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My price range really is open. If you made me tighten it down I would say $100,000-$200,000 right now. If I were super motivated, and given some extra time I could raise the upper to $300,000 but I think that's a little ridiculous for a first timer. It would probably be lost on me.
Option overload.
Don't have a strong opinion against modern turbos. My information was based on something I read from the bad old days but never encountered myself. I'd consider it a weak opinion.
I'm having fun. Thanks all for the advice. I may swing by the dealer again but he sent me away to do my homework and so here we are.
So far, GT3 Touring has the aesthetic I like but is probably too much power for me.
I say a GT3 (not the RS) with the PDK, Front axle lift, chrono clock, LED headlights and interior light pkg, Adaptive seats, I say in Orange
This can be a car that can hit the track on weekends and be a DD on weekdays hence no RS and no bucket seats :-)
this should come in at about $165k or so :-) depending on how much "icing" you want on the cake
I test drove the base Carrera this morning in Guards red/black interior and PDK. It was pretty fun and easier to drive than I'd expected. I did scrape it leaving/coming back into the parking lot. The salesman asked me to turn hard which I thought I did both times. He didn't seem to taken aback by it and it was pretty faint scraping if I could tell correctly. Scraping part of owning one or am I just a bad driver?
I test drove the base Carrera this morning in Guards red/black interior and PDK. It was pretty fun and easier to drive than I'd expected. I did scrape it leaving/coming back into the parking lot. The salesman asked me to turn hard which I thought I did both times. He didn't seem to taken aback by it and it was pretty faint scraping if I could tell correctly. Scraping part of owning one or am I just a bad driver?
Regarding the scraping, keep in mind, there are different ride heights that come with different suspension set ups. You likely had one of the highest ride heights available. Keep that in mind when you ponder scrapage. Think about where you drive, transitions into/out of your driveway, work parking lot, etc, etc. You may opt for a slightly higher suspension...or alternatively, if you opt a low slung suspension, you might want to ponder front axel lift option.
And yes, you can likely improve your scraping avoidance with a little strategy and practice.
I've had another dealership visits and test drive since I updated thread. I got to drive a 5000 mile 2017 GTS yesterday w PDK. It had the FAL but we never needed it.
The suspension definitely felt stiffer. Some road obstacles were actually a bit jolting to feel through the car.
I loved the Sport mode and the exhaust crackling. We took it to a highway entrance and the dealer asked me to wait for traffic to clear out then I 3/4 floored it. Bam. It was scary fast.
TBH, for a newbie it almost felt like "too much car." I'm sure that wouldn't last. It was more pronounced than the C2 which I also babied.
Dealer GM suggested a trip down to LA to drive a bunch. Who has done that and how does it work?
911 Carrera GT3, Guards Red
Thanks.
Last edited by dmourati; 08-22-2018 at 06:19 PM.
Reason: Add photo
I've had another dealership visits and test drive since I updated thread. I got to drive a 5000 mile 2017 GTS yesterday w PDK. It had the FAL but we never needed it.
The suspension definitely felt stiffer. Some road obstacles were actually a bit jolting to feel through the car.
I loved the Sport mode and the exhaust crackling. We took it to a highway entrance and the dealer asked me to wait for traffic to clear out then I 3/4 floored it. Bam. It was scary fast.
TBH, for a newbie it almost felt like "too much car." I'm sure that wouldn't last. It was more pronounced than the C2 which I also babied.
Dealer GM suggested a trip down to LA to drive a bunch. Who has done that and how does it work?
Thanks.
Porsche Experience in LA, which I agree with. Check it out online and I think you will see for the money it is worthwhile for a person like yourself. Have fun!
If you don't need back seats I think a lightly used 911T with manual transmission is a great way to dip your toes into Porsche ownership. The 911T feels special and fun to me. Plus with a little negotiating I think they can be had at around 100k with little miles. Smoking Tire recently did a great youtube review of the 911T with Spike and there impressions were spot on except I disagree with Spike you do not need ceramic brakes on that car. Good luck and keep us posted once you pull the trigger.
Need backseats to help sell the wife. We have a 2yo who will ride back there. Otherwise, I like the idea of the T and would still like to drive one. Would also really like to drive GT3 T and 911R.
Does almost everything one could hope for. Reasonable price, holds kids, hauls groceries and is speedy enough for 90% of what one would need as a daily driver/weekend car. It's actually an amazing deal for what you get.
Many first time buyers think this is their holy grail car....one they will keep forever. I thought that too. Spent countless hours on the configurator. Ordered and waited.
I'm on my 3rd Porsche since that "perfect" car. My point is get something reasonable. See what you like and don't like. Go from there. This doesn't have to be the one and only Porsche you ever buy.
Does almost everything one could hope for. Reasonable price, holds kids, hauls groceries and is speedy enough for 90% of what one would need as a daily driver/weekend car. It's actually an amazing deal for what you get.
Many first time buyers think this is their holy grail car....one they will keep forever. I thought that too. Spent countless hours on the configurator. Ordered and waited.
I'm on my 3rd Porsche since that "perfect" car. My point is get something reasonable. See what you like and don't like. Go from there. This doesn't have to be the one and only Porsche you ever buy.
Frankly, any 991 you will probably like, but beware of mission creep. RL is full of people who started out with buying a new 911 and then end up in a GTS or GT or turbo or something a year later.
For that reason, I suggest a used/CPO so someone else took the initial hit. Or, you know, get a GT2RS now or that Carrera GT and cut out the middle man.
Do you have an aversion to a CPO (certified pre owned)? If not, you could get a 991.1 naturally aspirated 911 in either a 3.4L (base) or 3.8L (S or GTS) engine. CPO warranty covers you for 6 years from first sale punch date, so as an example, a 2016 would have CPO warranty until 2021-2022.
All non GT non Turbo (with a big T) 911's went to a 3.0 liter turbo engine in 2017. Those would be referred to as 991.2 vehicles.
+1
Used gets you much further down the depreciation curve and if you decide to bail, well, you won't lose your shirt. CPO warranties are a gift that provides a lot of peace of mind. Bought my '04 GT3 with 5,500 miles and CPO. Glad I did as I saved $30K over sticker and the few issues I had with it paid for the CPO. Porsche maintenance is not all that cheap, unless you are shopping for a Ferrari.
My suggestion is a Carrera S. They command a better price and the nanny functions of the newer cars make driving the car a no-brainer. Join the PCNA and then sign up for a Driver's Ed through your local club. You will learn from a seasoned driver sitting right next to you how to drive your car correctly and safely. You will also have a blast. Don't overlook club Autocrosses. It's one of the safest ways to drive your car hard and learn good technique.
It would be a daily driver for me. I typically drop my kid off at daycare, go to work, do one or two errands, pick him up, and come back home. On the weekend, with any luck, it would be me, my wife, and our 2.5 yo.
I would say must have is fun to drive and not crazy dangerous. I can handle a manual transmission. Historically, I had always thought my Porsche would be manual. Def leaning that way.
The dollar part is the interesting one. I'm in a position to basically buy whatever I want. New job. Reward to myself. Cash on hand.
I was looking and buying my first Porsche for pretty much the same reasons as you. I bought a 2014 CPO 999.1 C2 with 15k miles on it. I absolutely love driving the car. It has the PSE so it sounds awesome. It's not a speed demon like the GTS or Turbo S I drove at Porsche Race Driving school but it isn't a slouch either. My kids love riding in it and my wife loves the car as well. Best $65k I have ever spent.
08-06-2018 | 03:14 PM
