Gt3stig

I haven't tallyed up my costs but it's only been general maintenance. Same with my 69 911S and the GT3.
My 95 c2 has been a money pit.
Bought it 10 years ago with 35k miles, had a ppi done and had to spend $14k on it in the first six months. So much for ppi's. Lol.
I really don't like the 993 anymore and will most likely give it to my brother. Hope he can afford to keep it up. Lol.

sanyata

Over my four years of ownership which has covered 11k miles I've spent about $2000 in maintenance. Most of that cost was in the first year doing a major service to establish a solid baseline. After that just replacing the ignition switch. So, knock on wood, it's been a trouble free ownership. Now, if I add all the mods I've done to the cost of ownership then the costs skyrockets through the roof and I'm alright with that.

leftlane

Those numbers are crazy. $1500 a month in maintenance? No way.

Most of what the OP listed isn't even maintenance - it's modding, upgrades, etc.

I bet I haven't spent $1500 total over the last few years in maintenance.

If you are spending that kind of coin, you bought the wrong car.

BioBanker

If you don't do oil changes yourself that's at least $300 a year just for the most basic of basic maintenance. I need new pads and rotors all around right now - there's $2500. I just replaced my coilovers and while they were there they found some small tears in rubber seals on the control arms - whole job was $12k but control arms are $800 each.

So basic brakes every 4 or 5 years, oil changes and a couple extra grand for odds and ends adds to $6000 over 5 years.

$1500 a year seems about right as a ballpark. But of course you won't know that until something is noticed and then you get it fixed. It'll be basically nothing for three or four year, then something will show up and you'll have a bigger bill.

FRUNKenstein

Oh, let's talk about it now. I think you've got enough people revved up to have a good discussion.

My understanding, based on opinions in here, is that mods turn a car into a piece of track garbage, no matter the actual amount of track time or car's condition. Roll cage and a tune = bad news

Now I understand that you are enjoying your car, but the thread topic is words of wisdom for the guy shopping for a 996tt.

It appears that you paid a reasonable price for a stock X50 car with a nearly new motor. But then you modded it up, therefore turning it into a low value piece of track crap (BTW - welcome to Club Mod, motto "if stock is so freaking great, why did they build the GT2?").

So, why not find one already with quality mods and save yourself $10k+ on the purchase price and the cost of doing all those mods? It appears to me that people pay a premium for stock, then mod right away, only to remove the mods before selling to represent the car as being unmolested (and therefore more valuable).

911mhawk

Thanks for some actual conversation, after cruising this site for a few months, felt it was time to get involved. Everyone's input and technical posts are often helpful, when not confusing or making one seek the advice of an actual expert (nice to have Kevin in my same county).

I agree with some of the above and look forward to more comment on it later today after I'm done separating the trans/engine for that rebuild I mentioned!

While the intercoolers are out...might as well...

Dock

My first year 996 Turbo ownership costs were 0$.

rmc1148

I'm not really counting but it isn't much.

Dock

Oh, I've never counted. I just remember my first year costs because the car was new and under warranty.

rmc1148

Yea I knew that you have had yours since new, I have spent on preventive maintenance but it doesn't add up to much. New rear tires/alignment were the biggest items. Did clear bra but that's a want.

Fastboy

I agree with Leftlane and Kcattorney. Many of the costs listed were mods, not fixes.


I've had 2 x50 turbo's, both 2003's. The first one was bought in 2009 with 30,000 miles, and I owned it until 2013- the car was crushed while in a storage building and written during the winter of 2013, or I'd still own it. The car's repairs (not mods) were about $7000 over that 4 years (20,000 miles/ 30,000 km driven by me) - mainly a transmission issue plus new rubber, fr. brakes and of course the usual oil/filter stuff --but a lot of this, beyond the tranny fix, is regular maintenance that any car will go through and need.

The current x50 has had a sensor of some sort replaced and some cracked braces that held it (I don't know the details, mechanic found it--all i know is the car kept bogging until it was fixed)--total cost was less than $1000, mostly labor given the mechanics time to diagnose and fix it. I've had the car for 2 years (2014, 2015) - bought it with about 40,000 miles / 60,000 km and have put about 5000 miles / 7500 km per year since purchase (10,000 miles).

So-based on owning 2 of these cars over the past 6 years and driving it semi-regularly -I'd say that actual costs will not likely be much over $2000/year including oil/filter, periodic rubber, brakes and other regular maintenance. Again- if you include modify the car, thats a personal call and shouldn't be something that a new owner would include in a cost analysis.

Dock

I've owned my 996 Turbo for almost 14 years (bought it new). Excluding normal maintenance (tires, oil, batteries, plugs, etc) and modifications I elected to install on the car, the only costs have been front wheel bearings, a new interior rear view mirror, and a short vacuum hose that connects to a DV. Total out of pocket ~$1700.

I did have to replace the windshield because of a crack caused by a rock I took on the Interstate, and I had to have a scratch repaired that was caused by the previously installed rear wiper.

The cost of periodic maintenance depends on whether or not you do some or all of the work yourself, and the cost of the parts/tires. MacGyver fixes and cheap tires can swing costs lower.

Olemiss540

How about a completely stock and reliable 996tt as well as a dedicated track car for track days? That is the route I am trying to maintain, as you have proven that the 996tt is not the most affordable car to turn into a track machine and dare I say not very suitable either.

What I have come to realize is that modifications have sacrifices, which can slowly turn an amazing road car into an unbearable and unreliable track car. These cars were $140K when they were new because of the innovative technology and blistering speed while maintaining relative comfort. Changing the dynamics of them usually leads to negative tradeoffs which is why the modifications usually decrease value in the used market.

For every pwdrhound (with an incredible purpose built machine), there are a hundred folks with half modified cars having overheating issues on the side of the track because the 450 ft lbs of torque didnt get them from turn 1 to turn 2 fast enough or busted coolant fittings or trans issues or a multitude of other very expensive ailments. A race car is going to break (frequently), and is going to be expensive to fix, there is no surprises there. But there are better cars to build for that purpose in my humble opinion, while keeping this absolutely amazing piece of machinery how Stuttgart intended.

I am new to the scene as having purchased my car in the last 6 months, so I apologize if I took your OP the wrong way. I am definitely not new to an addiction to car parts hoarding and always trying to improve lap times at the sake of street manners. I still have yet to win a HPDE yet though.

Olemiss540

This is what I like to hear! Hoping to have the same luck over the next 10 or 15 years with mine. Doing all of my own work on BMW's for the last 8 years, I hope these are somewhat easy to DIY and the resources to perform your own work are out there to accommodate. I am the type that is always looking for a reason to replace a fluid or change a filter or buy a new seal.

KC-944 Turbo

Well, I've only had the 996TT for 6 months.
- O2 sensor
- Gasoline
- Wood parking break to match the shift ****.

That's it.