a 997 as a daily, long commuter and only car?

[dsgrnmcm]

Afternoon all,

(long winded, so have a Brew ready)

Having read all the threads about using a 997 as a daily driver and only car, has me thinking about taking the plunge now as opposed to waiting t0 leave my current role, currently I commute to work on a Monday morning at 0400 ish then back on Thursday PM.

Journey: Plymouth to London, park at work (central London) then during the week secure underground car park, then on drive/garage at Plymouth.
(Previous thread https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

I did look at 320d and 330d, as a just a commuter, for the next 20 months while i'm in this role. Currently this will be my commute until March 2022. After that I will leave this employer, get a hefty pay out / savings accessible and intend to purchase a 997.

So currently using a GTD DSG which is quite good, £50 a week in fuel, but I get £227 a month from work for this commuting a month.

So my question is: Do I stop waiting for the "right" time to get a 997 and start enjoying it, while my employer is paying £227 towards fuel (I estimate my fuel cost will be £400 pm roughly), get in to 997 ownership 20 months early and enjoy the "Porsche life style!

Will doing 2000 miles per month kill the 997, and make me resent it?
Do I keep the GTD and get the 997 for weekends (extra running costs of 2nd car (even though insurance is cheaper than the GTD!)
Will 4 to 5 hours in an Auto 997 break my spine!

Thanks for your thoughts in advance!

[g7jhp]

You'll be fine running a 997 from London to Plymouth. It will great on those fast rolling stretch further down towards Plymouth.

The only concern would be the cost of petrol and depreciation as you pile the miles on.

Perhaps you go for a higher mile example circa 60-70k to start.

[dsgrnmcm]

I'm not to fussed about the depreciation, as I aim to use it until it dies and (when able) euro trips!

I'm just realising that maybe I should take advantage of being in a position / opportunity where my employer contributes towards my fuel (and if needed to travel with the car)

when I leave it will be local work only, and no fuel contribution, which means am I wasting this mincing round in another bogo 2.0 tdi, when I could be enjoying a 997!

[BertBert]

A previous owner of my 997 GT3 did mega miles on long journeys in the middle of its life racking up miles at that rate and loved it. I have been doing a weekly commute in it up and down the M1 165 miles each way and it's been fine. The only thing I'd want to do with mine is add bluetooth to the stereo as I'd like to be able to listen to more stuff on the journey that's not radio or CDs.

Obviously doing big miles is reasonably expensive in servicing, tyres etc. So check the economics works for you (although you seem to be on top of that).

Bert

[Scrump]

I did something similar ten years ago.
Left the company car scheme, handed back a 2.0 diesel car and took the car allowance. I used the allowance to purchase a 996.
The 996 was my daily driver for about four years, including business journeys.
For other reasons I bought another car to go alongside the 996 and kept it as a weekend toy.
Now my mileage and journeys look to have changed again due to Covid I am thinking of selling the other car and going back to having the 996 as a daily driver.

A 997 would be bit more refined than my 996, so even better suited to the motorway journeys.
I would say go for it, I did and it is a decision I have never regretted.

[CrgT16]

No big deal. A bog standard 997 should be fine for that commute with minimal wear as mostly motorway. Find yourself a good independent specialist and it’s probably as good a car as any.

I have commuted 30k a year in 3L plus petrol engines and had nothing but reliability. Not Porsche granted but still nothing to be scared about imo. Cars like to be driven really and motorway stretches like yours are easy for a modern car. They are easy low wear miles unless you goon it every opportunity.

The only thing to consider, if you consider a 911 a special car, is that doing lots of miles commuting might take some of that special status. I would consider 1 for many reasons but probably a standard one with discuss models more for special occasions. A Carrera or Carrera S are ideal for that. A GT/Turbo a bit wasted in the uk motorways imo.

Get it done!

[sealtt]

Very nice sports car but if I was doing 2k miles a month no way would I look at a 997, if I’m travelling that much I want something properly comfy. I wouldn’t go any sportier than a Mercedes SL.

BUT if that’s your dream, then you need to make it happen!

[dsgrnmcm]

Thanks Bert / Scrump,

I'm a bit of a man maths geek, and have become obsessed with spending less than my fuel allowance, but am missing out on "enjoying" a car. also waiting 20 months for a situation that may not exist (EU Exit, Fuel 997 value may well change)

Running wise:

Insurance is actually cheaper by £12 annually Win

Tax from £165 to £330 I'm happy with that

Tyres from £112 to £104 Pilot P sport (From my trusted Tyre Indi)

Servicing 12m garage and I do liquids and filters 6 monthly unsure what it will cost. but £300 to £400 in my
head.

Fuel from £200pm to £400 Tank to tank is £48 to £50 per week in the GTD, so 60mpg vs 33mpg from Autotrader is more like 50
mpg and 26 respectively. I'm pretty good at sticking to teh speed limit in CC as my route is full
cameras and AVG speed areas.

Just need to find a good local Porsche garage in Plymouth and a 997 with a rebuilt engine...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

or

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

[Scrump]

I would add that part of the reason I relegated my 996 to weekend car was I was doing many many more motorway miles and I found an E class Mercedes a much more comfortable place for that type of journey.

[dsgrnmcm]

Some good points,

I could keep the GTD as the commute car and have the 997 as the weekend car, but kind of goes against living teh 997 dream, and teh expense of 2 x Tax and insurance. But that may be offset by the reduced fuel / mileage servicing cost?

[BertBert]

I find I hardly ever drive at weekends. So for me a special car for the weekend, is hard to make work. I'm just going from employed to a bum again, so even when back to work really happens I won't be doing a commute. The GT3 will be in the garage and not do much.
Bert

[kilarney]

When I used my 997 GTS as a daily it lost the sense of occasion and the downsides came into focus. I had a GTD and its a much nicer place to be for motorway munching. I sold the GTS and bought a Spyder and a smoker and it suited me better.
So I would keep the GTD get a 997 then bin the GTD once the miles drop.

[dsgrnmcm]

So using man Math (or self justification)

Keeping both will be cheaper on fuel monthly. so 5 months of ownership will cover the 997 insurance and tax, barring any big bills.

Just leaves weekend running, I have fired off a request to see what my insurance will be if I have two cars on my policy.

need to do some more man math!

[sealtt]

In motoring one of the biggest costs is often dealer margin / depreciation, so you should factor that in too - as well as servicing, repairs budget and maintenance.

[8-P]

If cost is making you twitchy I probably wouldn’t because you’ll forever be obsessed by the costs and that could ruin the experience. Sometimes these situations are hard to judge because your financial situation is your own business so from my perspective hard to judge.

If that isn’t the case, just do it. Every good bit of road will make it worth while.

[Superdavros]

I do 25,000 miles a year in my 997 and would have done similar this year.

Bought mine at 50,000 miles, now it’s on 145,000

Motorway/long journey consumption for me is 28, but then any town driving pulls the average down to the overall of 25.6mpg, which is over about 10,000 miles.
.
Be prepared for an unexpected £2k bill At any time, just in case. Keep it well serviced and you’ll be fine. Mine is my first 997, it’s an S - with the chocolate engine.....

It needs Bluetooth, but that’s about it, or just don’t talk to people.

I don’t buy the “keep it for the weekend” thing.
Every journey is in your 911 and you could be sitting in the traffic in a Toyota Avensis.

The difficult thing is what to replace it with.
991s have electric steering/992 all turbo and both options cost many dollars.

PS. If it’s going to be parked for 3 days a week, why does it need to be auto?

Edited by Superdavros on Sunday 19th July 22:46

[Fnumber1user]

Man maths at play - don't buy a Porsche and think it's going to be sensible on fuel, plus if you actually enjoy driving it there's every chance you'll be wanting to drive it at every opportunity, and not just for your commute - so you need to factor that in too.

Life is short, there's no right or wrong answer, but things can and do change, and if you think its time for a 997 then go for it.

The miles you're gonna put on it shouldn't really even come in to my thoughts, they aren't excessive by any stretch. If you are wholly indecisive though why not keep the current daily and experiment with using the Porsche? You'll fairly quickly know once you have the Porsche whether you 'should' keep the daily or not.

Best of luck whichever way you jump - keep us posted...

[Stuart70]

I did exactly this. I ran a 997 Gen 2 Carrera S as a daily driver for two years. I did a weekly commute from Kent to Hampshire - about 140 miles each way.

The car was great, unstressed and easy. Not the most exciting use to put it to, but no problem. And good fun at weekends.

There was one exception. The road noise on the M25 between M23 and M3 junctions was unbearable. The vibration and sound in the cabin was appalling. Stiff chassis, wide tyres and terrible surface. OK at 60, bad at 70 and anything above 80 (I have heard) would remove fillings and cause permanent hearing loss.

Your dream, go for it. I now have a Golf R and a Kawasaki Z1000SX. If I was going again, it would be GTD and an Elise for weekends.

Each to their own.

[Andyoz]

I think you will need something to look forward to every week doing that commute. I wouldn't exactly be jumping out of bed a 3.30am to drive a 320d...

As long as you have the necessary funds set aside for repairs then why not?

Your engine will love that long 4 to 5 hour duty cycle too...

[dsgrnmcm]

Evening All,

Some good comments and a few "Nail on the head" one liners.

I realised I have a been locked in a MPG obsession! Probably because of my being a "Traveller" at work for 20 odd years, and just trudging to work and back, going home at weekends. Now starting to realise that its not forever, the rest of the world drive normal cars and just pay for it, and life is short. My plan to exit this job was due next July (12 months wait) now probably Mar 22 (20 months wait) In that time the whole world could change (In terms of motoring, fuel price / access)

"Superdavros" - I chose an Auto for being sat in traffic and the 4 to 5 hour drives, plus I'm crap in a manual unless it is a Defender or some other idiot proof tractor/truck. Not sure if the time in manual smashing through the gears is worth being in traffic flicking between neutral and 1st. (Plus I'm lazy!)
25k pa mileage is impressive, as for bills, I'll be putting some way each month as my rainy day fund, poss the sale of the GTD could be a slush fund. But I'm inclined to keep it.

"Fnumber1user" - I'm happy with the fuel figures being higher than actual figures (my GTD actual is 10mpg less than the comp) plus the addiction of the sound and nipping to the shop in it...

And you are bang on, when it comes to stuff like this I am Mr Indecision. Because it "might" be expensive (vs my old Disco 1) it wont be a MPG 50+, its not practical (I can just use the neighbours truck)

My GTD Sale is going slow as it appears to attract: "Best Price", "last Price" £ 1/2 the asking price etc, so I will keep in bu design or luck. So I can probably try it out during the week and weekends only.

"Stuart70" - another good point - Although I do regret doing Plymouth to Malmo at Christmas in a 520d, which in my head was a special car trip (It was actually quite a good car for the trip)

"Andyoz" - As crap as getting up at 03:30 is, it is better than going up Sunday evening, which kills Sunday in its entirety.

Now the next question is Targa or C4S

Reading time:

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