MalcolmV8

Hey Guys,

So I've wanted a 911 Turbo all my life, it's my dream car. I'm finally in a place in my life where I can do it. I have a little over $45k saved up for purchase and should have about $5k more in a month or two so I'll be around $50k. My plan is not to finance anything.

So searching around I see the approx $40k price range puts me in a 2001 ~ 2004 for an AWD TT 911. The 05 ~ 07 (stretching on the 07) is more around $50k it seems.

Everything I read on the wiki pages and info I can find says the second gen 997s are so much more revised and better. The handling of the AWD system, the variable vane turbos and so forth. I also really like the headlights of the 997 over the 996. Just more appealing to me. However I haven't ruled out the 996 yet.

So any real world first hand advice here? Perhaps people that have owned both. Is the 997 really that much more car than the 996? Should I spend the extra and go for the 997 or should I spend a little less and get similar 996 with egg shaped headlights and enjoy a similar car?

I'll add I'm a very technical guy, work on my own cars and VERY much into performance and handling. This won't just be a garage queen car for me. I'll drive the heck out of it.

I currently own a 700 whp supercharged Mustang Cobra on E85 that also has nitrous and meth injection. I built and tuned the car myself. From a bare engine block!
I also have the twin turbo AWD BMW 335XI as my daily driver and I also built a turbo honda, all forged internals, and tuned it myself (sold the honda earlier this year). Recently started a C6 vette twin turbo build but it's in the very early stages and may completely scrap that idea in favor of funds for the 911. So like I said I'm very much into the performance / mechanics of the car.

Oh and I will add I recently found the Porsche Club of Kansas City where I'm at and going to attend one of their gatherings this Sunday and check out some of these cars in person (interiors and such) now that I'm a little more informed on the subject and hopefully chat to a few owners and get some of their feed back.

Thanks for any feed back and or advice.

Malcolm

goofballdeluxe

997 all the way. Better car in almost every respect. Since you DIY, you'll save down the road on the extra money you'll spend to get the 997 vs. 996. Oh, also the 997 isn't ugly as hell, like the 996 was, especially the fried egg headlights

Keep in mind you're posting this on the 997 board. Bias abounds. Post this on the 996 board and see what responses you get

eviligloo

I guarantee you will not find a 997 for $50k. Mid $60's for around 50k miles and mid to low $70's for lowe miles than that. I've been looking since March.

Are you set on a turbo? Would you want a 997s?

7391420

with that budget- I'd look for the nicest 996TT you can find-

2002-2004

the common problems with them are well documented from what I've seen, and most folks think they are a great value.

That said- you could also get into a really nice 997 (non turbo) for 40-50k. All else being equal- I personally like the 997 better but I'm not a turbo guy.

If turbo is a must, I think your budget likely dictates a 996

SpeedyD

I second Eviligloo ... no way a well-sorted 997 turbo is going to be $50k. I wouldn't even call listings at that price point unless they had 100k+ miles on them...

For what I gather you intend to do with the car, I'd get a 996 turbo. I drove a bunch of them and also the 997tt and if you can look past the interior being a bit dated, I think you'll get a lot more bang for your dollar with the 996. It also sounds like you won't be keeping this stock for long, and the 996s can be tuned past 600 hp quite safely/easily from what I've gathered. $45k is in the sweet spot for moderate mileage (40k, 50k) 996 turbos. Two things I'd advise, however. Check for second gear popout and check the rev range report. There will only be two ranges for the 996 cars --- I'd be very wary of significant overrevs in the second range.

If your budget was $75k+ I'd start looking at 997 turbos.

Also, for what it's worth, the 996 turbo prices are impacted by disfavor for 996 gen models overall (vs. prior and subsequent models). I am not a huge fan of the 996 but really do like the looks of the turbos, particularly from the rear (which is frankly where most people will be viewing you from...) I think the 996 turbo is the single best value out there amongst porsches.

Dennis C

I just sold my 2002 996 C4S and bought a 2008 997 turbo cabriolet, so I have some first hand experience.

My 996 C4S was a fantastic car. It was good looking, fast and it was a wonderful driver's car. The 996 is in an interesting "sweet spot" right now. The sheer numbers produced combined with the unconventional headlight design and the fact that it was the first water-cooled Porsche have resulted in significant depreciation. As a result, the 996 turbo or C4S is the best bargain available in a high performance sports car. They are also a nice blend between having modern features but still being easy for the DIY mechanic to fix. The 996 is a great driver's car and you should definitely drive one. Again - a 996 turbo is a special car and you can get a very nice one in your price range.

The 997 is an incremental improvement over the 996. It looks more modern, but it has styling cues taken from the 993. It's more refined and faster. It's also a great choice, but you'll pay a premium for it. This is especially true for the turbo, which wasn't available until MY 2007.

Drive both and see what you like. A good comparison for your price range would be a 996 TT vs. a 997 C4S.

ltcjmramos

Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder! I just came out of a 996GT3 (near-10 years), and while I'll certainly agree the 997 is much better looking than the 996, I would not consider it "ugly as hell." The 996TT is a hell of a bargain. I had it on my list of replacements for the GT3, but needing an "automatic," the PDK-equipped 997 was a better choice for me.

ATLDiver

Not getting into specifics, I bought a clean '06 C2Cab at a P-Car dealer for under 50.

Nova997

My plan is not to finance anything.

I certainly applaud your fiscal responsibility in not wanting to finance any part of your purchase. However with interest rates being so low right now, you could consider the additional financing an opportunity to get yourself into the car you really want.

Case in point, I financed $14K for an 05 C2 that I purchased in July and the interest above the principle totaled approximately $800 (or 2 1/2 additional payments beyond the $14K) over the four year payment plan. You might consider it to be a savings plan (and drive the car you want now and not later).

Just a thought.

Ags 911

I agree with Nova997... I am a banker, there is no better time to SMARTLY leverage yourself for a newer car. Used car rates are ridiculously low for this type of car, below 4% fixed for up to 4 or 5 years. You would have a $20-$25K loan for a top notch car. If rates do rise, you are covered. Again, my disclosure is do it smartly! PM me if you want to discuss further.. Good Luck!

SoCal C2S

I bought my 997.1 C2S with 48K miles for $39K....I looked a long time and found this car at a Chevy dealer who had it originally for $55K, then I watched it week by week until it was listed for $42K, then offered $39K after PPI.

Deals are out there for those who wait! Either way, the cars you are considering are all fine examples! Good luck and good hunting!

SpeedyD

I'm a banker too. I won't comment on personal preferences (or business / investing reasons) to take out a loan to purchase a car, particularly pleasure vehicles (vs. "necessity cars").

I will say that I strongly disagree with doing so in order to go beyond one's budget or stretch the purchase.

Just another banker's perspective...

Ags 911

Speedy D
I'm in your camp about leverage! Don't get me wrong... I wasn't going to get into all the details in a post... Thus reaching me by PM.

SpeedyD

We're on the same page then! Just wanted to avoid impression of bankers saying "yes, more leverage please!" ...

widebodytarga

I was in the same boat as you a while ago. A 997TT is a tempting performance bargain but the 997 is a lot more car. In my opinion the 997 is much better looking and much more refined. In addition, having owned a number of performance cars in the past, I recommend buying the newest car you can afford. While the 996TT's have fairly reliable engines, they do have some issues which spring up with age. Buy a 2006 or newer 997 to avoid most mechanical issues. If you are looking to tune a P-car with 700hp plus you have to buy a 996TT to stay within the budget you mentioned.