What Porsche for 65k ??

[lee77]

Not sure what Porsche to get in 2006 - £65k budget.

I need 4 seats (young sons) so the GT2/GT3 are out.

I had a 996TT - awesome car but with the new 997S out I'm wondering if I should go for one of these, had a quick drive in a friend of a friends and it seemed very good? Anyone else had this dilema??

Thanks

Lee.

[persuader]

I would go for a near new 997 S on that budget.
I'm now on my 3rd 997 and they are fab.

[singh911]

I would stick to the gt3/turbo 996s to avoid engine trouble (just ask any opc tech. who's willing to be honest with you, failing that, i could put you in touch with one).

With your budget, 996TT seems ideal, maybe the 993 turbo - depends what does it for you.

Bottom line is test drive them all at length.

Nice choice to have to make!

Ajit.

[jamesson]

Persuader - just curious. Why are you on your third 997 already?!

[flemke]

How about a 993 Turbo S?
Great build quality, stronger residuals, better looking, nicer interior, involving driving experience with no meaningful sacrifice in convenience or comfort, and you'll have change from your £65K.

[Steve_M]

2003 996 TURBO X50. End of chat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Joe911]

What is all this talk of turbos - (as discussed at length elsewhere) NA is best - GT3?

Some things should be blown, but they're not engines

[flemke]

Joe911 said:

What is all this talk of turbos - (as discussed at length elsewhere) NA is best - GT3? Some things should be blown, but they're not engines

lee77 said:

I need four seats (young sons) so GT2/GT3 are out.

[Joe911]

flemke said:

Joe911 said: What is all this talk of turbos - (as discussed at length elsewhere) NA is best - GT3? Some things should be blown, but they're not engines lee77 said: I need four seats (young sons) so GT2/GT3 are out.

It's a fair cop! How about a C2 with plenty of money left for engine and suspension mods?

[DanH]

I'd be drawn towards the 997S as I prefer NA, you might even be able to find one with the powerkit. Not sure what the running cost/hassle implications of a 993 Turbo would be either, but I'm sure owners could enlighten you.

Anyway happy Christmas.

[bumcrack]

[quote=flemke]How about a 993 Turbo S?
, better looking, nicer interior, involving driving experience with no meaningful sacrifice in convenience or comfort, quote]

Depends on your view point

[cuneus]

flemke said:

How about a 993 Turbo S? Great build quality, stronger residuals, better looking, nicer interior, involving driving experience with no meaningful sacrifice in convenience or comfort, and you'll have change from your £65K.

Paul did not like his at all

"Worst handling Porker I've owned, stonking straight line speed, just wont go round bends. Turbo lag about 2 sec. would spin all 4 wheels at 90 in the wet in third"

[flemke]

bumcrack said:

flemke said: How about a 993 Turbo S? , better looking, nicer interior, involving driving experience with no meaningful sacrifice in convenience or comfort, Depends on your view point

Yes, the right one or the wrong one!
Seriously, I am curious: with which of those distinctions would you disagree?

[flemke]

cuneus said:

flemke said: How about a 993 Turbo S? Great build quality, stronger residuals, better looking, nicer interior, involving driving experience with no meaningful sacrifice in convenience or comfort, and you'll have change from your £65K. Paul did not like his at all "Worst handling Porker I've owned, stonking straight line speed, just wont go round bends. Turbo lag about 2 sec. would spin all 4 wheels at 90 in the wet in third"

Okaaaay.
I'm not sure who Paul is or which Porkers he has owned for his comparision. The turbo lag is not a problem and the car goes around bends just fine considering that like other 4WD Porsches it weighs 1550 kg.
Perhaps whatever Paul drove had problems with the mapping or the suspension geometry. All I can say is that I have put a lot of miles on one and it is a brilliant, all-weather, everyday four-seat car that is both comfortable and satisfying to drive.

Lee is looking for a Porsche alternative to his 996 Turbo, but he's got some necessary criteria. The 993 turbo S does the same job as well as the 996, but it looks better, has a more involving drive and is a rarer, more special beast that you won't see every day - in contrast to the 996s, which I believe were cranked out at the rate of something like 5,000/year.

The servicing costs are nothing more than what you'll have on other modern P's. Apart from consumables, in 55,000 miles I've just needed a DME (excluding the huge ensuing bill when a clueless soul at an OPC overfilled the sump).

It's not a circuit car. As a road car it's a beauty.

[cuneus]

Paul: www.pistonheads.com/members/showprofile.asp?memberId=20731

How about a 993 T4 and pocket the 20k change (or spend some of it on supension)?

[flemke]

cuneus said:

How about a 993 T4 and pocket the 20k change (or spend some of it on supension)?

Nothing wrong with that. An S would probably cost another 10 grand (the original price differential being about 40) over the standard T4. With the extra performance, carbon and other bits, different design elements, and rarity, some people would put up the additional dough. Lee's having come from a 996T4, I inferred, perhaps wrongly, that if his chosen car could be had for a decent discount from 65, that would be fine.
No question that the "plain" T4 is a lovely car, especially with the factory upgrade to 430.

[jcosh]

DanH said:

I'd be drawn towards the 997S as I prefer NA, you might even be able to find one with the powerkit.

Unlikely as this is a very new and rare option.

However, if anybody knows or hears of a used 997S with an X51 power kit then I would be very interested. Oh and -20mm suspension would be also be nice. Thanks.

Cheers Jonathan

[robbom3]

Steve_M said:

2003 996 TURBO X50. End of chat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can't disagree. I've had mine for 6 months now, and it still makes me grin everytime I nail it.

[gunner]

GT3 (I prefer the mk1 car) or 993 turbo ('s' if you can find it)...