Suns_PSD

Hey guys, first post here.

I might be a bit atypical around here as I am not a wealthy guy, but I'm a car enthusiast and have the desire and means to finally get the car I REALLY want

I'm shopping for a Porsche 997 2S manual, about an '07-'08 is in my budget. I'm one of the guys that in fact can NOT afford the 991, fortunately for me I do in fact prefer the 997. I do however wish I could spend the extra money for the 997.2 DI 3.8 but alas, it is not a wise use of funds for me at this time. Btw, are the DI's turning out to be reliable w/ lots of miles on them?

Fortunately there are many fantastic 911s to chose from w/ very low mileage.

My issue is that I currently do hard and fast car track days at an advanced level and I have concerns about the maintenance costs of a 911. I would handle all of the standard stuff myself, quite easily. Are there any other maintance items that I need to be aware of? Ignoring $1600 sets of tires (which my current car also eats like tic-tacs) I'm concerned w/ stuff that actually breaks on these cars when used hard.

Can I purchase aftermarket brake pads, clutches, wheels for a 911 at somewhere near the cost of these same parts in less exclusive cars? If I break a manual transmission out of warranty am I looking at some outrageous cost to replace or rebuild? A friend recently spent $30K on a new Nissan GTR transmission and frankly, that scares the hell out of me.

Realistically I'd buy a car w/ less than 15K miles and I'd drive it 5-7K/ year for several years, 4-6 years anyways.

I would appreciate any input on this topic from guys w/ experience.

Sun

fast1

To the best of my knowledge the 07/08 997 has no ticking time bombs like the early 996 did with RMS. Given your financial constraints I would highly recommend buying a CPO 997. That would provide you with at least two years peace of mind, and chances are that if there are any serious mechanical problems you'll have them identified and repired under warranty. Best of luck on your quest.

function12

Most of the factory parts work really well for those few tracks days a year. That said most of the aftermarket parts are not that much cheaper the factory depending on where you buy them. I beleive you can get a rebuilt tranny for around $6k IIRC. Engine on the other hand is triple that.

jason74

You can look at Pelican Parts to see prices on about everything from pads, belts, clutch kits and such. Look for various specials on the oil. I'm not sure that the track days you describe will fall into honoring the CPO warranty! Also, don't underestimate the non S models if your budget is tight.

Spokane5150

www.suncoastparts.com

Another resource to find maintenance and tune-up parts.

Suns_PSD

Thanks for the responses guys. Drivetrain components sound expensive but I'm certain that one of my guys could put it back together for less cash if need be.

PS. I'm definitely an 'S' guy. I desire the hp and was in the process of ordering some very expensive parts for my Hyundai (yes, Hyundai ) to seriously upgrade the power when I began to see that similiar money into a stock 'S' Porsche would give me the power and options I desire in hopefully a more reliable platform (at that higher power level). And put bluntly, I'd have a Porsche and not a hopped up Hyundai!

PHX 911

It's not clear, to me anyway, if your looking for a car to primarily track, that you occaisionally drive on the street, or vice versa.

I would guess maintaining a 997.1 as primarily a track car is a fairly expensive endeavor. I have a friend that has a 993 that is his track car, and the entry point is less $, and it doesn't eat him up in things other than tires. If it is a component suitable for racing, and has the Porsche name on it, it's likely to cost more, and is the price of admission, as they say...

Hella-Buggin'

I would think a 996 could be had at a cheaper price than a 993 these days. Yes, it may be ugly but if it's just a track car who cares.

hoffa

I drive my car year round (including winters) and I have had a number of small issues with my 2006 C2S.

Off the top of my head, In 3 years of ownership,

I needed a new clutch - previous owner clearly messed it up. I bought it with 32k KM / ~ 20k miles. Dealer split it with me, so 1400. I figured that was fair.

Alignment ~ 200-300 each time

Tires ~ 1800 for a full set, then had one blowout, so bought another at about 500. Wish i had the insurance.

Brakes ~ 1000 for pads and rotors

Oil changes, 2 x year, ~ 200 give or take with oil, filter, inspection

Misc stuff - strut bearing - 300$, serpentine belt + pulley preventive maintenance ~ 2-300

I am probably missing a few things. I havent done any of the larger scheduled services yet (its coming up soon), but as you can see from above, its not killer. I did have number of things go through on CPO - I 100% suggest getting a CPO'd car. I am sure it paid for itself in my case.

Spokane5150

If you go to advanced search option and input "Cost of Ownership" you'll find a lot of information on the subject.

Palmbeacher

That's the most intelligent response I've seen. I was thinking of posting the exact same thing just before I read it. For the cost of a pristine, low-mileage '07-'08 C2S which would then be flogged to ruin playing weekend boy-racer, one could find a keenly-priced 996 and have it kitted to end up being quicker round a track than a stock C2S.

Suns_PSD

Thanks for that! That was very informative and none of that scares me in the least. It's a little higher than usual but nothing crazy. Heck I can't get a proper clutch installed in my Korean car for less than $1,900 or so. And I do all of that work myself anyways. Can I ask how many miles you have and what is the 'scheduled maintenance' anyways beyond the usual fluid changes? Are there timing belt replacements, valve lash adjustment, etc? You know, expensive stuff.

I'd say that realistically out of the 6K miles per year, 1K of those would be at the track at full pace. Maybe 1K driving the canyons but that's not too hard on her. And the rest will be taking the wife to dinner. It's not fair to claim that I don't care in the least about prestige and driving a nice car. Frankly if it was a track day only car, there are platforms that can be made faster for much less money.

For me, the 997 2S manual is the car for me. I don't like older cars and that is borderline too old for me anyways. Even in a classic 911 style car.

BTW, since I'm with fellow car nuts this is the car I'm looking at replacing.





Unfortunately I blow as a photographer!

I really appreciate the info guys.

USMC_DS1

If u diy... its not bad at all. My 08 c2s has 52k miles non-tracked. Out of pocket has been cost of parts:
Oil changes - $70 ea
Flush coolant- $100
Cabin filter- $20 ea
Airfilter- $25 ea
Bleed brakes- $40
Battery - $100
Plugs n coils- $300
H2O pump- $250

Under warranty the rms n tpms were replaced. Rms leaked because it sat on dealer lot for 5 months. Batteries will eventually go out on ur tpms. But nothing out off norm so far. Less to maintain then my former BMW's. I'll spend 5x this on mods though.

blake

For low $50s you could have a 996 GT3... That's the deal of the century IMHO and you can't find a better track car in the Porsche line up for the money. Your teeth will rattle when you drive one stock - they are not for the faint of heart!

Both my 996.2 GT3 and my 997.1 C2S Cab have been quite reliable. I do all my own maintenacne, and that saves a lot of money. Sunset, Pelican Parts and Rennlist "search function" are my three resources for parts & "how-to"s... I've been doing it this way for over a decade, and its a great way to minimize expenses.

Good luck with your search.

-B

utkinpol

low 60s, ther are no such cars in low 50s imho, nowhere.

i would agree, it is a hell of the car. track it until motor lasts, then for $30k or so put in sharkwerks 3.9L motor and keep running it forever. if you don`t like electronics in 996 car - replace it with any modern kenwood or pioneer unit and get all modern features like BT, GPS, etc.