£45K budget...your thoughts appreciated.
Discussion
Pretty much as the title suggests....I have a max £45K budget and considering which Porsche best fits the bill - mostly for weekend drives and the like. Must be manual and naturally aspirated.
My thoughts are....997.2, 987 Spyder (my preference over the CR), 964 or 993.
The 997 and Spyder are within my comfort zone having previously owned more than a few. It gets sketchy for me when I start looking at 964's and 993's - I have no clue where to start!
Any advice appreciated - even better if you know of a well sorted example you can point me in the direction of?
My thoughts are....997.2, 987 Spyder (my preference over the CR), 964 or 993.
The 997 and Spyder are within my comfort zone having previously owned more than a few. It gets sketchy for me when I start looking at 964's and 993's - I have no clue where to start!
Any advice appreciated - even better if you know of a well sorted example you can point me in the direction of?
Porsche911R said:
20k Boxster s 987.2 :-) is the best value drivers car for sale atm .
I have been on the look out for a 997.2 S for 8 months.
The blue ashgoods car has been the best for ages with 29k miles and £45k, sold quite fast.
But just no nice cars have been for sale or are for sale atm with the miles or spec I am after.
I love my 987.2 Spyder it is a special car and Jzm seems a peach, or pay less and buy yours back, the car needs PCCB or a brake upgrade, so rare as hens teeth with pccb's, that cars never going to get cheaper it’s too special esp as people realise new cars cannot offer what these do if you like driving.
Lots of people back dating , new cars are Petty dull, and nice 964 and 993 are more like £65+ and will slowly eat money month on month. Even then all he ones I have seen at PCGB events looks tired , so they are a loss makers if you buy at today’s prices and spend the money needed to make it nice, a risk if you change your mind, so needs to be a keeper.
I thought about a e46 Manual CS but again rare and min 60k miles but £35k gets you the best one for sale atm.
Elise cup another option, as fast as a GT4 on track and peanuts to run, solid money also.
V6 Exige 350 have just hit £45k also, while the early cars were a bit ruff around the edges, the 350 up its game and again will be safe money as people will hunt out the 350 over the early cars. But imo the Elise is the better car Lotus make.
Or last if you have a good OPC the new GT4 will will worth upping the budget due to resale.
The 6 previous owners on the JZM Spyder is niggling me a little. That said, PCCB aside it looks a nice car. My old one has a few too many miles on it now for my liking although it was a lovely thing to drive back in the day - one of my favourite cars. I have been on the look out for a 997.2 S for 8 months.
The blue ashgoods car has been the best for ages with 29k miles and £45k, sold quite fast.
But just no nice cars have been for sale or are for sale atm with the miles or spec I am after.
I love my 987.2 Spyder it is a special car and Jzm seems a peach, or pay less and buy yours back, the car needs PCCB or a brake upgrade, so rare as hens teeth with pccb's, that cars never going to get cheaper it’s too special esp as people realise new cars cannot offer what these do if you like driving.
Lots of people back dating , new cars are Petty dull, and nice 964 and 993 are more like £65+ and will slowly eat money month on month. Even then all he ones I have seen at PCGB events looks tired , so they are a loss makers if you buy at today’s prices and spend the money needed to make it nice, a risk if you change your mind, so needs to be a keeper.
I thought about a e46 Manual CS but again rare and min 60k miles but £35k gets you the best one for sale atm.
Elise cup another option, as fast as a GT4 on track and peanuts to run, solid money also.
V6 Exige 350 have just hit £45k also, while the early cars were a bit ruff around the edges, the 350 up its game and again will be safe money as people will hunt out the 350 over the early cars. But imo the Elise is the better car Lotus make.
Or last if you have a good OPC the new GT4 will will worth upping the budget due to resale.
I'd like to stick to Porsche because I'm without one at the moment. That said I have been browsing the Elise and 4C too
blackmamba said:
I find the 964/993 range much more engaging to drive than the later cars but you really need to try a good one and see whether it is for you. Good ones aren’t cheap but you should find a decent car within your budget. If you want a weekend car, try one and I am sure you will like it.
As you say, I should probably drive one. The hard bit for me would then be finding the right car (assuming I like the experience). Porsche911R said:
The miles kills that cars value though, way too high for the price means you cannot safely add another 20k with out the car dropping the same amount, Any dampers past it’s best at 60k miles also.
There is nothing for sale in the remit really bar the 3 987.2 Spyders.
Hence why I said buy a £20k Boxster S and spend 1k on a set of R shocks so it sits 20mm lower and feels like a Spyder for 1/2 the money, but you get a working roof, just not the feel good factor of owning a rarer car.
You're right...a few too many miles on the 997. There is nothing for sale in the remit really bar the 3 987.2 Spyders.
Hence why I said buy a £20k Boxster S and spend 1k on a set of R shocks so it sits 20mm lower and feels like a Spyder for 1/2 the money, but you get a working roof, just not the feel good factor of owning a rarer car.
I'd pay the extra for the look of the Spyder (and rarity). The roof never bothered me as it was always down on my old ones
GT4P said:
The jzm spyder I can vouch for it was pre regd new to porsche dealership owner no 1 , I the 2nd owner bought with 4 miles on the clock and did the first 4000 miles I had the first service done early and always warmed up properly etc. The 3rd owner who i sold the car too would have treated the car with the same respect the latter owners put very little miles on the car and may have been ' collectors'. Although I am against buying multiple owned cars if fortunes allowed I would buy back in a heartbeat! For me the only thing lacking on that car are bixenons. If it's still in the condition I sold it in then you won't find better.
But as mrD said a 987.2 at £20k although I think you are looking at £25k for a good one has got to be the best value porsche you can buy and half the price of a spyder its not half the car to drive. I would also add and even more so that a 987.2cs is a better buy than a CR or even perhaps a black edition at circa £30k
Appreciate the recommendation on the Spyder. Personally I could care less about the number of owners but it's guaranteed to be an issue come resale. That said, probably my favourite option at the moment. I think I need to go look at some cars tomorrow But as mrD said a 987.2 at £20k although I think you are looking at £25k for a good one has got to be the best value porsche you can buy and half the price of a spyder its not half the car to drive. I would also add and even more so that a 987.2cs is a better buy than a CR or even perhaps a black edition at circa £30k
Andy-6ufnp said:
OP, get yourself in a 4C for a test drive they are so much fun and a real event every time you use it. Whilst not perfect they can be modified quite cheaply to drive so much better than a stock car. Jamie at Alfaworks is the go to for modifications and he makes this into what the factory should have done at the start.
I've had loads of Porsche's but none give me the grin factor that my 4C does. 7.5k miles in 18 months as an occasional Sunday car is testament to my enjoyment of driving it.
You don't see them on every street corner either, I've seen a handful out and only 2 actually driving on the road and one of them was in France.
I've had a 4C Spider which I enjoyed a lot. For me the gearbox was the main fly in the ointment but a very special car for the money - I would buy another. I've had loads of Porsche's but none give me the grin factor that my 4C does. 7.5k miles in 18 months as an occasional Sunday car is testament to my enjoyment of driving it.
You don't see them on every street corner either, I've seen a handful out and only 2 actually driving on the road and one of them was in France.
IMI A said:
Lots of owners on a fairly impractical car like that (I know its not for most of us on here ) not the end of the world. Is it not worth maybe making a cheeky offer at a price you maybe couldn't refuse if its a nice car or are the 8 owners just too many for you?
If you get a mo I'd love a link to your thoughts on your 650S ownership experience if you posted them anywhere.
I tried the cheeky offer route which was quickly rebuffed ) not the end of the world. Is it not worth maybe making a cheeky offer at a price you maybe couldn't refuse if its a nice car or are the 8 owners just too many for you? If you get a mo I'd love a link to your thoughts on your 650S ownership experience if you posted them anywhere.
They want VERY close to £50K (firm!). 650S is a great car. Quickest thing I've ever driven by a margin. Couple of negatives....lacks a little character compared similar GT products and you definitely need a warranty!
They're looking incredible value right now for sure.
FrankCayman said:
Sorry to go OT, but what colour/spec was your 4C. At £37K, they look a tempting buy ....even though I don't like auto boxes!
Mine was a Giallo Prototipo Spider. I'd buy another but I'd like to get back into a Porsche to use alongside the GT8. I agree....very tempting. Budflicker said:
Surely the condition of the car and mileage is what matters on a rare car like this?
What does it matter how many people have owned it before if most of them have hardly driven it?
And how on earth does it make it not worth 50k?
I'd definitely buy the car....but of course the number of owners has an effect on ease of resale and so value. Purely speaking from my own experience. What does it matter how many people have owned it before if most of them have hardly driven it?
And how on earth does it make it not worth 50k?
By all means go pay £50K for it if you want.
Andy-6ufnp said:
When you're giving it the beans there's not much wrong with the gearbox at all, pretty quick changes IMHO. Around town it can be a bit slushmatic occasionally but it's never been an issue for me, too much much other exciting things happening like whooshing and wastegate flapping noises. Doesn't take much to excite a 61yo petrolhead though.
But wouldn't it have been ace as a manual I didn't try the gearbox mods on my old one - maybe something to consider if I bought another.
Such a pretty car and very special.
Budflicker said:
I can't , i spent my money on a 5 owner Cayman R...
Bloody hell....I missed that 5 years ago when I bought my first Spider. Love it. 5 owner isn't 8 owner and that's a 1 of 1 colour on the CR which makes a difference. Was a long time ago but didn't it have the lithium battery?
GT4P said:
It is such a shame that the last 4 owners( I think all over the last 18 months) put very little if any miles on the car I suppose it was a victim of the crazy overs/ inflated prices of the last couple of years, it went from £50k to £55k and at one stage it was up for £60k so some one lost some money along the way , but it shows which way the market is going!
I think if someone bought it as a keeper then the last 7 owners would be irrelevant!
As mentioned before if I had the spare cash and the space to keep I would buy in a heartbeat but then the 981spyder up for £66k i saw today online is only £16k more and perhaps the better buy!
Totally agree with you. Although it's hard to commit to "keeper" status I think if someone bought it as a keeper then the last 7 owners would be irrelevant!
As mentioned before if I had the spare cash and the space to keep I would buy in a heartbeat but then the 981spyder up for £66k i saw today online is only £16k more and perhaps the better buy!
g7jhp said:
A manual 997.2 C2S coupe would be the best buy.
Looks, great 911 and non- chocolate engine plus usable. Plus you can use it and the value isn't as mileage sensitive.
Good 993 and 964's are hard to find, expensive to buy and maintain.
987.2 Spyder is nice but not as usable and mileage sensitive.
A nice 987.2 S is a good call (911R) as the best value Porsche, but at 45k I'd pick the 997.2 C2S.
Good luck.
Definitely a good call but I much preferred my 987 Spyder to the 997.2 C2S as a driving experience. Not saying I wouldn't buy one but all being equal I'd go Spyder. Looks, great 911 and non- chocolate engine plus usable. Plus you can use it and the value isn't as mileage sensitive.
Good 993 and 964's are hard to find, expensive to buy and maintain.
987.2 Spyder is nice but not as usable and mileage sensitive.
A nice 987.2 S is a good call (911R) as the best value Porsche, but at 45k I'd pick the 997.2 C2S.
Good luck.
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