I'm looking at purchasing a 996 for something in the vicinity of 30-35k to serve as a daily driver. Based on looking at ebay, cars.com, etc. I think that this should be quite doable. I live in Austin, TX where the weather ranges from being HOT in the summer to the occasional 30s in the winter. A work friend of mine has said that convertibles have a limited period of use in Austin (basically spring and fall) before it gets too hot or too cold. I've never owned a convertible before, so I don't have any personal experience in this area. I'm sure this is a highly subjective topic -- but I thought I would ask for opinions anyway.

 

In south Texas I still make use of my convertibles, from dusk till dawn. Mind you they are not my daily drivers. I assure you, you wont be disappointed with either choice.

 

If you decide to go with a coupe, I have a great car for sale that just might tickle your fancy. Click the link in my signature for more info.

 

Cab with a hard-top - best of both worlds.

Seriously, though - you can't go wrong with either. (Do you normally like convertibles? Have you had them in the past?)

 

depends on where you live... I hate to drive my cab with the top up (closed) to much noise and rattles, but since I live in socal I can drive my P everyday (if i had to) with the top down.

 

Coupe, personal preference. Can stand convertibles with the top up.

 

Given the fact that youo have never owned a cab, I would recommend a coupe.

I have never been much of a cab guy, but my wife has owned a couple of cabs (not Porsches) about 15 years apart. One was in Corpus Christi and the other in Charlotte, NC. After each of the cars was gone, I asked her if she put the top down as much as she originally thought she would prior to getting the cars. In both instances she said she dropped the top only about 20% of what she thought she would use it.

 

cabs hold more value...i think

 

I've had both coupes and a convertible - I'll stick with the coupe. The convertible was great in great weather, but not so much when the weather was bad - not just cold. Also, you may not be able to take your cab to a Drivers Ed event without modification, and that would be a shame. It's a great experience.

Whichever one you pick, I know you'll have a great time.

Bob

 

I'm partial to cabs... and during my shopping phase I did notice there was about a $5k difference between cabs and coupes (cabs being higher)... I like the cab with the hardtop idea... but I don't have enough room to store one... Here in So. Cal there's so much more to enjoy in a cab... cruising Mission Blvd on a warm July night is what the cab was made for...

$0.02...

Rudy
----------------------------
'01 Arctic Silver/Black C2 Cabriolet
'03 Silver F-150 Supercrew

 

I can't stand convertibles with the top down!

Seems like a lot of midlife men who needs attention that drives cabs.

 

That's kind of like saying I hate coupes because all the guys driving them are hiding their baldness. (Sorry, George, baldING...) As you mature you'll find that you start to like what you like because you like it, not because of what you think other people think. The bottom line is that cabs have a lot of upside when it's nice out and a lot of downside when it's not (or when someone cuts it to get in). It's a personal choice.

 

they are differant cars, IMHO coupes are for driving, cabs are for crusing. I have had a cab before and took the top down any time it wasn't raining. They are fun, but only if you use them.

 

Agreed. There are a lot of cheaper ways to get attention than driving a cab and to suggest that the reason for getting a cab is to get attention is less than polite.

Here in So Cal we have good driving weather at least 330 days a year and probably 250 of those days are top down days, so if mine rests in the garage for 35 days a year, no big deal... and neither are the 80 days that it's too cold to put the top down...

But you're right on point - I got what I got because I like it and I suppose if I worried about what people thought I'd be driving a Benz or Beemer instead...

Rudy
--------------------------
'01 Arctic Silver/Black C2 Cabriolet
'03 Silver F-150 Supercrew

 

cab