georgiadis

Hello to all!
This is my first post (actually I have made the same post in the 993 section so as to view the approach to my dileema from both perspectives), so I guess I should introduce myself before getting any further.
My name is George and I will be moving to LA (I currently live in Greece) in the coming August, where I will be staying for at least 4 years (PhD student at UCLA's Anderson School of Business).

Owning a Porsche - especially the RS and the 993 - has been my dream since I was a kid and I am planning to fullfill that dream!

My question to you is which one I should go for....
Here are my thoughts and options as I see them:
1. '96+ 993 Coupe with a budget up to about $40K
2. Early 996 Turbo with a budget up to about $50K
3. Early 997 with a budget up to about $55K
4. '05+ Boxster (S) with a budget up to about $45K

What I really want is a 993, but given the small difference in price, I am thinking that a newer model is a safer bet.
A 996 Turbo is probably too much, just as a 997, both in terms of speed and maintanance costs (19" tyres mainly).
Furthermore, I believe that the 993 having less mechanical grip and more awkward balance will have more to offer in terms of the driving experience.

I am also considering a latest model Boxster (either the standard or the 'S' derivative).
That should be the most reasonable choice and being open-top should come in handy at LA, but it lacks the 911 heritage.

Finally, I am considering a Lotus Elise and a Corvette C6 as alternative options, but they are not really in my shortlist.
A late model S2000 has also crossed my mind as a cheap alternative (around $20K), but insurance is more expensive than the 993 and overall it's not that special.

I have the following concerns in regards to my purchase:
1. I will not have a lot of free time at least during my first 2 years, so I would like to avoid a car that will need constant fettling.
I currently have a track-prepped MX-5 NC Limited here in Greece and I don't want to go through that preparation and maitenance process again (pads & lsd oil need replacing every 5K, monoballs making strange noises, etc...)

Reliability is a must and I am not sure if a 993 will prove reliable enough given its age. Furthermore, I would definitely like to avoid the need to rebuild my engine.

2. I assume that speed limits are enforced in CA and I don't plan to budget for fines. So I would want to be able to enjoy my car at relatively low speeds as well - I assume for instance that a Turbo won't be much fun at 60 mph, whereas a 993 or a Lotus Elise will have more to offer in terms of feel and feedback....

Additionally, I plan to attend a few trackdays annually (assuming that I will have the time), so I also need to take the costs related to wear on the track under consideration.
The 993 having 17" tyres should help a lot!
On the other hand, the Turbo being mechanically more complex, heavier, AWD and understeer-biased will likely prove neither very cost-effective, nor very entertaining.

3. In the cost of ownership, I am accounting for depreciation as well, which should be nonexistent for the 993, whereas it will probably be quite significant for the Boxster and the 997.
Is it a safe bet to assume that 996 Turbo's will eventually pick up in value just like all previous 911 Turbo's?

So my question is: Based on your experience and given my concerns and budget, which one should I go for?

Thank you people for your help in advance and I apologize for the extensive post.

blk on blk

Sounds like the 993 is out for you. The maintenance and possibility that you will do a rebuild is pretty high given the age of the car at this point. They are reliable and have a great engine, but the maintenance costs when something does hit you will be severe. The general rule is buy the newest car you can afford. For my money I think at this point I would find the best 997 in your price range. You may be able to find one of those with a good bit of CPO warranty remaning. The 996 turbo is tempting if you need the speed. For my personal preference I still think I take any 997 derivative just because I like the interior and exterior styling much more than I would like the extra power of the 996 turbo. In addition it would be a bit tougher to find a 996 turbo in your range with remaining warranty which it appears warranty would be very important for you given you do not want to be paying much if anything out of pocket. The Boxster is a fantastic car and perhaps on many levels the most fun POrsche to drive. That said I find most people who have a choice between a 911 and a Boxster will still want a 911 if they end up choosing the Bosxter, but I know of no one who has ever chosen the 911 and wished they got the Boxster.

texas911

993. Its a good reference point for the 911. Its still a good preforming car, but is easy out performed by new cars, let alone the 997. Get the 993 keep it for a while, then get a 997. Best of both worlds.

vizman

I would vote for a 997 Carrera, cant do better in terms of reliabilty and overall experince IMO as far as a daily driver is concerned. And btw, the standard carrera comes with 18" wheels.

bella1

Agree the 997 is a fantastic car. As you can see from mysignature, I own a 996, 997, and 04 Boxster. The Boxster is a blast and the new Boxster S has the same power as the Cayman

nkhalidi

I distilled your post for the more ADD-afflicted members around here

Since outright speed isn't a huge concern for you, the 6TT is superfluous. Since reliability and durability are concerns, a 993 might take more of your time than you'd like. This leaves the 997 and Boxster. For sheer fun of driving, I'd opt for the top-down Boxster.

An early base 997 might be a good option as another poster mentioned, but it might be possible to find a really late 996 with primo options (X51, LSD, full leather, etc) and low miles for less money than an early 997. I'm not sure what the n/a 996 market looks like right now.

str8line

Considering you don't need the rear seats of a 911(no kids), I think a Boxster S would be a great car to have in sunny SoCal. It has good storage space, is reliable, cheap, convertible and a great driving car. That would be my choice if I were in your position, even though I have a 911 C2S.

MUSSBERGER

CPO'd 997

Edgy01

A guy named GEORGE from GREECE? That has to be a first!

PHD candidates should not be driving Porsches. It's not a great first impression on your graduate advisor.

georgiadis

Thank you guys for your answers!!

A Boxster is unarguably a very good car, probably no slower than a 911 99% of the time.
However I fear that I will just end up wanting that 911.

The way I see it, the 993 represents the end of an era, a low-volume 911 that is already a classic.
On the other hand the water-cooled models although exceptionally sorted cars, will become the old, dull-looking model as soon as their successor is released.
Therefore I am not considering a 996 and I am concerned that the 997 will look outdated and far less special as soon as the next model (even facelift maybe) hits the market.

I have thought about the Porsche at college thing and I can't think of any sports car that would make a good impression. Besides (another advantage of the 993), a 10+ year old 911 shouldn't look flashy but to very few people.

C4SCABHVN

Ok George, what are you trying to stir up? Your original post appeared to be well reasoned and asked good questions. But what are you doing with this latest post?

Telling a bunch of 997 owners that their cars "will look outdated and far less special as soon as the next model (even facelift maybe) hits the market" - well what exactly do you want from us?

With all the assertions in your last post you pretty much answer your own questions, at least as I see it!! Specifically, you don't want a Boxster, you're worried about the "non--classiness" or maybe the perceived "non-classicness" of the 997 - well then go right ahead and buy the 993.

It's a great car! And perhaps you knew what you wanted all along. Enjoy.

eljeffo64

1. Get the newest 997 you can afford on your budget
2. Go and compare what you might have had to spend to get one in Greece
3. Smile to yourself, spend the balance on "meeting the locals" and get on with it!

georgiadis

I am sorry C4SCABHVN if I seemed to discrediting the 997. I only pointed out its disadvantages from my point of view and based on my needs.
I am generally inclining towards the 993, but I am wondering whether it might just be more worth it paying that extra $10K or so to get a 10-year newer, more accomplished car.

In Greece it would take several years for me to be able to afford a 911 - the cheapest one can get a used 911 is $80K+. The 997 new is over $150K! And this is one of the reasons I really want to grab the opportunity to own a 911.

Crazy Canuck

Buy what you like.

Opinions are like ********. Everybody has one.

wetstuff

You could have all the dot-com money in the World; you'd still look like you're driving your father's 911.

Get the Boxster ..leave something on the table to look forward to, or maybe at 50 you'd need $4,000 hookers to tweak your ****.