Purchasing my first 911. Need help between 996 and 997

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 and should have about $5k more in a month or two so I'll be close to $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 around $45 to $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. However I like the styling of the 996 better I think. Just more appealing for now (although I need to see then up close in person and do more comparisons). 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 the slightly better looking 996? 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. I have the twin turbo AWD BMW 335XI as my daily driver and I've also built a turbo honda and tuned it myself in the past. So like I said I'm very much into the performance / mechanics of the car. Thanks for any feed back and or advice. Malcolm

I'd say you should buy the newest model you can afford, and it sounds like you can afford a 996 turbo (01-05) because a 997 turbo won't be anywhere near that price. But the 996 turbo is an awesome car with a great engine and $50k (or less) will buy you a fairly low mileage car in good shape and possibly with the X50 power package if you look hard enough. Personally I can't get past the 996 body styling or there would be one in my garage and I couldn't afford to outright buy a 997 turbo either. Just be sure to get it inspected first by a Porsche mechanic if you find one that you're seriously thinking about buying, especially if it's been modded.

The logic has always been to buy the newest example you can. Styling is subjective. I personally like the look of the mk.2 996 (because it inherited the turbo-look) over the mk.1 996. They are unique in the porsche lineage. I wish I had better experience to draw on for you, but enjoy the hunt. Perhaps the R-List group will offer more first hand knowledge.

Thanks guys. I tend to agree with buy the newest I can afford although I know there are exceptions. I'm really liking the 997s so I may have to do a bit more saving. I found my local Kansas City Porsche club is meeting this Sunday at a local Art of the Machine display in our downtown area. I'm going to head on down and check out the cars and hopefully chat to some owners and get some feed back. Super excited!

Which one do you like to look at the most? Which interior strikes you and makes you want to sit inside? You'll never, or should never, need all the power of a turbo. The 997 is a very pretty car, I love the interior, and of course, the round headlights. And the daytime driving lights/fog lights in the bumper, if you're looking at the later models. I really like my 996 (99), but when I get inside it, I wish I had the 997 interior. Just couldn't get myself to afford it...

Something you might want to consider is depreciation and future values. 996TTs are pretty much bottomed out on depreciation and will probably only increase in value over time now. Later 997s still have a lot of depreciation remaining...

I attended a local Porsche car show last weekend and got to look at the interiors of both and really I thought the 996 interior looked awesome. Yes the 997 looked nicer but the 996 was by no means horrible like I thought it might be. After pondering on this a while I think the 996 is the way to go for me just because I'd be stretching my budget on the 997 and then things like sticky tires, clutches and various upgrades and maintenance is going to take away from my other hobbies. If I do the 996 I'll be well within budget and probably enjoy the car a lot more.

Based on your performance minded history, you made the right choice to pick the 996 TT opposed to a NA 997. When it come to performance and the ease to pump up the HPs on a 996 TT you will have more than you need at your fingertips (tuning/flash/exhaust/turbos etc). Have fun and let us know, how the TT compares to your other toys.

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That's pretty much the same thing the guys at the show were saying too. The owners of the various cars I chatted to that is.

Sound like you know what you will be getting. You gonna have to change to Malcolm 996TT

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Lol that may happen once it gets under my skin. Been a V8 guy for so many years that's going to be very hard to loose.

I traded my 2006 997S for a 2007 997TT about a year ago and I can't imagine ever going back to a non turbo again, night and day difference. If you can handle the looks of the 996TT (i couldn't) get one! 997's just look so much nicer IMO, here's mine

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I agree that's a beautiful looking car and I really love the way the 997s look. In my searching though a 996 TT is going to run me around $40k give or take a few and a 2007 997 TT is hovering around $70k. Kinda big jump for me. I will definitely keep my eyes open though. I'm not rushing into it, still looking around and may even wait till the spring before pulling the trigger depending how things go.

first, drive as many cars as possible. second, wait until winter to pick up a nice well sorted, stock, 996 turbo, maybe even a 996 gt2 if you can swing it. enjoy the search. don't buy too soon.