fiorsamo

A good friend of mine is looking to buy a 997 with fairly low miles, but is curious about future mechanical costs related to ownership. What are your thoughts on the reliability of 997s and what are common mechanical costs like for a 2-3 year old example (assuming one owner, good condition, etc.)? This will be his first car that isn't automatic, first sports car, and first Porsche. What are other things he should be aware of before buying?

Thanks!

Ucube

Not the first time -- and certainly won't be the last -- this question has come up. In fact, that question has been posed quite a bit lately. Kindly use the search function on the top menu bar, and you'll find all the info you need.

Good luck.

At Law

These are extremely reliable cars.

Tires are your biggest expense--and you can control this
expense by your driving habits.

stevepow

I think those 3 will keep him occupied for a while.

cole328

I am not sure he is ready for a Porsche...sounds like he should work his way up first.....

steph280

Ask him if he's comfortable with $1900 tire replacement costs, $300 oil changes, etc.

I kinda agree this might not be an ideal first sports car. Only when he has experience with lesser cars will he be able to truly appreciate the feel of 997's. Back when I was younger I was easily impressed by a Mitsubishi as my first sports car and had no idea what a better car would feel like until I had a side by side comparison on a 993.

fiorsamo

I also agree that it's not an ideal first sports car, but he is dead set on getting one and has the means to. What else is in that price range that is more "ideal" in case I can convince him?

cole328

bmw M3 as a start very quick balanced front engine free maintenance etc porsche's are sweet for sure,. but there are many hidden costs

patela

Before you scare your friend off Porsche's all together, what has he been driving until now? There are plenty of high performance non-sportscars that cost a fortune to maintain, and in relation to which, a Porsche is not such an unreasonable step up in my opinion.

997S4KEN

My steps: 69 Chevelle SS first car, not friendly in the turns hehehehe!, about a million different Mustangs, fox bodies, SN95's etc. 350Z and G35, E46 M3, E90 335 sedan. Driven quite a few 911s, 993, 996, & 997.1 and .2. I kind of agree somewhat, that maybe an M3 then 911. Or why not a Cayman, or Boxster.

My nickel.

surfer

The recent 997s have good reliability. My 07 C2S has been bulletproof the past 2 years. Just a reflash of the engine blower covered under warranty. That and the $700 annual servicing OEM Michelin PS2s still with substantial tread.

steph280

In my few months of Porsche ownership, I've heard some good and bad comments about the car. While there is no doubt the car has lots of ponies and goes like heck, a few people thinks the interior is crude, and some even call it "retro". One asked me why the $2600 adaptive sports seat "vibrates" as if it was made out of some cheap plastic when the car goes over uneven surfaces, while another tried to push the PCM screen thinking it's a touchscreen. Friend think the engine is noisy compared to Lexus (duh), sounded as if I have a loose valve that's tapping. Mother in law asked why the dash is so square, not rounded curved like "modern" cars. And I hear over and over about what can I actually fit in that tiny trunk.

We all know we love Porsche for the performance and heritage behind the name, but to those who knows nothing about it and think it's just a car that looks like Nissan Z, they have a totally different perception of what we see in our car.

That's why I don't think it's a good first sports car, specially when he has no basis to compare with. But who knows, your friend may drive a 997 and fall in love like rest of us. Just make sure he has a chance to drive some other cars such as M3, AMG C63, Infinity Z, or even Lexus before committing. Some people are attracted to the creature comfort and techno wizardry of those car, while others love the raw performance and feedback from a Porsche.

My $0.2

dgcate

I think a 997 is a great sports car, first or otherwise. This isn't an old, maintence intensive car that has to be kept up with. The way they drive are not lost on many people no matter what their "prior experience" is. They're just great cars.

Most of the maintence one can do himself (if he can change the oil on an old pickup truck, he's more than qualified to do it on this car, if he's so inclined)..

Heck, these cars even get good gas milage.

I agree that tires will probably be his biggest expense. But any newer "high end" car isn't going to be any cheaper to maintain.

I've also had 2 bent rims. Cheap (just inconvenient) to fix.

Alstoy

Many of us probably wished that they had bought their Porsche sooner. So it may not be that bad to have this as the first sports car. Prices are great right now-new or used. As far as the tires, the 18s are very reasonable and have a slightly better ride. They might even be cheaper than a set of M3 tires. The annual service runs about $700, about what an M3 out of service warrant would cost. Simple oil change costs about $150. Gas milage is great if you go easy. Mine's a daily driver and has been very reliable as has some of my friends cars that get tracked. All in all, it's a brilliant car to own and relatively easy on the wallet.

Ucube

I completely agree. Unless you're an avid fan of Porsches, most buyers simply see the badge more so than its true merits. All of my friends know what a 911 is, and some have even driven it, but none can ever look past the price tag. While they do acknowledge and can appreciate the sheer performance excellence of Porsches, the tradition and design "quirks" are simply lost on them. They never quite understand why the legendary 911 doesn't come with a Benz or Lexus interior and feature content. To a casual fan, the value proposition of a 911 is anything but reasonable.