Haili Selassie

I'll post my question first then let you dig into the thought process below if you care to.Should I switch from my current 11' Carrera S to a 996TT?

I just got a speeding ticket yesterday.I was accused of going 51 in a 40 zone.
(So ticky tack,but thats Guards Red effect maybe?)That unfortunately sets off a domino effect of insurance hikes.My 2nd point means I lose my 'good driver discount' and Mercury proper will no longer insure me so my already insane $250 per month bill goes to about $450! after my next renewal in 6 months.

I have been considering switching to a 996TT for some time now already as I see incredible value in it.I'm thinking I could sell the 997.2 C2S pocket the difference and get a faster albeit cosmetically (for many) inferior,and older vehicle.

I have heard many on the 997 board say that you should 'buy the newest Porsche you can afford' The thing I really like about the 997 that I btw bought just 9 months ago is the CPO is good for over 3 more years.That gives me a lot of peace of mind.I was originally thinking of switching at the CPO end but this has accelerated that thought process quite a bit.

I could save bundles of cash paying off my current $48K at 3.49% and just pay cash for a 996TT,get just minimum insurance rather than the full coverage I currently am required to have with a car on loan.

Enough rambling for now what do you think?Would you do it?Do you think I would regret it?

leftlane

None of this makes any sense really. Your insurance rates will not likely go down with this swap, and they may even go up. It would be silly to carry just liability on a car like this anyway. Also, if you think your red paint is a ticket magnet now, just wait until you get addicted to the boost - you'll be adding up points faster than Super Mario on a heroin binge.

I get the arbitrage on the price of the car, and that might make sense. The rest of it is financially dubious at best - if I had to vote on which car I'd take, it would be the 996TT, but for entirely different reasons.

Best of luck either way.

turbo4 me

I agree with leftlane. Making the purchase for insurance reasons is not the right reason. Your agent will ask you the original sticker price (probably $120k or so) and your rate will be based on that value. Carrying liability only is not the way I would go either.

Paying all cash for a faster car makes sense though; and you will get addicted to the boost-

"02996ttx50

if you think you're going to be prone to getting fewer speeding tickets you'll be sorely mistaken.

add: the "own the car" concept is misnomer and is really not true until you hav a clear title so, if you can sell the car? get out of debt on it and get into its faster cousin, then that alone would be worth the price of the shuffling, but only then.

you WILL miss the cpo because sh*t WILL break in the 96t, you'll be paying the bill and your ins is STILL gonna go up to the 400 a month. payoff what you've got, take traffic school if possible and payoff the debt you've got if you can't sell it and go sideways into the 96t and free yourself of debt. always the wiser choice. remember you don't "own" anything with a lien. think of your self as the last in line "partner".

just please don't call my suze.

"02996ttx50

no it won't not in ca. it will be based upon your record, zip code and lastly the current market value. 30 to 55k. big deal.

Haili Selassie

Thanks everyone for the quick replies.My good friend who happened to later become my Insurance agent explained that Mercury uses a formula that takes into account the year/model/value of a car and how much that particular vehicle costs them in payouts then consider your record to get your rate.So it is somewhat true in Ca. I will be billed for only the current value of the car which would be almost 1/2 of what I currently am billed for.

I don't know that I would use full insurance except for really extreme circumstances.For example I hit some debris on the Highway (Tire in the fast lane just minding my own business one night) and after consulting with my Ins. agent friend found that it would actually be cheaper considering the rate increase to pay myself.So $2500 later I have a new front bumper from the only collision center recommended by Porsche in my area and Full coverage did me no good whatsoever.

fly2low

My first recommendation is get a lawyer, and let him take care of the ticket. Don't know how it works in CA, but in the last three states I have lived in, lawyers have been able to make them vanish. Costs more on the front end, but I have had a spotless record for the last 20 years

DaveCarrera4

I suspect the insurance will be cheaper for the TT, as it is a lesser valued car for the insurance company. Whether to switch cars or not is up to you. The 996 TT is the ultimate Porsche deal right now. Regarding the ticket, if you go fight it sans lawyer, they may switch it to something more expensive but no points. I had a 15 over switched to triple parking.

"02996ttx50

^^ dave there is no such thing here in Kali, unless you have an atty to plead you down to a lesser.

there is no question an atty will usually be able to squash a ticket provided it hasn't been elevated to the level of a misdemeanor because they simply request changes of venue repeatedly and extensions so many times eventually the leo just never shows up or has been transferred or some type of technicality occurs, causing the ticket to be rendered void/invalid/dismissed. happens EVERY day. minimum cost upfront? 1 g note, easy. the judge or commissioner know what is going on but there are two kinds of justice ( at least two ) in our current system today.

pretty easy to figure them out and how they work. lol


BTW OP mercury paysout the value of the vehicle at the time of
"loss" or pays to have it repaired back to oem standard ( yeah right lol ) if the cost of part/labor repair isn't above ( iirc?? ) 60% of the total value of the vehicle according to their calculation. nothing changes that.

jumper5836

I don't believe it makes any sense to buy the newest 911 your can afford. If I want a 911 without covered bumpers your must buy a 911 and not a 964. If you want a 911 with true classic lines then the 964 is the last of the classic 911's. If you want the last of the air cooled engines, then get a 993. If you want the cheapest 911 that is quicker then all the older ones then you would get a 996.

"02996ttx50

...and for gods sake man.. do NOT tell your ins co you have empathy for hallie selassie!

they'll **** test you and raise your rates LOL

Haili Selassie

Haha okay for JAH's sake I will not tell Mercury of my admiration for His Imperial Majesty,or the Holy Sacrament.

Thanks again for all the perspective guys.Best case scenario it seems is I win as I have paid to contest it.Then I think I will ride out most of my CPO while continuing to keep an eye on 996t price moves.Maybe they won't be going the way of the air cooled in resale value,but I wouldn't rule that out,and I don't want to get priced out....Either way sooner or later God willing I will be here showing off my new to me 996tt.

"02996ttx50

i like the way you think man. by all means use up that cpo UP! ..although it DOES help as a selling point obviously. my last few weeks of CPO or factor warranty i had the master tech and i walking the car will a list and comb and don't ya know i even got glove box handles replaced n/c! of course i had ( ahem..) bought them lunch a cpl times by then anyway lol

then get the tt. by then they'll be 25k lol in either event, good luck.

techweenie

Referencing the insurance aspect of this thread: The VIN lookup tables used by some insurance companies and several car search web sites identify all 996TTs as "GT2s."

It may be worth using a human rather than an automated system to get the best insurance quote.

Kevinmacd

These cars get up to speed so quick, after a certain time frame you will take it for granted, and have to make a point of watching your speed even more.! Its intoxicating. If you get tickets in a 997 I guarantee you will get them in a 996tt!