WHB Porsche

i recently fell in love with the 993 turbo, however ownership has been, for the most part, a fantasy. we are in the market for a new car and are about to buy a brand new Audi S4 25th Anniversary Edition. it's a HOT car, and wonderfuly aggresive looking. it is about $62k new, and that's in 1996 993TT territory. i know it's a VERY wierd comparison, but we are nearing a deal and i realized that a 993tt would not be out of the question. the cars are very different, however they are both fun, rare, and interesting. whatever we get would be the only car for our family (mother & son) and would have to be able to live through a new york winter (993's AWD is very attractive). so, my question is, what do you guys think? i am also trying to find a 993TT for sale in the new york area to test drive, regardless of price, to find out if we even want one. does anyone know of any cars for sale in the area, or would any NYC-area members be willing to work a deal for a "test drive" (even if it's not for sale, perhaps we could buy you a tank of gas or something). i understand it's a lot to ask for, but would be truly appreciated before we dive into something. thanks in advance for any advice/help.

oh, and great forums by the way!

shaynes

Well if you want to loose 20grand or more in the first year of ownership with the Audi, go for it, or buy a TT, and drive it with minimal depreciation then that is a better choice if you ask me. All of my P cars are holding or increasing, oh that's not true the watercooler of my wife's will always depreciate.... that's a shame.

Kevin

You have to realize that the 993TT is 10 years old. It is not a new car. You will also need to invest monies into repairs. It will not be like a new car driven off the lot with a warranty. Driving a 993TT in the New York snow=salt/corrosion.. This will lead to costly repairs.

993TT are holding there value. The Audi will be worth how much in 5 years?

There should be a few Rennlisters in your neck of the woods who might meet up with you.

mrsullivan

if i understand right, you want a 993tt to be the only car for you, your wife, and child?? i would definitely go with the S4 for that application...

as an aside, if i was going to pay $62k for the anniv edition, i would kick in another $10k or so and get the RS4... night and day better car for not much more $$ i think

WHB Porsche

the car is for me and my mom. and RS4 vs. S4 is also night and day difference in drivability...

by the way, she's a great driver, and it was somewhat ironic seeing the audi dealers (who aren't allowed to drive the 25quattro S4) watch with jealousy as we went on a test drive...

mrsullivan

i am confused...

but bottom line, i think the 993tt is about as good as it gets for porsches... i want one bad. there are those on the board that would disagree, but i dont see it as a daily/bad weather driver...

although the s4 comes in automatic, more tame, etc. than the RS4... i still dont think that the anniv justifies the $62k price tag...most of the anniv gear is cosmetic. i would either get a normal s4 or go for the rs4...

all just my opinion, so no offense... you asked for what we think, right?

Rob 97 993c2

i live in nyc and my TT is the only car i own. That said, i dont need a car really, so the TT is a toy for fun on weekends and track.
To your points.. just forget about using the TT in winters . period! The AWD doesnt do much and unless you change the tires to snow tires, which would be dificult to store an extra set of rims in nyc, the car is very dangerous in any snow or ice.
Also, if you get one in the city, the poor roads would just destroy the alignment and suspension - they are very alignment sensitive. Im so careful about selecting the proper roads just to escape the city. Driving in the city is out of the question.

So, i think the audi is more practicle if you need a car. Get the TT if you can live without a car and are willing to do alot to put-up with a car that "has needs" .. almost like a child that has a learning disability.
I love my TT dearly, but its a labor of love. it doesnt work if you need to depend on it in nyc

WHB Porsche

anniv. edition is fully loaded (comparable equipped S4 would cost 55-56k), looks great (current generation S4 could easily be mistaken for an "A"), and says "1 in 250" on the shift **** (not a big deal, but cool nonetheless). it is also available before september, as all S4s in the area are sold out until 2007 m/y. reading some reviews of the RS4 the clutch is very grabby, suspension very harsh, and it must be special ordered (no try before you buy). the car is usually used as a commuter, so that's important.

the cost of comparably attractive aftermarket wheels and body mods makes up about half the difference, and the rarity will hopefully help it hold its value.

thanks for the quick replies mr. sullivan, and i did ask what you think, so feel free to speak your minds, guys.

i realize i forgot to mention, the car WILL be garaged.

WHB Porsche

my last post must've been while you were typing, rob. i think your post really sums it up. the car will be relied upon somewhat, and having a warranty and service in midtown (from audi) is very nice. i also remember hearing from someone that the independent porsche specialists in northern NJ were better than NYC dealers (wouldn't surprise me if not every dealer knew 993TT well, when we had a Nissan 300ZX it was difficult to find someone who knew what they were doing...), which would be a PITA for a relatively maintenance-intensive 10 y/o car.

thanks for the advice, all. i guess i'll have to find a good audi board. of course i'll stick around here, though.

Stummel

Why buy a new Audi and throw away a 20k USD in the first 2 yrs?

I think an Audi can never be cool or even fun.
Buy a used Audi and invest the 20k for 3yrs and then buy a P-car.

BTW: My daily driver is a 06 A6 that costs me nearly nothing and I still don't know if it is worth it :-)

Rassel

Seems like everyone brings up the same point:

"Why throw away 20k USD for 2 years?"

If I where you either look at the 993TT or take a look on a used S4/RS4
Anniversary Editions usually comes nicely packed with options and goodies, but in the end I don't really see those holding value so much better than standard cars. So if I where you (or your mom) I'd make a budget over let say five years and throw in the option of selling the car. Once you've done that you've got purchase + maintenance - sales price = long range budget. I bet an S4 can't beat a used RS4 or a 993TT in that.

Rob 97 993c2

just remember, that everything costs more in nyc regarding cars, especialy for cars that are not viewed as disposable. You will have to tip (bribe?) the garage very, very well to take good care of your TT otherwise it will get scratched and dinged. There are no trustworthy p-cars shops in manhattan, so you will have to leave the car between 1 to 2 hours away from the city when it needs service. And, the roads are so bad that the car will fall into a pothole and disappear!

IMHO, if you want a car, just get a used Audi a4 (i have access to a 99 Audi a4 and its great and feels like an off-road vehicle compared to the 993tt) and have piece of mind. If you dont "need" a car then get the 993tt, but be prepared for its needs.

robroy72

Buy an 04 S4 V8 for your commuting use (I think my 04 is worth about $38K right now with 20K miles on it ... higher mileage (40-60k) ones seem to be in the low 30s.) and buy a 911 for weekend pleasure use. The S4 would still have 2 year warranty left to go on it, up to 48K miles, and has done most of the dramatic part of the depreciation.

If you can only have one car, then a new S4 is probably your best bet. I wouldn't buy the Anniversary edition, personally, as I don't think it would make any difference when reselling, but its your money!

mrsullivan

www.audiworld.com is an absolutely great board....

still think you should get a "normal S4"... i agree that the 25th anniv is a nice package with the little touches (the upgraded carbon fiber is very cool with bigger weave than the normal)... but not sure worth the $7k+ difference... again, just my opinion.

I currently drive a Toyoto Avalon for a daily beater and my Porsche on weekends/really nice days, etc. I have always thought that if I wanted to take a hiatus from my Porsche, I would sell both and get either an S4 or RS4...so I have done a lot of research, test drives, etc. on this topic...which is why i am so opinionated about it

Rob 97 993c2

Or maybe try the S4 from the 2000-01 vintage (i dont know the model name). These have the 2.7l Turbo, so you can also do some turbo mods if you want a low key car that can be really fast. I test drove this S4 before my girlfriend got her A4 (1999) and it was pretty quick when onboost. Probalby not terribly expensive either and better in the NYC.

I believe the newer S4 cars are NA and they get alot heavier - that said, ive never driven one.