alpha motoring

Even if it isn't CPO buy the cleanest example you can afford then budget $3-$4k for a Fidelity Platinum warranty plan.

jotaking

Just a word of caution..

One thing that will hurt residuals is DIY mods, servicing etc...

Also....IMHO unless your a mech pro or extremely talented the 997tt isn't a home project car. You'll need to spend big to get diagnostics kit, software, tools etc....

Quadcammer

sorry, total bollocks.

There are many meticulous DIY types that perform service at a higher level than the guy at the dealer or indy shop whose trying to rush jobs out the door to increase his compensation. I take the time to clean, replace damaged fasteners, chase threads, apply anti-seize, etc. I also keep good records of maintenance with the receipts for parts purchased.

I'd further value a car owned by someone who KNOWS their car over someone who drops it off at the dealer when the air in a tire is low.

nzskater

Agree with Quad. Plenty of opportunity to DIY on these cars.

And you only live once. You're not going to be lying on your death bed, cloud streaming videos of your bank account balance at the end of 2017 direct to your Oculus Implant - you'll be watching footage of that road trip you did with your wife/mistress/mates in your 997 Turbo.

jotaking

Quad....

Your car ****miles, years condition.DIY history.

Similar car with full documented OPC history... 10k+....FACT

Unfortunately not everyone knows how great you are, only you. Futhermore they will only have your word for it.

Also....

My point was that these cars aren't nut and bolt mech cars...There is as much if not more electronic/software systems that go way beyond DIY and will require specialist skill and kit.

If you know what your doing, it's your hobby and it's a keeper, then it makes sense.

estrellajon

Disagree. Maybe on a Ferrrari type of cars where service stamps are worth collecting. I have owned 4 Porsches as long as I have part receipts and records of when I did them, that's what counts. 911s are are all very similar and fun to work on. Besides, I do a better job than my mechanic ;-). Hehehe. I'm OCD and I replace bolts while I'm in there

Kevin

We aren't talking about replacing camshafts or upgrading rods..

Replacing exhaust, plugs, coilpacks, oil changes, O2 sensors, brakes, and other suspension bits can be done by the DIY with great results. Most Porsche owners care to read and watch DIY vids. The results are very good. You get the boost hose blowing off once in awhile or disconnected wiring connections on coil packs. But you will quickly get the OBD2 CEL, and one can fix it...

The cars are out of warranty anyway. I'd buy a car with a history of repairs from a Rennlister vs buying a car with few dealer repair stamps at the local corner car dealer.. A PPI from a qualified tech will spot issues and damages from unskilled repairs.

Quadcammer

on the other hand, if you end up having to sell your tv set, watch collection, and dog because you had to do coolant lines, a clutch, and other odds and ends, that might be memorable also.

I get the yolo aspect and the save till you're dead method, but there needs to be some balance. I would not feel comfortable having less than 10k in savings yet financing a car like this.

call me conservative.

Not fact. Might it take a certain type of buyer? potentially, but as these cars age, I think it will be less difficult than you think.

These cars are nuts and bolts cars. Sure they have computer controlled systems, but a $500 durametric gets you very far and isn't even necessary for basic stuff. The rest is nuts and bolts. Some are hard to get to, but they with some good tools, some know how, and some tenacity, its really not bad.

Steve 96C4S

I think... you should just buy a nice car and drive the heck out of it, enjoy it to the max. I don't think you'll have the maintenance costs you think you will. I believe a car like this would cost $2500-4K per year to maintain on average, and I'll bet you can afford that.

Skip the Starbucks lattes, save money when you can, cut back on clothes for yourself and just GET ONE OF THESE BEASTS.

You'll be SO glad you did. Just drove my car the last 2 days after garaging it mostly for months due to the weather and cold. i LOVE THIS CAR.

You will to. Throw some caution to the wind. Live like they did in the 60's, man.

993MAN

^^^^^^

hahahahahaha, nice!

El Dario Loco

What he said
I got tired of waiting (still doing my residency with crap salary) and just went for it. Doing ok so far with some extra night shifts. Figure that if the unexpected happens I can just drive the old VW until I can save up the money for repair. But I'm a live-in-the-moment kind of guy

johnbelk

What he said...
Live Amigo, life is very short! Or one day you'll wake up in a Nursing Home, staring out into the parking lot at the Doctor's Porsche, thinking..."Man, I'm glad I saved my money, so I can have Lime Jell-O today..."
If you truly want the car, you'll find a way to pay for the what ifs..I bet you have a ton of stuff you don't ever use that you could sell and build an emergency fund.
There's some great advice in the above posts...plus, I'm thinking you don't even care for Lime Jell-O, right?...JB

estrellajon

Ah great attitude from everyone here. Like everyone said , YOLO! if you're going to do it, now is the time. If you need servicing, you'll figure it out then.

A418t81

I think if you budget around 3 grand a year on maintenance until you have the big failure points covered you are probably alright. The big thing is while the engine is out for clutch replacement, you might as well pin the coolant pipes, do the plugs/coils, rear main seal, water pump, fuel filter, and the sharkwerks coolant pipes. Consider ditching the stock slave cylinder setup as well. Those things will cost 7ish thousand total but for the most part you will have a bulletproof car otherwise that can make a surprising amount of power for the factory setup with the right basic mods.

Quadcammer

I'm actually really surprised by the advice in here. I figured the YOLO view point would be more prevalent in a kanye west fan forum. You guys really think its a good idea to buy this car utilizing financing without having 10k in savings?

I'm not saying he should wait till he's 60 to buy the car, but if he earns a good living, shouldn't he really do the following:

1. 6 month minimum emergency fund
2. very large down payment resulting in very little financed
3. max out 401k/IRA contributions

It seems to me that this would put the car much more comfortably into the OP's situation.

Also, having to sell household items to fund repairs? That sounds reasonable to you????????

very surprised by these responses honestly