Hi everyone,
I'm new here, and not really a car guy but I have been finding myself very attracted to the 911 (996 and 997 styling) having seen one in Gone in 60 Seconds and in real life in my city.
Anywho, I have decided I will work towards my goal of getting a 996 911 a year from now, and will readjust my budget and expenditures, as well as taking on a second job (this will ensure I can still put aside money every month for general savings/emergency funds)
Now, I don't know which to get between the Carrera 2, 4, and Turbo. Turbo looks the nicest IMO, and also the more expensive model to buy online.
I would seriously use this Porsche as a daily driver, and don't plan on racing or going to the tracks.
Somewhat shallow, but I care about the sound the vehicle makes when changing gears. It has to have that "Porsche sound" to it. I don't know if I'll get that with a non-Turbo 911.
The main concern I have really, is about the cost to service a Carrera 2 vs a Turbo and a Carrera 4, and the general maintenance cost per each month or at the end of the year.
I know for other makes of cars, a Turbo version is usually costlier to maintain and fix if something should go wrong. I know for Ferrari and Lamborghini cars, upkeep and repairs range from very to extremely expensive (this is from reading different owners' stories between both brands on various models between 2000 and 2006)
Back to Porsche, I want your guys' opinions from your research and/or ownership experiences, which 996 I should aim to purchase so I can have a solid goal in mind to follow. And please don't advise me to get a 993, 997, 944, etc as I have made up my mind I want a 996 model.
Thanks a ton guys!
Not to be too picky but you'll get the Porsche sound from any Porsche, be it a Boxster, Cayman, or any of the 911 variations available.
I mean they're all Porsches.
While I own a 996 Turbo (and a Boxster) my advice is buy the best car you can find and afford. If it is a Turbo, fine. But a nice "plain" 996 is a good car too and of all the 996s will have the lowest running costs.
The Turbo is a bit more expensive to maintain. Oil/filter services cost a bit more (I paid around $250 the other day for an oil/filter service at a local dealer which included blowing out the radiator ducts and a road worthiness inspection that checked the status of the suspected RMS (not at all bad enough to worry about) and the condition of the tires/brakes, etc.)
Plug service intervals are a bit shorter than the NA models.
Tires a bit more expensive. But with a proper alignment I can get 20K+ mles out of the rear tires and double those miles from the front tires.
Turbo brakes could be more expensive than the NA car brakes but I haven't had to do brakes on the Turbo yet. The car has over 105K miles on it and still has the original brakes, original clutch and water pump and starter and alternator and fuel pump, and etc.
I can't give you a break down in running costs for either of my cars. I just give them 5K miles oil/filter services and have the other vital fluids replaced on some reasonable schedule. 2 years brake fluid, 4-6 years coolant, 45K to 90K transmission fluid, power steering fluid... well, in both cars the power steering fluid is original. The techs tell me there is no need to replace this. They've never seen a car with a bad power steering system due to fluid breakdown. Generally the power steering suffers when there is a leak and the pump runs low on fluid.
Engine and cabin filters are replaced every so often.
Fuel filter in the Turbo is replaced on schedule. The Boxster doesn't have a serviceable fuel filter.
When something happens like a fuel pump (Boxster), water pump (Boxster), power steering tank high pressure valve (Turbo), I just have the problem fixed. I do not believe in preemptively replacing anything but as I touched upon above I do believe in replacing vital fluids.
Which model to buy? Well, I'll end like I started. Buy the best example you can find and afford, unless you have your heart set on say a Turbo, then buy the best Turbo you can find and afford.
The car you should seriously consider is the 996 C4S. Turbo body, naturally aspirated motor w/ 320HP. I believe the model began in 2002 and ran through the model end in 2004, possibly even 2005. Suggest you check out Excellence magazine for their buyers guide so you can do a little more homework. Good luck.
I have considered the Cayman models as well, especially the new one but decided getting a $45,000 car (once the new model is sold second hand) is for me, not the best way to spend money.
Not sure if I'm allowed to mention PistonHeads, but
I have seen a few year 2000 modeled Turbos as well as some 2001 Turbos listed in pounds on their Classifieds, and after doing the conversion to Canadian dollars, some are going for under $30,000 CDN/USD!!
My future car budget is $35,000, max.
The only potential problem is these are all right hand drive, so I would think driving on a right hand side car would take some adjusting to for me since I'm not used to it, as I've never driven in one before.
Would one be allowed to import these European modeled Porsches into North America or would there be restrictions?
I am not too picky on color, but I would only buy a yellow, black, silver/grey, or white car.
Is the 2000 Turbos any good?
