JJB236

My daily commuter to the office is a 91 Mercedes 300E. 2001 Black/black 996 C2 Tip is my evening car that has been paid off. I have been quite content with the 996 until the new body design 997 was introduced in late 2005. To tell you the truth, I didn't like the new front headlamps that look like a beetle at some angle, but the more aggresive curve on the 997, especially on the rear, grew on me, and I have been lusting after one even since. Driving in Century City yesterday, I saw a three black 997. A blonde hottie was driving a black 997 TT. They all looked bad. What is with these late model P-cars that make the existing 996 owners still want one

My options:

1. Sell the 996 and use the money to get 997 S. Who knows how long it will take to sell a 996 Tip...
2. Keep the recently paid-off 996, and since I can take on a new payment - get a late model Range Rover (still single, so don't need 3 cars yet, but the Rover will compliment my 996)

Anyone had similar dilemma? It would be wonderful if I could have a 997 S and a 2007-2008 Range Rover.

LowStro9

Keep the 6, blow off the pig of a Rover (they suck, had one), take cash from car payment and double down on your mortgage principal. Ok, that's not for everyone but it's my route.

GL with your decisions.......

Benjamin Choi

Even if you did get the 997S and Rover, you'd still want more, no?

I'm a bachelor and own 2 cars: 996 C4S and '99 Jeep Cherokee. Sure, I'd love to have an Escalade on 24s as my daily, but then what is the real value add for the additional cost? It's not like I have anything to prove or sit additional rear ends in the car (e.g. rugrats). The Cherokee is economical, anonymous, and fits a lot of **** due to its boxy quarters. The Porsche more than meets the oooh ahh quota that the Escalade/Rover on chrome will never begin to approach.

Anyways, given you have an MK1 automatic 911, I'd get rid of that ASAP. Anything is going to be better and the 3.8 engine runs strong. I'm also not a fan of the front end on the 997. The bigger the headlights, the more modern it looks in most cases. I am a fan of the rear quarters since the shape of the 997 has been remolded to have some more visual hippage. But then the rear end of my 996 C4S is wider than that of the 997 S so I don't envy it as much as I do the 997 C4S/Turbo/GT3 RS.

Bottom-line, I'd keep the Benz as the daily beater (I assume it's reliable), ditch the torque converter burdened C2, and pick-up the very thing you are lusting over. It's fast, smooth, and has been hit hard by the depreciation stick since they are making more of the 997s than even the 996.

For me, I'm going to skip the 3.8 and go for a 3.6 GT1-based engine (997 GT3) or just wait some more for an F-car all the while continuing the daily driver chores in the Jeep truck.

P.S. Save the Range Rover soccer mom car desires for when you HAVE to (marriage)

P.P.S. Enjoy LA for me - I want to move down there soon

Ray S

I'd hold off. 996's have already taken the brunt of their depreciation hit, 997's are just getting started. Wait until mid '08. The 3 year lease cars will hit the market as CPO's and the release of the 997 Mk II should drive the Mk I's down some. Or if you really want to see the market level off wait until the 998 has been out for a year or two.

JJB236

That's right. I'm the one who always tell my friends: You only live once, but also you're only young once. Regardless of height being 6'2" and looking a little odd with the size of the P-cars, I need that 997 S in my garage. Fast approaching big 40 got me started exploring to other cars like BMW M6 and 750 (for business meetings) to go w my age and status in the business world. But those 2/4 door sedans are just so damn boring (exception of an M6, but 6-series are already a dime a dozen in L.A. M6 just doesn't have the Porsche charisma) It was the 10 years of luxurious ride in my Benz that pushed me to get the race cars like the Vette and 996.

I have a feeling you'll fit right in with L.A. life more than WA. Cheers.

Benjamin Choi

i can totally tell how much you love the 911 so hey you got the hardest part down. and i too am big on living life to the fullest and not stressing over mortgage, equity, serious adult stuff like that... but then you gotta not be so fatalistic and think about how you want your lifestyle to be when you do get older and wiser and busier (kids, commitment to wife, her family, etc) as toy cars become less and less of a priority.

M5s, M6s, S63 AMGs... all very nice luxurious cars. but again, a bit pedestrian to have it really tug at your automotive heartstrings. i agree.

sounds like you're on the way up and up... get rid of the 996, and pick up that 997 as it has a lot of life left in it (one of the beauties of the 911 is that they age so well unlike your bimmers, benzos, rovers where you always have to have the latest to feel "in")

P.S. I go to LA often (just this past weekend in fact) and grew up there in my childhood - To Live and Die in L.A. Once you get that 997S, let's meet up at urth and grab some breakfast and some early 20s LA hoochiemommas

slaaw

How about some good ole American muscle, like a Shelby GT500?

hwk72

If this would be my benchmark, I'd drive a Carrera GT. Why do you need to live at your credit limit? Put the money for the "new payment" aside and invest in something with value. Cars are consumables and honestly, you'll never get ahead of the curve or even rich if you just consume; sorry might sound like a smart *** but I'm just not a fan of living on the nod.

tdub

I think you already know what you're gonna do and just want people to substantiate your decision...

GET THE 997!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
no brainer.

tw

Barn996

tdub is right. 997s is the right choice. I think the headlights are an improvement to the 996 and the P-car is that much improved. Nix the Rover idea.

Benjamin Choi

hwk, with alldue respect, how can you even begin speaking like a financial advisor to this guy when you have no F-ing clue about his asset/income/expense package?

we are on a car forum and he's asking a very simple question. let's focus on the author's question here and not veer off into some very personal path called $$$$$$s and sense.

skiracer

Upgrade the P-car and enjoy your life before changes are imposed upon you.

JJB236

ha ha live at my limit? whatever gave you that idea, my 91 300E? thanks for your concern. But spending money on a $100K 997 would be only a fraction of a fraction of my income and asset. oh, and believe me, i have enough multi-milion dollar investments than you can ever imagine. i think the people in this forum has their own financial means to afford a car like the P.

Benjamin Choi

i was gonna treat, but nevermind, you're buying

gota911

Get the 997S and don't look back.

Oh yeah, then buy Ben some breakfast!