TheLastTemplar

First and foremost, I am new to this forum and hope to be a regular

Now, before I begin, I am kinda "cheap", meaning I don't like to spend excess amounts on all kinds of things, like brand name foods or shoes, or super high end HiFi speakers costing $5000 a pair, etc

As for where I live, there are apparently over 50,000 potholes (a variety of sizes) that have not been filled or attended to in my city-- a major fix/reconstruction for the oldest/uneven roads isn't in the city's budget anytime soon.

Now onto the Porsche, I have kind of decided I want to spend a maximum of $32,000 USD on one.No more, as a budget's a budget. I know I have to set aside a few grand aside per year, but that is expected and I have no worries on that. It's the outright buying to own cost I am most concerned about.

I have seen 2 996 Twins that are selling for $28,000-$30,000 USD, but with over 90K miles on them. They appear to have been well taken care of looking at both ads and what the seller has written. Reading on these Turbo's engine, they are rock solid and durable, and can run near or past the 200K mark so I'm not put off by the 90K miles put on them.

Then there are less expensive alternatives like a 1999-2004 C2 and C4 models. I don't know much differences between the facelifted models and the earlier models from 1999 and 2000, other than more HP, higher torque per sq inch, and a new front bumper and Turbo Xenon headlamps.

Reliability wise, after doing the IMS and RMS upgrades, I am at a lost. The newer models with lower mileage would be the way to go for these M96 engines, but then again I hear the 1999 models are great due to the smaller 3.4L engine and the shorter strokes needed compared with 2000 year model onwards.

So I'm at a lost to which model I should get. All I know is I want a Guards Red, Black or Matte Black color scheme-- yellow being one I may consider. I am not interested in silver or blue colored cars. If I were to get this car, it will be only driven in dry/slightly wet conditions-- NEVER in winter, even if the 911 had AWD like the Carrera 4 or TT.

I want either a six speed manual (feels more engaging, but is a pain in heavy or stop-go traffic) or a semi-auto/Tip model since I like the paddle shifting of other cars I have test driven last year.

I don't really need all the power of the TT, though it is nice to show off or brag about to other enthusiasts. In any case, if I did get a M96 Carrera, and wanted bragging rights or more oomphf, I guess I can always get the car tuned and modded at a performance/sport/racing shop to upgrade the performance to near TT levels.

Your guys' help, advice, suggestions is immensely appreciated, really! <3

Dennis C

Welcome to the forums.

Ultimately, you have to decide why you want a Porsche. Are you a driver, or a polisher? Are you more interested in bragging about having a turbo, or about enjoying the driving experience? How will you drive it? Will you only go on cruises on the weekend, or will you drive it all week? Do you like twisty roads or will you be on the highway frequently? Do you want a cabriolet or a coupe? Will you take the car on the track?

A Porsche calls to potential owners for lots of reasons. There's no wrong answer here...

All these things should impact your decison on which model to buy. They are all good, for different reasons.

Look at lots of Porsches and drive as many as you can. You'll discover what you want in a Porsche if you try.

Zanzibar Red 996

With your budget you could buy a low mileage 996
Have flat Six do the ims/rms
And still have dough to drive cross country
I have a similar mind set
I decided to look for the 996 with the least number of Options ie; power seats, heated anything, crests ,
Four wheel drive, you don't need any if that crap it weights more and breaks
996's are incredible cars

Gonzo911

Any good Indy can do the IMS/RMS. With your budget you will have many choices. Take your time and when you know...you'll know. Good luck!

TheLastTemplar

Thanks for the response guys. For the mileage, isn't this a catch 22 situation. These cars are meant for driving so a high mileage one with good records should be better/more reliable than a low mileage car with the same good records, no?

I like the look of the TT the most to be honest, although any of them will look good in my eyes, as long as they are black or Guards Red, with a nice set of wheels/rims. Bad rims will make or break a car's look IMO, and I have seen sexy 996's online with good rims/wheels and ugly ones with basic/cheap looking silver rims.

I don't like the higher upkeep of the Turbo, since it's a more complex engine and the fact I plan on driving the car 3 or 4 times a week for 6 months out of the year. I will not drive in winter, for many reasons--even if I was driving a Civic or Kia or a AWD 911. Too dangerous and driving conditions and road conditions are horrid here during winter.

Having said this a non Turbo is what I want. Not sure if C4 is worth the higher cost of the C2... But, if it helps in rainy conditions, I'll likely get this and spend more.

I have seen many nice 996 examples here from others, and am leaning towards the facelifted C2 or C4 now from 2002-2004.

Dennis C

I think a MK II 996 C2 or C4 would be excellent for your requirements. You should drive both for comparison. The engines and suspensions are essentially the same between the two models, but the drive a little differently. The added weight of the C4 in the front will make is handle slightly differently than the C2. It's not really noticable when driving on the street most of the time. That being said, the C4 offers PSM as a standard feature and the AWD system offers a little bit more grip, although it isn't much in most driving conditions.

Good luck with your search.

jamren

Unless you are used to driving around with a lot of HP, I would go 996 C2. After upgrading from my 178 hp VW Corrado, I find the 296 hp in my 1999 very satisfying. I would buy a 996 that has already had the IMS update done for low 20s and then keep the rest of the cash in your budget in the bank for peace of mind in case it breaks. I was able to get my 99 with 77,000 miles for $17.7k but I have been told on this forum that I got pretty lucky. The previous owner did the IMS and maintained the car meticulously.

TheLastTemplar

Dennis, did the MKII Carrera 2 ever come with the PSM as an option? If so I may look into getting one with this over a C4. I have never driven an AWD vehicle, only a front engine car.

Do you think the C4 and it's AWD is meant for more timid/newer drivers or people who only drive a car for transportation, and not for fun?

Also, are rear wheel drives harder/worse to drive/handle than front engined ones (most everyday/generic cars I see are front engined)??

Speaking of suspensions, I want to lower the car by an inch or so, and use 19" rims... do I need to do upgrades or not, as I have read conflicting testaments--one person claims it didn't affect the drive/performance, another says this damages the springs, coils, etc very quickly. Your opinion?


jamren, are the IMS and RMS upgrades expensive? I will have to consider this cost factor, if I find a Carrera that didn't get this replaced/upgraded.




Nice car, though I am not a fan of silver at all. I'm sorry and good luck!


Thanks again to everyone here for replying and helping me, I am grateful for this

Dennis C

I believe PSM was offered on the C2 as an option. I wouldn't classify the AWD cars as vehicles meant for timid drivers or for drivers who aren't interested in performance. The 996 turbos are all AWD cars (GT2 being the exception). In numbers published by Porsche from their own testing, the AWD C4S was four seconds faster around the Nurburgring than the C2. You could argue that this was due to bigger brakes or fatter rear tires, or whatever. The point I'm trying to make is that it's still a serious performance vehicle.

Many track enthusiasts prefer the weight distribution and lighter weight of the C2. It's not that the C4 is bad, it's just different.

Suspension mods are common for these vehicles, and the switch to 19" wheels is also. You'll find people who like 19" wheels and people who don't. It's important to note that the 996 was designed for 18" wheels. When the 997 launched with 19" wheels, Porsche changed the gearing by 5% so it wouldn't be slower than the 996. They also beefed up the suspension to handle the increased loads on the suspension due to the larger wheels.

You should consider PSS10 coil-overs if you want to lower the car. I've heard good things about them.

TheLastTemplar

Dennis, I am now leaning towards a 2002-2004 C2, and will settle for a 99/00 C2/C4 if prices are quite a bit lower. Having done some research on both a C2 and C4, I think a C2 will do for the 6 months I will be driving it.

If I were to get 19" wheels, can I just upgrade the suspension and skip the coil-over upgrade? I may get the ECU flashed and upgrade the exhaust system, to boost HP and lower the weight.

Also, are Brembo brakes worth getting? Are they more efficient than the stock brakes of either Carrera model?

Thanks again!

Dennis C

The stock brakes are Brembos. They are very good.

There are some suspension upgrades that are quite good for the 996. These include the M030 suspension or the X74 suspension from Porsche. You can also buy aftermarket springs. I'm sure somebody who has done this will chime in. It might be nice to get input from somebody with a lowered car and 19" wheels to give you advice on tire size, offset, etc.

I just had an Evolution Motorsports ECU flash done on my car and I'm quite pleased with it. There are lots of great aftermarket exhaust options too.

EMBPilot

If that's your budget then but a 993.

TheLastTemplar

EMBPilot, I don't like the retro look of the 993 and much prefer the 996 and newer models over it, and the fact it's water cooled.

Dennis, speaking of suspension, upon further online researching I have learned suspension and related parts will likely near the end of its life cycle on very high mileage 911s-- and I'm referring to well taken care of/extensive service history 911s. Is this something I should factor in when looking??

I don't like yellow that much, but this seems like a solid deal:

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...2-2003/1335179

Judging from what he/she has written, without doing a PPI, would you guys think this is a smart buy? Any way to tell if he/she is hiding something or being intentionally misleading?


I have spoken with my step-dad a few hours ago talking about my future car, and he recommended I get a 2004-2006 Boxster instead, if I want a Porsche. I told him I wanted a 911 (the 996 body styled 911 is my dream car), since it looks sexy as hell and it has a ton of street presence.

He said it's more reliable and cheaper to maintain and run as the 2004 year apparently was the year the earliest 997 debuted with more reliable mechanics. I have to admit, the 2006 Boxster looks quite nice, and I don't like convertibles normally, unless it's a Lamborghini Murci/Gallardo or the Ferrari F430.

Barn996

Why not start by driving as many 911 examples that you can. It should be easier for you to decide once you do. Your budget should allow you many options on a C2. GL

Dstutler

I've had both,2 wheel drive and the C4. If you like the idea of the rear end dancing (sliding) a little bit you may not like the C4 as it's rear end is planted. I personally like the solid feel of the AWD so my preference is the C4.