Fonz0

Eddie Merckx was asked what advice he had for anyone wanting to be a great cyclist. "Ride Lots" he said. To you, I say "Drive lots." Drive EVERYTHING you can find. I drove 5-6 cars before buying my 1987. I knew it immediately when I drove it. THIS was what I wanted in a car. Does the AC work like a newer model? No. Does the Heater? No. Does it have PASM or Antilock brakes? No. Does it have a soft comfortable ride. No. Does it put you so in touch with the road that you swear you have asphalt up your ***? Yes. you feel EVERY nuance of the road. Curves are a whole new joy, and the torque curve seems endless. Now some may want comfort. Don't buy a 1987. Just saying. And I am using mine as a DD- 17.8 glorious miles each way every day.

masterdave

tkrtape12

That looks like a nice car but you never know whats under that nice looking out side. Every thing looks to be in order and it sounds like a good ride but I would stay away from it, my biggest concern is whats what on that car. If some thing breaks what do you replace it with. Who did the body work, are they well known? Who did the engine mount work? what kind of shape is the engine in? If you are serious about it a good PPI is a must but for 24K you can find a very nice SC or Carrera that will be all original.

Regards
Dave

ChemMan

I have had both so I will throw my 2 cents on this. The 996 is a fun car and a great daily driver. It is very civilized but throw it on a curvy road and you will have a blast. That being said, I would rather have an air cooled 911.....almost any day of the week. The down side to the air cooled 911's, or at least mine, was the constant small things that would come up. Not major stuff but the car needs work to keep on the road. The 996 is much less work but then it is much newer. Plus, the IMS thing does loom pretty large in the background. The IMS guardian is a big peace of mind.
I retro fitted 3 pt seat belts into my 86 carrera so I could take my boys along with me on drives. Finding kid seats that would fit took a bit of doing. The 996 on the other hand is simple to get the kids in. Once my sons are a bit older though, I have no doubt that I will reenter the aircooled world. I miss my 86 carrera. Dont think I will be able to say the same once I sell the 996. Next time around....930...maybe!!!!

Brownmop

Keep looking and you will find the right car. I was looking for months and through some ridiculous luck (a friends bad spelling) i came across an 84 that is all original, documented and has less than 60,000 miles and I purchased it for mid teens.
I love driving older cars and getting used to their quirks and personalities they are so enjoyable... I swear I'm not parting with this one !

tkrtape12

Thanks Dave your a good voice of reason.... I think I'm going to look at SC I'll keep you posted..

911 Crazy

Beautiful car. I'm looking at a 84 Coupe also with 60k+ miles. Tell more about yours!

Michael T

I would not write off the 996 right away. I know the front end and fried egg headlamps put off some folks. The aero package cars look very contemporary. Yes there were IMS issues on some cars, but I would point out that a 25ish year old 911 may very well need a top end at $11,000 plus. I had a 996 before my 997 and it was very reliable. If it is a daily driver the HVAC is night and day better in the later cars to include the 996. The pre 1990 cars are substandard at best. I went through an expensive upgrade to the AC on my 1987 Targa but it is still below modern technology if you live in a warm climate.

RW964

Just my 2 cents on his future purchase. I have not driven any 996s but 997s and a few older cars .. I now have my 90 C2 and will not give it up. Drives great and talking about the pavement in the butt post I feel every bump and crack in the road and know just what the car is doing.
Such a great ride. I like the newer cars for what they are but given my 964 I will have it for a long time it drive just like the 911 E. That is a good seat of the pants. The newer cars have there place and I will give them there spot in the lights but you cannot get the feel of the older cars it seems...

dhagood

this is the quintessential advice for a prospective 911 owner that does not have previous experiences with the marque. my experience is that the cars have gotten more powerful, heavier, and are more comfortable as the engine displacement has increased. some people like the simple, light, tossable cars; some people prefer the complex, heavier, more capable cars. drive a bunch of different kinds of 911s and see what grabs your fancy.

Gueedokillerpimp

bbinder, I've driven a 993, 996, and 84 Carrera. The 84 Carrera is the car that I really fell in love with from the moment I sat in it, and more so after I drove it. The only problem was the 915 would grind while going from 2nd to 3rd. From what I've read, the 915 is fine as long as it's been maintained, so maybe this car had been neglected. The G50 cars seem to be about 8-10k more, so I'm trying not to rule out pre 87 cars based on my one experience with the 915.

yumyum1667

As others said drive a few and see what you like. For example I shopped for a Carrera/964/993 and ended up with the Carrera. My neighbor on the other hand is shopping for a 996 with aero kit because he likes the more modern cars and the design.

If this is going to be a weekend driver I say go with one of the older ones.