993, and hence prefers not to travel in it if we go anywhere. As such it's not getting the use it was.
I'm considering changing it for a 996 turbo. The combination of robust engine, pace and reasonable price make this a very appealing proposition on paper, but I would be grateful for any info on your experiences of owning one. I especially would be keen to know if there is any great advantage to buying a later car over an earlier one.
I have seen a mint guards red 2002 996 turbo at bristol OPC, with 15k miles and full warranty for £42k. What are your thoughts on this? It seems like a safe bet to me.
Any advice much appreciated
Regards
Keith
Hi,
Welcome, first of all what will you be doing with the 993 ? As for changing for a turbo you would not go wrong with that choice...! just leave around £2K a year for running cost's.
That car you described is not in the best colour to sell although I love guards red, I bet if you tried to buy it then it would be the best colour in the world....2 years later come trade in time ...oooh sir that colour will be hard to sell on so we will have to be you accordingly!
I would look around at some of the other options to you like RSJ sports cars, 911 Virgin, Dovehouse motors and Autoperform ... I can highly recommend all of these for quality of car and aftersales care !
Mike
Welcome, first of all what will you be doing with the 993 ? As for changing for a turbo you would not go wrong with that choice...! just leave around £2K a year for running cost's.
That car you described is not in the best colour to sell although I love guards red, I bet if you tried to buy it then it would be the best colour in the world....2 years later come trade in time ...oooh sir that colour will be hard to sell on so we will have to be you accordingly!
I would look around at some of the other options to you like RSJ sports cars, 911 Virgin, Dovehouse motors and Autoperform ... I can highly recommend all of these for quality of car and aftersales care !
Mike
http://pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1831327.htm
Sounds like the perfect 1 owner, low mileage car everyone wants. If you like it, haggle! I think you could get that with 2 years warranty for £40k.
The colour is very personal, i don't like red, but that's me. Power upgrade kit is tempting though
Sounds like the perfect 1 owner, low mileage car everyone wants. If you like it, haggle! I think you could get that with 2 years warranty for £40k.
The colour is very personal, i don't like red, but that's me. Power upgrade kit is tempting though
Callughan said:
I really like the one in Bristol and you would get a 2 year warranty.
Dove House motors really;)
Hi Dove House motors really;)
Only have good things to say about simon and harvey from Dovehouse motors, as we have had around 4 dealings with Dovehouse and all of the customers spoke very highly of dovehouse and also dovehouse have rectified the cars without any problems or excuses.
Can not rate their aftersales highly enough and I do not do loads of work with them and have no connection to them in any way !
Mike
sportsandclassic said:
Callughan said:
I really like the one in Bristol and you would get a 2 year warranty.
Dove House motors really;)
Hi Dove House motors really;)
Only have good things to say about simon and harvey from Dovehouse motors, as we have had around 4 dealings with Dovehouse and all of the customers spoke very highly of dovehouse and also dovehouse have rectified the cars without any problems or excuses.
Can not rate their aftersales highly enough and I do not do loads of work with them and have no connection to them in any way !
Mike
Well, I'm a first time Porsche owner and dipped my toe in last year with a 2000 996 turbo. I have previously owned an M3 which was a completely different animal - more of a ferret than the tiger that is the turbo.
I've put nearly 20k miles on her since October 2009 and use her as a daily driver. Touch wood, my experience so far has been positive - I have a small glitch or two at the moment which need sorting (slight locking issue, rear spoiler hydraulics need re-filling, air-con needs fixing, although not the compressor). All in all, for me these are "minor" problems and from the couple of services etc. I've had she's been described as "very well sorted".
Every time I drive her, it puts a smile on my face. On the twisties it puts a smile on my face for the whole day. Awesome car.
I'll confess not to being the best driver in the world and perhaps for me the TT is a flattering car. Overtaking is ridiculously easy because of the power on tap at a wide rev range but buzz around the B roads at 4-6k revs and you can really have some wild fun.
Equipment is fine - it's not a 997 (or even BMW/Merc) but for a 10-year-old car, the safety features are pretty decent and extras such as heated seats, park assist and xenons are all good. Forget PCM - modern satnav is the only way to go.
Interior cabin space is surprisingly good - I recent took mine on a 2 week roadtrip including camping gear (inc tent) and it all fitted in with relative ease, despite my wife's best efforts! The only thing lacking in the older ones is the lack of storage - no cupholders or glovebox on mine, for example (just the centre console and door storage bins).
In summary, I wouldn't swap mine for anything (well, a 599 or CGT maybe
)...
I've put nearly 20k miles on her since October 2009 and use her as a daily driver. Touch wood, my experience so far has been positive - I have a small glitch or two at the moment which need sorting (slight locking issue, rear spoiler hydraulics need re-filling, air-con needs fixing, although not the compressor). All in all, for me these are "minor" problems and from the couple of services etc. I've had she's been described as "very well sorted".
Every time I drive her, it puts a smile on my face. On the twisties it puts a smile on my face for the whole day. Awesome car.
I'll confess not to being the best driver in the world and perhaps for me the TT is a flattering car. Overtaking is ridiculously easy because of the power on tap at a wide rev range but buzz around the B roads at 4-6k revs and you can really have some wild fun.
Equipment is fine - it's not a 997 (or even BMW/Merc) but for a 10-year-old car, the safety features are pretty decent and extras such as heated seats, park assist and xenons are all good. Forget PCM - modern satnav is the only way to go.
Interior cabin space is surprisingly good - I recent took mine on a 2 week roadtrip including camping gear (inc tent) and it all fitted in with relative ease, despite my wife's best efforts! The only thing lacking in the older ones is the lack of storage - no cupholders or glovebox on mine, for example (just the centre console and door storage bins).
In summary, I wouldn't swap mine for anything (well, a 599 or CGT maybe
)...OP I have had my 996 for only a few weeks but am finding it a hoot to drive.
I have 2 kids and the OH in regularly and they all fit perfectly and enjoy the experience (maybe not as much as me!)
The car you mention originally seems very strong money (although you pay alot for the peace of mind)
Can't recommend a 996 turbo highly enough but would be keen to look around to make sure that my trousers were not been pulled down on price!
-Maybe its the Yorkshireman in me??
I have 2 kids and the OH in regularly and they all fit perfectly and enjoy the experience (maybe not as much as me!)
The car you mention originally seems very strong money (although you pay alot for the peace of mind)
Can't recommend a 996 turbo highly enough but would be keen to look around to make sure that my trousers were not been pulled down on price!
-Maybe its the Yorkshireman in me??
You'll get differing opinions on Gaurds Red on here. Mike has summed it up pretty well, but the must important thing is that you like the colour. I never buy are car just because it would be easier to sell on. I have Orient Red (another marmite colour) and I love it, but as I hope to never sell the car it doesn't matter.
The car you have seen looks fantastic. As you said this would be a safe bet with the official warranty and all that. The 'power upgrade' is interesting. The only 'official' upgrade is the X50 which has bigger turbos and is desirable. But I thought this was only available from 03 onwards - but I could be and most likely are wrong!
The car you have seen looks fantastic. As you said this would be a safe bet with the official warranty and all that. The 'power upgrade' is interesting. The only 'official' upgrade is the X50 which has bigger turbos and is desirable. But I thought this was only available from 03 onwards - but I could be and most likely are wrong!
Unless 996 turbos have become an appreciating asset, £42k sounds rather high to me. I bought my '02 turbo 10 months ago, with 21k on it for over £5k less than that (but not from OPC, so no OPC warranty).
While the engines are apparently strong, I have become quite surprised at how long the list of "common" problems for the turbo seems to be - but perhaps I've been unlucky and have suffered more of them than is usual. Radiators can be a problem, but I figure they're consumables anyway.
From a smile perspective, I'm sure most current owners will rate them highly, but personally I don't. I think my 964 is far more fun - I think it gives far more feedback and I much prefer the brakes on it. However, the turbo serves it's purpose and is a very refined, comfortable drive. It is a very different car to my 964 though and I suspect to your 993. My girlfriend has a similar view to yours - she doesn't like the 964 at all, complains that it makes her feel sick and much prefers the turbo - and since the 964 is not used for commuting, that does make it difficult to find the time to use it.
I admit I've failed to fully bond with my turbo, partly because it seems to have always had something wrong with it, even if the problem is not major. Having just spent the national debt of some countries to get it serviced, I hope that will change and it will behave itself for a while. However - I confess that even if it does, if I had to sell one of my cars tomorrow (and I wasn't considering my girlfriends view) - then it would almost certainly be the turbo that went and the 964 I kept.
While the engines are apparently strong, I have become quite surprised at how long the list of "common" problems for the turbo seems to be - but perhaps I've been unlucky and have suffered more of them than is usual. Radiators can be a problem, but I figure they're consumables anyway.
From a smile perspective, I'm sure most current owners will rate them highly, but personally I don't. I think my 964 is far more fun - I think it gives far more feedback and I much prefer the brakes on it. However, the turbo serves it's purpose and is a very refined, comfortable drive. It is a very different car to my 964 though and I suspect to your 993. My girlfriend has a similar view to yours - she doesn't like the 964 at all, complains that it makes her feel sick and much prefers the turbo - and since the 964 is not used for commuting, that does make it difficult to find the time to use it.
I admit I've failed to fully bond with my turbo, partly because it seems to have always had something wrong with it, even if the problem is not major. Having just spent the national debt of some countries to get it serviced, I hope that will change and it will behave itself for a while. However - I confess that even if it does, if I had to sell one of my cars tomorrow (and I wasn't considering my girlfriends view) - then it would almost certainly be the turbo that went and the 964 I kept.
Having owned 5 air-cooled 911's and finally moving onto a 996tt October last year, they are very difficult to compare, as they are so very different.
The 996tt from a performance perspective is phenominal night & day compared with the air cooled and i did own a 964 turbo/993 C4S
The 996tt is easy to drive fast and slow and does everything perfectly out handle any of the old stuff too/out brake etc etc, but this is technology and here lies the problem IMO its just too good, and its only the sheer speed and savage acceleration that puts a smile on your face.
I am a sucker for the old stuff though so i wouldn't be able to comment, especially before the 964 range.
The 996tt is a fantastic car though.
The ladies prefer it to!
The 996tt from a performance perspective is phenominal night & day compared with the air cooled and i did own a 964 turbo/993 C4S
The 996tt is easy to drive fast and slow and does everything perfectly out handle any of the old stuff too/out brake etc etc, but this is technology and here lies the problem IMO its just too good, and its only the sheer speed and savage acceleration that puts a smile on your face.
I am a sucker for the old stuff though so i wouldn't be able to comment, especially before the 964 range.
The 996tt is a fantastic car though.
The ladies prefer it to!
keith2874 said:
I have a 1995 993 c2 which I really love, but after 4 years of ownership am starting to think about a change. This is partly because my girlfriend dislikes the lack of refinement of the 993, and hence prefers not to travel in it if we go anywhere. As such it's not getting the use it was.
I had a 996 c4s and the Mrs refused to travel in it. If your REAL objective is significantly more refinement I can't see a 996 turbo making the grade. If your REAL objective is another Porker with more pace then go for it. Crimp a Length! said:
Having owned 5 air-cooled 911's and finally moving onto a 996tt October last year, they are very difficult to compare, as they are so very different.
The 996tt from a performance perspective is phenominal night & day compared with the air cooled and i did own a 964 turbo/993 C4S
The 996tt is easy to drive fast and slow and does everything perfectly out handle any of the old stuff too/out brake etc etc, but this is technology and here lies the problem IMO its just too good, and its only the sheer speed and savage acceleration that puts a smile on your face.
I am a sucker for the old stuff though so i wouldn't be able to comment, especially before the 964 range.
The 996tt is a fantastic car though.
The ladies prefer it to!
+1. Problem with the 996 TT, is that it doesnt feel that special when driving at normal speeds, although the damping is sublime. I always feel im wasting a lot of money; insurance, tax, warranty, deprec,etc, if im not really extending the car on the road, rather than pootling around. Buts thats unfair really, bevause what other supercar could you go to the shops and commute in. Its like criticising the car for something it isnt, which is unfair. It is three cars rolled into one, a luxury car, a supercar, and a fa**y magnet as well. The 996tt from a performance perspective is phenominal night & day compared with the air cooled and i did own a 964 turbo/993 C4S
The 996tt is easy to drive fast and slow and does everything perfectly out handle any of the old stuff too/out brake etc etc, but this is technology and here lies the problem IMO its just too good, and its only the sheer speed and savage acceleration that puts a smile on your face.
I am a sucker for the old stuff though so i wouldn't be able to comment, especially before the 964 range.
The 996tt is a fantastic car though.
The ladies prefer it to!
Crimp a Length! said:
98C4S said:
That's top dollar for an 02 car, I would want an 04/05 car for that money, I'd even have slightly higher mileage.
Or - get a new girlfriend
Its the mileage i guess.Or - get a new girlfriend
That said i'd buy one around 30-35k with some miles on it and all the jobs done.
ETA: And I love the red too!
Edited by jonlwright on Thursday 15th July 09:24
To OP.
If you do decide to go for this car, make sure the OPC sells it as an 'Approved Used Porsche' to ensure you get the proper OPC warranty, checks and prep level.
Apparently, it has been mentioned on here that some dealers are selling cars outside of the AUP scheme, espcially if they are a little older than their usual stock etc.
If you do decide to go for this car, make sure the OPC sells it as an 'Approved Used Porsche' to ensure you get the proper OPC warranty, checks and prep level.
Apparently, it has been mentioned on here that some dealers are selling cars outside of the AUP scheme, espcially if they are a little older than their usual stock etc.
hi i'm onto my second turbo now had a 993 c4s between the two and i've nothing at all but the highest of praise for them, totally totally fantastic car's and if it is an x50 car it'll be mental fast
there are a couple of owners on here that have problems with there turbos but that will happen with any make/ model of car, boat, plane etc etc there is always bad one's
the car your looking at is the bee's nee's to me, love the colour, miles, spec (if it is an x50) and i dont think it's that bad money wise 40k would be a great buy imho
good luck
there are a couple of owners on here that have problems with there turbos but that will happen with any make/ model of car, boat, plane etc etc there is always bad one's
the car your looking at is the bee's nee's to me, love the colour, miles, spec (if it is an x50) and i dont think it's that bad money wise 40k would be a great buy imho
good luck
Thanks a lot for your responses - I'll keep you posted as to what I end up doing.
Is there any great advantage to buying a late car vs an early one? The reason I ask is that if I've seen a 2001 turbo in speed yellow with 30k miles for £29k ish and at that price could stretch to keep 993 as well at a push!
Again, any advice gratefully received
Regards
K
Is there any great advantage to buying a late car vs an early one? The reason I ask is that if I've seen a 2001 turbo in speed yellow with 30k miles for £29k ish and at that price could stretch to keep 993 as well at a push!
Again, any advice gratefully received
Regards
K
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