Spork

I'm sure some of you drive your 996's as daily driver.

I picked up my '99 996 C2 Cabrio 6 speed a few weeks ago and am enjoying it on the occasional drive.

We just made a change at my work and they are offering me $600/month plus gas card if I drive one of my own vehicles (I have a company truck now). I have a Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited that I will use most of the time and would like to drive the Porsche occasionally but a manual trans in LA traffic is not going to be a fun experience.

So I thought maybe I'd pick up another one for work. I just found a '99 C4 coupe with Tiptronic, 113K miles, blue with grey interior, IMS done at 102K miles, looks pretty clean and asking only $16.5K.

My commute is 106 miles round trip now but we are looking to relocate the office and will then only be about 50 round trip.

I figure if I can get the price down to $15K my vehicle allowance will pay for it in a couple years. If we don't move I'm racking up about 26K miles a year (if I drive it every day) and if we do move (most likely) then only 13K per year. I'm sure I'll be driving the Jeep in bad weather or if I need to haul a bunch of stuff si miles will be less.

How do you think this will hold up as a DD? Any issues I should worry about?

Atrox

Does your vehicle allowance have stipulations on what vehicles it will cover? If not why not spring for a newer less high mileage car. I can't see a high mileage 996 as a practical car for those kind of yearly miles. I can however see the reasoning on wanting to add another Porsche to the stable. Most allowances I've dealt with have year and mileage stipulations.

I'd look into leasing if I were you.

vandersmith

I daily drive mine and track it on the weekends. These cars are made for those types of trips!

Arch1t3ct

A lot of people do DD these to some ridiculous mileage, ,totally doable. Sounds like the major concerns have already been addressed, and getting a higher mileage 996 you can put tons more miles on it without worry. Just get a good PPI if you're not comfortable looking over the car yourself. As stout as these cars seem to be, if an engine does need to be taken apart it is pretty expensive.

mertzy

Will that car allowance cover loan payments plus maintenance?

Spork

It's $600/mo to do what ever I like with. I'd be paying cash so no loan payments. No fuel costs either as I have a company gas card.

So say I have 150K miles on it after a couple years and the allowance has pretty much paid for the car. Would the car be worthless then or still be a decent vehicle that is basically free at that point?

I'm also thinking about a Corvette (I've owned quite a few of them) and LSX motors can go 200 + K miles with no problem.

Slakker

That's a lot of miles to put on any high performance vehicle, much less a 17 year old one. It's bad enough that if the engine goes, you are out 10-25k, but the tips seem to add another level of mystery to the financial equation that you don't get with an MT (see current thread "Help! My 996 can just broke down...").

Despite numerous attempts, I have not figured out how to own a German sportscar (M, AMG, 911) without spending $.80-$1.30/mile, not including fuel. If you are going to put 78k miles on a 996 over the next 3 years, I think $600/mo is probably a good number just cover you maintenance and repairs. Your two biggest variables will be whether the engine blows (these aren't Corollas) and whether you do the recommended maintenance (especially AOS and water pump) and basic repairs yourself or have to pay $150/hr to have it done for you.

One other thing is to consider what the resale value will be in 3 years with 190k miles on it. If it was me, I'd take the allowance, drive my Cherokee on Mon-Thu, and my existing cab MT on Fri, Sat and Sun. .

But that's just my 2 cents, and it's probably overpriced at that.

BAD.TAG

Totally do-able. If I can do it in NY, NV should be no problem =)

kromdom

There are dozens of OTHER cars better suited for DD chores. But no doubt you can rationalize why it has to be another 996.

Yup, lots out there that are CHEAP TO BUY...just remember to factor in the COST TO OWN.

kab1994

I have put 25,000 miles on my 996 in the 15 months I have owned it as a DD. No complaints and it is a manual.

vandersmith

Just a heads up, you're almost in 996TT (EDIT: 997S) territory.

$600 Month, $0 Down, 4% APR, 72 Months = $33,500 - $36,000 Sticker Price.

Just saying.

johnireland

The cars were made to be daily drivers. But LA can certainly turn it into a chore. Beat up the Jeep, use the 996 you own whenever the fancy strikes you, and pocket the $600 a month as a war chest for whatever you may want to do with it at some future date.

Flat6Music

Congrats on the new ride! I got mine recently, as well.

If you're driving the I-15 (as your location suggests) during peak traffic hours, which is very slow moving, being in something with a low seat height makes for poor visibility of conditions ahead. The Corvette will be the same in that regard in that it's difficult to see beyond the car immediately ahead. Heavy, slow traffic takes the fun out of driving a car with such a fun right pedal.

The other factor is after slugging it out in traffic everyday in a 996, are you really going to be looking forward to jumping into your other 996 for fun on the weekends or weekday evenings to blast around in as you would if you were in something else?

vandersmith

Also: (I am not a FA in anyway shape or form)

Traditional IRA: $458 per month, $5500 Contribution per Year in Trad IRA @ 5% Return over 5 years = $35,697 with Tax Savings

Roth IRA: $458 per month, $5500 Contribution per Year in Roth IRA @ 5% Return over 5 years = $31,911

So, you could have a 996TT, a 997S, or a quick start on retirement.

Pick One?

rayng

996 is a good car. it will surely hold up if you maintain it properly.

i commuted 45 miles each day on my 996c2, putting 50k miles over the years. i love driving it and stiill take it to work occasionally.

you'll have tires, gas, oil changes, brakes, and all the usual consumables. the plastic interior starts to wear a bit and it's not as fun to drive in heavy stop and go. a bad relay left me stranded on the 60 east with 70 mph traffic swerving to avoid me. even 18 wheelers honked at my stalled 996 on the #2 lane. other than that, i changed the ignition switch myself and did other normal scheduled maintenance including rms, ims bearings.

of course i also have a ton of factory mods.