CincyScott

So, if you really think you can help me, you're better than all of the doctors in the world, but I need a place to think (type) out loud and get a little feedback. I'm considering getting a 996tt Cab as a DD. I can get one of two black/black cabs for high 40s. Both are manual, both are low miles, both have pros and cons in terms of options.

My bigger problem is that I have a damn near perfect 997tt in the garage. I won't sell this car, it's exactly what I wanted when I was looking, and I won't find one like it again. I'll put a few thousand miles a year on it, and love the hell out of it.

So, what's the problem with that? I've always wanted a Porsche I could drive every day. The perfect car to drive every day is the one sitting in the garage, but I just can't make myself do it for some reason. So, I'm thinking that a 996tt cab as a "disposable" turbo may be the answer... but I'm not sure. The 997tt is in storage 300 miles away and maybe I'm just missing it too much.

Unlike lots of others, I think the 996tt has lots of merit. It may be a little ugly in the front, but it's a little more raw than a 997tt. My kids are still young enough to fit in the back and not bitch, and they are pretty reliable for what they are. Since moving to Nashville, a cab becomes much more of an option year round, and with the occasional jaunt back to Cincinnati, you could have less fun for the same dollars.

So here's where I wax philosophical:

1) is it dumb to have two 911 turbos? One as a DD and the other as a "toy?"
2) Will the 996tt bottom out value wise to where it makes no sense not to just drive the hell out of it?
3) Are 996tt values on the rise? They seem to be from my shopping
4) Why the hell aren't there 40k 997.1tt's out there?
5) What else is even a possibility for 40-50k that even comes close?

Thanks for indulging me.

Respectfully yours,
Smokin' Monkey

MK_TT

Scott,

does the potential daily have to be AWD?

We both have had 996tt's , and went to 997tt's so you kinda know what your getting into...

triplenet

IMHO driving a performance car as a DD takes some of the enjoyment away ...

I have a Land Cruiser as my DD and 997TT as my weekend car...

Dennis C

I also believe that the 996 TT has some very good qualities. I loved my 996 C4S. A friend of mine has a 993 TT with low mileage, and he ended up buying a 996 TT as his daily driver because he didn't want to put miles on the 993.

Personally, I don't see the 997 TT achieving collector status like the 993 TT. I think it will slowly appreciate in value over the years, but it won't be viewed as the last of an era like the 993.

If I were you, I would move the 997 TT closer to your home so you can drive it more. If you really want another daily driver, then get something totaly different. I went with a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 crew cab. I love it.

I don't believe that you can ever have too many Porsches, but in your case it seems like a shame to let the 997 TT sit while you drive a 996 TT. It's like cheating on your gorgeous wife with a mistress who isn't quite as good so that you can keep the "miles" off of your wife.

I know a guy who has lots of nice watches, and he particularly likes the Rolex brand. He has several high end Rolexes. He's so afraid that he is going to lose or damage one, or even have it stolen, that he never wears them. He wears fake Rolexes from China instead. What's the point of owning it if you never use it??

Quadcammer

1. No. I have two turbos and they are great. The 993 is much different than a 996 though. Do I think its dumb to have a 996tt and a 997tt...yes I do.

2. I think, given a lack of major financial distress world wide, 996TT prices are pretty stable. You'll never get killed on it.

3. Could be, but I think they will have more volatility than more blue chip cars.

4. I'd buy every 40k 997tt i could find.

5. 40k to 50k buys a lot of used cars. Everything from a CL65 mercedes in great shape to an older high mile Aston Martin Vantage. M3s, RS4s, Jaguar XKR, C63 coupe, and on and on. There are literally tons of choices.

TT Surgeon

I've had the opposite, the 997tt as a dd and various 930s and a 993tt as a Saturday car. Hated thrashing the 997 daily, eventually sold all the old ones and drive an explorer sport as a daily and it's taken a beating. Wife drives "my" Macan s.....
Agree the cars re too similar. A tt makes a nice dd, not a great dd.

sshu930

I think the 996tt is too similar to a 997tt. If you want a cab and Porsche then why not a used boxster? It can have a warranty so you don't worry about repairs. It weighs 500 lbs less than a 996tt cab. You can get a Pdk which makes it easier to daily. I think the other option is to find a closer garage so you can enjoy the 997tt when the weather is right.

RugRunner

Grab an older Cayenne or a Macan (if you can find one in your target range).
Or an MB E or S class…those take a depreciation whooping when they pull off the lot new.
All will be nice and will create a nice variance between DD and play car.
Otherwise, you're drinking a 12 year old scotch every single day but getting a 15 year when you're feeling wild. Not a big spread...

911mhawk

Agree with the above. My daily is a 540 six speed that I've done suspension, LSD, and bushings on. Nice to park anywhere while hauling stuff/people and still goes well. Also, it makes the turbo feel fast again! I've always liked having a few cars that drive different for unique experiences in each.

nzskater

I'd go an E55 or a 5 series M sport BMW. Will make the 997 feel more unique.

Kevin

I think that many of us have the sickness of owning multiple turbo's.. I understand what Scott is saying.. His 997TT is near garage queen status.. Unicorn white, centerlocks and well kept. The sickness doesn't allow him to thrash the car all winter or rack up the miles as a DD.

With that said, I think that buying a 996TT as the work daily driver makes sense.. What's out there in this class for mid $40K...

Hindsight> my parts runner, grocery getter was a '92 965.. It's not any more with what it's worth today. The 996TT makes sense.. I recently picked up another 996TT to put in parts runner/grocery getter status!!

TT-911

Listen to Kevin, he makes sense

If you are able to run a 996tt as a daily that is exactly what I would do.
Keep your 997 as a garage queen and drive the hell out of the 996.

There is more to a Porsche than driving it. All the rest matters too for a car nut.
You'll miss all that once you start DD the 997.

Igooz

Don't feel bad for owning multiple Turbos!
996TT is aging very well! Buy it, drive it, and I bet it won't depreciate much.

CincyScott

Thanks to all of the psychologists out there for the free advice

I'm struggling because I'd really like to drive a Porsche everyday as a DD, but it's hard to justify having two. The wife is ok with it, but she rarely cares, it's more my conscience. In a couple years the kids won't fit, and it will make even less sense.

I don't need AWD anymore (but I do like it) as MK_TT pointed out. I work from home full time now, but have monthly or bi-monthly trips to Cincinnati (300 miles one way) to check in on my client. I'm looking for something I'd really love to drive for those trips... and I don't think a sedan is it this time. BUT, there's always the E55 or E39M out there.

Macster

Justify two Porsches because you want to drive one daily and have the other for less frequent but speciall occasion use.

I own two Porsches. A Boxster and a 996 Turbo. Primarily I use the Boxster but the Turbo gets used couple of times a week.

My usage involves a 30 mile drive to work then of course a 30 mile drive home again 5 days a week and the occasional grocery run or other errand here in town. Unless the Boxster is in the shop it gets used for these in town errands.

If one has to drive and the roads and conditions are conducive to using a high performance sports car why not drive a Porsche? I could buy another car but no other cars really interest me at this point.

Get the 996 Turbo Cab if you want, if you really like the top down driving experience. Honestly, I tired of this real quick with my Boxster and never drive with the top down. But I do like the car -- it is a sweet driving automobile attributable in part to its mid-engine location -- and with the top up it is quieter than my Turbo.

The only real gotcha is, or could be, the 996 Turbo running costs. The more you drive the car the more consumables you'll go through. I average around 20K miles per year in my Turbo -- I'm trying to cut back but it is hard! -- (and around 22K miles per year in my Boxster) and well, I am willing to foot the cost in order to drive the cars I want to drive when and how I want to drive them.

Since I buy my cars to own for a long time and generally put some big miles on them I don't care about resale value. I take care of the cars and give them proper servicing to keep them nice and reliable and prolong their useful service life but when (if) the time comes resale value is what it is.